OfflineI hope this is the correct forum for this. This is my first post, and I have NO IDEA if there is anything I can do about it. Someone is posting comments on blogs and articles on the internet under my name. Some of these comments are sexually suggestive, some of them are criticizing celebrities, public figures, and other posters and commenters@ these sites(always in a combative or crude manner). It's only been happening for a couple of weeks (as far as I can determine), but I'm already tired of it. I found the first comment by chance on a blog I frequent. After googling my name, I found others. I cannot figure out who this person is for sure, but I have suspicions.
I do not want friends, family, co-workers, or old classmates who may be trying to find me, to see this drivel and associate it with me. I have requested removal of the comments at every site that I've found them, but so far nothing's happened. What recourse does a person have in such a matter? I know that you can request IP Addresses and info from internet sites, but they do not have to comply. What should I do? I really do not want to spend every day googling my name requesting comment removal. I would appreciate any advice!!
Thank you!!
Print Me!
Your name isn't unique and you don't own it. The internet is based on people using FALSE names.
I'm one of the few exceptions and had similar problems, with one fraudster using my name in forums at debt collection sites so that collectors would get mad at me. I knew from the writing style who it was and posted about it at my site, of course using his real name and I notified the collector site and they deleted everything.
It's more difficult when you can't identify the imposter with certainty. I've been getting phone calls from Nigerian scammers for over a year at all hours of the night (usually after midnight) at my TOP SECRET home phone.
Somebody pretends to be me, answers the spam emails, claims to have sent them money and then provides my home phone number (obtained from an opposing attorney in one of my lawsuits.)
I received FAKE cashiers checks for hundreds of thousands of dollars from the scammers and I have to unplug my phone every night. And that's all I can do.
I also got a call from the state police recently because I allegedly misrepresented myself as private investigator. The email address the detective provided for "me" was NOT my email. He promised an investigation, but he didn't call me the next day as promised WEEKS ago, so I don't expect an investigation.
Law enforcement just doesn't give a rat's ass until after you got murdered or seriously injured.
If you're loaded with cash, hire an attorney to file a lawsuit against the person and he can get the information from the websites with a subpoena.