Meta Universe Pretenders

Catching a troll ...

I had an interesting adventure with a troll on Facebook Messenger the other night. You might find it interesting and you should recall this story when someone approaches you on Facebook, Messenger or other social media and pretends to be a friend you know. You should always confirm that the person is who they claim to be. Often as not it may be a pretender or troll in the Meta Universe.

I have a friend, let's just say her name is "Jane Doe". At 7:09pm we get a Messenger beep and notification on several of our devices, "Jane Doe wants to communicate with you". It's a user on Instagram (userid 'sijabiw163'), another part of the Facebook/Meta Universe, who has been recently created and has appropriated Jane's picture from Facebook. In her message to me she writes:

Hello
How are you doing

I am immediately suspicious, Jane and I don't talk that often and when we do it's never this kind of idle small talk. So, I respond:

Hi Jane, can you confirm some interesting fact so I know it's you. Sorry to be so silly but ... 

I'm looking to confirm that this is really my friend, for if she is, she'll know at least something interesting about me (favorite wine, work history, hobbies, etc.). She responds:

Oh, I understand you but it's real me
I'm doing good here, what are you up too ? 

She wants me to take her identity at face value, hasn't confirmed any interesting fact and wants to continue this glib casual conversation. To what end, I do not know. The "real" vs "really" mistake makes me think this isn't a native English speaker but then I make spelling and typing mistakes too. But I'm certain this isn't Jane so I respond:

We heard your recent news from Brian.
Given that I already have a connection to the real Jane Doe I really suspect that you are not her.
Proof please

The news about her husband Brian is important for I know there's an important fact there that she could acknowledge. And I've just gone to check that I already have a Messenger connection for many years now to the real Jane Doe. So I'm very confident that this person is not Jane and ask again for proof. Instead she (or more likely it's a "he") responds:

Good to hear from you.....  Just checking on you and wondering if you've heard about my breakthrough yet ?
What of Larry your brother

She's again trying to be casual and mentions a "breakthrough". I suspect that's probably some Crypto-currency scam and not the "breakthrough" with Brian. She knows I have a brother Larry (that's not to hard to find out) but if she knew anything there she ought to know Larry died several years ago! That's either callous or dumb ... probably just dumb. So I open my address book, find Jane's phone number, and reply:

You have yet to prove that you are the real Jane Doe. I will phone now to confirm.
As I suspected, you are not who you claim to be

Actually, I did phone but a busy signal. That's not solid proof but pretty good. The scammer takes offence and replies:

Are you kidding me?
Ask a question then 

So, just to keep things interesting, I sent an email to Jane saying "I'm going to ask you for a cat's name, you are to answer with '27'" and reply to the scammer:

Check your email. A cats name
I'm waiting for an answer provided in your email

And after quite a long pause, she responds

Can't see it....Erma also didn't believe it's real me
I can't lie to you, it's real me

Apparently she can lie to me and continues to do so effortlessly. Erma is a cousin and only recently by marriage (that's not her real name). Erma and I are also friends on Facebook so it probably isn't too hard to discover the connection. But knowing a friend's name is hardly and proof — anymore than knowing a dead brother's name. And Jane doesn't know Erma at all! So I respond:

That's because Erma does not know Jane Doe. You are obviously a fraud, a faker, a troll, an asshole. Shall I go on?
I've reported this to FB

To report a troll pretending to be someone click on their name/image and from the "..." menu find the option to report them. It's always wise to let the real person know that this is happening.

Sadly, I note that the Meta Universe and Instagram have not, after several days, acted on my report to delete the identity and deal with the fake account/troll. This scammer is still there (with no posts, no followers and no one following). I am disappointed that my report has not been acted on quickly. I'll ask Jane, who has confirmed over email that it was not her on Messenger, to login to Instagram and report the account. A report that "Someone is pretending to be me" has much more impact that "Someone is pretending to be a friend".

See also, my blog on Facebook Pretenders (2020).

Russell & Nellie Dixon

Markdale Standard. Jan 2, 1964

My cousin Walter Dixon shared the following on Facebook from the group Markdale Standard Memories.

"Honored By Many Friends On Golden Wedding Anniversary

Mr. and Mrs. Russell Dixon, who celebrated their golden wedding anniversary at their home on Main Street, on Tuesday, December 17th, when many friends, neighbors, and relatives called to congratulate them. Mr. Dixon, who, this week, begins his 11th consecutive term as Reeve of Markdale — an unparalleled record in the history of the town — is a son of the late William and Eliza (Seabrook) Dixon, and Mrs. Dixon, the former Nellie McKay, is a daughter of the late Robert and Ellen (Taylor) McKay. Both were born in the Township of Holland. Mr. and Mrs. Dixon moved to Markdale in 1941 from Walters Falls. Hon. John P. Robarts, the Prime Minister of Ontario, and Hon. John Yaremko, the Provincial Secretary and Minister of Citizenship, on behalf of the Government of Ontario, extended congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Dixon on their golden wedding anniversary in the form of a framed illuminated scroll. — Markdale Standard photo."

Russell and Nellie Dixon were my grandparents on my mothers side. Their wedding anniversary would have been 50 years on December 17, 1963 (if the article is right). Walter and his brother Gordon recall that there was a family celebratory dinner at the Barhead Lodge which is just outside of Markdale. Russell had a feed mill in Markdale and another across the road from the Barhead. They raised their several children in Walter's Falls and moved to Markdale during the war years. Their two sons William (Mac) and Walter both served overseas during the war.

I have only vague memories of their anniversary being only 11 at the time. But I do have lots of memories of them and especially their home on the main street in Markdale. I have some old photos of the event from my parents collection, some from this event, that I ought to organizse. 

As a child I always thought they were both very old (he would have been 71 and she only 69 at the time of this anniversary). I don't think they were so old now as I'm at that age. I recall that not too long after this anniversary grandfather (1892-1965) had a debilating stroke and was hospitalized for his final brief years. Grandmother (1894-1975) lived longer but I think she died in '65 with him and was only buried 10 years later.

See also recollections this blog:

• Sgt Walter A Dixon (Nov 2021)
• Margaret Quinton - Grandmother's Album (Apr 2021)
• William (Mac) Dixon (Nov 2020)