Hellobee Boards

@rachiecakes: You made me laugh out loud! LOL, if you will.

@mrs. bird: That's disappointing to learn.

@babyjmama: it bothers me because I was one of the users added as a friend on Facebook. My "real life" is available on there, including my full name and location. Why was someone who hides their identity actively seeking me out? If you don't know me, why do you want to be my Facebook friend? FB is the one social media site where I can truly be free to not use any sort of anonymity. I'm not even searchable unless you have my private email address.... My profile is on major lockdown. So, why was I being sought out?

It's creepy.

@mrs. bird: Hahahaahaha. And thank you for the compliment! I fluffed my ears specifically for my avatar photo.

I just assume that online presence isn't all that meets the eye.

As for facebook a large # of my fb friends don't use their real names. Every teacher I know on there has changed their name so kids can't find them and a lot of other people for professional reasons don't use their last name especially but sometimes not even their first. I'm surprised that other people are surprised at fake fb names, I think at least 1/3 of my friends use a fake name. I only have people I know really well on there so I guess I've never been creeped out by it, I donno, seems like a normal thing to protect your identity from students/coworkers/bosses who might be in stalker mode.

@Mrs. Jump Rope: It wasn't their real family? That's really weird.
I guess have some have done first and middle but a lot have just changed their name completely. I guess a lot of times it's semi obvious it's not a real last name....like Thunder or Sweat or something silly but I have many more that have fake last names then just done first and middle, a few did it for awhile but most of them have switched, I think it's still too searchable.
My SIL uses a fake last name on fb, I'd never bothered to ask what her last name was when she was dating my BIL, I just assumed it was her fb last name. Nope. I was a little embarrassed since I usually take things online with a grain of salt.

I'm surprised so many people have friends with fake names on FB - I can't think of one friend that goes my something other first name/nickname + last name.

@MamaMoose: this this this this this.

@looch: I think FB did away with some of the old settings and everyone can be searched these days!

@autumnlove: It's quite possible, I don't care if people can search me, so anyone that knows my name can find me. if I don't want to add them, I don't accept their request....maybe I am too naive, I don't know. I am probably doing something wrong!

I think people need to stop concerning themselves with what others do and start concerning themselves with their own online choices. If you have issues with someone doing what they feel comfortable with online, then you might consider limiting your own outside hellobee interactions than expecting others to change the choices they make for the best interest of themselves and their family.

@Mrs. Jump Rope: yep, I just spent the last few minutes updating all my settings, lol.

@californiadreams: I found the same site and was also mentioned in the post you found yourself on, and a particular thread I started last summer was picked up and ripped apart. (ETA it was the thread on HB, not WB)

I was mortified and so upset. It's really shaken me up and I've changed my username, my photo and post less. Bc of that I rarely comment anymore or share anything. It's also a reason I did not renew my Gold status either. I felt violated that people I thought were within the circle of trust (Hellobee) were posting my business on that kind of site.

I've never seen the need to lie on here. My IRL is pretty much a soap opera (Cray ILS, work drama, family drama) and I come here for a break! I totally understand why @arden uses a pseudonym.

Full disclosure: I'm not currently pregnant.

I only know a handful of real first names on here, and I usually forget them. I think if I would ever meet any of you in person, I'd just call you by your screen names, anyways haha! Maybe not, but I can't imagine most of you with real names, lol.

@LindsayInNY: Thank you for not following through with any desire you had to steal my organs!

@googly-eyes: I have no doubt that our husbands would share the same level of suspicions!

So what really happened that caused this thread to start? Six pages is too long for me to follow. I think that in a catfish type situation, the catfisher clearly has a sad, sick, or just weird mind. But the person who get's catfished is just an idiot. If I meet up with someone online and they steal my organs, I would only blame myself. If I just simply learned that someone online was lying about their life, I would sit back in my chair in front of my computer and be amazed watching the shit show go down! I love stuff like that!

@mslipgloss: Are you going to reveal what happened?

@mrs. bird: this just made me laugh so hard!

@Mrs. Jump Rope: We have mutual friends, so I think that's how it works.

@photojane: that makes sense, since friends or friends an add me.

@holdonforonemoreday: @californiadreams: this
and @Radish: this

I always use a pseudonym...well, not on facebook and I actually kind of regret using my real name there.

I tend to keep photos and identifying info to a minimum because people can't be trusted to treat each other with respect on the internet. Even on HB, as a few have already noted.

I am paranoid, I know, but I also do not trust strangers, in general. I have a hard time even using EBAY or Craigslist because I truly do not assume the people are honest. Plus, I don't use the internet to make friends IRL, so other people's honesty or lack there of does not impact me significantly.

Outside of pseudonyms, when I hear someone set up an identity to troll or catfish, it just makes me grateful that I am not burdened with whatever mental issues they must have. I mean that sincerely- what a bummer to need a fake life/personality/identity to compensate for your regular life.

ETA- I realized my response was super dour- that's not my mood re: this issue at all. Mostly, I think I am weird for being so paranoid about my online anonymity and I am grateful to have a relatively drama free internet experience.