Fake Cluster of Wayspots in Roseville, Michigan

[whoab0t]

While reviewing in Wayfarer, I was presented with a wayspot amongst a cluster of other wayspots that looked like they were absolutely on private residential property. The support statement mentioned “our new park”, but my Spidey sense told me there wasn’t any park there and I was looking at Wayfarer abuse. I went to the Wayfarer map, punched in the location, and pulled up one of the wayspots. I right-clicked on the image for the wayspot, selected Google Lens, and to my (un)surprise, I found the source of the image - and it was not from a park in Roseville. I did this for all 15 wayspots in this cluster, and not a single image was legitimate.

• Gareth Bale Memorial Bench (42.529539, -82.923312)

• 
  • The image was stolen from here: Memorial Bench Program - City of Longmont
    • The plaque also clearly does not say Gareth Bale (a professional soccer player)

• Ange Postecoglou Memorial Bench (42.529569, -82.922134)

• 
  • Ange Postecoglou is yet another soccer figure.
  • Image was stolen from here: https://www.orlandotrust.org/Home/Request-a-Memorial-at-a-City-Park/Bench-or-Tree-Memorial

• Silver Pines Forest Gazebo (42.530309, -82.922040)

  • 
    • Another fake whose surroundings do not match the area. Image stolen from https://www.novaparks.com/parks/meadowlark-botanical-gardens/things-to-do/gazebo-rentals
      • It even includes the same Tom Stovall Photography watermark

• Silver Pines Volleyball Court (42.530268, -82.921889)

  • 
    • Full discretion, I could not Google Lens this image. However, there are clearly baseball diamonds and chain link fences in the far background of this image. The surroundings do not match.

• Silver Pines Forest Pavilion (42.530133, -82.921826)

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    • There is no walking trail here. Nor is there a pavilion. The image was stolen from the Quiet Waters Park Pavilion https://www.aacounty.org/recreation-parks/parks/quiet-waters-park/quiet-waters-pavilion

• Silver Pines Playscape (42.529930, -82.921720)

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    • Sure doesn’t look like anything here on satellite, does it? Nope! This image was stolen from this website, for the Kidsville Playground in New Bern, North Carolina. https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g49389-d7700999-Reviews-or20-Kidsville_Playground-New_Bern_North_Carolina.html

• Buddha Statue (42.530238, -82.921725)

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    • This image is literally a figurine being sold on Amazon.
      • 

• King Memorial Bench (42.530120, -82.921524)

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    • No Kings here. This image was stolen from https://www.cityofedwardsville.com/270/Memorial-Bench-Tree-Program. In addition, the nameplate clearly says “Brian Christopher Downs.”

• Twin Pines Garden Gazebo (42.530148, -82.921432)

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    • Another stolen image and fake wayspot. This one comes from https://sanleannatx.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/IMG_2312.jpg

• The Flowing Fountain (42.530243, -82.921321)

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    • This image was stolen from Fountain Park in Pensacola, Florida https://historicpensacola.org/plan-your-visit/museums-properties/fountain-park/

• The Bat Statue (42.530293, -82.921239)

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    • Yet another fake wayspot on PRP with a stolen image https://bernheim.org/news/tag/rebecca-web-richards/

• Silver Pines Pavilion (42.530073, -82.921156)

  • 
    • YET ANOTHER fake wayspot placed on someone’s shed. Its image was stolen from this site: https://bridgeview-il.gov/park-district-pavillion-to-shine-in-summer/

• The Freest Little Library (42.530706, -82.921547)

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    • More like the Fakest Little Library. This is a fake little free library on private residential property with a fake image from https://onedelightfullife.com/power-sharing-books-little-free-library/

• Silver Pines Community Garden Arch (42.530678, -82.921173)

  • 
    • What do you know, another fake wayspot on private property with a stolen image: https://www.midwestliving.com/garden/ideas/great-gates/. The gate image is number 14 of 15.

• Brian Wilson Memorial Bench (42.531372, -82.919960)

  • 
    • We love Brian Wilson, but not fake wayspots. The image was stolen from a Facebook post by the Great Lakes Shipwreck Museum. The bench is in honor of Titanic victim Achille Waelens. Screenshot attached and circled.
      • 

In conclusion, this is far beyond someone being cheeky and attempting to get a Pokestop at home. This is collusion.

[salixsorbus]

i think I saw someone recently wondering if it was still possible to have review circles and collusion to get abusive wayspots accepted.

Either the majority of reviewers are simply accepting everything without checking anything here, or there is collusion here. Those are both very dispiriting possibilities.

[StrannikViki01]

Hmm i myself saw one of this in my country, while reviewing, a city had so [edit] many fake poi, they used ai to create images, so that it couldnt be reverse searched. But those were fake [edit]you could easily see that in the satellite images, like a park was located on top of building ??
Not just one, i have encountered atleast 2-3 such fake clusters. I dont how people manage to get it approved, or why do people even approve them in the first place.

Mod Edit
Inappropriate language removed. Please stick to community guidelines

[NianticOren]

Hi @whoab0t , welcome to the Wayfarer Community Forum.

Thank you for the report. I have passed it on to the team. We will follow up once the review is complete.

Regards,

[shritwod]

As Doctor Sam Beckett would say.. oh boy.

[SlimboyFat71]

@salixsorbus

i think I saw someone recently wondering if it was still possible to have review circles and collusion to get abusive wayspots accepted.

That was me

It was just personal observations…

I have done approx 11.5 reviews. The amount of reviews I have received for proper local nominations (within a few miles) is extremely low even though there as been a fair number approved in the area.

I took this to be that Wayfarer are restricting “game play area” nominations being sent to me.

I get a much larger amount in the neighbouring towns / cities.

Could just be in my head but it definitely seems this way.

[salixsorbus]

It’s definitely designed this way, in order to reduce collusion. I strongly suspect that collusion is still possible.

[whoab0t]

@shritwod

As Doctor Sam Beckett would say.. oh boy.

I did not expect a Quantum Leap reference on this forum, but I’m happy it happened

[AndyPaiTw]

Your commitment to rigorous reviewing is highly commendable. The discrepancy in spatial and temporal data caused by outdated satellite and Street View imagery—alongside AI-generated content—poses a challenge for reviewers.
But as this case proves, these tools still provide important context and reference value.

[NianticOren]

We’ve reviewed the Wayspot(s) and taken appropriate action as per our policies. Any incorrect changes to the Wayspot have been reversed. While we are unable to discuss our actions in detail to protect the submitter/reviewer’s privacy, they may include, but are not limited to, sending a warning message, placing restrictions on their Wayfarer or Pokémon GO, putting their account on probation, or placing a temporary or permanent suspension on their Wayfarer or Pokémon GO accounts.

Thanks for helping us maintain the quality of the Niantic Wayspots.

Regards,

[LuigiGamingLP]

What’s really disheartening about this is if you make decent submissions but they get rejected because the review AI didn’t like your Photo or something… And then you see this stuff.

Isnt the review process supposed to make sure the place actually exist? Did they find an explit and essentially avoided review (by reviewing it themselves a bunch of times using other Accounts)? Are most reviewers just not checking if a place could be real if the photo looks alright?

[GardenSearcher]

Yes! I need local nominations to review, so that if in doubt, I can walk there and have a look. It’s very hard to assess nominations elsewhere.

[SlimboyFat71]

We are not informed exactly how Reviews are chosen but I believe that “Ultra Local” are restricted to stop people from informing their local “community” what they have nominated and encouraging them to Accept even if it shouldn’t be.

“Ultra Local” reviews could be good as you suggest but could be abused by some people.

[BlameJamal]

@whoab0t This might be one of the most comprehensive reports I’ve seen in quite sometime. I also enjoyed your commentary and tenacity in researching the stolen photos. Please continue to be diligent to help the community to keep the map clean.

[WillZedd]

@whoab0t Amazing job identifying all of these in your area!