Small Talk: The Prayer Closet

[BitterApple]

Zella, yes, she's been in remission for several years now, thankfully.

I'm always wary about anyone who seems too eager to be a victim on tv and social media. It's like the parents doing interviews on CNN gleefully describing the chaos five mintues after the Newtown school shooting. I also remember thinking Hannah Anderson was shady as hell with the way she was posting on social media after she'd allegedly been kidnapped by the man who murdered her family. Thanks to the Kardashians it's pretty easy to recognize a famewhore nowadays.

[Wellfleet]

Micks Picks, the scammer in question always has sock accounts where she's scamming.  it's the sock's job to initiate the talk of fundraisers and to point to the accounts. 

 

No, no honors, please.  I've just seen this once too often now.

 

Smart... and humble too. Absolom, I hope you make a boatload of $$ at whatever it is you do for a living. You deserve it...

[Zella]

Zella, yes, she's been in remission for several years now, thankfully.

 

That's wonderful news! 

[theredhead77]

I too am a lurker who was taken in by WWs story. I remember how I found this forum, I think it was during the molestation "scandal" and I came here to this read about it, found Small Talk and was hit with one of her posts. As someone else said, it always felt a bit like eavesdropping and there was never a good time to jump in. I'm glad someone(s) said something. At least with Go Fund Me things can be shut down quickly. In pre-gofundme days people would mail checks or cash which would be gone like Keyser Soze.

 

Anyway, I've been around, with this screen name since TVWOP and tend to lurk around the Skiffy forums trying to get re-watch going for my beloved Stargate. I'm so sorry you all went through this. This forum seems like one of the nicest on the internet.

[magpye29]

She is a fellowship ruiner.

 

Only if we let her be, and I refuse to do that.

 

But I feel a little like someone just told me about Santa.

 

What about Santa???!!

[Happyfatchick]

And I wish my roommate did not have leukemia. That is one story I wish was made up.

I'm glad you aren't going around making up stories, Jelly, and I sincerely wish your roomie didn't have leukemia too.  

That is one of the worst things, I think - the damage to our willingness to trust. Not that we should be blindly naive, but it is damage to our sense of humanity. I don't know, I can't find the right words. But the psychological hurt is bad, along with any monetary hit that anyone experienced.

THIS is exactly it, Tabby. We feel violated. Or I do, at least. That's exactly how I described it earlier today. We've sort of bonded from all over the U.S., and we "like" that comfortable feeling we get with each other. We've just grown to virtually love the pack here, and we feel (rightfully) invaded. Like someone came in and went through our underwear drawer or medicine cabinet while we were out. It's horrifying to come face to face with the truth that we were comfortable enough to let our guard down, and got beat up for it. Especially as cynical as we are today. We weren't BEING cynical or guarded at the moment, and look what happened! That's how I feel anyway. Like we got caught acting like a bunch of doddering old fools.

And I'm still feeling raw and exposed because I HAVE shared so much of my family's quirks and issues here. I mean, how do you KNOW I haven't made up a ton of junk just to one-up whoever was posting at the time?

I wondered as well WHAT WAS THE POINT in that whole charade? I mean, there was so MUCH time and effort invested in that and it continued for SOOOO long for (even if not stopped) a relatively small pay off. What was the point? Attention? Maybe we were so boring we needed a kick start. And I guess it worked; every time she posted, we flocked in and fussed over her (them). That is so messed up! I can't untangle myself from feeling sorry for her imaginary husband now, with the imaginary gf, pregnant with his imaginary love child. I need therapy and a sip of the margarita someone made a little bit ago.

[SomePity1066]

What about Santa???!!

Nothing - nothing at all, magpye29 !!! Just that he won't be, errrr.... leaving presents under that naughty WW's tree this year !!!  ;)

 

I've been thinking a lot about the whole scamming scammers who scam thing tonight, and looking at this thread more than usual, and it's sooooo funny to me that we've all been here - asking and answering questions, sharing feelings, facts, thoughts, virtual drinks and hugs - and more or less ignoring the ACTUAL Duggar stuff !

 

Wouldn't Jessa just SHIT if she found out that she got upstaged again ?!?! By a bunch of drinking, smoking (well, I am), swearing, tank top wearing non-Gothard types who have a better sense of fellowship with TOTAL STRANGERS than she does with her own family ???

 

We're a swell bunch, I tell ya ! And, Lord help me, I can't stop making memes ! I need to go to memehab now !

 

http://makeameme.org/meme/skeptical-baby-was

[magpye29]

Nothing - nothing at all, magpye29 !!! Just that he won't be, errrr.... leaving presents under that naughty WW's tree this year !!!  ;)

 

Oh, thank goodness!  I thought you were going to tell me he was sick or something!

[zoomama]

This is my first time posting on the Small Talk thread, though I have posted on a few other forums the past few weeks. I figured while a bunch of other newbies were introducing themselves, I might as well jump in. :)

 

Regarding the DNA tests, has anyone here taken the one available on ancestry.com? I was curious about it but also hesitant to shell out that much money. 

 

 

i have taken the 23andme and the ancestry. i learned more on 23and me.there are a few good groups out there that can help you understand your results better. it confirmed that the woman i found as my mother's half sister is, in fact, her for real half-sister.

[Micks Picks]

So many of you have been talking about you've shared and responded to others.  Did Wanderwoman ever respond to any of you?  Maybe that's a tip-off.  No empathy.  Or did she respond to you and I just don't recall it?

[latetotheparty]

So many of you have been talking about you've shared and responded to others.  Did Wanderwoman ever respond to any of you?  Maybe that's a tip-off.  No empathy.  Or did she respond to you and I just don't recall it?

 

Huh.  I can't think of a single time, not on the board.  I could be wrong but I can't remember and generally my memory is pretty sharp. 

[Zella]

i have taken the 23andme and the ancestry. i learned more on 23and me.there are a few good groups out there that can help you understand your results better. it confirmed that the woman i found as my mother's half sister is, in fact, her for real half-sister.

Okay thanks! That's good to know! Ancestry.com keeps emailing me about their test, so I'm a little more familiar with information on that one. But I think if I end up trying one, I'll probably go with 23 and Me. 

[BOOgen3]

Cynical since birth, I called shenanigans on Wanderwoman several weeks after "Maisie's"'birth. In her post announcing the birth, she gave the time of the birth and weight of the baby but never mentioned the length. Several weeks later she wrote that the baby was 13.5" long. That is the length of a 25 week fetus. She declared "Maisie" to be 30-31 gestational weeks. A 30 week fetus averages 2.91 lbs. and 15.71" while a 31 week fetus averages 3.31 lbs. and 16.18" in length. Her imaginary infant was very heavy while being extremely "short." The other red flag for me was the way all her posts were rather clinical descriptions, almost textbook-like in nature, most showing little to no emotion. SMH. Wanderwoman is a disgusting excuse for a human being.

[zoomama]

ok, its late here and since i took such a long nap earlier today, i cannot sleep. also, i think the WW thing has my mind racing. i am such an honest person that it is out of my realm of imagination that people actually intentionally try to scam others with their words online. i just cannot imagine lying at all but especially to that extent.

 

upthread, someone mentioned WW in the same breath as McMama's blog, even saying that they both had a daughter named maisie. i used to read that blog back in the 'stellan' days. oh how i prayed for that baby. i don't even know what her untruth was or what she was accused of doing via her blog. i will say that i knew she made an income off her blog which was a huge reason why i started my own blog (although i don't make money now, never did and have changed my focus from earning $$ to leaving a written narrative for my grandkids). which brings me to my question: will someone in the know please message me and fill me in on her and what went on? is there a 'maisie' connection here beyond the obivous? is anyone suggesting she was WW?

Edited October 17, 2015 by zoomama

[fireice13]

I don't post very often either, but I do check in to this thread because it is so filled with nice people. I was taken by WW's story too. What gave me pause was that after the long break the posts weren't written the same. They just didn't seem to be as coherent and put together. I don't think it crossed my mind that it was a scam or a long con. 

 

I don't post much about my life, because it's boring. Sometimes I feel like posting something that makes me think someone would figure out who I am. Probably that would only be the case if someone I knew in real life also posted in here and I didn't know it. I still feel uncomfortable posting information that somehow might identify me. That's also why I don't post much.

 

I can't remember who mentioned the NY state and lab stuff and I am in laboratory/transfusion medicine and NY is notorious for their regulations. If places there send out to another lab (like Mayo clinic) the people at the sendout lab working on the NY samples, have to be licensed by the state of NY. Not all states have their own licensure (we have national licenses), but some states do require it in addition to the national. However, as far as I"m aware NY is the only one to require it of people in other states who are testing samples from NY. It's crazy.

Edited October 17, 2015 by fireice13

[Tabbygirl521]

So many of you have been talking about you've shared and responded to others. Did Wanderwoman ever respond to any of you? Maybe that's a tip-off. No empathy. Or did she respond to you and I just don't recall it?

I missed a whole chunk of her saga as it unfolded, so I have been going back through old posts tonight (pathetic, yes?). There were times when she acknowledged someone's post or expressed condolences, but I am not recalling any really personal or detailed responses. But of course she was busy with a preemie...

[Micks Picks]

Thanks for the effort of looking back.  I think her later posts had a much different flavor than the earlier ones.  I also thought it strange that she slept at the hospital with the baby every single night for months except for weekend when her husband relieved her.  I've known women with premies and they didn't stay 24/7.  Never said anything because I'm not a big hospital hanger-on in any case.  I've seen people who are and thought maybe I should stay more but really what does that accomplish.  My husband was ill for so long and in and hour of hospitals and I was about dead with regular visiting.  But when I was in for a month I saw many lovely families who spent so many hours while the loved ones slept.  So I don't know.  We didn't have family around to kind of take turns or anything, and when my husband died I had no family.  Anyway, sometimes I think I'm heartless but I've seen good family and family that are a pain in the ass.  I did what I could do for my husband, and after awhile you just can't go on anymore.  I knew a mic u nurse once who had the job for 20 yrs and didn't mention parents there 24/7.  She herself had a premie and she went back to work while the baby was in hospital so she'd have time with him when he got home before she returned to work.  There are so many good people in the world.  Too many of the ones I know seem disrespectful of elderly parents and that bothers me.  I haven't given anyone the right to make decisions for me because I don't' trust their actions.  "what are we going to do with ma?: or should we put pa in a home? are questions that bother me tho they may be necessary.  I guess it's the attitude.  Sorry this is a long post for me.  I'm usually short and snarky.

[Jenniferbug]

I'm up with my (very real) baby right now because she's ill (with a cold), so thought I'd pop in here. I find it really interesting everyone who is now saying they has doubts! I remember a sort of tiny nagging sensation around the time the cancer story was shared, but even then I thought I was just being cynical. Then there was a long absence. Then Absolom posted about their BS meter going off, and I agreed- though not openly in the thread. I did PM Absolom to say I agreed, because I didn't want them to feel bad for wondering aloud what I was starting to think too. And then WW reappeared, and while I still wasn't convinced it was a total scam, I didn't "like" her posts and I didn't offer messages of support like I had in the past. But even then, I chalked it up to me being cynical rather than someone scamming us. And yet it sounds like so many of us had doubts and didn't want to be the one who expressed them!

I have a couple of guesses about who the "socks" were, and am hoping the mods share if they know- I'd like to know.

[Julia]

Also. ..someone help me out..who was the sock? PLEASE don't make me go back and try to read it all again. I hereby proclaim i will never EVER post "that" picture of JB again on this board. *sigh* ever.....

For the love of god, someone give her what she wants. Think of the children.

  

Oh I forgot.

In light of recent events, I would like to share a picture of my two sons that are my whole life :

Killer haircuts :)

[allonsyalice]

So Mrs QF and I were watching Quantico, and I told her the story here...now I can't decide which is more convoluted, a soapy FBI drama or this thread!

 

I was definitely thinking that this would be like the perfect Law and Order SVU episode. 

[Ilovemylabs]

I've always wanted to try 23 and Me. I believe I'm French, English and possibly Native American/First Nations and I'd love to see if I'm correct. I just can't justify spending $100 on a DNA test for myself, at least not at the moment. I know you don't want to spoil the surprise so I'm going to ask without having you give it away : Did you get the expected results or did you find some hidden ancestry? Please keep us posted!

Well, my results were not too surprising.  My maternal grandparents were Sicilian, so I got 18.2% Italian.  The rest was varying degrees of French, German, British, Irish, and Scandinavian.  The majority of my DNA was southern and northeastern Europe. The surprises came with definite DNA links to Ashkenazi (Jews) and 4.1% middle eastern.  There was also a small portion of sub-Saharan Africa.  And 2.5% link to Neanderthal DNA.  The site is great.  You can answer surveys to help 23 and Me link genetic strains to certain illnesses, etc.  You can also contact close and not-so-close relatives from a list they provide.  The worst thing was spitting into that little test tube (but NOT in NY please!).  I understand that Ancestry.com just asks for a cheek swab.  Can't wait to see what my siblings think!

I don't post very often either, but I do check in to this thread because it is so filled with nice people. I was taken by WW's story too. What gave me pause was that after the long break the posts weren't written the same. They just didn't seem to be as coherent and put together. I don't think it crossed my mind that it was a scam or a long con. 

 

I don't post much about my life, because it's boring. Sometimes I feel like posting something that makes me think someone would figure out who I am. Probably that would only be the case if someone I knew in real life also posted in here and I didn't know it. I still feel uncomfortable posting information that somehow might identify me. That's also why I don't post much.

 

I can't remember who mentioned the NY state and lab stuff and I am in laboratory/transfusion medicine and NY is notorious for their regulations. If places there send out to another lab (like Mayo clinic) the people at the sendout lab working on the NY samples, have to be licensed by the state of NY. Not all states have their own licensure (we have national licenses), but some states do require it in addition to the national. However, as far as I"m aware NY is the only one to require it of people in other states who are testing samples from NY. It's crazy.

Yeah, I mentioned it and it just struck me as funny that I had to sign that I hadn't even collected the saliva sample in NY!  But I live in NY and nothing this state does surprises me anymore.

Okay thanks! That's good to know! Ancestry.com keeps emailing me about their test, so I'm a little more familiar with information on that one. But I think if I end up trying one, I'll probably go with 23 and Me. 

I think that's a good idea.  I did a little research on several firms before I decided to go with 23 and Me.  Nothing against Ancestry.  Gosh, they only ask for a cheek swab, I think!  But I am well satisfied with 23 and Me.

[Micks Picks]

I'm anxious to look into 23 and Me and so happy I heard about it here.  I didn't grow up around any family so it will be fun, I hope.  And a cool thing I could do for me!

[Satchels of gold]

I just went back through some old post and .im pretty sure I know who the sock puppet was/is. If someone in the know can confirm it I will share some private message drama that went down.

[amitville]

All i can say is wow I still feel like a chump and I am angry she hurt our little home. 

[Jellybeans]

I was fooled but I am a busy fool. My roommate keeps me quite busy.

But one thing I thought strange was Maisie's cochlear implant. I have one, and wickedwoman never talked about Maisie's "activation date". In the world of cochlear implants, that is a big deal! How one reacts, etc... nor did she seem interested in learning about implants from a user. She was NOT interested in deafness considering she had a deaf baby.

Then I think about things we have all shared- I lost my daughter, my roomie has leukemia and it makes me feel like a fraud even though I am not.

I am thankful to the troll hunters. You should have a reality show. LOL.

[GeeGolly]

I was fooled but I am a busy fool. My roommate keeps me quite busy.

But one thing I thought strange was Maisie's cochlear implant. I have one, and wickedwoman never talked about Maisie's "activation date". In the world of cochlear implants, that is a big deal! How one reacts, etc... nor did she seem interested in learning about implants from a user. She was NOT interested in deafness considering she had a deaf baby.

Then I think about things we have all shared- I lost my daughter, my roomie has leukemia and it makes me feel like a fraud even though I am not.

I am thankful to the troll hunters. You should have a reality show. LOL.

Jelly, no, just no.

[lookeyloo]

I don't think of any of us honest posters as frauds!  We all have lives with issues.  Some more severe/intense than others.  That's real life.  I have shared too, but, it was the truth and I'm not sorry.  Maybe my experiences could help someone else (but not the fake person and her sock puppets).  I learned a new term through all of this!  So, not a total loss.

[Jenniferbug]

Jelly, I know what you mean. I feel that way too, even though everything I've posted is the truth. Funny that I don't think any of you are fraudulent liars, but I worry about being perceived as one.

[neural-plasticity]

Tabbygirl, I do believe that WW put in a lot of research on this topic. And mommy blogs and boards have all kinds of information that she could take from. There is a theory called Munchausen by Internet. It is similar to Munchausen by Proxy. Only it is played over the internet, rather than IRL. For those of you unfamiliar with this, in summary a person feigns illness to gain attention and sympathy. They are driven by having people care for and about them. A lot of these cases on the internet are the same. They want the attention and praise and acknowledgement. Money and gifts are just a very nice bonus. 

 

ETA: The stinken link! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munchausen_by_Internet 

 

WOW! Though the years I have been on a lot of boards and have encountered plenty of wacky people but WW takes the cake.

I lost interest in her "story" a long time ago. Call me a cynic but when someone shares WAY too much on the internet I start to get leary right away. I've encounted too many nutters not to know better. I just would read her post and move it along. IDK does that make me cold hearted or just suspicious? So sorry for everyone that got taken by her. PLEASE next time if you have a strange feeling that something ain't right go with your instinct. Your safety first above all others. #hardenedChicagoan

 

This is my first post on this forum. I originally started coming here only a few weeks ago after some of your random rants in the other forums sparked my interest in what y'all talk about over here :) Because I was so late in the game, I actually didn't know much about the WW story, but I did, like many of you, think it was odd that she was disclosing so much information about herself***. At the same time, I have a sister (who I truly believe has an undiagnosed personality disorder) who discloses extremely sensitive topics online that I wouldn't even necessarily share with just random friends. Or maybe being a cynic is a midwestern-Chicago-type thing, as I live pretty close to "The Region" ;) 

 

However, I do think this Munchausen by Internet concept is really interesting. When I was in college, there was this HUGE scammer on another website I used to go to. She claimed to have cancer (as well as dealing with other issues). She conned some C-list celebrities into gifting her things. She had actual, real cancer survivors gifting her things. Some of these cancer survivors would actually come visit her, and this girl bought a ton of medical equipment online to make it look real. When it was discovered that she had faked the whole thing, there were so many people who were absolutely devastated. I hadn't even donated anything to her and I found the whole thing pretty traumatic. It's sad that there are people out there who feel they need to do that to get the attention they want, and it's easy to do that on the internet nowadays.

 

ETA: I know a lot of people share a lot of personal information on here, which I think is great, because the support system here is absolutely AMAZING, so I don't want to offend anybody who has shared personal information. What I mean by that, is she seemed to share really personal information about herself and her drama, but she never really communicated with anyone. It seems like many people here share their personal experiences, but then empathize and sympathize with others' stories. It didn't seem like she did that (from the few posts I saw).

Edited October 17, 2015 by neural-plasticity

[NextIteration]

The current trend (and law) is to educate children in the least restrictive environment, with the supports brought to them rather than them being brought to the supports.  So aides are in class with the kids, OTs work in the classrooms with the kids, and only in cases of severe disruptions are children supposed to be pulled from classrooms.  That's not to say it doesn't happen

 

With severely impaired students, that is definitely not the way it works where I live.  There are level 1, 2 and 3 schools for services, especially for emotionally behaviorally disturbed IEP children that prove that they are incapable of being mainstreamed.

 

It's kind of funny how pretty much all of us suspected something was "off" but nobody wanted to be the asshole who publicly accused an allegedly cancer stricken mother of a preemie of being a liar

 

so many of us who have dysfunctional family members (including myself) that a tale of a man cheating on his sick wife and knocking up a floozy is entirely believable.

crazy shit that goes on in this world. It's no wonder most of us could relate to WW's drama.

 

This.

 

I can't remember who mentioned the NY state and lab stuff and I am in laboratory/transfusion medicine and NY is notorious for their regulations. If places there send out to another lab (like Mayo clinic) the people at the sendout lab working on the NY samples, have to be licensed by the state of NY. Not all states have their own licensure (we have national licenses), but some states do require it in addition to the national. However, as far as I"m aware NY is the only one to require it of people in other states who are testing samples from NY. It's crazy.

 

My ex who was in charge of getting licensing for the lab that he directed used to cuss up a storm about NY and all the BS he had to go through with them.

 

I feel like I overshared big time here when I was in totally triggered mode about JoshGate I.  I felt like I needed to explain myself because I was vehemently angry about the whole situation and posting every couple minutes.  I have to say that was one of the worst months I've had in a long time and I'm grateful that I had a safe place to land.  So thank you!

[GeeGolly]

I'm not sure of the definition of oversharing. As a Clinician people share very intimate details with me during therapy, and with others, during group therapy. Obviously that is the purpose of my job.

 

But I think here where it feels/felt safe, sharing was easy because of the anonymity. So I wasn't surprised that folks shared.

 

Many of us shared a lot, and many dipped toes in the water.  There is nothing wrong with sharing tough times, receiving support, and feeling validated. And sometimes doing it under the cover of a screen name feels safer.

 

So fuck-you to WW.

[Chicklet]

I did the Ancestry cheek swab and it showed me that I was mostly western european and was related to another genotype that is common in Vietnam.So of course I ran around telling my blonde blue-eyed family that we are asian. They mostly think I'm crazy anyway but it made me laugh.

[Purpose to defraud]

I forgot to say welcome to all the new posters formerly lurking!

Also. ..someone help me out..who was the sock? PLEASE don't make me go back and try to read it all again. I hereby proclaim i will never EVER post "that" picture of JB again on this board. *sigh* ever.....

At page 92, I found early mentions of GoFundMe. Looks organic, several people started saying they'd like to help.

[Liz Tudor]

Good morning all. Before crashing last night, I stopped by here and learned about the whole WW mess. I was dumbfounded. I had even been relaying this whole story as bits & pieces were revealed to Mr. Tudor, who wanted to revoke Mr. WW's man (nay, HUMAN) card. We are both fairly naieve and trusting people. We have a mutual friend who will tell a stranger at a bar her whole sordid life history, so it didn't "ping" on me that WW's drama wasn't real. Our friend seems to roll from crisis to crisis (many as a result of her poor decision making) but we've decided she thrives on drama. We do not. Love her to death, but we don't get all sucked into what the latest sob story is anymore. Anyway, I, too, am grateful for those with sharper discernment skills than me to root out people like that. This is one of two forums I regularly visit, so I'm truly clueless.

Someday, when it's all pieced together, I'd love to read how it all came down, just because I'm fascinated. It's so outside of my boring, mundane life!

Happy weekend!

[graefin]

I've never read this thread because (no offense) I've always found it sorta strange and needy to share intimate details of your life with total strangers, but happened in here today and saw this news. Is the real identity of this person known? Is it the same one who pretended to be Razing Ruth? (It would not surprise me in the least if it were.)

[Tabbygirl521]

I guess I don't feel stupid for being sucked in (just pissed off) because my family has just (I pray) wound up several years of one-thing-after-another so I know it can happen. We didn't cause any of ours, but I still started to feel like a human black cloud when anyone would ask me what was new. A place like this, where you can vent and maybe get a fresh perspective or a virtual hug, or just plain quit wearing out your friends, is a great thing.

Someday, when it's all pieced together, I'd love to read how it all came down, just because I'm fascinated. It's so outside of my boring, mundane life!

Happy weekend!

Me, too! Would love to hear how it was confirmed as a scam, especially how they found the other sites WW was working. I have been googling everything I can think of, to no avail ;-)

Edited October 17, 2015 by Tabbygirl521

[SuspiciousMind]

I guess I don't feel stupid for being sucked in (just pissed off) because my family has just (I pray) wound up several years of one-thing-after-another so I know it can happen. We didn't cause any of ours, but I still started to feel like a human black cloud when anyone would ask me what was new. A place like this, where you can vent and maybe get a fresh perspective or a virtual hug, or just plain quit wearing out your friends, is a great thing.

 

I can't say it any better than Tabby.   I'm another long-time lurker checking in to say hi, and that I love this forum.  Kudos and much gratitude to all who used their time and energy to figure things out.  I hope we all continue to fellowship! And wordy-word-word-word (as we ​would say in the TWoP days) to whomever mentioned having a lot more empathy for Meri Brown now!

[GeeGolly]

I would love to hear the details too. It is our own little modern day mystery.

[Bella]

Welcome to the lurkers!

 

I've been online since 1993 and have about a 50/50 split of lurking in forums or being exceedingly active. I mostly lurked on TWOP. And to this day there's a site I visit every morning, as I have for 8 years and counting, where my post total is 3. OTOH, when I become active, I Am A Presence.

 

So feel free to join the discussion, lurkers, but there's no pressure to do so if you'd rather just read. Everyone is welcome here as long as they play nice. And now we have an expanded definition of "play nice" - no scamming. Where's that eye roll icon when I need it? 

[emma675]

I think I might have been one of the posters who mentioned starting a donation account, but I swear I'm not a sock (what does that mean, btw? Is it a dummy account meant to bolster the scammer's posts?)! I honestly believed all of WW's posts and never once had a clue that something was off. I had no experience with Razing Ruth so maybe I didn't know what to look for, but I'm still a little gobsmacked. What's the point of weaving such a intricate web? What was she (he?) hoping to accomplish? It seems like it would take a ton of time to come up with and keep up with for no payoff. I just don't get it.

[GeeGolly]

So how does one go about finding a forum of interest?

 

I found this one prior to the scandals by accident. I was looking for more info on the Duggar woman and oppression, or something to that effect and PTV popped up. I read a little then moved on. Then a few weeks later I was bored and thought I'll checked that site again. Only it took me 2 days to find it because I forgot the name.

 

However, I would like fun & interesting forums, not ones that would piss me off. I have a lot of interests, but I am unsure of what kind of forum would interest me.

I think I might have been one of the posters who mentioned starting a donation account, but I swear I'm not a sock (what does that mean, btw? Is it a dummy account meant to bolster the scammer's posts?)! I honestly believed all of WW's posts and never once had a clue that something was off. I had no experience with Razing Ruth so maybe I didn't know what to look for, but I'm still a little gobsmacked. What's the point of weaving such a intricate web? What was she (he?) hoping to accomplish? It seems like it would take a ton of time to come up with and keep up with for no payoff. I just don't get it.

I'm going with the Munchhausen's by Internet theory with the secondary benefit of a cash bonus.

[Satchels of gold]

I've never read this thread because (no offense) I've always found it sorta strange and needy to share intimate details of your life with total strangers, but happened in here today and saw this news. Is the real identity of this person known? Is it the same one who pretended to be Razing Ruth? (It would not surprise me in the least if it were.)

Well offense taken, thank you very much.

[amitville]

Well offense taken, thank you very much.

co-signed.

[neural-plasticity]

So how does one go about finding a forum of interest?

 

I found this one prior to the scandals by accident. I was looking for more info on the Duggar woman and oppression, or something to that effect and PTV popped up. I read a little then moved on. Then a few weeks later I was bored and thought I'll checked that site again. Only it took me 2 days to find it because I forgot the name.

 

However, I would like fun & interesting forums, not ones that would piss me off. I have a lot of interests, but I am unsure of what kind of forum would interest me.

 

I randomly found this website about a year ago. I first started watching the Duggars back in the summer of 2014 and was reading some gossip about them on a gossip site I used to follow. I noticed one of the commenters reply to a fellow snarker suggesting they should check out this website. I checked it out, read it a little bit, then went along my way (I was pretty busy getting married myself). That fall, I started thinking things were kind of weird with the Duggers and I wanted to check out this website again, but like you it took me awhile to find it again! I knew it ended with .tv so I happened to stumble across a few weird websites on my way back. :)

[Chicklet]

Yea when you start a conversation with "no offense meant" you mean the opposite.

[XinaMarie]

I feel very stupid about this whole WW situation on many levels. First of all, now I am paranoid that people think I am the sock or the sock puppet or whatever it is called. I offered that woman access to my blog! She would have had a treasure trove of information and pictures to steal to perpetrate her fraud. I already feel like some of the things I told her are notes for sounding more believable in her next fraud.

 

And the most ironic thing is that I am an information professional. In my defense, I came in on the tail end of her story. I was vaguely aware there was a lady on this thread that had a preemie, but I did not go back to the very beginning to get all the details. I was getting confused with some of the things she was saying because it didn't jive with my own personal experiences. I have never heard of a 30 week baby needing Synergis shots for starters. I even debated whether I should say it out loud in a post --- like whose medical advice is this to get the shots? but I decided questioning her would make me look like an unfeeling ass. And I was surprised when she mentioned the baby still had a cannula. Even now I am not sure how old "Maisie" is supposed to be. She mention her growing into 3-6 month clothing and I thought, surely she must be much bigger than that. Anyway, little things that didn't make sense but did not scream fraud.

 

To add to the irony, I JUST went on a FB rant about the disfigured, electrocuted, maimed baby AMEN posts I see littering my newsfeed. After some research I discovered those are click bait and companies make money off of them. And that many times a child's photo has been stolen and used without consent. And then I even read about people pretending to have children and using fake pictures to garner sympathy from people online and it still didn't click in my head! I was even in a preemie mom group that warned about protecting our blogs because people harvest pictures and use them for dishonest purposes. I feel.so.stupid.

 

I original started watching 19K&C when they had Josie because I thought there would be some awareness on micropremie issues and their development addressed and then I realized sadly, it was going to be quite the opposite. Which makes me so mad. It could totally have been an opportunity to educate people about preemie issues, but instead they just swept it under the rug and acted like she is totally normal. At that time I made a post about my own personal story on TWOP and I got smacked down for talking about personal stuff on the episode thread. So I was thrilled there was this prayer closet where we could talk about things and interested to find someone with a similar experience to my own in the thread, too.

 

The topic is very emotional for me and so I really wanted to reach out and help guide someone down this really confusing road. We continue to live it each day because of our daughter's developmental issues. I don't give money to unknown people, so at least my cynicism helped out there. I like to give information. I think it can be just as valuable as money sometimes. It can be very empowering and I wanted to help empower someone whom I thought was vulnerable and lost.

 

eta: Seems like I always have one more thing to say. I am the one that mentioned bussing the Down's syndrome kid. It was unnecessarily exclusionary and the kid was thriving at his local high school. Then they made him go to the special school an hour away. Yes it is all about the least restrictive environment. That is the law. We don't warehouse kids anymore that are not perfect.

 

Oh and WW did engage me point by point on one of my messages which is why I am really feeling paranoid that people think I am the sock.

 

And now all of this is hours of my life I'll never get back.

Edited October 17, 2015 by XinaMarie

[Readalot]

So I slept on it and I have so many questions this morning. 1) those who researched the scam, does it appear the Con was planned from the beginning? 2) when you say "sock" is that person real or just another profile the Con has set up to reinforce itself? 3) was the gofundme set up by the Con? 4) or was it set up innocently and the gofundme organizer was taken too? 5) I'm asking because a few minutes before I got my refund on Thursday I got this gofundme msg "We are closing this at Maisie's mom's request and you may all have your money back. Sadly, she didn't want drama and appreciates emotional support more than financial." 6). Was the closing of the gofundme message prompted by the mods contacting the Con that they were on to her? 7) I got my refund msg on Thursday but yet I read yesterday that some people didn't get a refund. Based on "you may all have your money back" I assumed everyone did. Is there anyone out there that still did not get a refund notice? 8) if so I advise contacting gofundme and if that is the case, why would only certain people get refunds? 9) how do you research online scammers? I'm an analyst by trade (mostly business) and I have done forensic work (accounting, boring but fun to me most of the time) that does most of my "analyzing" when sleeping. I like what I do because I love being Nancy Drew (sometimes this does not bode well for others). There are times when a relative or friend is sharing something with me and I get no triggers. But then when I wake up I'm like "wait that doesn't make sense! What about this that or the other?" I figure out the holes while sleeping. But now I want to know how to research scammers so this does happen again to me or my online friends. 10). Why why why? I know no one is perfect but I beleive there is good in everyone but now I don't know.

[Chicklet]

There are scammers everywhere. I think being nice is just...nice. I hope people don't feel the need to pull back and give others the side-eye just because of WW. I get 20 emails a day from Nigerian scammers, I have gotten calls from the "IRS", people panhandling along the route to work might not actually be homeless. You can't tell, you just go with your gut and realize that sometimes you are going to be fooled.

[Cherrio]

I hardly ever read this thread, but I liked wanderwoman's posts. Kudos to whoever caught her. What a sad, pathetic person.

I did not read Wanderwomans post on a regular basis.  I did read enough though that when her husband left (correct me if I am wrong) and the cancer (again correct me if I am wrong) I knew it was a scam.   

        I took a break from reading the whole Duggar forum recently so I had no idea about what happened.

        Hats off to everyone who investigated and outed this horrible person.    

[Itsnotreality]

How embarrassing. Having an awful week and was in line ordering coffee and the cashier says "What can I put in that for you honey?" and I start balling. For some reason that little niceness was more than I could handle.

Anyway. Day by day. Just reminded me that just seeing/feeling the extended support system here is sometimes the most genuine lifeline. Venting, advice, virtual hugs, good and not so good news. It's like there is a 24/7 availability of someone who will call you honey.

Xoxo

Can you quote your own post? So yup, I was reading back to see how I did not at all get the pings of WW lying and saw my own post here. Even though it is hard to feel that right now, this really is a group 98% full of supportive people who just want to be that shoulder when others need it. Is that weird. I don't know. Maybe it;s weird that in this day and age we are finding it in this small corner of the internet instead of elsewhere? Anyway, regardless of WW, it IS here. I hope we can go back to feeling that. I don't know. Even though I think my only real vent here was probably my recent one about my Fuggar brother in law and his germy (but sweet!) offspring, it really does feel warm and fuzzy here, whether it's big problems or just #@***! relatives. 

And yes, going back reading things, feel silly, because if you read them on their own the WW posts seem written by more than one person. Some of my jobs have included writing for other people, and getting their "voice" to come across in specific words and phrases is part of that. So doubly duped that I didn't spot that. Have a good day everyone. Drinks, Hugs, Love.