Abuse: Point Cook, VIC, Australia
Tntnnbltn-ING
Posts: 764 Ambassador
Recently I have spent the last few days uncovering ~100 fake Wayspots in the City of Melton, Victoria (see: https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/discussion/27661/abuse-melton-west-vic-australia). In doing so, I stumbled across a whole new set of fakes in the City of Wyndham, Victoria, concentrated in the suburb of Point Cook.
Below are the details of a further 32 Wayspots which have falsified locations. All of these are murals on electric transformer boxes. They use photos which are cropped tight to remove background elements so that the Wayspots can be submitted at the locations of unpainted transformers. I have identified the real locations for each mural using a combination of Street View, as well as some cabinets have the name of the nearest street intersection printed on the front label.
Overview of locations of fakes:
Bird Art Longreach Park
Real: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.901173,144.717798
Fakes:
- Clearwood Drive Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.839498,144.718987
- Waterhaven Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.880065,144.723015
- Christo Walk Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.882592,144.731409
- Marshall Terrace Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.891326,144.72286
- Sunnybank Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.901161,144.724489
Magpie and Flower Electrical Box
Real: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.857411,144.716965
Fakes:
- Waterhaven Birds Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.878018,144.725383
- Abbey Walk Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.881205,144.744947
- Tom Robert's Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.895504,144.728192
- Magpie Mascot Mural: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.904096,144.725349
- Keel Street Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.908161,144.720852
Who Let The Dogs Out? Mural
Real: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.893768,144.734032
Fakes:
- Hacketts Rise Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.886942,144.720619
- Tahitian Terrace Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.899934,144.742444
- Jamieson Way Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.895158,144.745962
- German Shepherds Mural: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.898887,144.723783
- Paragon Park Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.908311,144.761288
3 Good Doggus
Real: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.87858,144.744712
Fakes:
- Rymill Way Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.842498,144.718792
- Kingsford Rare Puppers Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.899308,144.720012
- Attentive Border Collies: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.90949,144.739019
Red Blossom Box Art
Real: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.890605,144.746215
Fakes:
- Roses in Bloom: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.901433,144.735096
- Roses in Bloom: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.910742,144.734398
Magpie Bottlebrush Mural
Real: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.843827,144.66283
Fake:
- Magpie & Bottlebrush Mural: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.842735,144.67995
Green Parrot Mural
Real: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.836066,144.656693
Fake:
- Green Parrot Mural: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.845993,144.68517
Lennon Boulevard Box Art
Real: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.888398,144.741498
Fake:
- Motto Ct Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.872581,144.717481
Yurugua Boulevard Box Art
Real: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.906321,144.747298
Fake:
- Featherbrook Oval Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.900753,144.73053
Pink Flower:
Real location: -37.896010,144.748120
Fakes:
- Emily Crescent Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.878849,144.728919
- PCTC Flower Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.882229,144.734027
The box is labelled "JAMIESON-MONTE CARLO". The real location was identified near the intersection of Jamieson Way and Monte Carlo Drive. The red pillars in the background of one photo matches street view. No Wayspot was submitted at the real location because it would have violated in-game proximity rules (within 20 metres of another Wayspot).
Bird in Red Flower:
Real location: -37.895463,144.746942
Fakes:
- Dunnings Road Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.884432,144.733464
- PCTC Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.881305,144.734764
- Beautiful Bird Box Art Work: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.893276,144.726227
None of these were submitted at the correct location either. The label says "JAMIESON-SEWERAGE". The correct location was found on Jamieson Way through comparison of background elements.
Malibu x Grandiflora
Real location: -37.90259341255003, 144.7384458190627
Fake locations:
- Fifty Shades of Blue: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.889806,144.72043 (already reported in Melton abuse)
- Windmill Way Box Art: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.908279,144.716713 (new discovery)
I reported in the Melton abuse thread (https://community.wayfarer.nianticlabs.com/discussion/comment/136572/#Comment_136572) how I discovered "Fifty Shades of Blue" was a fake. While compiling this report I also found "Windmill Way Box Art", which is the same box but showing the front. It is also in the wrong location. The label on the front says "GRANDIFLORA-MALIBU" which confirms I had identified the correct location.
Hibiscus Flower Power Mural
- Real location: -37.878997,144.612106
- Current (wrong) location: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.878383,144.612037
This Wayspot was misplaced from the real location to get around in-game proximity rules and manipulate the game board. It would have been within 20 metres of another Wayspot. It was placed 70 metres away from the real location, allowing it to become a Pokestop.
Comments
@Unicornsrule107-PGO I know you’ve been also working on uncovering fraud in this area. Tagging you so that you can see what I’ve collected.
@Tntnnbltn-ING This is absolutely great work, thanks so much for this.
😮 I can’t believe how much doctoring of wayspots there has been. It’s fraudulent abuse of the game and is absolutely disgraceful. They deserve to be banned for life.
I’m all for submitting new wayspots in the game but only if they are real and meet submission criteria such as pedestrian access.
Given the extensive abuse with transformer box murals, I decided to start seeing if there were other examples of abuse in the area.
Here is what I have uncovered so far -- mostly involving falsifying the location of submissions in order to manipulate the game board.
Grassland Residents
This sign has been submitted in two locations, both of them are false. The real location wasn't used because it was too close to another Wayspot to go live in any game.
The real location is on the north side of the footbridge at the provided coordinates above. (Note: This series of Skeleton Creek Trail signs were installed sometime between Feb 2021 and Jul 2021, so they do not show on the Street View for this street).
Wetlands (https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.840395,144.705264)
Correct location: -37.840385,144.705737
This Wayspot has been mislocated by 40 metres. If it was submitted at the correct location then it would have gone live in Ingress, but not Pokemon Go. It was instead submitted at the wrong location so that it would enter an unoccupied level 17 s2 cell. The sign can be seen on street view from Jul 2021 on a platform/deck area, and that platform can be seen on satellite view.
Waterbugs
There are two copies of this Wayspot...
The wayspots are located over a kilometre apart, but are definitely of the same sign, down to the pattern of the brown stains. Neither area has Streetview available from after the signs were installed, but based on the surrounding area I suspect that "Waterbugs information plaque" is the real one, as the area where the second sign is located has lots of trees.
Step Ups
A photograph of the real POI has been used to submit a fake duplicate, located 270 metres away. The real version is visible on Street View.
Avoid Excess Packaging (https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.843415,144.694646)
The Wayspot has been misplaced by 50 metres to bypass in-game proximity rules and allow it to become a Pokestop. The correct location is at approximately -37.843474,144.694089. The sign can be seen on street view. Towards the back of the portal photo, you can see the pole for the "Hawk in Tarneit" Wayspot, including the talons of the sculpture.
Art Walk (https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.844868,144.700544)
Correct location is approximately -37.844926,144.701264. Wayspot has been misplaced by 60 metres, placing it in a different Level 17 s2 cell. Correct location was identified by background matching the houses.
Sustainability Is Child’s Play! (https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.844783,144.699588)
Correct location is approximately -37.845100,144.700445. Wayspot has been misplaced by 80 metres to avoid in-game proximity rules, and to place the Wayspot in a separate level 17 s2 cell so that it will become a Pokestop. The real location is next to the "Climb On Over" Wayspot, and the sign is actually visible in the background of the cover photo for "Climb On Over" (see below). Note that the photo for "Sustainability Is Child's Play!" cuts off the top square from the marker, as this likely would have indicated it was located at the climbing frame, indicating deliberate deception.
The correct location over "Sustainability is Child's Play!" can be confirmed based on the distinctive tree in the background, including the branch which runs horizontal. The direction of the footpath and road also match.
Flock Of Pelicans (https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.84523,144.699824) and Ducks (https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.84453,144.699198)
These have both been submitted with incorrect locations by ~25 metres. The correct locations are:
The incorrect locations were probably made with good intentions as opposed to abuse, as the sculptures are actually in the middle of lakes and appear to have no safe pedestrian access. The Wayspots should either be moved to the correct locations as indicated, or retired if they do not meet the standards for pedestrian access.
Ducks: (viewed from the west)
Flock of Pelicans: (viewed from the east)
Ring Of Swings (https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.841443,144.690684)
The correct location is -37.842279,144.692205. The Wayspot has been placed 165 metres away from the correct location to bypass in-game proximity and to place it in an unoccupied Level 17 s2 cell so that it becomes a Pokestop. The actual location is visible on the satellite view. The swings are also visible in the background photo of "Sling Swing" Wayspot.
Baden Powell Basketball Court (https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.841613,144.692832)
The correct location is -37.841913,144.692667. The Wayspot has been placed 40 metres away, pushing it into a different Level 17 and Level 14 cell, possibly to manipulate the game board in Pokemon Go. The real location is visible on Street View and on satellite imagery from https://satellites.pro/Australia_map#-37.841917,144.692672,19.
In terms of cell placements, looking at the location with a s2 cell overlay shows how it was placed as close as could be to the real location without putting it in the same level 17 cell as "Triple Slides".
Swinging Cockatoo (https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.841543,144.69015)
I have not been able to find the correct location for this, but it is almost definitely not at the location where it has been placed. The playground does not extend to this area on satellite or street view, and it is in the same park as where "Ring Of Swings" and "Baden Powell Basketball Court" have already been submitted with incorrect locations.
Parklea way park (https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.840023,144.692837)
The correct location is approximately -37.839834,144.692880. Streetview shows that the sign is located parallel with the south edge of Damask Drive. The Wayspot has been submitted in the wrong location by 20 metres to push it into an unoccupied level 17 s2 cell so that it will enter Pokemon Go.
I have started going through the parks in Point Cook one at a time to verify faked locations. There are a lot. Virtually every park has had Wayspots misplaced to manipulate the gameboard in Pokemon Go and create more Pokestops/Gyms. There are also a significant number of fakes in addition to the mural boxes already identified.
I haven't finished the process of going through these parks yet, but this post is getting pretty long, so I will post this and then continue the hunt tomorrow.
Correct locations were identified by Street View and satellite. If the match was difficult then I have provided a brief explanation of how the correct location was determined.
Notes: In the following screenshots,
s2 cells are shown in yellow to show how the misplaced Wayspots correlate to manipulation for Pokemon Go.
Kellerman Drive Park
Misplaced Wayspots:
Yaramba Boulevard Park
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Fake Wayspot(s):
Penton Way Park
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Henry Lawson Green
Misplaced Wayspot(s)
Miles Franklin Park
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Eccles Vista Park
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Playground Of Honour (https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.892239,144.71984) is at the correct location, but there are two additional Wayspots for individual pieces of play equipment.
These should probably be duplicated with the "Playground of Honour" Wayspot as they are all representing pieces of playground equipment in the same small playground. Also, "Queen Bee" is located away from the actual POI for cell manipulation reasons, and even though "Playground of Honour" and "Nitro The Snail" are in the same level 17 cell, both appear in Pokemon Go as Pokestops, meaning that location edit (either legitimate or abusive) has occurred that has changed the location of one or both of these Wayspots in the past.
(Football Field of Honour is slightly misplaced but not to the extent to affect any games. It is close enough to the correct location to be adjusted through normal Wayfarer processes.)
Saratoga Main Park
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Fake Wayspot(s):
(There's no current street view in the area, so finding the correct location for "5 Coloured Cylinders" was a bit difficult, but I was able to match correct location from clues on satellite view.)
Kingsford Park
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Fake Wayspot(s):
Longreach Parade Park
Misplaced location(s)
Fake Wayspot(s):
Whitetop Drive Park
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Continuing with my audit of the parks in Point Cook... A lot more location abuse has been identified. I am listing these here as they are part of the abuse, and may relate to the actions undertaken with the responsible Wayfarers. Additionally, these locations are being misplaced by 40-100 metres, so it is impossible to correct these through the game app without Niantic Support assistance anyway.
The first few parks in particular show high levels of strategic planning in order to manipulate the Pokemon Go gameboard. In general, almost all of the changes to locations in this report once again are related to avoiding in-game proximity rules.
(Note: Some of the following parks use Bing Maps rather than Google Maps for the satellite view. Google Maps' satellite view is outdated, which means for the first few parks on this list the submitters have been able to completely falsify locations without reviewers being able to recognise this in Wayfarer.)
Horrace Street Park
Every Wayspot has been provided with a false location and have been spread out to create the maximum number of Pokestops/Gyms -- What should have been two Pokestops using the proximity rules of that game has been turned into seven. For example, all three pieces of equipment in the below photo have been made as separate Wayspots located 80 metres apart, when in real life they should have been one submission for "UPC [Upper Point Cook] Exercise Equipment". Hopefully Niantic considers turning some of these nominations into duplicates when fixing this abuse.
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Rivington Road Park
Another new park where the lack of satellite imagery on Google Maps has allowed for location abuse, with Wayspots mislocated by up to 100 metres in order to generate extra Pokestops.
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Upper Point Cook Playground
Location abuse has allowed for the generation of four Pokestop/Gyms in Pokemon Go when only one should have entered the game if everything was located honestly.
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Baltimore Drive Park
Everything in this park had the correct location, but while checking it I noticed a Little Free Library on private residential property that should probably be retired. https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.881969,144.729461
Brownlow Drive Park
The soccer field has been misplaced by 40-80 metres in order to generate an additional Pokestop.
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Sidney Nolan Park
Misplaced Wayspot(s)
(Potentially) Fake Wayspot(s):
Same house in both cover photos:
Maybe this is supposed to be the POI in the photo?
Alamanda Wetlands
Some portals have been misplaced. Others should be considered for retirement (either no longer existing or unsafe pedestrian access).
Permanently removed:
Pedestrian access issues:
(Other) Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Palmtree Place Park
Two Wayspots have been misplaced by over 100 metres for cell manipulation. Both real locations can be seen through Street View.
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Alamanda Reserve
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Bayview Park
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Leapfrog Park
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Gramercy Boulevard Park
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Eildon Crescent Park
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Saltwater Reserve
Multiple Wayspots have been placed 100 metres from their correct location. Additionally, there was two Wayspots for the same entrance sign.
Misplaced Wayspot(s):
Duplicates:
Thanks for the flag, @Tntnnbltn-ING! We have reviewed the report and have taken action on the 103 Wayspots and 3 Wayfinders 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.
@NianticGiffard
It appears I missed one in my abuse report. Another utility box has been photographed and submitted in the wrong location. Based on the username on the Ingress photo, it was done by the same person responsible for the other box art abuse. Adding this report to here for context of prior abusive behaviour.
Real: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.884859,144.750589
Fake: https://intel.ingress.com/?pll=-37.878509,144.742152