There is a poster that seems to be here just to harvest replies. What should I do?

[Another2Cats]

Very much as the title.

There is a poster here who made her (their?) first post on 25th April.

Since then, she (they) has made 57 posts, of which 55 are starting threads that appear to be just there for soliciting engagement. This is done by way of asking a question and providing a three or four word opening post. Or sometimes only a single word in the opening post.

Should I highlight this to @MNHQ and, if so, should I link to all the 55 threads that they have started since 25th April?

For context, I am often on the Genealogy board and it was only after seeing two threads started by this person there that I took notice and realised that they had also started multiple threads on other boards as well.

This included Chat, Other Subjects, Tech Tips, AIBU, Property/DIY, Music, Sports, UK Travel, Education, Baby Names, Living Overseas, Style and Beauty, True crime and unsolved mysteries, Bullying, Parenting, Pets, Food/Recipes, Wildlife nature & conservation, and Telly Addicts.

Starting 55 new threads in the space of two and a half weeks which appear to be very much about soliciting engagement doesn't seem to really be in line with what MN is really all about.

Just to add to that, the username of this person is a direct reference to a thread that the newspapers back then picked up on. It was a thread from 2013 that people who were here then would likely remember and the poster is likely purporting to be somebody with a history dating back to then (despite their first post being on the 25th April this year).

Without giving the name of this poster, it would be like if she had called herself something like "Isle of Wight bollards" or "stacking goats".

Am I even right to call out this sort of harvesting of replies?

Are MNHQ likely to do anything about this even if I do make a complaint?

@SnowFrogJelly

Why not just hide and ignore?

No. Why should we hide and ignore? When we feel a thread is being posted for nefarious purposes, we should report it. If MN says it's not breaking any rules, (which some don't seem to do,) we can then challenge on the thread. 'Why are you asking this? What the the reason for the thread? What are you going to do with all the information?' (To help, and guide other posters, who may be a bit less guarded, and help them be extra vigilant.)

Of course, it would be a crazy forum, if we couldn't talk to each other, never mention which part of the country we live, how many children we have, if we went to University, if we're married, how many pets we have (if any) etc etc... because this is a discussion board.

But sometimes it feels a bit different, and it definitely feels a bit odd when someone posts multiple threads (almost 60 over about 8 weeks I think) asking dozens of different questions about many different subjects, and then doesn't engage in the thread, or talk to people, or show any interest in it after. It does make one wonder why and what the purpose of it all is.......

Whilst it's great to talk and share stories, it's advisable to not post your real name on here, or childrens names, or pets names, or your village or suburb name, or your employer or even your actual real job (you can be vague - say hospitality, or admin, or retail, or something as vague as possible) but try to not give too much away. You just don't know who's watching, and if they go through your other threads, they can start to pick up a lot about you.

As has been noted by a few posters this morning. It would seem that all the threads posted by that poster have disappeared! They were there at around 11pm last night when I was last on here. Thank you Mumsnet.

The call is coming from inside the house

Do you mean in addition to all of the very valid responses that were posted before your comment? What further explanation do you need?

😱

Yes, if you are twinkletoes today and sparkleyboots tomorrow and unrulybush on Saturday there is no way to connect those users names or know they are the same person

God I thought that so many times.
How much is your mortgage payment - people give it to the penny, sometimes mention bank.
All the security qs you mentioned.
It is anonymous here but actually isn't if that makes sense.

Yes, harvest the responses - for what? Blackmail? They said if the site is hacked, then they will steal the email addresses - but never said for what.

Market research?!?

Until the website is hacked. Then all the info is available.

Crazy times we live in.

I see posts on Facebook that get people to reveal their mothers maiden name and first pet. Common security questions

People can be so stupid!

E.g tell us your 'porn' name by combining the above

Yes, unfortunately, some people who may be less clued up on financial security (you don’t know what you don’t know!) sometimes act like anonymous = safe, when it’s the exact opposite. I personally overshare on here, but only things that will not affect someone’s ability to access my bank account - personal anecdotes, health issues, etc. I’m just floored that the people who share things like their exact mortgage amounts don’t recognize how much that information is worth and you’re making it for sale on the open market by attaching a username to it. They’ll track you through the web until they find your given name.

Never use your MN username for anything else, nor your Instagram handle UNLESS you are registered as an active corporation, because corporations have more rights. Eventually each human will be openly treated to their own corporate entity from birth (this will completely remove the “child star whose parents steal all their money” phenomenon), with the rights that affords to both corporations and individuals, unless capitalism ends in enough time for a new system that doesn’t collapse.

Yup. I bet you that if post went up asking fpr last transaction amount on bank statement and which bank it would still have 100 replies...

Also do not share names/usernames across.

I should make myself an ltd 😁

Over the space of a couple of years you could find out all sorts about many thousands of people that way.

That's why I namechange quite frequently. Even on genuine threads, you can give away snippets of information over time which when put together tell quite a lot about you.

I never use my real name anywhere on any chat forum.

I never use the email address that contains my real name to sign up to forums.

Some people have usernames with their children's names in, which is also unwise.

Yes, I think so too. It is feeling unsafe, we are sharing ideas but really don’t know what is going on.

Add this to all of the IT issues currently happening and being reported. Admitted by MN but not urgently addressed.

My next step will be to deregister, I think.

Can @mnhq give some explanations and reassurance please?

Really surprised there's been nothing still. I thought I was jumping the gun a bit this morning and maybe because it was still early I was being a little unfair but now it's nearly 1pm and still no response?

What’s with the they/ them pronouns?

What, referring to the person doing the threads, probably because it's not known if it's a man or woman, I often use they on here if I'm not sure

Report

Report what? This thread?

The person. You shouldn't start thread about it just email MNHQ

What, this is an anonymous forum and we don’t know if any thread is started by a man or women but I never see all the pronouns on them 🤣🤣

Well I'm pleased the thread was started and has highlighted the issue to all users because so far MNHQ haven't even commented. A single email to them wouldn't have been much use.

I did 😬 😂

You cannot be tracked from a current username to a previous one. Only MNHQ can do that. It certainly helps if you namechange regularly yes - especially if you're going to post something potentially identifiable such as a Bridezilla complaint, a work-related issue, embarrassing personal health worries, or an incident at your dc's school for instance. Choose a new name for like that.

People also need to be extremely careful about posting if they are a victim of abuse, in case their abusive partner finds the threads.

Some people seem to have made a hobby out of looking at an OP's other threads, and then bringing it up on the existing one saying something like "Well, on your other thread posted last week you said your dc was 11 and now you are saying they are 10 so which is it?" as if trying to catch them out in a lie. Not realising of course that it is good practice to say DS instead of DD for instance, or change ages slightly.