Fake "LikeBots" As Well As Copybots, now upon this NAS Forum

Greetings to All. This is the latest "Maintenance" Thread, or 'Report Spam' Thread. ( ...& For those not interested or not affected, I say just move on, or start Your own Thread. ) But this kind of Thread *is* necessary at times. NAS themselves say to start a New Thread when a New problem arises, and so that is what I am doing here.

NAS, There is a LIKEBOT here now, as well as a COPYBOT. Again. (Using a Plural does not matter.) This Thread is begun to draw Your attentions to the fact.

The BEST information on This Forum, about dealing with "Copybots":
https://community.autism.org.uk/f/miscellaneous-and-chat/12621/copybot-and-forum-security/

The "LikeBot" is a new thing. I Myself have been seen to "like" certain (new) Users of whom I have no knowledge. This is the Thread to write about that, now. I have never "upvoted" these Persons but someone has FAKED My doing so...

So, NAS, --- SORT IT OUT!!!

  • Apologies that I have been away. DC asked me to take a look at this thread, so here are some initial comments.

    I'm not sure whether the upvoting is malicious action, or simply unintentional. Some people do act maliciously on social sites for their own personal reasons, but often hacking has obvious motivations. One of those (as with spam posts including "copybots") is to try to use forums and similar sites to post links to one's own site. For likes, it's increasing the prominence of accounts.

    However, in this case there don't seem to be great numbers of unexpected likes, even if someone did feel that it was worthwhile "boosting" an account on this site. It's hard to see why doing it once or twice would be worth the effort of hacking.

    The Like buttons are quite close to others, such as Reply. Is there any possibility that you might have clicked on one unintentionally?

  • https://community.autism.org.uk/f/health-and-wellbeing/16115/nas-forum-internet-and-being-maliciously-hacked-upon-here-yes-really

    This is the "other Thread" I say to do with being properly "hacked" (only Me so far, pfui.). To do with that, post There. This here Thread (which is being read now) is about Fake Upvotes. 

    You only know it is happening when it happens to You...

    ( ...Oi, no 'Discordant Piano Music' playing in the background, there...!! )

  • As I have chance, I am Posting upon here. Once I sign off, I might be blocked again, and I wrote more stuff upon other Threads to do with this and am taking chance to address somethings here while I can...

    "If users feel that their accounts are being used to up vote content then rather than choose to down vote it (which I understand why they would do) report it to us so that we can further investigate.  I can’t guarantee how conclusive that will be, but it will perhaps give us more to go on."

    I reported it upon the other Thread, there. A link again may follow later. But I wanted to say a thing about this...

    It is NOT here, the matter of UPVOTING versus downvoting which this Thread is about! It is the matter of FAKING VOTES!!

    I cannot put it more clearer than that - I know not why (apart from being prevaricating Allistic people, or something) this digression is mentioned - THIS THREAD IS ABOUT FAKING VOTES, and whatever else mentioned in the OP, Thank You.

    Even As I was forced to leave a few Months back, there have been others included to be "faked" as well as from Myself, including One or more Users for whom I do have a Great Respect. Every now and then, there seem to be new people added. Some are still reading, some have long left this Forum...

    My closing note is this: Anyone using this Forum, check down the History, and have a look at the "achievements" and those said to "like" them. Your Name could well suddenly appear there citing this despite Your never having done such a thing. It is *that* false claim which this Thread is about.

    One last thing I want to affirm before I might have to sign off, now. I have often stated that I have NO intention of turning Myself into a "Deleted User"! If this ever happens --- NAS, I have been Hacked *again*.

    End of Post, Yours sincerely, Angry...!  Slight smile

  • Dear DC,

    Thank you for raising your concerns about the recent events that have been happening in regards to your community account and up & down voting on our community.

    I have been chasing for a number of weeks with our Web team in Web Pm's absence about your concerns, and i am so sorry for the length of time it has taken. I appreciate that this is disappointing, and i am really sorry that the whole situation has lead to you feeling that you have to leave our community. You have been a very active member of our community and have provided some extremely valuable input to our community, so it would be very sad if you decide to leave.

    Our Web team have not been able to identify the issue, so they reached out to the suppliers who provide our community platform, and they have been looking into this issue. I have just received a response from them and they have explained that they were unable to find anything conclusive unfortunately.I fully understand and appreciate that this finding is disappointing and frustrating, as i really wanted to come back to you all with a definitive finding. However, our suppliers have that our users do the following

    "If users feel that their accounts are being used to up vote content then rather than choose to down vote it (which I understand why they would do) report it to us so that we can further investigate.  I can’t guarantee how conclusive that will be, but it will perhaps give us more to go on."

    In the meantime, I have asked that our suppliers look into your account specifically to identify if your community account has been compromised and if so who is responsible. I will let you know as soon as i get a response.

    Thank you very much for you patience DC , and i understand that this whole situation has been upsetting and frustrating for you, so i hope that we can find out what is happening as soon as possible.

    Ayshe Mod 

  • You deserve answers apologies and much respect from NAS.

    And lots of thanks upvotes and smiles from  many many more who come here to belong. X

    You are indeed a very amazing spirited and extremely witty intelligent individual who I have always had the pleasure to know and share so much with .

    I also like your unique style of clothing and one day very much would like to share a walk sometime. Us standing side by side ignoring all the jealous onlookers as we stride confidently along any such path we choose to follow. Slight smile

     I hope you return and maybe with newer devices or if not cooler weather so we can “chat” “ laugh” “ giggle” and also discuss randomness whenever it suits us to do such a thing Slight smile

    Stick around my friend, we have so much more to share yet.

    And may I offer you this () . It is gladly given.

    Lonewarrior. 

  • ...Greetings, Likely last, from Myself. Even as I may be able to reply again - using My Previous Device again - I wanted to say somethings at some persons...

    THANK YOU! To those who genuinely supported Myself after this "Hacking" happened. However, the best reply for Myself is from "qwerty", in sharing more about 'Being Hacked'.
    I am scared of almost everything all of the time, and so being hacked did not "scare" Myself at all, rather than just feeling annoyed and that this entire affair was/is JUST LIKE BEING BACK AT SCHOOL...

    At school, I behaved Myself and tried to be helpful... but then I am Bullied. I have Supporters who may support Me. But the Teachers and the Owners of the School *still* allow the Bully to attend the school, and to perhaps bully Me again. And they do nothing else apart from get rid of the evidence of the Bully, while the Bully is still there, laughing at whatever happens. It is as if the School is more afraid of the Bully than Myself or anyone else...
    ...But how did I (or others) get rid of any School Bullies...? By LEAVING the School. Since "Bullying" continues to be a thing to this day, even used as entertainment upon Television Programmes and even as a part of the diagnostic aspect towards Aspergers/Autism.

    I started a new Thread about it. It may be My last. Not out of confusion or fear but the fact that My devices are limited and out of curiosity over whether anyone else (Users)... in "this school" (Internet & NAS Forum).. has ever been bullied (hacked)... and what was done about it to prevent it happening again... (password change, but ignored).
    The "Bully" is NAS33397 (currently named "dutchman" & again see the last pictures which I posted.), and is still allowed to watch despite evidence which was deleted. I thought that Hacking into other people's accounts might be against the law somehow, but NAS deleted the evidence and Nas33397's "bookmark" is still here, so that is why I begun the other Thread.

    I post here and begin the New Thread because I would like some answers. Apologies if I do not respond, but I shall try to read, certainly. (I might get blocked again?!)
    It *was* fun being happy here, and testing out My own kind of Humour... but if I Post again I shall never be the same. Fare Thee Well, Everyone.

    (And for certain Persons, I shall say this, at last :
    ()
    Thanks. Good Fortune To You From Myself. ALWAYS.)

    (Again if there are spelling mistakes, I correct not for I must Post and Run, again.)

  • DC I hope you haven't left. You always bring an air of fun to everything. One of the most genuine people I've came across here.

    I hope this is just a hiatus, and you are back soon. Always good to see you posting.

    May your Pokémon keep evolving, and things are good for you.

    I'll be looking out for when (hopefully not if!), you come back.

    All the best,

    Cloudy.

  • It May well have been requested NAS have less input here several years ago. It doesn’t mean those  now here mostly new members should be ignored after repeatedly asking nicely that our voices be heard, and issues on “YOUR” web forum be dealt with.

    I agree with what ( ) is saying here. It might be true that a few years ago some people do not want NAS's input. But it doesn't make any sense to use this as an excuse to ignore the people who have repeatedly asked NAS to reply to their post.

    DC has posted many many times that she is still waiting for NAS to respond and ( ) has also posted asking NAS to remove offending posts, but both have been ignored until now because "a few years ago...."

    I appreciate your feedback in regards to our mods input. We did receive quite a bit of feedback last year in regards to moderators heavily being involved in the community, but i understand the point you have raised. I will share your feedback with our mods and see how we can get more involved with the forum. In the meantime, it would be useful to have yours and other community users input on how you would like to see us more involved.

    Are you sure that this type of feedback was from last year? I have been here last year, and the mods were as unresponsive as this year.... Maybe the feedback was a few years ago? You originally said that type of feedback was years ago. (It's a tiny detail, but I like consistency and logic)

    Anyway, a most simple solution to keep everyone happy (the ones who don't want input & the ones that do) would be to reply to the people who have proactively asked NAS to reply to their comment?? 

    But I do see a lot more improvements in the replies from NAS today, for example, the replies to this thread has been good (explaining that WebPM is away and that NAS will discuss how to be more involved), removing the offending comments ( ) has mentioned, and reminding people of community rule number 4 about friendly debate. Please keep this up! 

  • Thank you explaining the situation your in, and for removing the three posts, a small thing but were  causing certain members anxiety,.

    Thank you. 

  • Dear (),

    Thank you for your message and sharing your thoughts.

    Firstly, please accept my apologies if my response to your previous message came across as condescending and patronising, this was not the intention at all.

    I appreciate your feedback in regards to our mods input. We did receive quite a bit of feedback last year in regards to moderators heavily being involved in the community, but i understand the point you have raised. I will share your feedback with our mods and see how we can get more involved with the forum. In the meantime, it would be useful to have yours and other community users input on how you would like to see us more involved.

    In regards to the community platform, i can see why users are frustrated, but the moderators have no involvement with the technical side of the community. Currently, Web PM is away from office and he would have looked into the issue that DC raised. However, in his absence, i have raised this issue with our Web team, who i have been chasing to give me an update on . I am aware that this issue has upset users, but please be assured that i am continuing to chase, and aim to get you all an update as soon as i get some news. I am so sorry for how long it is taking, i know it is very disappointing and frustrating.

    In the meantime, i have removed the three posts you mentioned. If i have missed any please let me know.

    Kind regards,

    Ayshe

  • My friend DC please keep posting, like others have already said you add so much to here.

     I have always enjoyed your posts and regard you as a dear friend.

     NAS are being disrespectful to you by not bothering to reply to your polite requests.

    Even though they said they would .

    As a side note to ayshe mod!

    It May well have been requested NAS have less input here several years ago. It doesn’t mean those  now here mostly new members should be ignored after repeatedly asking nicely that our voices be heard, and issues on “YOUR” web forum be dealt with.

    As per usual you do very little and openly say you leave the running of this site to us the members, we cannot fix technical issues although some here have given clear incisive instruction on how better to run and look after a dysfunctional cheap budget forum platform, these are highly skilled technical people who really do know what a good resource is and also a badly suited under managed one is.

    To DC you are a very kind and generous person who I for one am glad to have met on here.

     Keep posting if you can please.

     I did try to PM you but do understand you are still having issues reading them. Again a badly configured site not accessible by all. 

    I think only IPads work, I own a laptop and another tablet device, both are extremely good all round on most user interface sites, apart from this one, the tablet is a complete waste of time as nothing works as it should, ( probably like yours) and my laptop struggles, niether are old  and work fine else where,

    NAS can you please remove the three or so posts by Dutchman as they serve no purpose other than to goad or cause upset, one is pretty much saying I dare you!

    very sinister, just get rid of them please..

    I wait patiently for a response, probably as patronising and condescending as your last reply to myself :).

    To DC x()x

    views=1046.

    replies=44.

    subscribers=23.

  • Scream you needed to reset your password to log in? Scream Screamsounds super frustrating! 

    That's frustrating..... it happened to my hotmail account before, apparently someone hacked it and sent out random sales advertisements from my account, and then hotmail found out and told me someone had hacked it and I need to reset my password. But everything was fine after I reset it. I know similar things has happened to some people's facebook accounts. So it's not really unpreventable....even for reputable big companies. I know the feeling well, and I felt really insecure after it happened. I hope all the hacking will stop now that you've reset your password. 

    Also agree with Kitsun, that you have written many inspiring threads, so I also hope to see you posting again.

  • Aw DC I do hope that this isn't your last post! You always write such inspiring threads! I'm sorry that you feel so disillusioned with the forum! 

    I hope to see you posting again soon.

    signed

    The Fantastic Mrs Fox :-) x

  • ...Greetings to anyone who may read.

    This might be My last Post, I am posting from a different device, because I 'had trouble Logging in'. Thank You to all who were nice at Me,& if You know Me, this has been coming for a long time. I do not know if I can log in again yet I know not what might happen next. Stay Safe Everyone. I am not yet gone - I hope, but am missing certain folks already.

    This next is mostly at NAS (and Hackers).NAS, the OP says 22 DAYS now... and still the Malicious Hacker is there, and I bet the fake Upvotes are still there also. Now You have driven Me OFF supporting this forum (Hackers and Organised Stalkers can break open the Champagne! You can defeat a Disabled Weak Ethnic-Minority Woman!)

    NAS this is the Third Strike... You talked here yet did nothing ; see the last PICTURE I posted - THIS HACKING ACTUALLY HAPPENED! I had to "change my password" to write this! and so I take away My voting up the reply from before. Why, Why, Why was this allowed to happen to Me?

    I helped You, NAS, but now... I can only Post this and see what else happens,so long as you ignore this sort of thing. As I say, I might be back, but I do not know.

    Fair Fortune to all.   (if this has spelling mistakes I dare not correct - I must post and run now. THANK YOU...)

    I Shall Not Aplogise For A Matter Which Was NOT MY FAULT..

  • ...Still waiting. I wager that if it were a "DOWNvote-bot", then this/these "Hacks" would be fixed by now. But maybe this answers My ever unanswered question...NAS prefers QUANTITY rather than Quality.

    "Advertisment: Just Post anything here and gain 3 free Upvotes! Offer available to New Members only! Hackers also Welcome?!"

    (Yes, I am still not happy about this. No, this is not such a nice Post from Myself, sorry. Yes, I am signing off now.)

  • To "Ayashe Mod"...

    Thank You Very Much for THAT Post.

    As You Write THAT Post, I appreciate the honesty within it (if it is that!), and so I Thanked You there. And this here Post is a sort of reciprocation, apart from an UpVote, to encourage said HONESTY (!) ...

    FYI... I Myself cannot EMAIL. Yes, Really.  Just like I cannot properly "Friend" anyone. (I have said all that before.) 

    Also, I did not like being targeted by *both* a FakeUpvoter and a Hacker. This last is why I do not Post so much of late and am still WARY and Prudent. 

    I already Thanked You. Now I mainly Watch and Wait.

  • Dear DC,

    I am so sorry that it is taking some time. Web PM who would normally be the best person to look into this issue is not in office, so another member of the team is still looking into this.I will keep you updated as soon as i get a response from her.

    Kind regards,

    Ayshe Mod

  • To "Mod".

    It has been an entire Week, now.

    Just to let You know.

    Disappointed Disappointed

  • Surely not?

    Ayshe mod said all was well, 

    And said all replies of any suspicious people were deleted, so the four not nice replies by Dutchman must be in my imagination. 

    Crikey I think we have been spun a load of none sense.

    I found her reply to me to be condescending and designed to put me in my place , remind me who owns this site and to listen carefully to her words and just accept them as gospel.

     Er no I am a client of a resource for people like me, she states they have a duty of care towards us, not cure how as there have been many here over the years who have tried hard to contact the NAS and not succeeded, they have ignored calls for help, I myself said publicly as well as by message that a member needed help. I got no reply to say my words had been seen. 

    Nothing will change here, we are an add on, they are seen to be doing the right thing but leave us to run it, we do as a community but our words are rarely seen or acted upon. 

  • The same (now) three people are still showing up on the 'likes' for new members when they receive the five replies.

    It is now ascertained that these are not 'genuine' likes, so why is it happening at all?