Page 4 | Caught out on MN?

C1N1C · 2023-04-10T13:30:43+00:00

Pure curiosity here. Since MN is quite popular, there's BOUND to be some issues spoken about with the person involved also being on MN. I think no matter how much we try to disguise it, coincidence and timing will help those involved identify us... Has anyone been caught out? What happened?... or if those **** from the Mirror etc published the story, has it actually caused serious issues?

Againstmachine · 10/04/2023 17:48

Some people do post identifying things and can get found out but you also get people who have a hobby or there DH does but mentioning it will be outing even though it's something like cycling or gold which millions do.

Againstmachine · 10/04/2023 17:48

Golf not gold.

GaslitlikeaVictorianparlour · 10/04/2023 17:56

Many, many years ago someone in a works van came round a corner and nearly hit me and baby DD as we was crossing the road. The driver was speeding and didn't indicate and then gave me abuse for crossing the road in our quiet residential suburb.
I phoned the company number on the side of the van and complained to their boss.
A couple of hours later there was a story on here about stupid women who don't know how to cross roads with their prams and cause trouble with the bosses of innocent drivers with a big pile on from the vipers about what an idiot I'd been. It was really nasty, especially as DD could have been badly hurt.

Oigetoffmylawn · 10/04/2023 18:05

I've had 2 - one where I was recognised and one picked up by the DM. Thankfully I got the DM thread pulled pretty quickly.

Moser85 · 10/04/2023 18:13

There was a recent thread on here where a poster had read about a forum where men who use prostitutes post, some of the men keep their eyes on mumsnet.

Whenever a man gets caught they were like "I hope it wasn't one of our lot" 😡

They also give each other tips for how to evade being caught, what to do with the burner phone etc.

She went onto the forum and found threads from her husband, he wrote a huge amount of detail about his personal life and it all matched!

ThereTheyreThere · 10/04/2023 18:19

To be fair I read I post the other day regarding someone's health and it is EXACTLY what I'm experiencing in my life at the moment. I could have wrote it word for word and anyone that knows me in person would probably assume it was me who posted it.

Thighlengthboots · 10/04/2023 18:20

Iam4eels · 10/04/2023 15:04

I once read a thread where OP was asking for lunch recommendations near a specific attraction and someone responded recommending a place I'd been to for lunch just the previous day with a friend. This poster described the restaurant, what they'd ordered, what their friend had ordered, and made a joke about an item on the menu - the same joke my friend had made when we'd had lunch. I sent a PM to let her know I'd spotted her so she could NC if she wanted to, I also did her the respect of not doing an AS on her username.

I NC and have 3-4 current usernames that I switch between depending on what threads I'm posting on, e.g., a username specifically for the education boards, another specifically for style and beauty, etc. Then every 6-12 months I ditch them all never to be used again and create entirely new ones (sooner if I feel a need to).

When posting I deliberately switch around my DC sex and ages, they are always +/- a year or two of their actual ages and I will sometimes refer to them as he instead of she or visa versa so even if someone was to AS me they wouldn't be able to tell for certain if my 4-7yr old is a 4, 5, 6 or 8 and whether they're a boy or girl. When giving details I will switch around or alter non-essential information that doesn't affect the meaning of what I'm saying, for example if posting about a holiday I might change the country if that doesn't affect the anecdote (i.e., our holiday to France becomes a holiday to Spain or a holiday in Devon in the retelling) or if something happened at softplay I might say it happened in the park, I might say I had two DC with me when really I had three or that I went somewhere last month when really it was last week

I think this is very sensible and I do the same. I dont know why people get all shocked or accusatory about people changing names- why WOULD you post all your private stuff under only one name and risk someone you know seeing all your private business? Its one thing if you only comment on the weather or bland topics but most people do disclose really quite private thoughts/feelings/details on here and they probably do so because they feel safe being anonymous. It only takes a few details to identify someone so it makes perfect sense to change names to preserve anonymity

Annietheacrobat · 10/04/2023 18:21

I recognised a work colleague. I mentioned it, in case she wanted to NC - she denied it - but barely posted again (she had started a number of ongoing threads)

KnownByAssociation · 10/04/2023 18:25

I seen a post by a friend, it was 100% her. She named her section date for her 5th child, described a rare disability one of her eldest had and gave away other information that meant it absolutely had to be her. I made a thread asking if people would tell someone if they had been outed and people went nuts saying I couldn't possibly know it was her 😂. I have NC since then!

ThisIsNotAmerican · 10/04/2023 18:27

FangedFrisbee · 10/04/2023 17:11

I saw someone say on here they owned a home in Edensor which isn't possible. They made out they were lord and lady of Chatsworth essentially. It isn't possible because all the houses bar 1 or 2 are owned by the house and estate, and you can only live in one if you work for the estate.

I also know that all sales and rentals are run through the estate and Everyone knows when someone is moving.

Would you move out of free accommodation that's absolutely beautiful?

Anyway they said they'd just completed on their home there and posted a photo of the dowagers cottage that's never been for sale and never will be.

Similar, but it was not a thread on MN. A new employee at our city offices had previously been employed by a very close relative of mine in their firm in another city some 50 miles away. Relative mentioned to me they saw my firm had written for a reference, as you might expect them to do. All good, two large firms, no problem in staff leaving etc.

Relative was wealthy and lived overseas most of the time in a very large house overlooking the sea in a desirable destination. New employee it seems was in awe of relative and spouse to the extent they lived in some kind of fantasy world with them. My first conversation with new employee over staff drinks, generally breaking the ice, was to ask about their hobbies and family etc. New employee talked about not having much time for hobbies but loved travelling and through hard work in their last job had bought a beach home in a desirable location. They proceeded to give me details and even showed me the pictures of (my close relative's) home and the international sales agent's particulars from when it was originally marketed. In view of the fact it would inevitably come to light, I took new employee to one side and explained why I could not believe their story. The back-peddling that followed was extremely embarrassing and uncomfortable to watch.

A warning to liars - the truth has an uncomfortable way of turning round and biting.

ThisIsNotAmerican · 10/04/2023 18:32

thegrain · 10/04/2023 17:00

There was one about a shooting range

I remember one about a man who had a collection of guns? Wonder if that was the same one.

His partner / wife started an AIBU thread about how she did not like the amount of guns kept around their house. It was a small holding or farm cottage or similar. The details were very specific. The husband found out and joined MN to post in his defence that it was his hobby, his job, his money etc and the OP was embellishing somewhat. They continued to counter post and if I remember correctly were in the same house as this was going on.

Oigetoffmylawn · 10/04/2023 18:32

Thighlengthboots · 10/04/2023 18:20

I think this is very sensible and I do the same. I dont know why people get all shocked or accusatory about people changing names- why WOULD you post all your private stuff under only one name and risk someone you know seeing all your private business? Its one thing if you only comment on the weather or bland topics but most people do disclose really quite private thoughts/feelings/details on here and they probably do so because they feel safe being anonymous. It only takes a few details to identify someone so it makes perfect sense to change names to preserve anonymity

Show quote history

Someone once did an AS on me (under an old username) and then berated me for lying because I changed my kids sexes and ages and a few other identifying details unrelated to the actual issue being discussed. I thought they were an idiot if they were actually honest about every aspect of their life on here!

Original poster

C1N1C · 10/04/2023 18:37

@daisychain01

No motive... it just makes sense given MN's popularity that there would be some people being identified from coincidentally-timed posts.
Anyone already identified can't be more identified, and anyone not yet identified can't really reply. I wasn't asking for details, just a 'do you know if this has happened'.

OP posts:

Thighlengthboots · 10/04/2023 18:46

Oigetoffmylawn · 10/04/2023 18:32

Someone once did an AS on me (under an old username) and then berated me for lying because I changed my kids sexes and ages and a few other identifying details unrelated to the actual issue being discussed. I thought they were an idiot if they were actually honest about every aspect of their life on here!

Show quote history

Exactly. You bet I'm lying about small things- its deliberate. If people are that invested to search strangers on here, imagine what they'd do if it was someone they knew! Kinda scary how obsessed some people get

MauveCow · 10/04/2023 18:55

The only thing about changing small details is that people might now think the post is by someone else whom they know.

Many situations really aren't unique at all. Unless there's something really specific, you can't be certain it's the person you know. I've seen loads of stories on here that could have come from me but didn't.

mamabear715 · 10/04/2023 19:05

Not changed a thing, inc username. My life's an open book! :-)

cocksstrideintheevening · 10/04/2023 19:06

I change names and sex of dc and age by by plus minus a year or two. Nothing to change the context. I don't announce if I'm name changed, never understood the point of that.

ChairFloorWall · 10/04/2023 19:11

I don’t know them IRL but someone posted a tiktok link on here that I clicked on. They were logged in when they shared the link so now they keep coming up on my tiktok feed as a recommended friend, it feels weird seeing their face and potentially their real name 🥸

Iam4eels · 10/04/2023 20:59

TheGingerTucci · 10/04/2023 16:23

Well, posters cannot sock puppet any more. If you go on a thread and change your username, then go back on the thread, your username will revert to the username you last used on the thread.

Really good from MN 👏👏

Show quote history

There's a thread on AIBU right now where the OP has had a name change fail, its the "people don't realise" thread.

MauveCow · 10/04/2023 21:01

Name change fails are hilarious.

Iam4eels · 10/04/2023 21:02

DemBonesDemBones · 10/04/2023 16:37

@Iam4eels but why? Are you famous or very important at work or something?

Because the press pinch stories from here, because I might post something personal or sensitive and I don't want anyone I know in RL connecting the dots and realising it's me (I have RL friends and family who I know use MN), because there are weirdos on the internet who do stupid shit for a laugh (I was on MN during the Jeffrey saga with all the doxxing, swatting, and hijacking of accounts).

GirloutofAfrica · 10/04/2023 21:08

Iam4eels · 10/04/2023 15:04

I once read a thread where OP was asking for lunch recommendations near a specific attraction and someone responded recommending a place I'd been to for lunch just the previous day with a friend. This poster described the restaurant, what they'd ordered, what their friend had ordered, and made a joke about an item on the menu - the same joke my friend had made when we'd had lunch. I sent a PM to let her know I'd spotted her so she could NC if she wanted to, I also did her the respect of not doing an AS on her username.

I NC and have 3-4 current usernames that I switch between depending on what threads I'm posting on, e.g., a username specifically for the education boards, another specifically for style and beauty, etc. Then every 6-12 months I ditch them all never to be used again and create entirely new ones (sooner if I feel a need to).

When posting I deliberately switch around my DC sex and ages, they are always +/- a year or two of their actual ages and I will sometimes refer to them as he instead of she or visa versa so even if someone was to AS me they wouldn't be able to tell for certain if my 4-7yr old is a 4, 5, 6 or 8 and whether they're a boy or girl. When giving details I will switch around or alter non-essential information that doesn't affect the meaning of what I'm saying, for example if posting about a holiday I might change the country if that doesn't affect the anecdote (i.e., our holiday to France becomes a holiday to Spain or a holiday in Devon in the retelling) or if something happened at softplay I might say it happened in the park, I might say I had two DC with me when really I had three or that I went somewhere last month when really it was last week

Yoh, you are wasted on MN you need to join the M15

Hawkins003 · 10/04/2023 21:20

GirloutofAfrica · 10/04/2023 21:08

Yoh, you are wasted on MN you need to join the M15

Show quote history

Who's to say they are not already a member of the club

Iam4eels · 10/04/2023 21:36

My job is very mundane but part of it involves reinforcing the teaching of e-safety and what we teach the children is that you don't give out RL details about yourself because not everyone on the internet is trustworthy.

KittiesInsane · 10/04/2023 21:40

I ‘recognized’ (if that’s the right word) someone new to our primary school, a few months after she’d posted asking for advice on which catchment to move to, with details of the year groups they’d need and what her kids were like. It was a curious feeling - ‘Hi, we haven’t actually met before, but I think I’ve chatted to you online…’

We're still friends.