Test equipment dealer astroturfing accounts - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 12:14:05 am
content: We seem to get a lot of these, latest one is MCStestEquipment (also "RigolOnline") who has actually been a member here a long time, I discovered two sockpuppet accounts under their name. All now banned.As always, keep an eye out for newbie type users linking to website or pretending to ask questions or saying they bought something from a particular dealer.

author: Harb
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 04:12:08 am
content: What the heck is a "Sockpuppet" lol....sorry I am not up to date with this new age lingo

author: jh15
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 04:22:54 am
content: The rigol... username sounded familiar, so I went to look at past posts. I guess all have been deleted.What I would like is to keep posts around or available as much information is in the content. Did I post there? I would then correct my own posts there to say I was in a bad thread.Haven't looked, but if I go to look at my past posts, would that history be gone to me if user was banned.Crazy, it brought up thoughts of my BBS in '86 or so posing same thing as being a sysop.Nothing fancy, just a souped up commodore c-64 with 3 1541 drives and a dedicated phone line.I'm sure moderating a YouTube channel in this day and age is much easier.

author: Cyberdragon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 04:36:14 am
content: Quote from: Harb on March 22, 2018, 04:12:08 amI found the perp!

author: Cyberdragon
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 04:39:44 am
content: Quote from: jh15 on March 22, 2018, 04:22:54 amBanning shouldn't delete posts anymore. They changed it a while ago to just have a tiny banned tag under the avatar. If the posts were spam they got manually deleted.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 05:26:43 am
content: OK so they were a multi brand seller:https://mcs-testequipment.com/So one EEVblog membership and disclosure would be all right ?

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 09:57:56 am
content: Quote from: Harb on March 22, 2018, 04:12:08 amA sockpuppet is an online identity used for purposes of deception. The term, a reference to the manipulation of a simple hand puppet made from a sock,originally referred to a false identity assumed by a member of an Internet community who spoke to, or about, themselves while pretending to be another person.

author: Harb
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 10:31:56 am
content: Thanks........not what I was visualising.........thank god

author: borjam
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 11:24:17 am
content: Having been a sock puppetteer for real, the term is understandable enough!

author: philpem
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 12:47:58 pm
content: I'm suddenly thinking of a particularly memorable scene from Red Dwarf..."What's that, Mister Flibble? Oh we can't do that, Mister Flibble... who would clean up all the mess?"

author: hermit
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 03:50:14 pm
content: Quote from: tautech on March 22, 2018, 05:26:43 amI'm sure it is case by case. Sadly some of these guys could be valuable assets if they would be more forthright and shill less. You know, make people like you instead of hate you? What a concept.

author: NivagSwerdna
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 04:39:21 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on March 22, 2018, 12:14:05 amNot to be confused withhttps://www.rigol-uk.co.uk/aka Telonic who get afrom me as a happy customer.If you go tohttps://www.telonic.co.uk/Rigol-DS1054Z-4ch-50MHz-Digital-Oscilloscope-p/ds1054z.htmand scroll down a bit there is a picture someone I've sure I've seen somewhere before.

author: H.O
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 05:16:33 pm
content: I have not seen the post(s) in question but FWIW I've dealt with MCS Test Equipment in the UK (I bought my Rigol DS4000 from them years ago) and I've nothing but good things to say about them. It's sad to see them resort to astroturfing if that's what has happened.

author: tpowell1830
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 07:28:32 pm
content: What is 'astroturfing' and 'sockpuppet' in reference to the forum (I know what astroturf and a sock puppet is)?

author: Bassman59
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 10:30:13 pm
content: Quote from: tpowell1830 on March 22, 2018, 07:28:32 pm"Astroturf" is the name of the artificial grass first installed at the now-demolished Astrodome in Houston (the stadium in which the Houston Astros baseball team played).In the context of web forums and other media, it's a play on words. A "grassroots" movement is one which grows from the ground up, built by regular people for some particular popular purpose. Astroturf is fake grass, and an "astroturfing" campaign is one in which a business or other entity tries to create the perception that the campaign is one starting at the grassroots when it's just plain marketing.

author: tpowell1830
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 11:21:30 pm
content: Quote from: Bassman59 on March 22, 2018, 10:30:13 pmAs I said, I know what astroturf is, and by the way, the astrodome is still standing and the county has approved a $105 million dollar renovation to be finished in 2020. (I have lived in the Houston area since 1970, Go Astros! I was around when it was built, the 8th wonder of the world, The Colt 45s...).

author: Macbeth
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 11:32:37 pm
content: Quote from: philpem on March 22, 2018, 12:47:58 pmIndeed. Whenever I think of a sockpuppet it's A.J. Rimmer in the gingham dress and his faithful psychotic hex-ray-vision sockpuppet, Mr Flibble.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2018, 11:41:41 pm
content: Quote from: EEVblog on March 22, 2018, 12:14:05 amThe person who used to post for them here (Joy) left for another company, so that might explain one additional account if someone else has taken over and can't access the old one.

author: wasyoungonce
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 12:20:09 am
content: I can understand anything if referenced to Red Dwarf.....love it!

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 12:20:24 am
content: Batterfly employeesimone.pignattigives off the Astroturfing/Sockpuppeting vibe and uses the forums to market to members. Their tag is "technical support" and doesn't disclose they are a business promoting product.The original user (also from Batterfly) that looked very suspicious wasgmit77and he got banned back in 2015, 8 months latersimone.pignattisigned up.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 07:15:17 pm
content: Quote from: Shock on March 23, 2018, 12:20:24 amHe's supplying a lot of useful info IMO. But maybe could tag his account as a seller.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2018, 09:43:56 pm
content: Quote from: mikeselectricstuff on March 22, 2018, 11:41:41 pmThis ^^^ should not be overlooked as the same IP will show up giving the impression of multiple accounts.The 'last active' date for each account should give clues to what's really going on.