I just saw someone else using one of my usernames.

[BeCool]

I haven't used it for a while as I had to change when XP and I split up 20 months ago.

But I was hoping to revert soon.

I didn't think this could happen

erk!

Do a double check in case there has been a tiny change by the Other Poster

ie BeC0ol

On phone but will check on mac later. It's 12 characters so poss vowel difference in sp

Cool

on computer now - it's a 14 letter username and yes the impersonator has one vowel different - still looks the same so I can't go back.

boo hoo!

Could you change back to that old NN, PM them to warn them of the similarity and then change back to BeCool?

I thought MNHQ frowned on that kind of thing. Can you drop them a line to find out?

Tbf if you haven't used it in 20 months how would this person even know? I certainly don't know if my username is close to any names that aren't even being used.

Please report to MN.

It may be a coincidence, but there's been a nasty troll here recently doing exactly that - taking something very similar to a well known nickname to slip under people's radar.

Better MNHQ know than not, in case it needs looking into.

Gosh I really feel sorry for this other poster.

Why?

It's probably not deliberate, in which case all is fine and an amicable discussion can be had about whether the other poster is also comfortable with the possible confusion or would prefer to namechange. They may also not like being confused with someone else.

But is a problem, then it's been flagged.

All good, no?

if it is a

I did this once, I NCed to a username that was entirely accidently close-ish to another poster's name. Not as close as you describe. I got a rather passive aggressive post along the lines of "I can't tell which posts are mine, all very confusing" which I put down to mine being a much more satisfying pun than hers, and changed it.

Oh I'm not going to do anything about it - they clearly wanted the same name and changed a vowel to do it. I'm not using it so fair enough - I can hardly object. I doubt it is a "well known" NN. I'm not famous.

Not sure why you feel sorry for this other poster NickNacks? Do you know them? How do you even know who I am talking about to feel sorry for them?

I think you should still flag it to MNHQ though, just in case, after what Parsing has just said. It might be entirely innocent but it might not be, so giving them a heads up is always a good idea.

I do love the NN - it is a perfect fit for me, but XP knows it too which ruined it for me really, though I was hoping to go back to it when he forgets (short memory).

It was a shock seeing it being used - I had to check it wasn't a zombie thread come back with my posts on it.

If I was using it now I would object though. But I'm not and it is fabulous so good that someone is using it.

No of course I don't know who you are talking about. But so far it's been assumed that they know you've already registered a close name, despite it not being used in nearly two yrs, that they need to be reported to be told 'you had it first', and that they might be a troll, who has waited 2 years to pretend to be you

I think I would drop an e-mail to MNHQ just pointing it out. It may be entirely innocent - probably is in fact, in which case there is no problem (except for you not really being able to go back to that name).

However, I do remember when someone registered with a very similar username to SP, tried to mimic her and made people believe that something horrendous had happened to her .

MNHQ seem to be pretty good at working out if people are genuinely decent or not .

Well I did use the original spelling so I very much think that Yes they did know someone was using the name, and they changes their NN by one vowel so they could use it.

Bit daft really.

It is disconcerting to see someone posting under a virtually identical username.

But you're not using it! That's my point! They might have done a search- seen it hasn't been used for 2 years and thought it was ok. How would they possibly know you're here as a name changer and wanting to change back? Do you not see the difference from that and trolling around pretending to be a current poster as was suggested above?

No one has assumed anything.

Do you see the difference between flagging something just in case it's a problem, and assuming they must be a troll, NickNacks?

Apparently not...

Are Nicknacks and Nicknackss the same person?

My head will explode if they aren't.

I used to have another song title kind of name. Then I noticed myself on a thread, but it wasn't me! There was a teeny tiny difference, I searched, the other poster had had the name longer than me. I changed.

It's not really a problem is it?

In the scheme of problematic things?

In this case, as the OP wasn't using the name when she spotted a similar one, stands to reason, the person using the similar one gets to keep it.

No that was me as NickNackss - clumsily making a point.

Sorry for the head explode Drank

Whenever I've tried out new usernames if the name has gone already I find another one.

I don't think oh I'll change one letter and go with that - as clearly it would cause chaos a lot of confusion here if everyone did that.