Wayfarer Abuse - Posing as Owners for Removals
Some context: Someone removed "The Stone House" a couple times and one of our players appealed and got it back in the game for good, reinstated as it is a historical building in town:
42.83114° N, 71.64315° W
That was within the past two weeks. The only other stop/gym in the cell was removed yesterday, presumably by the same individual, after having been a point of interest since before Pokémon Go came out:
42.83114° N, 71.64315° W
Late last night Niantic told me the gym was removed at the request of the manager. This morning I spoke to the manager and he said they never contacted Niantic to remove the stop. This means whoever requested the stop be removed impersonated the manager.
Wayfarer Community, what do you think would be the be best way to 1) Get it back and 2) Simplify the efforts needed to be made by the manager? He said he is willing to contact Niantic. He just doesn't know anything about the games.
Comments
Get a document of the real manager describing the fact that owner never requested the portal to be removed.
Send the document to Wayfarer team (don't know how, ask a moderator?) and make the faker's account banned.
You can ask forum mods like @NianticAaron @NianticVK @NianticLC to start a private DM to OP.
That used to be pretty common, people would do that to nuke gyms or block pokemon go players out of spite. I haven't seen it in a while though, I imagine it helps that the pokemon go gym mechanics were changed.
While this is probably the most accurate solution to this issue, it really brings a couple more issues into question:
Is Niantic's due dilligence so poor that they don't verify anything? Pretty sure that is a crime, you're essentially facilitating impersonation. Not only that, but IF (and that is a HUGE IF) Niantic does their due dilligence correctly and got sent a well-faked takedown request, then it brings your local community into question.
While i'm sure the USA isn't short of crazy (Florida man, the likes), if someone is willing to commit a serious felony over a PoGo Gym/Stop.....
I really can't imagine the removal form required by Niantic involves any sort of oath or affirmation to be made under penalty of perjury, and in the absence of such, I can't imagine exactly what "crime" you'd charge someone with. (Not a lawyer.)
What Niantic platform told you that the gym was removed at the request of the manager? If it was just a chat, it's possible that the reply was just a guess, based on a decision chart.
Any removal form that comes from a manager/owner SHOULD, in theory, require a signature or even some sort of identification. Impersonation afaik is a crime.
I doubt that this is a crime, as forgery or false representation. Forgery only applies to stealing money - like signing someone else's name on a check.
You could probably file civil suit, for a John Doe harassment. Then (if accepted by the court) Niantic would have to disclose the email address used. Then the email provider would have to disclose details. I doubt such a suit could go to trial tho. What monitory amount would you place on this harassment of you?
Update: A third stop was removed a few days ago (but added back in yesterday)
Title of Wayspot: Milford Mill
42.83656° N, 71.64844° W
Milford, NH USA
For the same reason Stone House and Milford Mill were recently restored, so too should Concreted Wheel: 42.83114° N, 71.64315° W.
The POI is visually remarkable and is at a safely accessible location. People walk around this area all the time. It's within range of the public sidewalk as well.
Fellow Wayfarers, thank you for your input thus far. I am humbly asking for Admin to review this restoration request.
Hi @AlexMTG-PGO! We have taken another look but stand by our decision to retire this Wayspot "The Concreted Wheel" as it doesn't meet our criteria. Thanks!