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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask how you spot a Mumsnet troll?

141 replies

tiredandunoriginal · 09/08/2020 19:55

two troll posts tonight! i’ve not been on MN that long and have only seen a couple. i was wondering how you can tell if a mumsnetter is a troll, if there are any giveaways? as well as any stories that stick in your head?

bored in the bath and could do with a laugh

OP posts:
AuntyPasta · 09/08/2020 19:57

He has terrible tusks, and terrible claws, And terrible teeth in his terrible jaws ...

LolaSmiles · 09/08/2020 19:58

Any responses to you on this thread risk being troll fodder.

There's a few posters with their pet topics though.

Hobnobswantshernameback · 09/08/2020 20:00

Pretty much every other thread on here currently

Original poster
tiredandunoriginal · 09/08/2020 20:00

@LolaSmiles What does that mean? sorry!

OP posts:
wanderings · 09/08/2020 20:01

We couldn't post all the signs to spot them, that's classified information we don't want the trolls to know. Wink However, here are a few telltale signs:

  • Starts a thread on something which is usually a MN hot topic, or a known troll topic (but again, can't say what they are).
  • Often does not write in proper sentences.
  • Posts updates a little too often.
Watdafark · 09/08/2020 20:03

There has been a sad decline in the quality of trolling here in recent years. Sad

blurpityblurp · 09/08/2020 20:05

Asks posters to share stories about urine/woman or children setting themselves, children being denied access to toilets, plimsolls, school uniforms, wants personal stories about pubescent girls’ breasts or bras.

Those are the perv trolls. There are also trolls who are trying to beg/scam money, and trolls who are just bored who enjoy creative writing exercises.

Ernieshere · 09/08/2020 20:06

I think they bump their posts when they are not getting money/attention/shock.

Original poster
tiredandunoriginal · 09/08/2020 20:08

@blurpityblurp Omg! that makes me feel so uneasy. how would someone scam money on here though?

OP posts:
Enderman · 09/08/2020 20:11

Stories escalate very quickly.

Ernieshere · 09/08/2020 20:14

They pretend they have been scammed or they say they have no food, and dont know what to do.

I think they sock puppet as well.

A poster said a Supermarket had taken money from her account but not delivered any shopping.

Another 'poster' then randomly said "I can give you £100, but I can't stretch to £200" Confused

Lockheart · 09/08/2020 20:14

[quote tiredandunoriginal]@blurpityblurp Omg! that makes me feel so uneasy. how would someone scam money on here though?[/quote]
Very easily.

"I'm a single mum and my child's ill and I'm pregnant with twins and their father wants nothing to do with me and my landlord is kicking me out and I've only got 40p in the bank and all my family are dead and I have no friends."

Now I'm not saying that's an impossible situation, but it's fucking rare.

One poster admitted to sending £100 to such a scammer.

PolloDePrimavera · 09/08/2020 20:15

Was the plotting Rottweiler OP a troll? I don't really get it either...

elfycat · 09/08/2020 20:15

Their stories don't work if you're an avid reader, or creative writer. They're not very good at writing - plot holes, underdeveloped characters, overly dramatic, poor relationship between the action moments and character building elements. Don't understand their story arc. Use of prologue is incorrect.

I could go on, but I recommend the OU Creative Writing part 1 (A215) to them.

Ernieshere · 09/08/2020 20:16

People private message the troll and ask for their paypal account so they can send money.

I expect the troll acts bashful, then says "oohhh o.k then, if you insist.

Madmoxxi · 09/08/2020 20:16

I honestly find it hard to tell. Mumsnetters are from an entirley different socioeconomic class to everybody I've ever met so I often think their curtain twitching posts about the neighbours cats brother smoking a single joint must be a troll but all the posters are equally outraged so who knows!

OohKittens · 09/08/2020 20:17

Some weeks I report so many posts that seem suspicious that I think I may get a ban for being a troll hunter Blush

Still1nLove · 09/08/2020 20:18

The one that always sticks with me is the poster who said she lived abroad with an abusive husband and two kids. Within a few hours, she had managed to contact embassy, escape and make her way to the airport. So obviously a hoax but people fall for it!

WhoWouldHaveThoughtThat · 09/08/2020 20:27

Don't they live under bridges?

spiritedawai · 09/08/2020 20:28

Posts about periods, body shaming, money sob stories. There are loads!

AuntieStella · 09/08/2020 20:30

@Watdafark

There has been a sad decline in the quality of trolling here in recent years. Sad
Agree!

But they mostly still seem to have twins

Kitkat05 · 09/08/2020 20:30

I remember this thread! Was it really a troll?

Kitkat05 · 09/08/2020 20:32

@Ernieshere I meant the thread you said. Supermarket thread? Wow I believed it.

@tiredandunoriginal so funny because yesterday I was thinking how does one spot a troll on mumsnet 😂

tiredandunoriginal · 09/08/2020 20:32

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

Ohtherewearethen · 09/08/2020 20:32

You can usually tell from the responses. They're either too detailed and too frequent, as in updating while they're in A&E with a terribly unwell child, too defensive and rude to posters or they completely ignore posters' subtle hints that they know they're a troll.