Faking

[Pepper Saltzman]

I belong to another board/forum where faking - pretending to be someone you are not and asking for advice, support, etc, based on that fake persona - is a bannable offense and taken very seriously.  I was wondering how that sort of behavior is looked upon here. 

For example, let's say I had a strong suspicion (or perhaps even some [circumstantial] evidence) that someone who posted here very regularly was asking for advice on a number of potentially/borderline hot-button issues and requesting support was not actually in the predicaments he/she has claimed and is not the person he/she is claiming to be.  Would it matter to most people?  Is it something that would necessarily be reported to a moderator?  Or would it be a situation wherein one is expected to ignore it and mind one's own business?

I personally see it as trolling.  I wondered what the rest of you thought about it.

[PeasNCues]

I think it is taken quite seriously by the mods and should you have suspicions (I believe these are called shenanigans) you should report to the mod and NOT do a public call out.

[Pepper Saltzman]

Thank you.

[PeasNCues]

I don't think you need to.

Others may have other useful information.

ETA: I didn't mean to insinuate that this thread was a public call out - I know you were just asking a question. Sorry if it came off that way!

[Shoo]

I belong to another board/forum where faking - pretending to be someone you are not and asking for advice, support, etc, based on that fake persona - is a bannable offense and taken very seriously.  I was wondering how that sort of behavior is looked upon here. 

For example, let's say I had a strong suspicion (or perhaps even some [circumstantial] evidence) that someone who posted here very regularly was asking for advice on a number of potentially/borderline hot-button issues and requesting support was not actually in the predicaments he/she has claimed and is not the person he/she is claiming to be.  Would it matter to most people?  Is it something that would necessarily be reported to a moderator?  Or would it be a situation wherein one is expected to ignore it and mind one's own business?

I personally see it as trolling.  I wondered what the rest of you thought about it.

If the person's intent is to cause disruption, then I call that trolling too.  Problem is, it's awfully hard to be certain *who* anybody is on the internet.  I think it's prudent to treat each person on the forum as if everything they say is straight up, until they give a reason to think otherwise.  Posting on other forums, using different names outside of this forum, is not really our business here.  I don't see how it affects us one way or the other what anybody from this forum does outside of it, as long as they're not bringing a bad set of people back here with them to cause trouble.

[penelope2017]

I'd want to know, especially if it was a scenario that caused people to have genuine concern for the poster. I know many Ehell posters are good-hearted and take concerns to heart when others are in trouble. I think that it should be known if these scenarios are false.

[Pepper Saltzman]

I don't think you need to.

Others may have other useful information.

ETA: I didn't mean to insinuate that this thread was a public call out - I know you were just asking a question. Sorry if it came off that way!

No worries!  I didn't want it to look as though that was my intention or anything.  This is all hypothetically hypothetical.  

[Merry Mrs Martin]

I think it is taken quite seriously by the mods and should you have suspicions (I believe these are called shenanigans) you should report to the mod and NOT do a public call out.

POD  

I do think you can say " wow, so many things have happen your life sounds like a fictional story" or " I'm confused , you said X before?"
I don't think you can say " I think your just making all of this up"

I do agree that posting fictional situations as facts especially hot-topic(not hot topics here like grocery carts but hot topics like racism , violence , abuse, politics , etc.) is trolling and I hope known perpetrators are banned. Also on occasion you'll (general) have a responce of "I'll help" in real life of course a poster accepting help IRL who is proven to be making up stories should be banned.

[rashea]

It's happened before here, and I'm sure it will happen again. If you suspect someone, take it to the mods. I do know that I often change minor details of stories so that they aren't quite as traceable online, but the general facts are still accurate.

[Yvaine]

It's happened before here, and I'm sure it will happen again. If you suspect someone, take it to the mods. I do know that I often change minor details of stories so that they aren't quite as traceable online, but the general facts are still accurate.

Yeah, me too. I'm pretty sure I gave myself an extra sibling once for this reason, and I'll switch genders or change an aunt to a cousin or something.

[Lisbeth]

I'd want to know, especially if it was a scenario that caused people to have genuine concern for the poster. I know many Ehell posters are good-hearted and take concerns to heart when others are in trouble. I think that it should be known if these scenarios are false.

If the scenarios are false, I think I'd rather hear that from the mods rather than the poster being "called out" on it.  This is not to suggest that anyone's desire to know isn't valid, because it certainly is; it's just that when posters do it, it can turn into something resembling dogpiling.

[penelope2017]

I'd want to know, especially if it was a scenario that caused people to have genuine concern for the poster. I know many Ehell posters are good-hearted and take concerns to heart when others are in trouble. I think that it should be known if these scenarios are false.

If the scenarios are false, I think I'd rather hear that from the mods rather than the poster being "called out" on it.  This is not to suggest that anyone's desire to know isn't valid, because it certainly is; it's just that when posters do it, it can turn into something resembling dogpiling.

Right. That's why I said "should be known" not "you should call them out on it."

[jibby]

It's happened before here, and I'm sure it will happen again. If you suspect someone, take it to the mods. I do know that I often change minor details of stories so that they aren't quite as traceable online, but the general facts are still accurate.

Yeah, me too. I'm pretty sure I gave myself an extra sibling once for this reason, and I'll switch genders or change an aunt to a cousin or something.

Glad I'm not the only one who does this, although mine is out of paranoia.  I have a difficult enough time with certain relatives/acquaintances without having to answer accusations of posting about them online.

[Lisbeth]

I'd want to know, especially if it was a scenario that caused people to have genuine concern for the poster. I know many Ehell posters are good-hearted and take concerns to heart when others are in trouble. I think that it should be known if these scenarios are false.

If the scenarios are false, I think I'd rather hear that from the mods rather than the poster being "called out" on it.  This is not to suggest that anyone's desire to know isn't valid, because it certainly is; it's just that when posters do it, it can turn into something resembling dogpiling.

Right. That's why I said "should be known" not "you should call them out on it."

Well, you hadn't indicated how it should be made known.  Looks like we agree that a moderator should do that-not a fellow poster.

[Scuba_Dog]

I belong to another board/forum where faking - pretending to be someone you are not and asking for advice, support, etc, based on that fake persona - is a bannable offense and taken very seriously.  I was wondering how that sort of behavior is looked upon here. 

For example, let's say I had a strong suspicion (or perhaps even some [circumstantial] evidence) that someone who posted here very regularly was asking for advice on a number of potentially/borderline hot-button issues and requesting support was not actually in the predicaments he/she has claimed and is not the person he/she is claiming to be.  Would it matter to most people?  Is it something that would necessarily be reported to a moderator?  Or would it be a situation wherein one is expected to ignore it and mind one's own business?

I personally see it as trolling.  I wondered what the rest of you thought about it.

I see it as trolling also.  I find that type of behavior (especially when it involves kind people offering care, concern and sympathy, to a liar) despicable. 

Please, do report it.