Discuss Detroit » Archives - Connections II » Fake Forum poster/ Identity theft « Previous Next »
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Oliverdouglas
Member
Username: Oliverdouglas

Post Number: 172
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 11:35 am:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Dear Forumers:

My name is Peter Coseo. I have posted here for the last couple years under oliverdouglas. This morning I discovered that somoeone is posting here under my real name and expressing ignorant and hateful things. Please know that I love Detroit and the people in it (I'm oliverdouglas because I live in Green Acres).

I have asked Lowell to investigate and stop this vicious imposter. Also: in doing research for a recent family reunion, unsurprisingly, I am the only Peter Coseo in Michigan. I don't have a clue who would use my name this way, or why.

(Message edited by oliverdouglas on March 10, 2008)
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Ravine
Member
Username: Ravine

Post Number: 2053
Registered: 01-2006
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 12:36 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Cripes! That is very disturbing. Why would... oh, never mind.
Please keep us "posted."
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Rax
Member
Username: Rax

Post Number: 169
Registered: 11-2007
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 12:42 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Peter Coseo from Drinking Liberally?
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Digitalvision
Member
Username: Digitalvision

Post Number: 607
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 12:52 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sorry to hear this, oliverdouglas.

There is a lot of spyware that will gaffle your passwords, especially if you "remember" them in IE or Firefox. That can even be targeted to a specific person if someone REALLY wanted it.

What surprises me is that there are much more valuable passwords to steal than the DYes forum password for most ID thieves, such as your banking information, etc. which lends me to think it's a breach of someone you know.

Have you used your password on a public machine (Library, Coffeeshop) or even on a laptop on an open or unknown to you host wi-fi network?

It's really easy with widely available software on all major platforms for someone else in the cafe or within access to the network to run packet sniffing software and get everything that's not SSL encrypted. This also would work on WEP encrypted networks, as WEP is completely useless now and can be cracked in seconds, even with a strong (20 characters or more, non-dictionary, including special characters) password.

If it's not a script kiddie like in the scenario I outline above, it's probably someone you know or have used their computer.
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Oliverdouglas
Member
Username: Oliverdouglas

Post Number: 173
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 12:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Rax: Yes.

Digital: Thay didn't steal my password, they set up an account using my real name - than chose their own password.
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Gnome
Member
Username: Gnome

Post Number: 886
Registered: 08-2007
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 1:02 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

OD-
The disturbing part, is that someone you know, who has heard you mention this forum, has taken your name and essentially slandered you.

Good luck tracking this miscreant down.
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Digitalvision
Member
Username: Digitalvision

Post Number: 608
Registered: 11-2003
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 1:09 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Misunderstood.

Double sucks, then. At least it happens here less than other places.
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Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell

Post Number: 4598
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 1:44 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

We are investigating this. A search of posts in past few weeks does not show any "ignorant and hateful things" under your login.

The IP addresses also match the one you used for this thread. So perhaps you could tell us which posts are not yours. Be sure to tell us the thread where they are located.

We sent an email to you. I share it in part as it may be instructive to others.

"Our records of original sign up shows your email address the same as it currently is on the email you sent us.

The only way you could have joined this forum is by responding to a “key” email sent to that address.

The only way some one could post using your login is by knowing your password or guessing it.

We have reset your password and sent the new one to you.

Please tell us which posts are not yours so we may trace the IP address and then remove them.

If you have been hacked in some way, you should take measures in that someone may also have hacked your IPS account and is aliasing [sending copies to themselves] your email. If so this email will be read and the password we provided need to be reset again.

You may need to login to your ISP and check your settings to insure this has not happened and reset your master passwords. If you find or suspect this you might be best to communicate by another account, like a yahoo or gmail account until you are secured.

The possibilities are endless as to how this could happen.

The above advice by others is also worth noting.
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Johnlodge
Member
Username: Johnlodge

Post Number: 5539
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 1:54 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It's not that someone got into his account.

They just made their screen name his real name.

"Petercoseo"

A search brings up one post on a thread about helping the homeless, where he says "Don't feed the animals."

https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/125438/121871.html

He appears to have first registered January 2008.
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Mbr
Member
Username: Mbr

Post Number: 339
Registered: 03-2005
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 2:15 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sounds like someone (roommate, significant other, co-worker, etc.) might be playing a joke on you.
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Mayor_sekou
Member
Username: Mayor_sekou

Post Number: 1952
Registered: 09-2006
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 2:41 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Yeah thats what it sounds like. On my personal computer and iPhone my user name and password are stored so I don't have to log in to post. Someone could if they found this site just start typing what they want and post. It happened to me a while ago when a friend was posting some slightly left of me comments when arguing on the Non Detroit side while using my name. I knew about it so I didn't care but it could be a problem if someone you don't want posting under your name does so. So be on the look out for that.
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Jimaz
Member
Username: Jimaz

Post Number: 4761
Registered: 12-2005
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 3:56 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

It's also a good idea to Google your own real name occasionally to check if anyone's trying to manufacture a bad reputation for you.

Conversely, if you're doing a background check on someone it's best to take any internet information with a grain of salt.
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Bulletmagnet
Member
Username: Bulletmagnet

Post Number: 1027
Registered: 01-2007
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 4:09 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Humm...sounds fishy. I this April first?
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Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell

Post Number: 4599
Registered: 10-2003
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 5:19 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Oh that guy... He lasted ten posts before he got tossed. Now his posts are gone too.
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Oliverdouglas
Member
Username: Oliverdouglas

Post Number: 174
Registered: 02-2006
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 6:58 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Thank you!
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Rel
Member
Username: Rel

Post Number: 368
Registered: 02-2008
Posted on Monday, March 10, 2008 - 9:30 pm:   Edit PostDelete Post   Move Post (Moderator/Admin Only)

Sorry you had to "out" yourself, Oliverdouglas.

Your Green Acres name cracks me up, though *smile*

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