Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Troy86/Archive

Report date April 8 2009, 20:56 (UTC)

 * Suspected sockpuppets


 * Evidence submitted by Cordless Larry (talk)

Unknown789 and Troy86 have similar editing histories and have made identitcal contributions to AfD discussions (compare this and this). Blackable2323 and Cup22 seem to participate in the same AfDs, very soon after or before Unknown789 and Troy86. Cup22 created the article Germans in Jamaica after German Jamaican, created by Troy86 was deleted. Stevvvv4444 (who also edits under the IP addresses listed) displays very similar editing behaviour (articles on ethnic groups and music, image uploads and no edit summaries).

All have been involved in categorising articles about people by ethnicity (see here, here, here, here and here). All but Troy86 also share history of blanking their own user talk pages.

It's also interesting that all the usernames end with numbers! Cordless Larry (talk) 20:56, 8 April 2009 (UTC)


 * I've just realised that all apart from Stevvvv4444 were previously investigated (and sockpuppetry was confirmed) at Suspected sock puppets/Troy86. I didn't realise because of the switch from Suspected sock puppets to Sockpuppet investigations. What should I do now? Cordless Larry (talk) 22:10, 8 April 2009 (UTC)


 * Comments by accused parties    See Defending yourself against claims.


 * I don't really know what I can say to defend myself here, but I am clearly not a sock puppet of this user, I may have created some controversial edits before but I have never created articles about ethnic groups outside the UK (as the example shows, one was created about Germans in Jamaica). That is all I have to say on the situation, and I really don't see the point in this discussion, whether I was a sockpuppet or not. Stevvvv4444 (talk) 22:44, 9 April 2009 (UTC)

I notice Stevvvv4444 was blocked in July 2008 for abusing multiple accounts. Is there a sockpuppet case from then as well?Broadweighbabe (talk) 21:46, 11 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Comments by other users
 * I can't find one myself but trawling through the history of their talk page reveals this. The ban was overturned quickly though. Cordless Larry (talk) 22:59, 11 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Here is a case involving that user: Category:Suspected Wikipedia sockpuppets of Usman Hashmi. Does not appear obviously connected to this case. The IPs are different and so are the articles involved. Its from 2007 though. I wonder where the 2008 Hashmi case would be.Broadweighbabe (talk) 23:11, 11 April 2009 (UTC)
 * A Google search only reveals this. Is it possible for a user to be banned without an investigation? Cordless Larry (talk) 23:32, 11 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I left a note with FisherQueen ‎to see if she has anything to say on the matter that might be relevent.Broadweighbabe (talk) 23:35, 11 April 2009 (UTC)
 * FisherQueen was unable to remember the particulars so it looks like we will just have to press on without it.Broadweighbabe (talk) 05:08, 13 April 2009 (UTC)
 * After looking at the evidence it seems fairly likely to me that Unknown789, Blackable2323, and Cup22 are puppets of Troy86. I am less convinced that Stevvvv4444 is a sockpuppet. It is quite possible that he is just an editor with some common interests given his lengthy editing history. Cordless Larry states that Stevvvv4444 edits under those anon IPs but he has not stated how he knows this. Would you mind enlightening us please. Thanks.Broadweighbabe (talk) 05:16, 13 April 2009 (UTC)
 * If you look at their talk page, they confirm that they use one of the IPs. Looking at the other two's editing histories reveals that they edit the same articles as Stevvvv4444 (ethnic groups, music and articles about Barrow-in-Furness). Cordless Larry (talk) 09:57, 13 April 2009 (UTC)
 * I see now on Stevvvv4444's talk page. But it really doesn't seem like there is any real sock behavior going on there with the anon IPs and Stevvvv4444. I mean not logging in isn't really a crime unless they were pretending to be different people for the purposes of deception. Just editing the encyclopedia without logging in really isn't a violation. Is there a reason to believe something unethical was going on there? I'm also not yet convinced that Stevvvv4444 and the anon IPs are connected to Troy86. Is there any more evidence to suppose they are? Thanks.Broadweighbabe (talk) 10:19, 13 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Yes, I'm not suggesting that the IPs are sockpuppets per se, rather I added them for completeness. That said, they have been used to categorise articles about people by ethnicity against Wikipedia policy, which Stevvvv4444 has been warned about numerous times (see here, followed by edits such as this and this). I was more concerned about the link to Troy86 et al, which was based on what I saw as a very similar editing history. Perhaps that is just a coincidence though. Cordless Larry (talk) 10:26, 13 April 2009 (UTC)
 * Right now it just proves that Stevvvv4444 and Troy86 have a common interest/POV. Not really enough to implicate Stevvvv4444 as a sock. As for his repeated violation of policy, if it continues I would suggest taking it to WP:ANI and request that a ban be placed from him adding certain cats to articles/editing certain pages. If he violates the ban he will get blocked.Broadweighbabe (talk) 10:40, 13 April 2009 (UTC)
 * OK, I shall do that. Cordless Larry (talk) 10:42, 13 April 2009 (UTC)


 * Clerk, patrolling admin and checkuser comments
 * moved to true master Mayalld (talk) 12:56, 9 April 2009 (UTC)


 * Conclusions

no persuasive evidence of socking against the only non-blocked suspect. Mayalld (talk) 16:18, 15 April 2009 (UTC) Mayalld (talk) 16:18, 15 April 2009 (UTC)