To ask how is this possible?

[Janeismymiddlename]

I am a member of a Facebook support group. Rarely post but nice to have it there. I did post a few times this afternoon about something I feel strongly about but removed myself because I felt angry at the responses. I made no additional comments, just disappeared.

I have just had a message from a moderator giving me a formal warning for sending an abusive, personal message! Presumably to the person I was disagreeing with. When I challenged her and said that I hadn't written to anyone and everything I have said is on the forum, she replied 'we have seen the message'. How can they have seen a message I didn't write?!

I didn't do anything. I feel so let down. I have messaged a screenshot of my messenger which shows I haven't actually used it since Monday but there has been no response. I have removed myself from the group but it has really upset me.

Is there a way of 'fiddling' messenger/Facebook to set someone up in this way? Or is it just a case of someone writing a nasty message, cutting and pasting and saying it's from me? What if I really needed the support and someone did this? It's just outrageous!

Anyone with a modicum of IT know how can fake up messages.

How do you think fake FB profiles occur, etc?

The easiest way would be to steal your profile pic etc, create a fake ID, interact with it, thus controlling the conversation from both sides, then screen shot it. Voila, your mirror image profile, has mde some nasty posts.

No one else can see these because only the account holder has access.

Have you asked to see the screenshots of the supposed message?

Yes they could.

Or the mods may have just believed them and then lied that they had seen proof.

What were you posting? Is there a chance they just wanted you off the group?

No. They have got back to me and said they are checking. Really weird. I don't understand why someone would do that.

I rarely post on the group so would be odd to want me off. I wasn't particularly controversial - plenty of people agreed with me. I obviously upset someone but good god, that kind of response is nuts! Is there anything I need to do re: Facebook? Or can I now assume I have got myself a stalker?!

Is it possible that the person making the complaint saw the post you deleted and thought it referred to them personally? The complainer reported it before it was deleted and called it a "message" instead of a "post", you deleted the post and confusion has ensued?

I haven't deleted any messages. Just deleted myself from the group.

Nor have I deleted any posts! Just to be clear.

Facebook support groups can be rife with cliques and bullying unfortunately. I'd let it go, fuck them.

Yeah. I think that's the conclusion I've come to. Odd that there are people out there who will,do this stuff. It left me a bit weepy. It takes all sorts, I guess.

Sorry, Jane - misunderstood your OP!

The thing is, none of the faking stuff and making screenshots of it should work with Facebook administration though, because they should be checking against your actual account (and if they're emailing you, they must have the right person/account).
I'm guessing they were sent a screenshot, or quote, and believed the sender without actually checking your, account, but they of all people have the means to check properly!

Is it a vegan debate group by any chance?

Derp, I read "support" as "debate" for some reason!

She says it's a screenshot. We have talked just now. I think they believe me but she says it's my word against the other lady and she wants me to try and communicate with bonkers lady to somehow prove it wasn't me. There is some other stuff that I'm not repeating cos might be outing. I have blocked bonkers lady, rechecked my settings and will stay removed from the group.

Really sad that people get a kick out of this. I am pretty resilient but am upset. Makes you realise just how distressing this could be for someone who really needed the support.

No, not vegan.

Well, it's different, but I know in vegan debate groups there's a lot of photoshopping of comments / messages, or you can edit things directly on screen then print screen it. Surprised that could happen in a support group though, the people I know who do this are a bit of a "gang" and go around doxxing, trolling and have multiple socks in various debate groups.

You have done the right thing by explaining yourself and then leaving the group.
It is up to the mods to do their job from now on.
Sadly the net is full of people who have nothing better to do than troll.

I have to agree with Troodie fb groups end up being far from supportive and usually contain bullies, trolls and cliques.

I myself deleted myself from lots of parenting 'support' groups last month. On one occasion I politely disagreed with another member on a particular subject and I was met with a tirade of swear words and her family and friends sending me vile threatening abusive private messages.

And the way some people looking for advice and support are ripped to shreds by cliques was making me quite sad... I couldn't help having to step in like a anti-bullying vigilante and call them out on it. But then the abuse would be directed at me.

Try to put it behind you. It's just Facebook.

'I have had a nasty PM' and 'I have had death threats' etc is a very common ploy on-line.
I have seen it loads on MN.
It goes with the 'well I have had 100s of PMs from people agreeing with me but too scared to say so on the board'

It means they are pretty pathetic and desperate to be right.

Don't let someone like that get to you

I'd be v surprised if Facebook can't access a definitive record of who actually put what on a group - I bet they'll get to the truth OP.

It wasn't on the group, apparently I sent her a very unpleasant personal message.

I'll chalk it up to experience.