Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/The Legendary Ranger/Archive

08 September 2011

 * Suspected sockpuppets




 * User compare report Auto-generated every hour.

IP 68.194.240.12 is tag-teaming in Atlantic Avenue – Pacific Street (New York City Subway) with Legendary Ranger.. Also edits in tandem with Legendary Ranger in C (New York City Subway service)  and New York City Subway Yards. Legendary Ranger has admitted to editing under IP 24.146.214.32, but IP 68.194.240.12 denies being Legendary Ranger.. However, in addition to contributions WP:QUACKing, both 24.146.214.32 and 68.194.240.12 trace back to Cablevision and geolocate to Long Island. ScottyBerg (talk) 14:17, 8 September 2011 (UTC) (signature line fixed)

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

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments
Sorry, was originally filed by ScottyBerg. He had a fault from some mismatched brackets. The above comment is his, not mine. Syrthiss (talk) 14:36, 8 September 2011 (UTC)
 * CU won't really connect an account to IPs. Nevertheless, I've blocked both IPs for a week on behavioral grounds, and the master for two days for socking and edit warring. —  Hello Annyong  (say whaaat?!) 02:39, 9 September 2011 (UTC)

21 September 2011

 * Suspected sockpuppets




 * User compare report Auto-generated every hour.

The Legendary Ranger was recently blocked for sock puppetry. Behavioral evidence such as answering himself and rapidly reverting a number of articles today, , , , , , indicate he is still socking. Acps110 (talk • contribs) 20:15, 21 September 2011 (UTC)

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

- As the person who made the IP edits mentioned above, I can assure you that they were not made by the Legendary Ranger. I think a far more substantial argument could be made that ACPS is a sock for The Legendary Ranger.
 * -Both frequently harass editors from IP addresses.
 * -Both frequently revert deletions of statements which have been proven false
 * -Both make unilateral arbitrary decisions as to which sources are reliable and which aren't,
 * -Both regularly make assumptions that likely good faith edits are vandalism

I am not necessarily accusing ACPS of being TLR, But am saying, Those in glass houses... I AM however going to revert back the directions on the Myrtle line. They are the way they are after a long discussion in which nobody made the claim that Metropolitan Ave should be the north terminal. I will however change the rest of the eastern division so that there is no disagreement/ambiguity. 67.247.23.150 (talk) 21:46, 21 September 2011 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * Okay, this case is a bit of a jumble, but I think I've figured it out. I believe the 128 IP and the master are the same person, so I've blocked the IP for a week and the master for 3 days, and here's why. Over on Myrtle Avenue (BMT Jamaica Line), at 20:00, the 128 IP edits twice and says they'll finish later. Two hours later, the 67 IP shows up and makes a change, which Legendary Ranger then undoes, essentially redoing the edits by the 128 IP.

Now what intrigues me about the 67 IP is that they were never notified about this sockpuppet case, yet still chose to leave the comment above - even before I listed them. I'm fairly sure they're someone who's socking, so I've blocked that IP for a week as well. —  Hello Annyong  (say whaaat?!) 01:19, 22 September 2011 (UTC)

09 April 2014

 * Suspected sockpuppets




 * User compare report Auto-generated every hour.
 * Editor interaction utility

My eyebrows raised when I came across the AfD of The Center for Early Education and noticed it was a Brooklyn IP, 173.3.52.87 who had a well-executed AfD execution on only their very third edit. I see on their very first edit is also a perfectly executed speedy prodding of the Jessica Sara. What I've found after investigation was quite shocking.

The Legendary Ranger has been extremely active with Brooklyn related articles and I suspect that's where the editor lives and/or works.

Here is what I've found:


 * IP 173.3.52.87 stated their rational for AfDing The Center for Early Education was that it was already listed at West Hollywood, California. Just over three months ago, The Legendary Ranger attempted to redirect the Center for Early Education article to West Hollywood, California.


 * IP 173.2.255.184, another Brooklyn IP, had their own excellently executed AfD on the Jeffrey Scaperrotta article on the on only their 2nd edit.  The Legendary Ranger participated in that AfD agreeing with the IP.


 * IP 69.118.139.6, yet another Brooklyn IP, like the first two IPs, performed a remarkably excellent AfD execution on the Kelsey Smith-Briggs Child Protection Reform Act article on one of their very first edits and, in this IP's case, their very first edit. . The Legendary Ranger then participated in that AfD agreeing with the IP's redirecting rationale  and going as far as redirecting the article  (despite AfD outcome as "KEEP").


 * IP 24.146.209.22, yet even another Brooklyn IP created an AfD of DeKoven Street (Chicago) on only their fourth edit . The Legendary Ranger participated and agreed (way out of consensus) with the IP.


 * IP 69.122.93.42, you guessed it, another Brooklyn IP, had a remarkably excellent AfD execution of Wenwen Han on their very second edit.  The Legendary Ranger participated in the AfD agreeing with the Brooklyn IP.


 * All five of these Brooklyn IPs had almost the same exact AfD method. Starting an AfD ] - remarkably well for "new" users -  and then left a message at Wikipedia talk:Articles for deletion asking for an established editor to complete it with almost identical introductions and rationale styles.
 * On two of the occasions The Legendary Ranger "helped" the IPs complete the AfDs with almost the same exact introductions and styles.

I only went as far back as last September. (this research gets tiring and I do have some kind of life). All of these Brooklyn IPs/The Legendary Ranger's interactions were found starting from The Legendary Ranger's history page.

I'd like to think The Legendary Ranger's article interactions with these "new" Brooklyn IPs is just a remarkable coincidence and I'm happy to apologize if it turns out there is no relation between him and these IPs, but it's certainly worth looking into. --Oakshade (talk) 04:37, 9 April 2014 (UTC)


 * Additionally, all of these IPs trace back to Cablevision. In TLR' previous Sock investigation in which he was blocked, the IPs there went to the same Cablevision location. All of this is really looking WP:QUACKY.--Oakshade (talk) 06:17, 10 April 2014 (UTC)

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

While I do live in Brooklyn and use a shared network, I am NOT any of the IP users listed above. I too have had a busy life outside of Wikipedia and haven't been editing as much as I used to. However, from looking at what User:Oakshade posted here, I suspect these IPs to be one individual who happens to live in the same borough as me, is a veteran editor, and does not want to create an account for whatever reasons. One IP address can be used by multiple people (like in an apartment or school) and they change periodically, so I'm not sure if this person(s) is really sockputting (using multiple computers or just one that changes address like everyday, I don't know how is that possible) or what is the appropriate action to take since these "users" only made 1-5 edits in a day and then dropped dead. Years ago, I taught a few people who I have since lost contact with on how to contribute to Wikipedia, so if these "users" are them, it explains the similar rationale in the aforementioned AfDs, but after doing my own extensive research, I agree The Center for Early Education is a notable school facility and should be kept, but don't see the need to vote in the AfD since so far, everyone else has voted Keep. The Legendary Ranger (talk) 01:30, 10 April 2014 (UTC)
 * What is most remarkable though is that in every one of these IP's 1-5 edits lifespan, every one of them share both interaction and point of view with you. This was the same pattern shown in your previous sock puppet investigation - Sockpuppet investigations/The Legendary Ranger/Archive  --Oakshade (talk) 05:39, 10 April 2014 (UTC)

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments

 * - as per the privacy policy, we cannot link IP addresses to accounts and then post the CU results in public. Admins are still welcome to block on a behavioral basis. Rschen7754 22:02, 9 April 2014 (UTC)
 * The Legendary Ranger's defense in the face of some pretty overwhelming behavioral evidence is pretty weak, it essentially boils down to WP:BROTHER. It also fails to address how TLR happens to find these AfDs from these IPs on Wikipedia, that just happen to be some mysterious "individual who happens to live in the same borough", who happens to share the same viewpoint, etc. I really don't buy it. This game has been going on for years, and TLR needs to learn that they can't do this. I'm blocking for a month, with the hope that this is the last time they try this. --  At am a  頭 21:44, 18 April 2014 (UTC)