Bitcoin Forum

I have noticed that there are a lot of threads in the Bitcoin Discussion section that consist of claiming to have invested in bitcoin in some way, without providing any proof, that end up getting merit.

The one that takes the cake is this latest one, which has not yet gained any merit but does not stand up to basic mathematical analysis:

Bitcoin Has Taken Me To Perfection, Houses And Cars Have I Reached? (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5446549.0)

For the analysis, see my comments.

In the end, all you get is a bunch of people in the comments congratulating him on a made-up story. I'm not saying that all stories like this are made up, but it seems to me that somehow between the congratulatory comments and the merits, it encourages people to make up these stories.

Thoughts?

After all the said had been done, what has this topic has to do with Meta here, it's a discussion that should be on bitcoin discussion board or beginners and help section, mind you not everyone that post a new topic has the intention of getting merits, the more you wish to have merits the lesser the chances of getting base on how i study the forum, if you post on the right board and members merit your post, what has that have to do with you trying to physh for merit, if you like show more than enough proofs you may or jot get any merit on a post unless the reader finds a meaningful taught from what you're giving, please try and move this thread to bitcoin discussion board.

So this is @Don Pedro Dinero's account after I see from his trust?

Let them make what they want even though there is no proof because that is a matter that must be investigated, I think people are free to say what they want even though this is a fabricated story for example but if it is proven that he has achieved what he achieved because of bitcoin how?

The awareness of giving sMerit depends on other users, if that motivates them then there's no problem even this doesn't break the rules, it's up to them to judge the quality of the posts I think there are also many who respond to their success.

It is the kind of topics that is totally useless and always ends up to a spam thread. I don't ever bother to read such. If everyone does the same, imagine the mess.
The problem is that people reply to it. If everyone avoided this kind of topic, no one would create one.
As for the merits sent , it also helps to see this kind of threads, yeah.

If I had to make a topic for every hooker I fucked with Bitcoin money, Theymos could rename the board to "LeGaulois".

Shortly, we will see ChatGPT-generated streams mixed with fictional stories of buying cool things bought with bitcoin. Well, in the end, ChatGPT itself will compete with other AI, and invent stories to get as many merits as possible.
What remains to be done by a simple user? Add everyone to ignore, which in the overall result will create the feeling that there is no one around except for one real user.

People are free to say, similar like @OP creating this thread, many users can't accept such kind thread because no one want to read about fabricated story. It's really make us stupid for believing such kind stories lol.

If KYC can be faked, what about full of words? ::)

You're not understand, it's a sarcasm if you only read the subject, but the post he wrote is basically explain about a matter on Bitcoin discussion board.

don't overthink it too much, i've never been so serious about topics of that kind, just like a member who claims to sell his wife's jewelry to buy bitcoin but doesn't give a continuation about it lol.

by the way, i don't think this topic deserves to be on the META board!

Only those who haven't learned a thing or two about bitcoin will believe this kind of story. This is not even something belonged to this section. For sure that kind of story would garner a lot of attention and for sure some will even try to learn and invest crypto, or even make him as their trading coach. This kinds of strategy is no longer new to us who are constantly passing by the world of crypto.

It's nothing new, it's a trend that's been around for years and I rarely engage in such discussions because it's very difficult or almost impossible to judge whether a story is true or made up. There are cases where some evidence (photographs) is also posted, but I noticed that such "evidence" often reveals much more than it should, especially if it contains the faces of persons (often minors).


There are also honest comments, but most of them are signature spam, and there is also no doubt that such stories encourage others to share (or even invent) their own stories. Bitcoin discussion generally covers even such topics, but I think such topics would be more appropriate for Off topic or possibly in the Reputation board.

---

In my opinion, what is even more controversial in the whole story are the members who open a new topic for each personal success, even if it is a continuation of their past success. Let's see how it looks on the following example ->

Early bitcoin investment for my baby (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5444877) (14 March 2023)
Evidence that I actually invested for my baby (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5446449) (27 March 2023)

I reported another thread, so far it is unhandled.

Just a complement to the forum, those of you who are too technical sometimes need a refresher with some bullshit intermezzo. Just respond as needed, I usually throw in a few questions if the story sticks out of my mind.

Hahaa, that one. Only bitcoin can make people do crazy things within the family circle.

Don’t  be lonely I am still here.

Not a bot since 1957.

I congratulated that guy who said he bought a house with all the bitcoin he saved up, which I probably shouldn't have done since he didn't offer up any proof IIRC.  I don't usually comment in threads like that or the one about the yacht, but for some reason I was feeling especially credulous yesterday.

That's the thing with random people on the internet--they can say anything and make any claims they want, but you kind of have to be skeptical with most of them.  Eh, I'm just a big sucker sometimes.

My thoughts on this are simple: most of these stories look implausible. At least there is no evidence other than the words of the authors of these posts. You can say or write anything you want, and therefore I trust only the facts. And the facts, in most cases, are not provided by these happy owners of yachts, palaces and villas bought for bitcoin.

In particular, the endless congratulations of these "lucky ones" even annoy me a little, and therefore, I don't read such posts in which congratulations. Their content is of little interest. Better to spend your time better.

I noticed this quote right before I replied to your post. I think that's a free for any idea, but if you really don't like it then you certainly have a choice between ignoring the user or maybe reporting the post as useless. After all, I'm not congratulating the topic creator on his accomplishments, also not against anyone in suggesting that the story is fake.

In the end we can't stop people from starting such threads if they feel like, neither can we compel people not to reply or to send merits to them, it is a subjective matter that every user should handle as they deem fit. On sight most of the stories look flat out made up, and just a bait to prolly get merits or recognition of some sort, sometimes it works for some users, most times it doesn't, i guess that's just how the forum works.

But if you ask me, i don't think we need to know what you acquired with your Bitcoin (it's even pretty bad for your security) or if Bitcoin is now accepted as part of ways to make payments in your private business, there are much better things to discuss on the forum than that, but like i said, it is all a subjective matter.

Thoughts?

Yes, I think I clicked on this hoping to see a picture of your awesome new yacht!   :D
Also, some of the stories were much more believable several years ago, when BTC was rising above dramatically lower prices.

They never join Announce your first Bitcoin purchase, Bitcoin acceptance for your business here (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5433429.msg61560464#msg61560464).

It's my failed project.  :'(

I still congratulate them about their made up stories. Ive seen a lot really of threads about it which i responded to it also with questions and asking proofs but i will not sending merits. Most of the threads are posting it for the sake of merits even if they dont have proof. I dont criticized them but i just thrown questions thay for sure if they are not answering and replying to meaning it is really a made up story on their mind

It's not always easy to differentiate between cooked up stories from the real ones these current days. I've seen a story so true to the heart, but at the end of the day, it's all cooked up for merits. They shouldn't be blamed because their creative ideas also served as motivation for newbies in the space who are yet to find the strategies thay will favour them. Proofs doesn't matter, one thing I believe is, if you see a cook story, one will be able to tell depending on the details, the OP puts in-between the writeups, it's crystal clear that is made up. Supporting the ideas of complex questions thrown at them is acceptable.

I have noticed this, too, along with threads on how a user supposedly conducted a seminar, lecture, group discussion, and the like in an effort to spread Bitcoin knowledge. But the thread that you linked didn't receive any merit. And rightly so. But he/she could have easily taken a picture of a house and a car and claim that they're the fruits of his/her Bitcoin investment and received merit. In the same manner that I could also easily write down on a piece of manila paper a few descriptions of Bitcoin, take a photo of it along with some of my friends and receive merit for it.

I don't understand why the thread has been moved to this section, as the topic is Meta. Surely someone reported it because of the title without looking at the content and a moderator moved it without stopping to think that the title is irony and that the content of the thread is Meta. I'm going to report it so that it can be moved to Meta again.


Yes. Alt account fully transparent. I tagged it from the start and I created a thread explaining why I created this alt (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5440853.0). Also, 'Cuenta Alternativa' means 'Alt Account'.


LMAO.


That's what happens to me. I am sceptical by nature.


As far as I have seen, the thread in question has been locked, so I don't think he's going to get merit, but it's very common in threads like that.

I usually go through old threads (2017–2021 thread) in the Bitcoin discussion section, and I have not come across threads like the current trend that members are creating now. I think this sort of thread trend just started last year, and I can sense some are just cooking up stories with members trying to fish for merit. I have commented on a few threads like that because they added pictures that show evidence, but even with the picture, there is not concrete evidence that makes it true even when it's all lies.

If this trend continues, then by the time Bitcoin hits $80,000 or even $40k, this kind of thread will flood the Bitcoin section almost every day.

I moved it back but I can see why someone moved it. Just report them if you believe them to be unsubstantial or bullshit. I see that thread has already been locked though.

More than 80% of all these bitcoin achievements and break through are made up stories. There are no proves and at best what you will see as a prove is a picture which can be taken by anyone at any place.
I saw a similar thread about fish farm I cannot find the link now and the farm doesn't even look like a new one.
Tbh, a real achiever wouldn't want to share their testimonies here.
But people will continue to congratulate such posts no matter how often they appear because they have post to complete in a week.

Things are not like that for everyone who creates such stories just to gain merit. By reading their topics carefully and trying to understand, one can guess a lot about who is making up stories and who is sharing their true story.  However, the events of many seemed true to me. We all have some dreams and when those dreams come true, the person whose dreams come true knows how happy they are. I believe many people share their dream come true stories on forums and I respect that. But some people's posts seem really contrived to me. But they should also be thanked because they tried for now

When I saw the topic it attracted me and I was expecting to see the same old story of how bitcoin has empowered a member financially. Most of these unverified news have its consequences. It could make bitcoin look like a get rich  scheme to newbies which is not the case.
Sometimes one can not help but to say congratulations to such thread because it is a good news. Some of these members that comes up with these stories are either seeking attention or merit. We might not stop them from getting attention but I you think it is for merit fishing, don't give them any. If they become aware that nobody is giving them merit, these stories will gradually become obsolete. I know they will come up with another strategy.

So you really mean that peeps be posting 'em achievements for some merits?? Cus that's what it implies.... If everyone is doing the same thing, isn't that gonna be some dubious means to earn merits??
If I can vividly remember, merit was meant to be given out to any post that outrightly deserves them...so what's really worth meriting when someone post an achievement?? Everyone's been having one achievements or another; just imagine everyone posting them?? Do you know how clumsy the forum will look??.. Maybe you're getting the whole idea wrong.

Sandra 🧑‍🦰

I think the first few were genuine, then some persons saw the merit spread and had the amazing idea they could bait merits with these kind of topics. We can’t be 100% sure if the stories are real or made up, some of these guys feel attacked and dox themselves trying to prove what they say is true. I believe this threads will stop eventually if we stop rewarding them with merits. Remember rank up threads were a thing lol

Of course you did because you have or had the joy of someone else's success but then, it could be all a phony and they'll have themselves feeling to have fooled the rest of us.

Sometimes I wonder if the rest of us have got no coin or our own,
If we are such hodlers that have got no sat to exchange in the market,
If we've really not done anything good for ourselves or someone through bitcoin,
If bitcoin haven't really aided us in distress times or times of emergencies or
The rest of us are just too privacy concerned not yo talk about it even on an anonymous platform.

So what's happening to others isn't happening to the rest of us. It's all good!

Yes, 99% of them are made up crap to fish enough merits to enter a campaign that usually requires 5-10 in the last 120 days and then recycle the smerit by giving a smaller portion to some other "newbies" that just come with the same bullshit story.

I've gotten tired of calling out the inconsistencies in the stories, like that guy that was spied on with a hidden camera in his honeymoon suite and they read the passwords from his phone, lol, a guy that got all his belonging stolen but he was safe because he had his cold wallet so he could guess what withdraw money to his debit card (probably by using his laptop that wasn't stolen, to his credit card that was in his wallet that wasn't stolen either), and many more.

Also, the never-ending topics about they started their business with Bitcoin when they don't present a single shred of real evidence.
There was a guy that suddenly opened a coffee shop, bragged about how it did it, never told us where is situated, and if I go right now through his post history after 1 year he never ONCE talked about his shop anymore!

And it doesn't stop here, there are so wanna-be psychologists who open a topic every day with counseling tips on everything, just open the Beginners and Help subboard and check the titles, it's like you're in the self-medication section of a library.

is it hyperbole or just a fantasy, it's a phenomenon that happens when they know bitcoin but for reading, it's quite exciting lol.

i'm sure those who started this kind of topic were initially really honest about their experience but a domino effect occurred and some members thought it was one of the best ways to get 'merit' ^(maybe)

That's all about Merits whores


So true.This section still makes me laugh. People who live with their parents and have never paid an electricity bill think they are eligible to teach you a lesson about how taxes are bad, or how crypto is more important than you family.
Lot of merits whores there, but they're not sexy!

That's definitely something a bot would say to stay under the radar. :D

They fished merits from people who believe in those made-up stories and they even used those topics to exchanged merits between their friends.

Many made-up stories don't have many values and in life, who need to show off about donation, charity activities. If we are really carrying out charity activities, we will do it silently.

Announce your story with Bitcoin, first purchase, sale, business, education ... (https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5433429.msg61560464#msg61560464) Made-up stories like I buy my first bitcoin, sell my first bitcoin. If everyone do this, we will have thousand of such topics ???

Although there has been an interesting discussion, I don't see a reason why this thread should still be open. It was necro bumped by a newbie but instead of reporting the bump, I am just going to lock it.