Merit abuse clusters

[hotforblockchain]

Hi, i hope that i have chosen the correct section for this topic to be posted.

Ever since i learned about merit system on this forum I was constantly coming across some members with very shady merit transactions and recently the transactions disappeared  from user profiles. For me it was hard to believe that these users will get away with this behavior. Recently I came across this great merit database and started to investigate this data. I managed to get small groups of users who have done large transactions of merit from and to each other for regular posts mostly in local boards. . Some of these users already have red trust ( these users in info graphics have red names) but some connected accounts have slipped past admins. I understand that giving someone red trust has to have solid reason, I hope that this data will help admins to do their job.

I decided to show 3 of my findings, here is the first cluster of very shady exchanges of merit  between  several high ranking users:



rus23kav:    https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=850811
HypNoSE:    https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=1007695
Irchus:         https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=919537
IvanBerkut:  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=859120

rus23kav to HypNoSE  45 merit  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1866946.msg28561861#msg28561861
HypNoSE 28 and IvanBerkut 15 to rus23kav https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2559778.msg28914349#msg28914349
rus23kav 15  to IvanBerkut  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2559778.msg28914883#msg28914883

This is the second " cluster" , in this one there user with nickname"Neo--" is involved in shady exchange with member who already has red trust.



Neo--: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=1018920
LeonBTC: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=1035345

Neo-- 36 to LeonBTC https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2818404.msg28927677#msg28927677
LeonBTC 31 to Neo--  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2823628.msg28928614#msg28928614


The third and biggest cluster:



Dimao  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=112286
Visesrion https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=135065
darrenwgray https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=229785
Embat https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=729395

Dimao 17 to darrenwgray https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=996518.msg28871904#msg28871904
Dimao 50 to  Visesrion https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1482690.msg28907895#msg28907895

Visesrion 32 to Dimao https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2145820.msg28907085#msg28907085
Visesrion 18 to Dimao  https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2145820.msg28907085#msg28907085

darrenwgray 14 to Dimao https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=2345955.msg29145666#msg29145666
darrenwgray 14 to Visesrion https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=1482690.msg28907895#msg28907895

[1715397388]

1715397388

[lukeburchill]

also post in here: Suspected users that are abusing merit 3.0

[vphasitha01]

I think you have a point regarding 1^st and 3^rd clusters but not with the 2^nd cluster. 2^nd cluster proves nothing (at least for me) and it's not a closed loop either. You can find more of those cases if you scraped Merit data with Reciprocal sMerits tab in Merit dashboard , created by DdmrDdmr

This is not the first time that I have seen Merit exchange between users and this is not the last. Merit is not moderated by the forum and if there is clear evidence then both members get red tagged by DT members. So we just need to move on and those members will surely run out of their airdropped intial sMerits eventually. That's when forum becomes such a wonderful place to be than today. I can see that shining future is not far away, by considering the way Merit system works, the way Merits ruins shitposters/spammers life. Then we can expect less spammers and less shitposters, because then there are no Merit feeders for those shills.

[Silent26]

also post in here: Suspected users that are abusing merit 3.0

OP should have posted this in there instead of creating a thread here in Meta.

Anyway, for me seems like all of them are a hundred percent Merit Abuse. I checked all the Merited posts and I don't think that any of those posts deserves to receive such a massive amount of Merits. Merit is not moderated as far as I know but let us wait for Moderators to say something about this.

I can see that shining future is not far away, by considering the way Merit system works,

Its the opposite here, even though the system is working fine. I still can't see this "shinning future" as it is still covered with a crowd of shitposters.

[hotforblockchain]

I think you have a point regarding 1^st and 3^rd clusters but not with the 2^nd cluster. 2^nd cluster proves nothing (at least for me) and it's not a closed loop either. You can find more of those cases if you scraped Merit data with Reciprocal sMerits tab in Merit dashboard , created by DdmrDdmr

Closed loop is not a clear criteria of merit abuse. The most obvious cases are sending big amount of merit from 1 user to another and back for ordinary post as in these cases that I have shown here.
Additionally in case 2 already ONE of TWO members involved in these transactions LeonBTC: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?action=profile;u=1035345.
has red trust for merit abuse.

I have a lot more of these cases tagged for myself already using merit database, it takes time to make a post so  i made this post with 3 of the cases.

This is not the first time that I have seen Merit exchange between users and this is not the last. Merit is not moderated by the forum and if there is clear evidence then both members get red tagged by DT members. So we just need to move on and those members will surely run out of their airdropped intial sMerits eventually. That's when forum becomes such a wonderful place to be than today. I can see that shining future is not far away, by considering the way Merit system works, the way Merits ruins shitposters/spammers life. Then we can expect less spammers and less shitposters, because then there are no Merit feeders for those shills.

I dont agree with you. Yes, the chances are the airdropped merit has run out already but some of the users who did abuse the system are here and should be tagged as admins are doing already.

also post in here: Suspected users that are abusing merit 3.0

Will do that.

[vphasitha01]

This is not the first time that I have seen Merit exchange between users and this is not the last. Merit is not moderated by the forum and if there is clear evidence then both members get red tagged by DT members. So we just need to move on and those members will surely run out of their airdropped intial sMerits eventually. That's when forum becomes such a wonderful place to be than today. I can see that shining future is not far away, by considering the way Merit system works, the way Merits ruins shitposters/spammers life. Then we can expect less spammers and less shitposters, because then there are no Merit feeders for those shills.

I dont agree with you. Yes, the chances are the airdropped merit has run out already but some of the users who did abuse the system are here and should be tagged as admins are doing already.

I am also against the Merit abuse scenario and I also created a thread, even several posts regarding this matter. But later I realized since Merit is not moderated by the forum and we have to accept the bitter reality whether we liked or not.

How you missed the bolded parts in my reply

[hotforblockchain]

I can see that shining future is not far away, by considering the way Merit system works,

Its the opposite here, even though the system is working fine. I still can't see this "shinning future" as it is still covered with a crowd of shitposters.

I would see shinning future in scenario when Jr.Memebrs are required to have 1 or more merit to wear a signature otherwise I see that the forum will drown in Junior Spam.

This is not the first time that I have seen Merit exchange between users and this is not the last. Merit is not moderated by the forum and if there is clear evidence then both members get red tagged by DT members. shills.

I am also against the Merit abuse scenario and I also created a thread, even several posts regarding this matter. But later I realized since Merit is not moderated by the forum and we have to accept the bitter reality whether we liked or not.

How you missed the bolded parts in my reply

I just think that there are cases which are not yet seen by moderators and I try to point that out with these cluster pictures.