I'm pretty sure my friend is dead

[Iwanttogo]

So I made a friend on a social media platform and we got chatting on discord (FB messanger but for gamers) about games and random stuff. We've been friends for a while now and talk maybe every 2-3 days between work and me having a young family.

I became very close to them, they are like an older sibling to me and put up with my nonsense alot of the time. However recently they've been acting strange vanishing for longer than usual. Fine, life is busy.

But a week ago now, they had a brake down on me. Mentioned wanting to die vanishing ect. How they could just move on be free the lot and I tried to be there as much as I could, dispite being in a different country. Held their hand virtually. And now they are just gone.

I know a week is to long to be thinking, I think they are dead. They could just be working or busy or just don't want to talk to me anymore. But after what happened Im very concerned and confused. The wanting to die, vanishing. I don't know their last name. I dont even know if alot of what they've said about themselves is true. I'm not nieve, the Internet is a place where people can fully hide who they are after all.

But I just have a horrible feeling after exploding on me about how much they want to be free, how they want to die ect. That maybe they went and did it?

Been sent a message from family member from her discord.

Drug overdose.

That's very, very sad if true. You might have been catfished. Do you know the town your friend is in etc? There will be an obituary.

It's quite likely the same person messaging you (in which case obviously it isn't true but emotional trolling which weird people do do for kicks and power trips), not a family member.

It's pretty unlikely family members of someone who's attempted suicide would get on the person's discord account looking for people neither they nor rhe person have actually met, in order to tell them!

This just screams bullshit. No family member is going to take the time to tell internet friends when they are dealing with the grief of losing a loved one.
You have been properly taken in and duped.

I wouldn't believe it either.

You’ll probably never know for sure.it went quickly from not knowing full name and city to relative getting in touch for an update. Regardless, I’m sorry as it will affect you. Take care.

Ask them for her full name

Tell them you’d like to send flowers. Can they send you the address of the Funeral director abd her full name please.

@LIZS do you mean this thread?

www.mumsnet.com/talk/_chat/4661627-should-i-report-internet-friend-missing?page=3&reply=121177086

If so, that's my thread and I'm not the OP nor a gamer. I updated it to say I'd heard from her and all was well. I did know her surname (although I accepted it could be a false/previous one) and she was in the same country though so not quite the same.

I suspect this 'family member' will be in touch shortly asking for funds towards a 'funeral'. Sorry you are going through this whether it's true or not.

Yes sounds fishy OP

I've has two Internet game friends die. First one was fake, they had played the long game.

The second was someone I was close to, I even have his mum on FB - he was hit by a truck when driving in March this year in california. Even attended his memorial via zoom

I’m sorry for your loss OP.
I’ve made many internet friends over the years and some of them I’ve truly felt closer to than people I encounter in real life - because you feel safe to share a whole different side of yourself that you would not tell a neighbour or acquaintance on h the school run.
Obviously be cautious that a family member now does not ask you for anything. It might be possible to attend funeral virtually, if your friend’s family agree to it. Whether you believe this truly happened or not, the loss is still there. This was someone you considered a close friend whom you won’t be speaking to again. So I’m sorry for your loss and take care.

Well, she could have been saying it for effect, but I think if she is a gamer, she will be back playing the game as it will be too much of a pull for her not to play?

I wonder if you'll be asked to contribute to the funeral.

Thanks guys. I'm just going to leave it and mourn. I'm going to Do the sensible thing and delete them.

If it is a cat fish then they won't beable to contact me again via that platform.

I'd just rather leave it.

A couple of people have mentioned watching Catfish. Is that a series? On Netflix? I wonder whether to recommend my DC watch it.

I am late to this thread but actually disagree with a lot of the cynicism here. Many active gamers aren’t that great in person and have a very strong connection to online friends. In such cases their families are very aware that most of their social life is online and are therefore keen to let their friends know, just as they would real life friends.
One of my friends had several people she met online years ago at her wedding including her new husband!

I’m sorry for your loss. Catfish or not, you’ve still lost someone unexpectedly who was part of your life and that’s left a hole.

Your friend was incredibly lucky to find a group of genuine people online. Not may people are quite as lucky as them.

My own experience was horrific. I made the (almost grave) mistake of believing and meeting up with someone I met through Discord. Stupid, yes, but it could have easily happened to your friend

As for OP, I am sorry if this is real but I would absolutely take it with a pinch of salt. Mourn your friend and move on.

This is making me think of the podcast Sweet Bobby. I think deleting the app and severing ties is a good idea, OP.

Anyone with kids who use Discord should share this story with them:

www.breckfoundation.org/ourstory