Topic: Faked deaths on the internet

[Mooning Freddy]

I've just came across a faked death case on a forum I'm a member of. The member who had supposedly "died" was a very loved and appreciated member of the forum who contributed a lot to it.
I was not such an active member of that forum, but I've read many messages by the member, and when a message has been posted about his supposed "death", I responded with some words of empathy.
After the death has been revealed as a fake, it also turned out nothing about the member was real: his photos were fake and he never really got personal with any of the other members. Of course the one who posted his death message was the same member with a different username.
It was shocking, as he managed to fool so many people, including the owner of the forum, for so long.

I've heard there have been many cases like this, of people faking deaths on online communities. Did any of you come across such cases? What benefit can one gain from faking his own death online?

[Slayer]

In Reply To #1

This is Slayer's brother. I just walked into his room and he died from vidya giehms. I will now ask for a moment of internet silence.

[Bloodreign]

*flushes Slayer down the toilet.*

He'll be sorely missed.

[A n t r a x x]

Why can't people just die like real men?

It's like a bandaid: one motion -- RIGHT OFF!

[Rugal]

People that do that are usually extremely hopeless people in real life. They have no friends, sit in front of their computers all day, and are usually overweight, so they masquerade themselves over a computer monitor, and try to get people to think they are something they aren't.

It really is pitiful. I've dealt with quite a few people like this, and I can only say they were dealt with accordingly (Most painfully I assure you).

[Bizarro Belmont]

Shame they don't have a 7-year waiting period like folks who really do fake their death and try to cash in on the rewards.

Off-subject, but I remember someone throwing up a very convincing 9th edition poster and fooled some 350 people on MTGSalvation until he just confessed and said he did it for a photoshop project or something. Even more ironic one of the cards he joked about being in the set (Jester's Cap) was in!

[thernz]

I wonder if Smiling Bob faked his death.

[Long John Silver]

What benefit can one gain from faking his own death online?

attention whoring.

there are people who can't stand being lonely, yet do nothing about it. they do this probably to draw others' attention to themselves.

[PFG9000]

Any comments, Redrum?

*ducks*

[Mobius]

Every time I have an Asian girl, Brazilian honey, redheaded Irish lass... Well, any kind of girl really -- staying the night at my house, I die and go to heaven.

MOBIUS R.I.P. - Nine times this year and counting

[Rugal]

Every time I have an Asian girl, Brazilian honey, redheaded Irish lass... Well, any kind of girl really -- staying the night at my house, I die and go to heaven.

MOBIUS R.I.P. - Nine times this year and counting

Yeah. Speaking of attention whoring, no one gives a damn.

[uzo]

Wait, so Mobius is a tranny lesbian? Guy -tranny op-> Girl -decides-> to like girls? Couldn't you have just like skipped that middle step and been straight and cool like normal people?

[DoctaMario]

Well, as long as you don't turn out like Uzo, you're fine in my book Mobius.

[uzo]

In Reply To #13

This poster is definitely not straight and cool. Also needs to use less jap naming conventions for American produced games.

[Dr. Mario]

In Reply To #14

KAPOW! Trolling the wrong guy uzo. Nice try though.