So back in 2019 2 trainers and I got into it, we used to be friends. Ever since then they’ve tried many ways to harass me, it got to the point where I open a stalking charge on them and won the court case. As of today they have started to mass false report the Waypoints in my area, even with the Waypoints being there and not breaking any criteria rules. They mass false reported with OVER 30 trainer account since it only takes 1 report to remove it and intentionally 1 star and report routes to have them removed as well out of spite. I filled out the form but was told to post here as well. I also reported their trainer names ingame but nothing is ever done. They also cheat through spoofing as well but never get caught. I didn’t include all the photos I have as some are sensitive that I’d rather only share with Niantic. But it’s a shame someone can mass create accounts and then false report Waypoints and routes to have them removed out of spite. I’m hoping the original POI can be restore as it was a gym in a nice location as well. Grant a new gym came up when it disappeared but it was in a great location for everyone in the area to play with.
The help chat advice was to report the abuse. The Wayspot Appeals channel is where you can ask to have removed Wayspots reinstated. If the property owner asked to have this removed then Niantic will abide by that request, but at least they can tell you what happened. I honestly don’t know if help chat can reinstate a removed Wayspot, but that isn’t listed as something they do there.
I posted here and messaged Niantic with a report with all the information. It’s my first time doing this but I was also told by the owner she’s didn’t request it and was upset when I told her. Plus the stalker gloated about it elsewhere.
Welcome @sportsandmusic6
It sounds as though you have done the correct thing reporting what has happened. Niantic takes manipulation of the gameboard by abusing Wayfarer very seriously.
Using the abuse reporting form at the top of this forum or help chat allows you to provide information confidentially.
It can take sometime for them to do a full investigation.
Please be aware if any wayspots are restored they will be resynced into the games following the spacing rules. The selection of gyms will happen afresh. You describe a new gym being created when one was removed. This is unlikely to change.
Hi. Thanks for the response. And I get the whole gym thing can’t be changed which is understandable, it was a great location for me and my neighbors who play and the new gym isn’t game breaking or anything but something I’ll get used to.
And yes I followed the link and submitted a report to Niantic with as much information as possible, even the TPO that I was given for proof. In game support would always saying “Looking into it but good luck!” Pretty much but nothing comes out of it, so wish here I might have better luck.
Either way I’m just hoping to get the POI restored and just continue the game as I like to be left to myself as I’m not a social butterfly.
I am sorry that there have been such problems for you. I will say when I looked up the wayspot, it does not appear to have good pedestrian access. It’s on a corner without sidewalks or established path to get to it. Could you place the wayspot at the actual business, which is down the street, rather than on the sign which is on the side of a main road?
Hi Leedle. To answer your question attempting to move it would likely put it too close to someone’s house nearby and I don’t wanna disturb the other residents. That spot is exactly where the sign is at, it won’t disturb anyone, and it still helps to promote her business. And unlike others, I try to make Waypoints as accurate as possible, even if I don’t gain something from it. The POI is the sign for her business itself. My area is VERY rural also which, not attacking you, a lot of players don’t realize rural players don’t always have sidewalks but it is a well known walking trail for pedestrians, the only reason why it looks weird is the grass grows fast but it’s usually mowed down fairly quickly too. I believe Niantic made a post on people should solely focus on sidewalks and take the area into consideration.
Like I said not attacking you. I’m also a bit tired because the 2 trainers have off and on been attacking the new gym with spoofing and their ton of accounts for about 9-10 hours but luckily me and my friends have pretty much held them off.
But at the end of the day I know that they know they can false report Waypoints now so I’m sure they’ll likely try it with the last few in the area.
Hi
There are no strict rules about signs v business but generally speaking I would expect the actual point to be at the business.
As long as it is a business property and any game players dont create a nuisance, people going past are unlikely to create a problem.
In addition since it is now probably going to be a pokestop I would have thought it was a low risk in terms of problem.
You might want to make plans ready for fresh submissions in case this does not work out.
Which I get. I can always renominate but that one was just the hardest to get accepted. Plus it was my first ever nomination I made in the game. And true I just don’t wanna risk others getting mad. I know 2 cities over a church got upset when GO players came by even when church wasn’t in session and it eventually got removed and the area geoblocked. So 3 stops and a gym were gone after that so I just try to be respectful of the others who don’t play.
Best outcome would be the players either getting banned or having all of their accounts having their nominations/report stops removed but that’s unlikely.
But between the cheating, false reports, harassment, etc I’ll just have to wait for Niantic to decide. But I hope this also brings light to them as well on helping players who are being harassed. Its a standard message I’ve got from ingame support but you can’t always just “Call the police if you feel in danger.”
You do have my empathy as someone who has had ingame harassment and the useless responses from helpchat in Pokémon Go.
The wayfarer team will investigate your reports and if any malicious manipulation of the database has taken place the team will take action.
When people come to the forums they often tell their own version of the situation, I believe it takes two to tango and if you have sued to keep them off the property how public is it to anyone? I see the gym is gold for you. Is taking your gym with… 30? Accounts… Bothering the property owner or you?
You’re right it does take 2 to tango. I could go on and on on why we got into it but to make it short and sweet I no longer wanted to associate with them, they didn’t like it and therefore they needed “revenge”. Plus the fact that I wouldn’t put my tail under my legs and hide like it worked before against others.
The POI itself was at the entrance where the sign is at itself. It’s not on my property nor do I “own” the gym. Multiple players in and around my area use it. It boils down to the fact that they CHEAT with over 30 accounts and mass false report anything near me or has my name on it to make it easier for them to target me while they sit in their home 2-3 cities over.
And as for the suing part. I took it to court as they were coming to MY house. Coming to MY job. Trying to HIT ME with a truck which I had eye witness of it while walking around my neighborhood. Trying to run me and my friends off the road on a public road in our city. Threatening MY LIFE could easily end. The list goes on and on.
I play ingress, there are 2 parts to ingress, the actual game and accusing others of cheating. That’s the part I don’t like, but I can’t find this business, anywhere, not on Google, not in maps, only thing that comes up is you asking on reddit the coordinates for this. There was one of these situations that happened near me two ingress players took another to court over him taking their level 8 portals, real immature stuff. I believe if someone can be legally banned from an apartment complex, all of those waypoints should be removed.
If youre asking about my POI it’s a very small business. They don’t have a website or anything specifically as they promote it through social media. And I’m not much of an Ingress player, I mostly play GO and used Ingress to help check to see if something was ingame before the whole Lightship update. Very rarely will I tinker with the game unless I’m bored and usually it’s like 5-10 minutes. The owner a few years back asked me nominate it when Niantic was encouraging small business to be nominated.
And like I said it’s not just “Your gym got removed.” Many people in my area all use it all all different teams.
I did have to dig a while, but I did find the business and it does seem to exist a few dozen meters or so down the street from the sign.
Also, @sportsandmusic6, I do get it that rural areas don’t always have sidewalks, which is why I wrote “ It’s on a corner without sidewalks or established path to get to it. ”.
If there is a safe path, you might want to get a supporting picture with the path in it.
