ABUSE - Tampa / Port St. Lucie fake wayspot and photosphere scheme

AisforAndis-INGAisforAndis-ING Posts: 1,072 Ambassador

Yesterday I discovered a case of abuse that is connected between Tampa and Port St. Lucie. In Tampa I discovered an apartment building that has 4 clearly fake wayspots on top of it (one of them is not a Portal but does exist in Pokemon Go). It turns out that four fake photospheres were placed at the location to create four fake wayspots. By looking at the history of the user who submitted the photospheres, I was able to find one additional misplaced wayspot in Tampa, and 17 abusive wayspots on a private mansion estate in Port St. Lucie. The mansion estate is three parcels of private residential property all owned by the same person (confirmed by the St. Lucie County Property Appraiser’s website). The wayspots within the estate are all located on PRP, many are placed at wrong locations to manipulate the gameboard, and several of them abusively try to present themselves as being part of a “community park” despite clearly being on top of houses or driveways within the estate. Additionally, the fake photospheres that were used at the Tampa apartment clearly originate from this estate, and duplicates of the abusive Tampa portals exist on the estate as well.


A full list of abusive wayspots can be found below:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1jaIpcHKvutDpDWU2I3pJ598R3GjcAzeTiFhtqfYWfGw/edit?usp=sharing

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Comments

  • kylejoseph83-INGkylejoseph83-ING Posts: 2 ✭✭

    I encountered the same thing when I was reviewing one of those abusive location edits. The satellite view shows what looks like an estate or apartment buildings with plenty of parking spots. However the photospheres show what can only be described as a large court yard or park. Clearly this is abusive with the intent to manipulate and deceive.

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2021

    FYI the person has JUST uploaded more duplicate photospheres on Google Maps at this same location. They are likely preparing to re-submit (if the account isn't already banned). As stated these photospheres are from a location over 133 miles away... and placed INSIDE an apartment building. very fake.

    Also, I have been submitting right next door at the community college. And can confirm 100% these are fake and abuse.

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @NianticGiffard I am getting edits in the system related to these! They are 100% fake. It looks like they have been removed from ingress but I am still seeing them in PoGo today. And just now I got an edit review...

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The location "Swinging Gazebo" and "Giant Green Gazebo" are still in PoGo. Not in ingress but they have remained in game as a gym and stop. Please remove these as they are fake. ~ 27.965924188275217, -82.32144825467591

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Just got ANOTHER edit review for one of these FAKE waypoints that are still in PoGo. Please remove! @NianticGiffard

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @NianticGiffard They're at it again!!! I just got a review for another wayspot RIGHT ONTOP OF THE APARTMENT AGAIN. I'm attaching a photo pending approval.

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    ANNDDD apparently the "Swinging Gazebo" is still in PoGo but not in Ingress. Please remove that too.

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @NianticGiffard The playground has been approved... please remove 27.965960962830035, -82.3217791477751

  • WheelTrekker-INGWheelTrekker-ING Posts: 3,387 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @NianticDanbocat

    Can you see why so many people think that Wayfarer is a joke?

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Yeah. This person needs to be taken out... Of Niantic products. Its the same account, I wont post it here but on Ingress their account name shows up its the same person so nothing was done with them. They need to have their email and accounts banned for life since they obviously only want to play the system.

  • Anisaerah-PGOAnisaerah-PGO Posts: 51 ✭✭✭
    edited August 2021

    The fact that they come here and troll with their multiple accounts just shows that they know getting banned is unlikely to happen. Edit:I thought this was the other thread about abuse in the same area

  • patsufredo-PGOpatsufredo-PGO Posts: 4,215 ✭✭✭✭✭

    There's a proverb in Bahasa Indonesia which says:

    "Mati satu, tumbuh seribu" (Lose one, gain a thousand)

    This will be an endless fight of Niantic against those abusers, as if their accounts got banned they'll just create more and more accounts, quickly leveling up to level 38, and do the same thing again.

    Come on, aren't their daily life actually more important than the games?

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited August 2021

    Yes, because if this one person gets banned they'll multiply like rabbits into thousands of accounts... If the email they use is banned its going to help for a long while... This person clearly wasn't punished by getting their account banned they must have received a slap on the wrist email saying "don't do it again".

    "Come on, aren't their daily life actually more important than the games?" - What is this supposed to mean??? Their daily life of cheating is more important? Uh, no.

    Sure, lets all of the cheaters roam free and mess up the map! Sounds like fun!

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Another in review with a FAKE photosphere by "Sasuke Susano". This is 100% fake inside the person's apartment, same abusers. Please take action! @NianticGiffard

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @NianticGiffard Person is creating the locations in RED. The 2 Photosphere/nominations this time ARE inside the complex. BUT the correct locations are GREEN dog park, and BLUE Playground. In the photospheres you can clearly see its across from a blue building #6, so they are really trying to game the system.

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @NianticGiffard Again the playground has been approved... please remove 27.965960962830035, -82.3217791477751 OR maybe you can get it moved to 27.964622984948953, -82.32052711834656 since that is the REAL location. Thanks!

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    This person has also uploaded a 3rd photosphere that is actually located at the most southern area of the complex, but is inside of their 1st apartment in the complex north. So there may be a 3rd FAKE nomination coming through the pipes. Please take action.

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The dog park should be ~ 27.964680465683468, -82.32180766540642

    And the 3rd one is a pavilion/car wash area? if its in the system it should be ~ 27.963357624490335, -82.32243255107068

    Or just straight remove all 3+ nominations

  • Our team will review it and take the necessary actions. Thanks for reporting.

  • Apologies for the late response. We have reviewed the reported Wayspots and have taken action on them and the Wayfinder in accordance with our policies. While we are unable to discuss our actions in detail to protect the submitter’s privacy, they may include, but are not limited to, sending a warning message, placing restrictions on their Wayfarer, Pokémon GO, or Ingress account, putting their account on probation, or placing a temporary or permanent suspension on their Wayfarer, Pokémon GO or Ingress account.

    Thanks for helping us maintain the quality of the Wayspots.

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @NianticGiffard This person is at it again. They just got another fake placed ontop of their apartment building that is a FAKE from the photosphere scheme again. I am attaching a photo and reporting the photosphere as per usual...

    Please remove FAKE abuse portal/stop "Cactus Art Bench" @ ~27.965972022923495, -82.32111943850767

  • TrevorAlan-PGOTrevorAlan-PGO Posts: 998 ✭✭✭✭✭

    "Cactus Art Bench" @ ~27.965972022923495, -82.32111943850767 is fake please remove and take action on this REPEAT offender.

  • Roli112-PGORoli112-PGO Posts: 2,236 Ambassador

    @NianticDanbocat @NianticTintino when are you going to take real action against abuse?

    Are you aware that the current go to (after warnings) is to ban them from Wayfarer....

    The problem is that they are still able to submit nominations...

    I bet a lot of these abuse cases, the offenders never even used wayfarer at all.

  • patsufredo-PGOpatsufredo-PGO Posts: 4,215 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Additionally, even if @NianticGiffard will always tell this:

    "....While we are unable to discuss our actions in detail to protect the submitter’s privacy, they may include, but are not limited to, sending a warning message, placing restrictions on their Wayfarer, Pokémon GO, or Ingress account, putting their account on probation, or placing a temporary or permanent suspension on their Wayfarer, Pokémon GO or Ingress account..."

    Don't forget that those people are multiaccounting. I wonder how many scapegoat accounts of them have been sacrificed for good.

  • Roli112-PGORoli112-PGO Posts: 2,236 Ambassador

    I'm sure they won't admit it, but I've never hear of anyone having their actual acct impacted in any way due to wayfarer... And st. Cloud would be a prime example to share this since they're so outspoken.

  • Thanks for bringing it to my notice. We have taken action on it and the Wayfinder in accordance with our policies.

This discussion has been closed.