Advice Needed RE Facebook imposter

[Over The Hill]

I think you need to sort out if this person is someone who just happens to have used the same name as you or if they are pretending to be you.

If the info on facebook matches you (more than just the name) then you have good reason to be unhappy that someone is passing themselves off as you.
I cant see that someone would go to all the bother of setting up a facebook entry for you just because there is something amusing about your name. But if it is a joke of some sort, you make it worse by rising to it.
Third option is that it is simply someone with the same name or someone using the same name.

I dont do facebook but isnt it all about communicating with each other. Can you get a third party to contact them with a message that would unmistakenly be for you and see what response you get?

I have a namesake out there http://www.garyrolfe.com/
but as he is a dog musher in greenland and I am a property lawyer in hampshire there is little chance of confusion.

 

[Maz]

well if you take the definition of

'fantasy'
n., pl. -sies. The creative imagination; unrestrained fancy.

and then apply it to the concept of facebook or twitter where people communicate with other people whom they already know; and who therefore by definition exist in reality, your argument loses all integrity.

It's 'fan-tasy' all the fit women on there who want to be my friends!

 

[hackbike 666]

I dont do facebook but isnt it all about communicating with each other. Can you get a third party to contact them with a message that would unmistakenly be for you and see what response you get?

This is the big worry.This is deadly serious due to personal circumstances and the uniqueness of my name which can be abused if people I know want to get in touch with me with some important news and this may be the only way they may think they think they can contact me.With this comedian using my name I can't see me getting the message or I may get the message too late or it may be abused in other ways.I'd rather it didn't exist but Clownbook won't do anything about it.The friends on 'its' friends list are people I know or have met.Im trying to warn them and some people are who I don't know.

I'd rather bring a lawsuit against Facebook but it doesn't seem like I can and their lack of action has concerned me.

I had no intention of joining before and I always guessed a site like this would be a danger in the wrong hands.

I have now thought of deleting all tracks (including this username) which is linked with a google search and starting again.It may still happen.Luckily my ebay account and various other accounts cannot be traced by my main name or via this account.

 

[punkypossum]

One of my facebook friends is an American woman with the same name as me - and my name IS rare! We became friends because of the name thing, only problem is she is a really devout Christian and supporter of the conservate party and now all my other friends get a bit confused because my status updates constantly mention bible study classes and strange retreats as well as political statements round election time...I might have to un-friend her, as although she seems a genuinely nice person, I disagree with most of her views and wouldn't want anybody to think they are mine because they come up with my name!

 

[Abitrary]

One of my facebook friends is an American woman with the same name as me - and my name IS rare! We became friends because of the name thing, only problem is she is a really devout Christian and supporter of the conservate party and now all my other friends get a bit confused because my status updates constantly mention bible study classes and strange retreats as well as political statements round election time...I might have to un-friend her, as although she seems a genuinely nice person, I disagree with most of her views and wouldn't want anybody to think they are mine because they come up with my name!

Have you thought about changing your name by deed poll? I think that should get rid of the weirdo.

Now I think about it, you're both a bit weird for befriending each other for having the same name. What do you talk about, apart from neo-nazi american christianity?

 

[hackbike 666]

Yeah that could happen to me although technically I have never met anyone with the same name.

I know where this name cloner has come from although im still baffled why anyone would want to clone my name.Im covering old tracks now.Have been onto Yahoo about an old geocites account I haven't used in 6 years but shows up on a search and leads to more links and find I can change my flickr name instead of deleting it and the 500 photos on it,but as a last resort I would delete it anyway.I will delete/alter accounts as needed to cover my tracks.

Just goes to show how identitiy theft can be dangerous and is a serious problem.

 

[Abitrary]

hackbike 666 is indeed a weird name, and can't imagine why your parents gave you a number as a name.

Then again I used to know someone called Hastings 1066, but he changed that by deed poll

 

[hackbike 666]

hackbike 666 is indeed a weird name, and can't imagine why your parents gave you a number as a name.

Then again I used to know someone called Hastings 1066, but he changed that by deed poll

I do hope you are joking.

Actually it's not as weird as my normal name,hence the reason why it has all blown up on the internet.

 

[Abitrary]

I do hope you are joking.

Actually it's not as weird as my normal name,hence the reason why it has all blown up on the internet.

You must have a really weird name if it's weirder than 666. You're not called hamish McSatan or something?

 

[hackbike 666]

You must have a really weird name if it's weirder than 666. You're not called hamish McSatan or something?

Something like that.

The end.I just deleted my flickr account but I did manage to back up the 800 photos.

 

[Globalti]

FFS I can't believe all this discussion about a website for sad social inadequates who can't get off their chairs and go out and meet neighbours and friends.

Just forget about that website, switch off the computer and go out and say hello to somebody. You'll be amazed; most real people are very nice and happy to have a chat.

 

[dodgy]

FFS I can't beleive all this discussion about a website for sad social inadequates who can't get off their chairs and go out and meet neighbours and friends.

Just forget about that website, switch off the computer and go out and say hello to somebody. You'll be amazed; most real people are very nice and happy to have a chat.

Precisely. If someone on an Internet site is claiming to be you, that's only a problem if you let it be one. Your real friends (you know, the ones you've actually met) will know which one is the real you.

Move on.

 

[Maz]

Then again I used to know someone called Hastings 1066, but he changed that by deed poll...

...to Norman.

 

[gbb]

Two things spring to mind...
Is the person involved actually trying to imporsonate you, using any of your information / claiming to be you etc etc...or is it a completely different 'persona'.
Is the identity they're using your real name ? With Facebook, there's no point in using a false name because anyone searching for you...wont know who you are if you're using a ficticious name. How the hell would they find you (him).
If i called myself Steve Okonkovski (just an example), because i liked the sound of it...it'd be a waste of time, no-one out there that really knew me would ever find me. So, (i'm assuming) this guys name (which happens to be your name) must be known by his friends / family / colleagues.

 

[Joe24]

Two things spring to mind...
Is the person involved actually trying to imporsonate you, using any of your information / claiming to be you etc etc...or is it a completely different 'persona'.
Is the identity they're using your real name ? With Facebook, there's no point in using a false name because anyone searching for you...wont know who you are if you're using a ficticious name. How the hell would they find you (him).
If i called myself Steve Okonkovski (just an example), because i liked the sound of it...it'd be a waste of time, no-one out there that really knew me would ever find me. So, (i'm assuming) this guys name (which happens to be your name) must be known by his friends / family / colleagues.

How i read it, the guy hackbike thinks is impersonating, has some of the people from another forum hes on, as friends.
Now, this could be that there is someone with the same name in the same area, and your friends has added him by mistake thinking it was you. Or someone is trying to be you as a laugh.
What id do, is to get a friend thats on facebook to add this person, or you start up another account on facebook and add this person. Look through the information he will have had to put on there and see if it matches yours.
If it is pretty much your information, and theres stuff on there thats going to make you look very bad, then id report it, and make sure they check it.
If it doesnt, then it could just be that someone has moved to the area with your name.
Surely, having a picture of you, so when people do search they see you, will be better? The person pretending to be you cant just shove another picture of you up in the account or that will be very dodgy.