L. B. HeuschkelJan 2
Mastodon.social Staff

We have seen a recent wave of impersonation accounts which claim to be another fediverse user, often with a similar username and boosting some posts from the original account, before reaching out to followers over private mentions and claiming to have issues with their original account.

Please report them if you see them!

Dec 31 at 10:21pmWeb
Show threadReed MidekeJan 2
@staff Would be nice if impersonation was specifically called out in the server rules, and available as a report category
Show threadd@nny disc@ mc²Jan 2
@reedmideke @staff this has the potential to be abused against users with similar usernames who have not demonstrated any attempt to actively misrepresent themselves as another (e.g. by boosting posts from the original user) or attempting to reach out to manipulate others e.g. over DM as described in OP. adjudicating similarity of someone's identity alone is a difficult task for moderators compared to identifying whether it's being used for harm. users do not have ownership over similar usernames
Show threadDarth Hideout 🏳️‍🌈Jan 2

@hipsterelectron @reedmideke @staff

There's also a difference between malicious impersonation & satire, for example.

Show threadTuukka RJan 3

@darth_hideout @hipsterelectron @reedmideke @staff

...and the solution therefore is to clearly forbid identity theft, not all forms of impersonation!

Show threadMastodon.social StaffJan 3
@reedmideke We feel impersonating another user is "obviously wrong" and does fit into several categories (Legal, spam, harassment, misleading information). We do ultimately try to keep the rules very brief in the hopes people will, in fact, read them.
Show threadHuskifyJan 2
@staff I had an account through med-mastodon. The server looks like it is under maintenance since 12/28. I found out that it may be history, so I am using my other mastodon account with the same handle which I created when I first was trying out Mastodon. I kept my same handle/username. I am not boosting posts from old account or doing private mentions. Just saying that you may see new accounts now under the same username bc a server went down.
Show threadMastodon.social StaffJan 3
@huskify Users having accounts on multiple servers or moving servers is not unusual, though the behavior of these impersonation scams is. Your moderation team will be able to tell the difference! However, we want users to be extra vigilant they do not fall for a scam around someone claiming to have moved accounts.
Show threadsoaprootJan 4
@huskify @staff Follow the #MedMastodon hashtag for more on that situation and whether that server is coming back or not. You raise a good point that sometimes people really do switch servers or have alt accounts, but as long as we keep that in mind, we should also be able to keep an eye out for deceptive accounts.
Show threadMaria Langer | 📝🛥️💎Jan 2
@staff @DevlinLeathercraft I think I might've reported one of them. Trying to set me up to get a block grant? 🙄
Show threadCarlo Gubitosa Jan 3
@staff here is one: @gubi_ thanks for asking, I was going to report it but the account didn’t post anything until now, so I was waiting for a more solid ground for my report. But now I understand that the problematic activity is done under the radar.
Show threadCarlo Gubitosa Jan 3
@staff btw, looks like I can’t report an account with no public toots, maybe this is something worth a feature request…
Show threadCarlo Gubitosa Jan 3
@staff I saw also @gubi - zero post, joined in April 2023, up to you to check for suspicious activity under the radar.
Show threadgubi_Jan 18
@gubi @staff @gubi it's ok 'm not a bot.
I use mastodon rarely
Show threadDec [{()}]Jan 3

@gubi @staff
I was able to report this account using the Tusky app.

(I didn't actually send the report, but I was able to complete the process up to then).

To be clear, I didn't send the report because I saw no reason to. There is nothing wrong with having the same username on more than one Fedi server.

Show thread🅓🅐🅢 🅑🅛🅐🅤🅔 🅟🅞🅝🅨Jan 3
@staff Da versucht also Jemand Follower zu stehlen. Vermutlich um sie dann zu manipulieren? Geht es da jetzt um Politik oder Geld? Jedenfalls scheint mir das doch ein wenig aufwändig für ein „Spaßprojekt“.
Hat Jemand eine Idee was der Masterplan hinter so einer Aktion sein könnte? Welche Accounts sind denn betroffen und wie kann man erkennen ob man selbst betroffen ist? An sinkenden Followerzahlen? Das ist wieder so ein Drama das Keiner braucht.
Show threadFrosch BJan 3
@Das_blaue_Pony ich fürchte das ist ein versuch derer die hybride kriegsführung betreiben irgendwie einfluss auf das nur schwer fassbare fediverse zu erlangen. die probieren alle möglichen ansätze aus um zu erkunden was greift
Show thread🅓🅐🅢 🅑🅛🅐🅤🅔 🅟🅞🅝🅨Jan 4
@b_age Kann sein, Bullshit spamende Fakeaccounts überleben hier nicht lange und subtile Versuche hier unerwünschte Ideologien zu verbreiten treffen auf massiven Wiederstand. Da muss man sich schon was ausgefallenes ausdenken. Schade das so viele kreative Energie für die dunkle Seite verschwendet wird. Ich hoffe die Admins finden einen Weg das zu unterbinden das wir zum normal Betrieb zurückkehren können.
Show thread🅓🅐🅢 🅑🅛🅐🅤🅔 🅟🅞🅝🅨Jan 4
@b_age Kann sein, Bullshit spamende Fakeaccounts überleben hier nicht lange und subtile Versuche hier unerwünschte Ideologien zu verbreiten treffen auf massiven Wiederstand. Da muss man sich schon was ausgefallenes ausdenken. Schade das so viele kreative Energie für die dunkle Seite verschwendet wird. Ich hoffe die Admins finden einen Weg das zu unterbinden das wir zum normal Betrieb zurückkehren können.
Show threadQuinn NortonJan 4
@staff I have seen this, what is the procedure for reporting?
Show threadMastodon.social StaffJan 4
@quinn If you can forward a report to us through the reporting system, that is great. Otherwise, you can email us at [email protected].
Show threadQuinn NortonJan 4
@staff I'm not on your instance, so I'll mail.
Show threadHelvete miss MySpaceJan 17
@staff This inspired me to ask for my Mastodon Social Profile to be Set to Private.