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[Dunk#7]

My younger cousin is having some major issues with somebody targeting her on Facebook to ruin her reputation.

She is a high school freshman so this is very serious in her world.

Basically somebody has copied several of her pictures and made a fake account with the same name. They are now going around posting on people's walls and sending messages in an attempt to make her look bad.


My aunt has called me to try to step in to help with the situation because they have reported it, but the account still exists and it is continuing to make terrible posts among other things.


Is there any way to stop this other than simply reporting it? I wish there was some way to hack into the account to delete it, but I cannot find any decent way of attempting that.

If they do find out who is doing it is there any potential for legal action? Is there any way for me to find the ip address that is using the account?

Generally I could care less about facebook, but this is really tearing my cousin to pieces and I need to find a resolution quick.

 

[dojokun]

Is she hot? Pic please.

 

[Mama Robotnik]

Can it be reported to the police as harrassment?

If the police can recognise it as a crime and provide you a reference or crime number, you could send this to Facebook's help team as a way to prioritise your request for them to delete the fake account.

 

[jchap]

Is she hot? Pic please.

The perfect response!

But seriously, this is why kids would be better off if they were not allowed to use facebook. Nothing good or productive happens there. It is only a well of drama.

 

[DanteFox]

Can it be reported to the police as harrassment?

Someone call The Internet Police!

 

[NomarTyme]

Man girls are vindictive bitches.

 

[The Technomancer]

Do we have a legal infrastructure for this kind of situation yet? I guess it falls under general harassment.

 

[Morn]

I think you can report the account to Facebook.

 

[Mama Robotnik]

Someone call The Internet Police!

Believe it or not, in the UK this type of Facebook misuse can be reported, and is recorded by the police as harrassment. Its occurrs a lot in Domestic Violence cases between expartners, but there are other examples like this too.

 

[Ninja Scooter]

She's in high school. Tell her to stop giving a fuck.

 

[NotTheGuyYouKill]

Figure out who is doing it and then get some payback.

 

[MThanded]

You say they are posting things. What exactly are they posting?

 

[2 Slice Toaster]

How long since they reported it; the person I know who made use of it had it resolved fairly quickly.

 

[kehs]

Have her live up to the false persona. Then she can redeem herself when she "turns it all around".

win/win

 

[Dr. Malik]

She has haters, so she is obviously doing something right. Teach her to be fierce and not give a fuck

 

[Korey]

Talk to the police or a lawyer to get their opinion. Depending on that you can get Facebook to spill the beans on who it is.

Actually, depending on what the police say, they may be able to take care of everything for you.

 

[shuri]

you can report an account as being a fake one

 

[esquire]

Odd. I thought you had to be friends with someone to post on their wall and see their posts. So that would mean her friends are befriending her twice, once for the real her and once for the impostor? Am I understanding that, correctly?

 

[dorkimoe]

You say they are posting things. What exactly are they posting?

"You're a stupid head"

she can report the account to facebook, it shouldnt take long for them to ban it

 

[daffy]

how salacious are the rumors

 

[TheSeks]

Odd. I thought you had to be friends with someone to post on their wall and see their posts. So that would mean her friends are befriending her twice, once for the real her and once for the impostor? Am I understanding that, correctly?

Hahahahaha.

No. Nope. Never.

Facebook's default setting is "open/public" and photos are all "public" unless set private/friends by default as well.

Same shit would happen with Google+, so in before Google+'s fans come in.

 

[Blair]

make a third fake account that says nice things



edit - maybe also a fourth account that is nice, but will be honest about things. don't want to come across as a wimp.

 

[esquire]

Hahahahaha.

No. Nope. Never.

Facebook's default setting is "open/public" and photos are all "public" unless set private/friends by default as well.

Same shit would happen with Google+, so in before Google+'s fans come in.

Oh! Wow. The default is public? I never knew that, LOL. That means the profile would come up in a Google search. That's sucks.

 

[Zeke]

high school lol

 

[cartoon_soldier]

Lodge a police complaint

 

[lunarworks]

She's in high school. Tell her to stop giving a fuck.

Right. It's that simple. Awesome idea.

Psychological warfare for girls of that age is serious fucking business at a level you can't even comprehend.

 

[TxdoHawk]

make a third fake account that says nice things

That would be fantastic. Make it the same name too, adding further to the confusion and likelihood of a Multiple Personality Disorder diagnosis.

 

[suzu]

Report it (a few more times)?

Tell her to make her profile + photos private and start weeding out her friend list.

 

[Blackace]

Right. It's that simple. Awesome idea.

Psychological warfare for girls of that age is serious fucking business at a level you can't even comprehend.

Yeah, because psychological warfare for guys of that age is easy stuff...

 

[dojokun]

Yeah, because psychological warfare for guys of that age is easy stuff...

This is a good point. Whenever you read about teenage suicides, it always seems like there's more guys killing themselves than girls. I haven't read any stats or anything. Just my impression.

 

[OpinionatedCyborg]

http://www.facebook.com/help/?faq=167722253287296

And save the page so you can show it to police if necessary.

 

[mre]

You can either (1) go through the channels at facebook to get the other account closed or (2) contact an attorney if you are serious about pursuing a defamation claim.

 

[Attackthebase]

Isn't cyberbullying illegal? If so, you have a valid case here.

 

[lunarworks]

Yeah, because psychological warfare for guys of that age is easy stuff...

Not the same at all. I personally went through all kinds of shit in high school, and it's a totally different league of shit than that of girls.

Mean girls thrive on destroying others girls' self esteem and confidence, and that stuff takes years to heal, if ever.

 

[shanshan310]

I think you can notify facebook and they will get you to send in a picture of yourself with a sign saying "My identity has been stolen" or something. I'd also contact the school.

Generally I could care less about facebook, but this is really tearing my cousin to pieces and I need to find a resolution quick.

This phrase bugs me so much. Its "I couldn't care less". What have you done with English, America!?

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

Isn't cyberbullying illegal? If so, you have a valid case here.

Yes. In most states.

Google "Cyber Bullying +<State Name>" should return results.

2001 West Virginia Acts, H.B. 3023, Chap. 103 (W.Va. Code Ann.18-2C-3);
http://www.legis.state.wv.us/Bill_Text_HTML/2001_SESSIONS/RS/Bills/hb3023 enr.htm;
“Synopsis - 2001 West Virginia Acts, H.B. 3023, Chap. 103 Requires county school boards to develop and adopt a policy prohibiting harassment, intimidation or bullying on school property or at school-sponsored events. Requires state board of education to develop a model policy to assist county boards. Requires policy to include definition, statement prohibiting harassment, intimidation or bullying, reporting procedures, notification of parents, procedures for response and investigation, process for documentation of incidents, strategy for protecting victims from further harassment or bullying after a report is made and a disciplinary procedure for students found guilty.”

Update:

West Virginia
West Virginia's bullying statute does not include cyberbullying. In 2009, a bill was introduced addressing harassment over the computer. While not directly relating to schools, this law makes it a crime to harass someone online. This would impact kids charged with cyber bullying.
W. Va. Code Ann. § 61-2-9a-Stalking and harassment law that can be used to prosecute cyber bullies.

I would look into this. No joke. I just had to sit in on a presentation related to this on Friday, and it didn't end well for the person involved. Unfortunately I wasn't paying close attention and it's a different state so the contacts I have would be different for your state.

 

[dojokun]

Isn't cyberbullying illegal? If so, you have a valid case here.

Even without specific laws against cyber bullying, this should be in violation of just plain harassment laws, not to mention identity ideft/fraud.

 

[snacknuts]

As stupidly easy as this would be to do to someone, I'm surprised this is the first I've heard of such behavior.

 

[Dunk#7]

This phrase bugs me so much. Its "I couldn't care less". What have you done with English, America!?

If I would have thought about it beforehand I would have realized my statement was incorrect, but I guess the America came out in me for a second.

I can tell it is wrong, but it is too engrained at this point lol

 

[Dunk#7]

Yes. In most states.

Google "Cyber Bullying +<State Name>" should return results.



Update:



I would look into this. No joke. I just had to sit in on a presentation related to this on Friday, and it didn't end well for the person involved. Unfortunately I wasn't paying close attention and it's a different state so the contacts I have would be different for your state.

This is taking place in WV as well.

 

[yencid]

Tell your cousin to post the fake profile in her wall telling her friends that its a fake profile and report it. The more people that report it the faster it goes away.

 

[Douche McBaggins The 3rd]

Someone call The Internet Police!

Screw that. Call the hero of heroes. The man among men. JOHNNY TURBO!

 

[Blair]

As stupidly easy as this would be to do to someone, I'm surprised this is the first I've heard of such behavior.

i do it with girls i like, i make the duplicate account and have it ask me out on a date


sometimes they get clock on, but a few times they get confused and wonder if they actually did ask, so they go on the date just to be safe

 

[Joates]

Delete her facebook account?

I know, blasphemy, but seriously, just delete the damn account.

 

[The Take Out Bandit]

This is taking place in WV as well.

Sorry, I did a little leg work by looking at your profile.

Take what I gave you. Contact the police, ask to be pointed in the right direction.

I'll see if the local cyberbullying guy knows of any WV contacts tomorrow.

 

[cwmartin]

I think you can notify facebook and they will get you to send in a picture of yourself with a sign saying "My identity has been stolen" or something. I'd also contact the school.




This phrase bugs me so much. Its "I couldn't care less". What have you done with English, America!?

Maybe, he could actually care less, and he was just pointing that out? As if this incident had made him realize he could start caring less about Facebook.

 

[yencid]

Delete her facebook account?

I know, blasphemy, but seriously, just delete the damn account.

if she does that the fake one will be taken as the real one and then her reputation will be sullied

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Some things you'll need:

A paper bag
A dog who hasn't had walkies all day
A match
A fist that can knock on a door

Figure out who is doing this and apply the above.

Spoiler

I assume I don't need to add that you shouldn't set the dog on fire, rather its shit will get a better result.

 

[shanshan310]

Tell your cousin to post the fake profile in her wall telling her friends that its a fake profile and report it. The more people that report it the faster it goes away.

she can't do that unless fake her friends her, which I can't see happening.

I think you should contact three people:
1. Facebook
2. The school - might not be able to do anything but yeah.
3. The Police - for harassment/ defamation/ fraud. Teach whoever's doing it its not some funny joke. There should be serious consequences for that shit.

 

[Douche McBaggins The 3rd]

Right. It's that simple. Awesome idea.

Psychological warfare for girls of that age is serious fucking business at a level you can't even comprehend.

Girls crap on anything is bullshit.

To be quite honest, they make a huge deal out of nothing. When two girls hate on each other they make it sound like some royal dynasty shit. It's like SHE DID THIS AND SHE WAS TRYING TO DESTROY MEEEEE!

But if you ever do figure out who it is, I believe a confrontation is in order.