He created multiple profiles and responded to his own discussion
By Porcospino
@Porcospino (31366)
Denmark
February 9, 2016 6:53am CST
On another discussion site I read a discussion where a member expressed his opinion about a topic. Seven people agreed with him and they told him that they liked his discussion. Later I discovered that the discussion and the responses were written by the same person. That person had created 8 different profiles, and he was discussing with himself!
It is a site where the members don't get paid for their participation, so the person wasn't trying to earn money that way. I am not sure why he did it. Maybe he felt ignored and wanted the other members to think that he was popular? If it happened on myLot I would think that person broke the rules and interacted with himself in order to earn money, but in this case there is no money involved so there must be a different reason.
How would you react if you read a discussion on a discussion site and discovered that the member was discussing with himself/herself?
10 people like this
13 responses
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
9 Feb 16
We get the occasional incidence of "sock puppets" here, too. Possibly most forums do. People either do it simply out of devilment ("trolling") or because they can't get a life of their own or (on places where money is to be earned) to try and increase their earnings.
When I spot or suspect that I have spotted one, I report it and Admin is quick to remove them. He has the tools to positively identify them because he can see much more than just a person's public profile and such people are usually stupid enough to leave abundant clues.
5 people like this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
9 Feb 16
I would also report them, but I have never seen that type of behaviour here. I probably didn't notice them. It is good that admin removes them quickly. I guess they thought that they found an easy way to increase their earnings 
Trolling and boredom could be some of the reasons (aside from money) One member from the same site created a fake profile and wrote lots of discussions about her glamerous life - that didn't exist. Many people became friends with the fake profile and they were hurt when they discovered the truth about the profile.
Trolling and boredom could be some of the reasons (aside from money) One member from the same site created a fake profile and wrote lots of discussions about her glamerous life - that didn't exist. Many people became friends with the fake profile and they were hurt when they discovered the truth about the profile.2 people like this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
9 Feb 16
It is against the rules and the person got banned when the admin discovered the truth about the profiles.
1 person likes this
@Bluedoll (16773)
• Canada
9 Feb 16
@Porcospino I was thinking multi personality disorder but if it is against the rules then it ends there.
2 people like this
@gaiza12 (4884)
• Philippines
9 Feb 16
That person must be too bored to create a lot of accounts and responds to himself. Not only is he cheating on the others but he is also cheating himself.
If ever i find one that does that here, i would definitely report them. it's the best way to do. We should be always open here and everything should be fair. We stick to the rules and so everybody else should too.
3 people like this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
9 Feb 16
I will also report them if I see people who do that. We must all stick to the rules and that kind of behaviour is not okay. Someone else from the same site also created a fake profile and a lot of people felt hurt and cheated because they became friends with a person who never existed.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
9 Feb 16
It must be kind of boring to read your own 7 responses 
When I start a new discussion it is always interesting to read what other people have to say about my topic, and when you are talking to yourself you don't learn anything new. But at least you always get the last word
When I start a new discussion it is always interesting to read what other people have to say about my topic, and when you are talking to yourself you don't learn anything new. But at least you always get the last word 1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
10 Feb 16
@thesids Every profile agreed with him, it must be nice to know that everyone understands you and loves your posts But real discussions with other people are much more fun 
But real discussions with other people are much more fun 1 person likes this
@thesids (22180)
• Bhubaneswar, India
10 Feb 16
@Porcospino I think he was not interested to read his own comments and that is why he used different usernames... Maybe to prove someone that others do understand him
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
9 Feb 16
Weird was also my first thought. The profiles and the discussion have all been deleted now.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29820)
• Momence, Illinois
9 Feb 16
Well that is just downright strange. I am sure I can't think of one reason why someone would do that.
3 people like this
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32748)
• Calgary, Alberta
28 Feb 16
Hey Long time no see,
I think that person wanted his thread to be successful and he don't want it to be ignored that's why he decided to make multiple accounts. He made a mistake though of making it obvious the he is all of those profiles.
I know a message board troll on a forum where I was a member and he makes multiple accounts to show everyone he is not an outcast because no one on the board likes him.
I know a message board troll on a forum where I was a member and he makes multiple accounts to show everyone he is not an outcast because no one on the board likes him.1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
29 Feb 16
That was my first thought when I saw the discussion. I thought that he felt ignored and wanted the other members to think that he was popular Unfortunately for him the admin caught him and deleted all 8 profiles. That sounds just like the troll you describe. Are you a member of many different forums? I have joined several different ones, but I mostly use a general forum from my country.
Unfortunately for him the admin caught him and deleted all 8 profiles. That sounds just like the troll you describe. Are you a member of many different forums? I have joined several different ones, but I mostly use a general forum from my country.@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
29 Feb 16
@CaptAlbertWhisker The local forum that I use doesn't pay me money either. I visit it because I enjoy the discussions. Creating multiply profiles and talking to yourself is a strange thing to do. It must be pretty boring to reply to your own comments
@CaptAlbertWhisker (32748)
• Calgary, Alberta
29 Feb 16
@Porcospino Yes I am a member if multiple forums, they dont pay me money but those are the places where I can find people of the same interest. Making multiple accounts will be useless if he obviously make all accounts have the same personality.
That person looks miserable for trying to talk to his self. It is the lowest of lows. Oh well it is a troll.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
9 Feb 16
People who do something like that will get in trouble. It is clearly against the rules. I didn't know that it also happens here, but I found out when I read the responses.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
9 Feb 16
Yes, the admin found out and he banned all 8 profiles. He also wrote a post where he told the rest of us the truth about those profiles.
1 person likes this
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (14351)
• West Haven, Connecticut
10 Feb 16
How did you figure that it was himself responding to himself?
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
10 Feb 16
When I read the discusssion I thought that it was a real discussion, but I discovered the truth because the admin caught the person who did it. Later the admin told us (the rest of the members) the truth about the fake profiles.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
10 Feb 16
@BACONSTRIPSXXX The strange thing is that he is didn't even get paid for it. It was a site where the members don't get paid for their participation.
@BACONSTRIPSXXX (14351)
• West Haven, Connecticut
10 Feb 16
@Porcospino Ohh I see, That person must of had alot of time on their hands and desperate for money if they would go to that extent
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
10 Feb 16
I think that it would be easier to understand that kind of behaviour if the person did it in order to earn money, but I learned from this discussion that there are other reasons why people do that kind of thing.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (341742)
• Rockingham, Australia
11 Feb 16
@Porcospino It's a bit like when mobile phones first came in - people would be chatting on them loudly and suddenly it would ring in their ear.
