why do people make up stuff on this site?

[Fantabulous1]

In the last couple of days alone, I have come across threads where people have fabricated entire scenarios. I am truly baffled by this, why do people do it?

There was the girl pretending to be a grandma, usually random ones about partners cheating, being the OW etc etc. Eventually they all get caught out and the posts get deleted, but why do it in the first place? Life must be reallt dull to make up a story for mumsnet lol.

Because its an anonymous forum and people seek a thrill from time to time.
Rile people up for a reaction? Boredom? Unfortunately youll always get the trolls or fake news on the Internet

People do it in real life too.

It's just a faster and bigger response online.

Because people fall for it and give them the attention / money they're after.

Some are bored and want to kill time.

Some like the thrill of getting people riled up and believing their story.

Some are not happy with their own lives so invent a fantasy one online (make themselves richer, prettier, more exciting etc).

Some are sexually motivated (🤢).

@lughnasadh

People do it in real life too.

It's just a faster and bigger response online.

This. People are weird and compulsive liars need an outlet to feel like they’re getting the attention they crave.

There was a really odd troll I came across on here once. It was a terminally dull thread that I can’t even recall now, how you hang your washing or some such BS, and a poster put something equally dull about clothes pegs or something then a couple of posts later revealed with glee they were a troll and nothing they’d posted was true

It just made me sad for them to be so unimaginative tbh.

As long as you can keep perspective and and a distance between real life and internet interactions you should be ok.

People are weird as anything and get thrills in the most bizarre ways.

Iit must take quite a lot if energy to do he dramatic ones with things happening in real time. I couldn't be bothered.

It's usually the Daily Mail poking for a story

I think as a general rule it’s important to try and take everything on here with a pinch of salt. I have no doubt that the majority of posters are legitimate and might find MN a helpful outlet to talk about things they can’t speak about in real life, but you never really know who you’re talking to.

I think it’s easy to get invested in threads, particularly when it’s quite a difficult subject or the OP is struggling, it’s human nature to care and want to help. But again, it’s so hard to know.

Also if a new poster with no posting history asks quite specific questions/or for stories about periods/toilet habits/sex - think before you launch into a detailed anecdote!

Probably kids mucking about

It is just so sad and I find it so bizarre!

Like there is an active thread now about skorts thats just crying out BS but the amount of responses and debate about it just puzzles me, who could possibly get a thrill from an anonymous parenting forum?!

Each to their own I guess

Because people believe it. And tend to be divided between fangirls and aunties. The former are the ones cheering on the OP "when the whole bus cheered" sort of bollocks, which just encourages the troll to keep ramping up the drama. The latter believe everything and start speaking on behalf of the OP (which is really weird)

And because a troll's gonna troll.

I only joined Mumsnet a few months ago (yes Ive been living under a rock lol) and had never really understood the term troll. I like to come on here to ask advice and support others as I'd like if I were having a hard time. I don't get why people would make stuff up, especially the more dramatic stories, some people are really living the scenarios they're pretending to have. Even if they are attention seekers by posting on an anonymous site they aren't really getting attention as such.
Just weird and time consuming to keep a story going.

Attention seeking I guess.

People like to Hold Court... My exh talked shite to anyone who would listen. He is likely on here as some weird named mner.
#gaybutneededafakedw...
??!!

Attention, a lot of times.

Another frequent one is to scam people ooh I've got 27p and a starving baby followed by why they can't do any suggestion by mners. Oddly, only cash will do. And it doesn't matter how many times it's been shown to be a scam or it is just so bloody clear it's bollocks - there's always some who will pm the scammer. A fool and his money...

Then there's the ones who like to upset people.

The perverts. Dear lord, the perverts. It's been an education! It seems there's nothing so revolting that there's not someone getting their rocks off to it.

I find it a bit weird too, I see at least a few threads every day which I strongly suspect are made up.

Perhaps I'm just naive, but I don't understand how you work out when posters are lying. I've been accused of making things up a couple of times, and I assure you, I haven't. I'm sure it does happen though, I just think some people's BS detectors are primed a bit too high.

Equally, I see people accused of 'stealth boasts' when really a poster is just describing a life that happens to be a bit different from theirs. Seems very closed minded to me.

@Oysterbabe haha that made me chuckle!

Maybe I am being naive, my OH says I see the best in people even when there are / THEY are the snakes in the grass (we actually had this discussion over breakfast!) but it is like mumsnet is a hub for this shit.

Then you have the self righteous LTB comments. If I had a pound for everytime I read a LTB comment (or stitching prawns in hems) I would be laughing to the bank!!!!

I am so very naive! But I am learning lol.

You’d be amazed - some even get multiple threads out of made up sagas...

Attention.

Like the thrill people seem to get from checking into hospital on Facebook and not answering any posts until they need another fix of attention.

There have been some that have been very twisted over the years, the child bereavement ones are just awful, and I got burned a few times on some of those.

@NamedyChangedy yes I thought the same, I've been a long time lurker on this site until more recently when I needed advice and set myself up an account, but when you see the same stories again or later contradicting themselves it becomes quite apparent the poster is lying. Or something that is completely absurd.

life must be reallt dull to make up a story for mumsnet lol.

Nail on the head. Lots of people have very little going on in real life, so like to invent some drama.

Do you think the same people fall for the Nigerian Prince needing a loan emails too @VettiyaIruken?!?!