Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/RafikiSykes/Archive

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RafikiSykes

RafikiSykes (talk+ · tag · contribs · deleted contribs · logs · filter log · block user · spi block · block log · CA · CheckUser(log) · investigate · cuwiki)
01 December 2012[edit]
Suspected sockpuppets


Due to the nature of the tendentious editing by this user, and how he just seemed to be able to "jump right into it", I had a feeling all along that this was the sock of another user. I believe I have evidence now.

Few obvious points:

  • They both focus mainly on categories
  • They both push their LGBT pov whenever possible (to the point of it being tendentious)

More suspicious behavior:

  • RafikiSykes self-identifies as being Scottish, and have edited several Scottish articles. Look at the beginning of MaybeMaybeMaybe's edits, and it is all or mostly Scottish articles/categories.
  • MaybeMaybeMaybe re-created several deleted categories by RafikiSykes. MaybeMaybeMaybe claimed to still be "learning the dos and dont's" when confronted about it.
  • Look at the very obscure Category:Category C listed buildings in Scotland, and it is all categories created by either MaybeMaybeMaybe or RafikiSykes. Several more "coincidences" like that.

What sealed the deal for me:

This is not a WP:CLEANSTART account, as the user is continuing the same behavior as the old account. Nymf hideliho! 15:20, 1 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Response to the clerk: They have both been warned about the tendentious category creation. See User_talk:RafikiSykes/Archive_3#Categories, User_talk:RafikiSykes/Archive_3#Continued_disruptive_category_creation, User_talk:MaybeMaybeMaybe#Categorization, User_talk:MaybeMaybeMaybe#Prefer_you_didn.27t, User_talk:MaybeMaybeMaybe#Recreating_deleted_categories, User_talk:MaybeMaybeMaybe#PLEASE_STOP etc. Quite convenient to jump accounts whenever the warnings stack up, being able to do the same thing over again with a clean slate. Nymf hideliho! 15:47, 1 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Comments by other users[edit]

Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.


Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments[edit]
  •  Clerk note: The closest span of time that these two editors have edited the same article is 65 days apart, so there is no overlap[1]. RafikiSykes has a clean block log. I see no evidence of sanctions or evading scrutiny, and the only ANI by the Master was one he filled in 2011. If we assume for a moment that this is same person, it is better to work in different areas for a clean start, but not doing so isn't grounds for sanctions with no other aggravating circumstances, with them simply running the risk of the two accounts being linked. Looking at the metrics, I just don't see any abuse to warrant action. MaybeMaybeMaybe is remarkably prolific, but not sure how tendentious the edits are and you didn't provide specifics. That would be a matter for another board, however, if there isn't multiple account abuse involved. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 15:32, 1 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  •  Clerk note: The diffs you have now supplied definitely provide more evidence as to evading scrutiny. I'm not sure what to think here, to be honest, and would ask another admin or clerk to review. Dennis Brown - 2¢ © Join WER 16:45, 1 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]
 Confirmed that KwakuMac (talk · contribs) and MaybeMaybeMaybe (talk · contribs) are sockpuppets. no No comment with respect to IP address(es). Both these users have been blocked - these two indef, and Rafiki for 72 hours. The Cavalry (Message me) 00:29, 3 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]
  •  Clerk note: Closing, since Chase me has blocked all of the relevant users. Reaper Eternal (talk) 01:28, 3 December 2012 (UTC)[reply]
05 January 2013[edit]
Suspected sockpuppets


Continuing in the same behavior as the previous accounts. Was caught at Commons here and here. A CU may be beneficial to find any possible sleepers, as there seems to be a 1 week gap since the last edit of the account. Nymf talk to me 15:50, 5 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Comments by other users[edit]

Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.


Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments[edit]
  •  Clerk note: Blocking based on behavior and the commons checkuser. Closing. Reaper Eternal (talk) 04:06, 8 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
19 January 2013[edit]
Suspected sockpuppets


Nirame is an old user, that has long been blocked for socking. I believe I have evidence that they are both the same, and as such RafikiSykes should be indefinitely blocked as well, since this is obviously abuse.

I was going through the heaps of unnecessary LGBT (and all its variations) categories, and I found Category:Transgender and transsexual physicians created by Nirame. During the past 2 years, most of those weird combinations have been RafikiSykes or ones of its socks. So I look at Nirame, and the user self-identifies as being Scottish just like RafikiSykes.

Diffs of further evidence:

Tons of other evidence such as this. Nymf talk to me 10:02, 19 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

The users are even sharing edits at Commons.
... etc. Nymf talk to me 18:05, 20 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
I think you know that Wikipedia pretends that things which happen on Commons are invisible for the purposes of sanctioning users. It's too bad, because it is obvious from the Commons contributions that these are the same user. Delicious carbuncle (talk) 18:37, 20 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Comments by other users[edit]

Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments[edit]

 Deferred Alison for a behavioural evaluation. AGK [•] 17:58, 19 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Very interested in the outcome of this one. RafikiSykes is, in my opinion, still socking, but I don't know enough about the original case to check thoroughly. Chase me ladies, I'm the Cavalry (Message me) 22:20, 23 January 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • With the case at three weeks old, I took a look at the behavoir and find it conclusive enough to call them socks. Anyone is welcome for a second opinion. -- DQ (ʞlɐʇ) 05:21, 10 February 2013 (UTC)[reply]
27 June 2013[edit]
Suspected sockpuppets


Obvious sock with the usual pattern of Scottish/LGBT edits. Comparison with known sockpuppets should say it all. Delicious carbuncle (talk) 14:18, 27 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]

    • Try clicking on teh link I gave you. Delicious carbuncle (talk) 15:08, 27 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
      • I did DC, I asked for diffs for a possible CU. Narrowing down the evidence to what only applies to THIS sock is helpful. I see some similar article, but what I don't see instantly are diffs that show the exact same behavior. It is kind of on you to provide at least a couple so the clerk doesn't have to dig through hundreds of contribs of multiple people, since you are more familiar with the editors. Dennis Brown | 2¢ | © | WER 15:29, 27 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
        • There are about two dozen articles which this account has edited in common with one or more of the known socks. Just look at this - no need to go through hundreds of contribs. You may wish to reconsider your use of Scottywong's tool if you are relying on it alone. Delicious carbuncle (talk) 16:20, 27 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
          • I'm fine with tools, but it is still incumbent upon you to present the case clearly if you want someone to investigate it sooner rather than later, or not at all. Dennis Brown | 2¢ | © | WER 16:48, 27 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
            • I've given you a link that shows about 20% of their edits overlap with known sockpuppets. I'm really not sure what else you could want. If you want me to find the exact diffs of those overlaps, I'm not going to bother for such an obvious case. The overlap is the evidence, not the diffs. Delicious carbuncle (talk) 19:06, 27 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Comments by other users[edit]

Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.

  • There are some similarities, I don't know if these are enough for a check: edits to Glendaruel and a few school articles where most contributions have been by RafikiSykes or MaybeMaybeMaybe. Heronglen (talk · contribs) looks more likely (similar editing areas as well as overcategorisation), but has not edited since 18 May. There have also been similar edits by Theveravee, Heronglen and RafikiSykes to Knut (polar bear), which otherwise would not look unusual but put together with other contributions make it enough to suspect that they are the same. Peter James (talk) 21:52, 27 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Another interesting article to look at would be Lenzie Academy, which has been a favorite of all the previous socks. See the SSP archive for previous diffs, and this and this for diffs of these 2 accounts. Nymf talk to me 19:15, 28 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
    Actually, I'll just go ahead and past the diffs here, Nirame editing it (several times). RafikiSykes editing it (several times). MaybeMaybeMaybe editing it (several times). Nymf talk to me 19:23, 28 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • There is no doubt in my mind that Theveravee and Heronglen are socks of RafikiSykes. The creation of Heronglen also coincides with when RafikiSykes abandoned MaybeMaybeMaybe at Commons. Block and G5 all the created articles/categories. Nymf talk to me 19:11, 28 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • It is unusual for a new user to start editing their .js page having been around barely 24 hours [2]. That looks like the behaviour of a returning user. Given the overlap in interests with RafikiSykes (and tendency to use checklinks to tag deadlinks - also unusual behaviour for a new editor) I agree with Delicious Carbuncle that this looks like RS's new sock. Nev1 (talk) 21:32, 30 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • On Commons, these 2 accounts perform the same cat-a-lot edits to Scottish Geograph.org images that RafikiSykes did. Use of this tool by new accts is itself very rare, but use by 2 new accounts focused in same subject, matching RafikiSykes and known Commons socks blocked earlier is pretty clear socking. I've run CU on Commons and Theveravee and Heronglen are run by same person, and CU results also lead me to believe RafikiSykes and other accts are connected as well. INeverCry 19:39, 1 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments[edit]
  •  Clerk note: I'm not seeing any actual overlap in edits [3] to compare with. Can you provide some example diffs to demonstrate the similarities? Dennis Brown | 2¢ | © | WER 14:48, 27 June 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • Blocked, tagged, closing. Thanks for the extra links and info. Dennis Brown | 2¢ | WER 19:45, 1 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]
30 July 2013[edit]
Suspected sockpuppets

The YoungDrac account has made 230 edits and has 10 crossover points with the MaybeMaybeMaybe (talk · contribs), a sockpuppet account of Rafiki Sykes. Likewise the YoungDrac account has edited 11 of the same pages as RafikiSykes. Such an overlap with both accounts seems unlikely unless RafikiSykes is behind the YoungDrac account. Both that account and the Magdasari account have both been using the reflinks tool since their registration which, as mention in earlier cases, is typical of Rafiki Sykes' behaviour and unusual for the account of someone new to Wikipedia. Nev1 (talk) 21:34, 30 July 2013 (UTC)[reply]


Comments by other users[edit]

Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.


Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments[edit]
  •  Likely. Tiptoety talk 02:16, 1 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  •  Clerk note: I've blocked them both, since behavior correlates well with the checkuser results. Reaper Eternal (talk) 15:02, 1 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]
08 August 2013[edit]
Suspected sockpuppets


I suspect that the user is turning to hit and run accounts to re-create his previously deleted categories. Looks innocent enough, but then Grobanite2 did this edit, to a very obscure article that RafikiSykes also edited in 2012. Too obscure to be a coincidence. Quack! Perhaps a checkuser could be done to catch any further hit and run and/or sleeper accounts. Nymf (talk) 20:22, 8 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Codsimp is a hit 'n run account, named after the topic itself, re-creating deleted categories by RafikiSykes, just like the other account. That is what I am basing the evidence on. The fact that Grobanite2 did another edit that further linked the new account is just a slip up by the user. Nymf (talk) 18:04, 12 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]
Comments by other users[edit]

Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.


Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments[edit]
  •  Clerk note: I'd be willing to endorse if you provided evidence linking Codsimp to these users somehow. NativeForeigner Talk 17:38, 12 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • CheckUser requested - Self-endorsed by clerk for checkuser attention - Per evidence provided, and Codsimp creating Category:Cody_Simpson which was created by Rafiki. NativeForeigner Talk 18:11, 12 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • The named users are  Technically indistinguishable, and are  Likely the same as the previous two socks in the archive. ​—DoRD (talk)​ 20:28, 12 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]
  • Indeffing socks w/ tags and closing.
     — Berean Hunter (talk) 20:54, 12 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]

08 July 2018[edit]

Suspected sockpuppets[edit]

This was originally opened at Wikipedia:Sockpuppet investigations/Otto4711; however, closer examination indicates RafikiSykes to be the more likely sockpuppeteer – please see this link for evidence. SuperMarioMan (Talk) 09:42, 8 July 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Since this case was opened, most of the the overlaps that I previously linked to have expanded. These now stand at:
CallyMc has been particularly active on eponymous category pages started by the sockmaster: see the Billy Connolly, Kathy Griffin and Susan Boyle category revision histories. See also LGBT writers from England; Kelly Osbourne, Peter Andre and Reportedly haunted locations in Scotland (all previously edited by MaybeMaybeMaybe); and Transgender and transsexual media personalities (started by Nirame and previously edited by the sockmaster).
This is in addition to the commonalities previously stated: the similar objections to the Gabrielle (Xena: Warrior Princess) article being included in LGBT categories and the heavy use of the HotCat and Reflinks tools. SuperMarioMan (Talk) 13:09, 9 November 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Comments by other users[edit]

Accused parties may also comment/discuss in this section below. See Defending yourself against claims.

I actually was about to file a case for this user but under KuhnstylePro as that appears to have the most overlap. CHRISSYMAD ❯❯❯¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 18:31, 7 August 2018 (UTC)[reply]
@Praxidicae: could you elaborate on this? According to the Intersect tool CallyMc and KuhnstylePro have only one page in common. Or is the overlap with one of more sockpuppets of KuhnstylePro? SuperMarioMan (Talk) 23:20, 10 November 2018 (UTC)[reply]
Note: There has been repeated blanking of this investigation by IPs newly registered accounts, which shows that there is some type of related socking issue going on here, unless accounts like Stun1003 (talk · contribs) are just being disruptive at a number of sock investigations for the hell of it. Pinging SuperMarioMan and Chrissymad on this in case they have not seen the repeated blanking. Flyer22 Reborn (talk) 10:53, 3 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]
@Flyer22 Reborn: It seems that other SPI pages have been affected: Special:PermanentLink/861272208#Checkuser_LTA_is_active_recently. I think that it's just unrelated vandalism/trolling. SuperMarioMan (Talk) 20:00, 3 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]
SuperMarioMan, yeah, I said unless the accounts are being disruptive just to be disruptive. Flyer22 Reborn (talk) 21:03, 3 October 2018 (UTC)[reply]

Clerk, CheckUser, and/or patrolling admin comments[edit]

  • I haven't looked at any of the diffs yet, but @CallyMc: I see you've been actively editing since this request was filed. Please make a statement here at your earliest convenience if you would like it considered in the adjudication of this case. Kevin (aka L235 · t · c) 08:41, 9 November 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • @L235: Could this be wrapped up? The case was opened nearly five months ago and CallyMc still hasn't commented. SuperMarioMan (Talk) 14:07, 1 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
    • @CallyMc: this is a serious accusation. Please make a statement before you resume editing. Courcelles (talk) 01:53, 3 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
  • Blocked based on behavioral evidence and CU logs. Closing.--Bbb23 (talk) 19:25, 16 December 2018 (UTC)[reply]
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