Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Gabi Hernandez/Archive

Report date March 24 2010, 05:47 (UTC)

 * Suspected sockpuppets

Relatively new editor Gabi Hernandez has made some typical but serious newbie mistakes, most related to fair use images, copyright violations, and such. Rm994 and I have subsequently been persistent in advising her multiple times, but in as constructive and goodnatured a manner as possible. Today, about five minutes after I left this comment on her talk page, the username JohnathonRayne was created. That user subsequently blanked my user page five minutes later here and then one minute later reverted Rm994's recent revert of a Gabi Herndandez edit. Five minutes later, Gabi Hernandez responded to me here on her talk page. Those were the only two edits from JohnathonRayne. Considering the history between this editor, Rm994 and I, I find this too coincidental. I would also note that Gabi Hernandez appears to have used a sock deceptively before, though I believe in that situation it was something of a newbie mistake. &mdash; TAnthonyTalk 05:47, 24 March 2010 (UTC)
 * Evidence submitted by &mdash; TAnthonyTalk


 * Comments by accused parties    See Defending yourself against claims.


 * Comments by other users

I noticed this right away as well. It's too much of a coincidence. I believe that the JohnathonRayne account is indeed Gabi Hernandez. Rm994 (talk) 14:54, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

Margaret Simmons is the maiden name of Maggie Horton, one of User:Gabi Hernandez's favorite Days of our Lives pages. I think a coinicidence is unlikely at this point. Rm994 (talk) 02:02, 25 March 2010 (UTC)

Requested by &mdash; TAnthonyTalk 05:47, 24 March 2010 (UTC)
 * CheckUser requests

, I agree with TAnthony that this is just a bit on the side of being a little too coincidental, however, I'd like it if a checkuser could please check the link just so we can be sure. Regards, SpitfireTally-ho! 11:34, 24 March 2010 (UTC)
 * Clerk, patrolling admin and checkuser comments
 * ✅. I also notice that JohnathonRayne created another account, . – Luna Santin  (talk) 23:46, 24 March 2010 (UTC)

Socks blocked and tagged, sockmaster warned. –MuZemike 19:52, 27 March 2010 (UTC)
 * Conclusions

Evidence submitted by Belovedfreak
I believe that User:Sami50421 is a sockpuppet of User:Gabi Hernandez, being used abusively to back each other up in deletion discussions and to allow articles to become GAs while avoiding proper scrutiny. User:Gabi Hernandez started editing on 15 December 2009 and User:Sami50421 on 9 May 2010. They have very similar interests, both are heavily involved in editing articles related to Days of Our Lives. I will refer to them both as she for convenience, although, of course, I may be wrong about that.
 * A few points
 * Both Gabi Hernandez and Sami50421 have taken their user names from characters on Days of Our Lives and both have on their user/talk pages an identical quote from one of those characters, Sami Brady (added by Gabi Hernandez, added by Sami50421)
 * Both use the Reflinks tool (not damning in itself, but the tool doesn't show up on my watchlist very often, not sure how widely used it is)
 * Both have uploaded several non-free images related to the soap, using identical fair use rationales (with the exact phrase "By nature no free version exists")
 * User:Gabi Hernandez apparently ran into some problems with her editing, (ANI link, ANI link) after the creation of User:Sami50421, Gabi Hernandez has become less active than Sami50421
 * I have found no evidence that the two have interacted on their user talkpages or elsewhere, despite their obvious overlaps in editing & interests, and despite the fact that both have interacted with several other editors about these articles.
 * both have been involved in disputes related to whether or not articles like Melanie Layton, Stephanie Johnson and Children of Days of our Lives should exist, or be redirected to character lists
 * They tend to edit at the same time of day, often with one account editing for a block of several minutes to a couple of hours, then the other account editing, for example 6 June ,
 * Problematic editing patterns
 * 9 May 2010, on her first day of editing, User:Sami50421 nominated Days of Our Lives as a good article.
 * 11 May 2010, User:Gabi Hernandez passed the article with no in-depth review or comments. This was later ignored by an unrelated user who started a proper review and eventually passed the article on 16 May.
 * 17 May 2010
 * 20:53 Sami50421 nominated Days of Our Lives for FAC
 * 22:18 User:SandyGeorgia closed FAC
 * 22:22 SandyGeorgia added GA request tag to Talk:Days of our Lives
 * 22:38 Gabi Hernandez removed GA request tag from Talk:Days of our Lives: "revision not necessary, article just passed yesterday" (this editor's 1st edit in 5 days) - later reverted by User:Dabomb87
 * 18 May 2010
 * 19:46 User:75.69.115.225 removed GA request tag from Talk:Days of our Lives:
 * 20 May 2010; both accounts making comments in the same AFD
 * 00:43–01:32 Sami50421 edited Articles for deletion/Stephanie Johnson,, , , arguing to merge the article to Minor characters of Days of our Lives.
 * 02:31: Gabi Hernandez edited (her 1st edit in 3 days; doesn't edit again until 6 June) Articles for deletion/Stephanie Johnson ‎, arguing to "as Sami suggested merge with Minor characters of Days of our Lives"
 * 22 May 2010
 * 01:13 Sami50421 edited Articles for deletion/Stephanie Johnson, arguing keep
 * 02:16 User:75.69.115.225 edited Articles for deletion/Stephanie Johnson, arguing Keep
 * 8 June 2010
 * 01:07 Sami50421 nominated Maggie Horton as a good article.
 * 11 June 2010
 * 01:31 Sami50421 edited Deletion review/Log/2010 June 11, asking for Stephanie Johnson to be restored
 * 01:57 Gabi Hernandez passed Maggie Horton as a GA with no in-depth review
 * 06:01 Sami50421 edited Deletion review/Log/2010 June 11, regarding Stephanie Johnson
 * 13:29 I (User:Belovedfreak) posted concerns about GA pass of article at Talk:Maggie Horton. I asked Gabi Hernandez  and Sami50421  to comment.
 * 19:21 Gabi Hernandez edited Deletion review/Log/2010 June 11, arguing for Stephanie Johnson's notability
 * 19:23–19:24 Gabi Hernandez edited Minor characters of Days of our Lives, adding the text from Melanie Layton
 * 19:29 Gabi Hernandez posted message at User talk:Rm994 about the redirection of Melanie Layton. She says, "You can't just go around redirecting articles, without talking with the creators of that article" (implying she created it?) That article was recreated by Sami50421 on 27 May
 * 19:29 Gabi Hernandez reverted the redirection of Melanie Layton to Minor characters of Days of our Lives
 * 19:44 Gabi Hernandez replied to concerns about sources at Talk:Maggie Horton. Regarding one source, jason47.com, she says "The website is only used for that article scan, as I could not find it elsewhere." (note use of 1st person.) The reference in question was added by Sami50421 on 7 June.
 * 19:47 Gabi Hernandez posted message at User talk:Belovedfreak saying she "might have messed up" her "first" GA review. (Not really her first, she also attempted to pass Days of Our Lives)
 * 20:00 Sami50421 redirected Melanie Layton to Minor characters of Days of Our Lives, (reverting Gabi Hernandez, seems strange if they are the same person but both accounts have reverted themselves before, , )
 * 13 June 2010
 * 05:23 Sami50421 edited Children of Days of our Lives, reverting redirect, prompting AFD
 * 05:29 Sami50421 edited Articles for deletion/Children of Days of our Lives, arguing "Keep This article should not be deleted. The notability can be proved, these characters appear in almost every episode of the serial. That's why they have there own separate article. "
 * 05:33 Gabi Hernandez edited Articles for deletion/Children of Days of our Lives, arguing "Keep Characters are hardly not notable. Most of them appear in almost every episode, and some are the children of famous supercouples such as Bope, and EJAMI."

Comments by accused parties
See Defending yourself against claims.

Comments by other users
I spotted this a month ago, and pinged Kww, who called it a 90% chance; See: here and here. Gabi's been to AN/I about three times and dodged bullets each time by going to ground for a bit. It's time she was dealt with fairly strongly. Cheers, Jack Merridew 04:00, 16 June 2010 (UTC)

Much evidence has been suggested that these are in fact, the same user. However, they responded very different to me after I redirected Melanie Layton. Sami50421 accepts what I tell him/her about it here, and then after redirecting again, Gabi Hernandez attacks me here. If they were the same person, why respond so differently? Even if Sami50421 is Gabi Hernandez, he or she has made some definite improvements. Just my opinion, I will support whatever administrators decide, of course. Thank you. Rm994 (talk) 18:52, 16 June 2010 (UTC)

Clerk, patrolling admin and checkuser comments
(Articles for deletion/Stephanie Johnson; also one sock passing article as GA, nominated by other sock)   Requested by  Beloved  Freak  23:10, 15 June 2010 (UTC)

✅. No other obvious socks found. Cool Hand Luke 03:45, 16 June 2010 (UTC)
 * Both accounts indeffed. Tagged. T. Canens (talk) 03:57, 16 June 2010 (UTC)

Evidence submitted by User:Bali ultimate
New account active today, new IP active today. Both making identical edits to those last made by Gabi Hernandez and her other sockpuppets shortly before her indef block in the past week or two.Bali ultimate (talk) 21:26, 19 June 2010 (UTC)

Comments by accused parties
See Defending yourself against claims.

Comments by other users
Seems very likely that it is Gabi Hernandez/Sami54021. She doesn't understand rules well enough to know that we can tell when people are trying to circumvent a block. Rm994 (talk) 19:00, 20 June 2010 (UTC)


 * I've blocked both per WP:DUCK. I seem to remember prior anon IPs from this character resolving to New Britain, Connecticut like this IP does.  Add to that the "Days of Our Lives" obsession, page blanking, prior sockpuppets and...well, you get the idea.  --PMDrive1061 (talk) 22:05, 20 June 2010 (UTC)


 * Found a likely sleeper: User:SunsetOne.  PMDrive1061 (talk) 21:44, 21 June 2010 (UTC)

Not so sure that one was a sock...The only problem I had with that user was breaking the soap opera relationship parameter rules. Rm994 (talk)
 * Gabi has pretty consistently stuck with Days of our Lives characters. SunsetOne did editing on other soaps. Besides, wouldn't SunsetOne have turned up in the last checkuser? AniMate  00:46, 22 June 2010 (UTC)

Clerk, patrolling admin and checkuser comments
Requested by Bali ultimate (talk) 21:26, 19 June 2010 (UTC) . Same UA, geolocates fairly close by, same ISP. J.delanoy gabs adds 19:17, 22 June 2010 (UTC)
 * - T. Canens (talk) 02:28, 22 June 2010 (UTC)
 * Is that AniFame, SunsetOne, or both? T. Canens (talk) 20:38, 22 June 2010 (UTC)
 * Per this, I believe AniFame is the only user that is a likely sock. AniMate  20:50, 22 June 2010 (UTC)

Evidence submitted by Belovedfreak
Brand new account making edits to similar articles as the Gabi Hernandez socks (TV-related, and including Days of Our Lives), almost first action is to nominate an article for GA. Almost immediately uploading non-free TV character-related images with intact fair use rationale. Is immediately familiar with REFLINKS, like previous socks.

Four days after editing, the editor reviewed a GA of a soap character with a minimal review (no reflection on the article quality, that's all it may have required, but this is the same pattern as before.) This edit by Gabi sock and this one by HGraphite are very similar including the use of "The character is still a part of the current storylines".

Some of the first few edits were to Mashpee High School, a school in Massachussetts which is, I believe, where the Gabi Hernandez socks were traced to. Previous edit to that article was by 75.69.114.162, an IP very similar to the one connected to the previous socks.

Back to editing one of Gabi Hernandez's favourite characters.

Evidence submitted by GamerPro64
Comparing Gabi Hernandez to HGraphite, I found that Gabi was a fan of True Blood. Looking at HGraphite's first 100 contributions, some on her edits included True Blood articles. Some of HGraphite's edits involve Sookie Stackhouse, a True Blood character that Gabi was a fan of, shown here.

Comments by accused parties
See Defending yourself against claims.

Clerk, patrolling admin and checkuser comments
Requested by Beloved  Freak  09:02, 29 June 2010 (UTC)


 * ✅. --jpgordon:==( o ) 23:30, 29 June 2010 (UTC)
 * blocked and tagged by jpgordon SpitfireTally-ho! 23:39, 29 June 2010 (UTC)

Evidence submitted by Belovedfreak
Appears to be User:Gabi Hernandez again, same behaviour & articles edited (related to tv characters). IP address is located in Massachusetts again. Beloved Freak  11:59, 3 July 2010 (UTC)

Comments by accused parties
See Defending yourself against claims.

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments
– Behavioral evidence clearly indicates that this is Gabi Hernandez. No CU necessary. That being said, registered account indefinitely blocked and tagged. –MuZemike 20:42, 3 July 2010 (UTC)

25 November 2010

 * Suspected sockpuppets




 * User compare report Auto-generated every six hours.

''Please list evidence below this line. Remember to sign at the end of your section with 4 tilde characters " ~ "''

User:Marcus951 appeared on 20 November, immediately editing Days of Our Lives characters (Gabi Hernandez's topic of choice: "articles pertaining to soap operas are the only ones I am interested in editing".) One of Marcus951's first edits was to undo a redirect, thereby creating an article on a minor character that has been deemed not notable enough for an article at this time. Again, same behaviour as Gabi Hernandez. Marcus951 has also got quickly into uploading non-free images, like Gabi. Then Marcus951 has put a lot of work into the Marlena Evans article and nominated it at WP:GAN. Again, this mirrors Gabi's behaviour. Within the history for that article, I notice this edit by User:24.61.25.252, which I suspect is Marcus951, accidentally logged out. The edit is immediately surrounded by Marcus951's edits and adds a reference name that had just been introduced to the article by Marcus951. User:24.61.25.252 geolocates to Mashpee Massachussetts, the exact location of User:24.34.144.92, who was clearly Gabi Hernandez (see, , . As far as I can see, Marcus951 has not done anything wrong with these edits so far, but if Marcus951 and Gabi Hernandez are the same person, then she is evading an indef block, and a recent unblock request. Beloved  Freak  11:04, 25 November 2010 (UTC)

I've just noticed that User:24.61.25.252 was tagged as a Gabi Hernandez sock back in June.-- Beloved Freak  11:05, 25 November 2010 (UTC)

Comments by other users
''Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.''

I noticed this obvious reincarnation of Gabi yesterday, when I noticed a few of the usual articles pop-up on my watchlist. See Gabi's talk for how the recent unblock request went. I'm of the opinion that WP:OFFER is now off-the-table as she's simply intent on her long-term behaviours. We're into a LTA situation, at this point. The IP seems like an inadvertent log-out; CU against Marcus951. The IP geolocates to Mashpee, Massachusetts, which I noticed another IP hitting: Special:Contributions/75.69.50.10. There's more that I should not say, as I've had email off her that led me to it. Cheers, Jack Merridew 18:09, 25 November 2010 (UTC)

Unfortunately, this is me. It was incredibly stupid, but I missed Wikipedia too much to stay away. I accept the punishments, and just hope that I didn't blow any chance I ever had of coming back, but if it did I can only blame myself. I apologize to the admins, and users on here for my treachery once again. I don't know why I did it, but stupidly enough I did. No check user is necessary. Marcus951 (talk) 03:55, 26 November 2010 (UTC)


 * Thanks, Gabi. I'll mostly post to you on your talk.

User:Marcus951 needs to be blocked as an admitted sock of Gabi. I've had email with her and it will continue. There's talk on her page with User:N419BH, which is going well. I suggested he talk to her about mentorship. Methinks something can be worked out over some time. Off to her talk page.

Cheers, Jack Merridew 07:14, 26 November 2010 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * - Given the discussion on her unblock, a CU would help clarify if there's been socking. I think there's the potential for them to be the same person. (Oh, and CU won't address the IP; we'll have to deal with that separately.) —  Hello Annyong  (say whaaat?!) 14:54, 25 November 2010 (UTC)

– All the previously-blocked socks are. Moreover, the behavioral evidence seems very clear. –MuZemike 05:07, 26 November 2010 (UTC)
 * Er, both Gabi Hernandez and Marcus951 both last edited on Nov 26, 2010. But based on the discussion above, I think we can put this case to rest. —  Hello Annyong  (say whaaat?!) 14:12, 26 November 2010 (UTC)
 * Psst, they both commented after my CU decline; still not necessary, obviously :) –MuZemike 14:26, 26 November 2010 (UTC)
 * ;-) this is all under control; terima kasih. Jack Merridew 20:43, 26 November 2010 (UTC) (-: