In-Game Harassment

[Araela]

Has anyone else actually had a player go off on you over something, and then continue to do so via alts even after you have ignored them?

The other day, a guildie and I were in a group with another hunter, and we were looking for a tank and healer for a random heroic. A guy whispered me on his lowbie warrior and said that he would tank for 80g. The other hunter had already offered to pay for a tank, so I said that'd be no problem. The guy said, "Great, invite me on (insert his Pally tank's name here)."

So we invite, queue up, get into Lost City. The tank insists on getting paid immediately, and the other hunter obliges. (Mistake #1).

All is going fine, except for the fact that the random healer we got from another realm is having a hard time keeping up because of how fast this guy was pulling. Most of the randoms I've been in recently have needed little or no CC, but this guy was pulling multiple trash mobs at a time and taking a ton of damage. Then he was saying things like, "Wow, the DPS SUCKS. PICK it up." (I was pulling 10-12k on trash, guildie was a barely-geared-for-heroics fresh 85 pulling almost 9, and the other hunter was pulling about 10k. So we down the first boss, guy gets pissed off because the dps is still low, other hunter is happy because the polearm drops and I already had it so it went to him.

Get to second boss, (Lockmaw, I believe is the name?) and on the way the other hunter accidentally pulls a side group going down the stairs, so now tank is tanking Lockmaw and the mobs, and yelling at the hunter for being a "huntard." As soon as the fight is over and we kill the pygmy monkey dude, the tank leaves the group and logs. So now we have paid him, and he only ran 2 of the 4 bosses. Okay, no big deal, I see he has logged back on the lowbie warrior so I whispered him, letting him know it was not appreciated for him to up and leave the group like that, and that I would be sure to report his name to wowjerks.com (which I have not yet). He then starts screaming at me for harassing and stalking him, and says, quote, "I said I would tank the instance. I never said I would tank the WHOLE instance. You are the ones that needed a tank in the first place!" to which I replied, "My husband is in the hospital, and he's our guild's main tank so no, we did not have a tank, and we were looking for one but we were also already in the queue." He laughed and continued b*tching me out. We are talking everything from "You f-ing little girl, have to tell me your life story like I care blahblahblah." So I put him on ignore and figure that will be the end of it. He then gets on a freshly made level 1 troll druid, and continues screaming at me after informing me that I have been reported for harassment, and wants me to explain myself as to why I would report his name, but then has me on ignore already so I can't even respond. I put that toon on ignore, and made sure to ignore his main. After the dungeon was over, I logged on one of my alts, and whispered his warrior again, saying, "Look, I'm sorry you feel the need to QQ at me for the fact that you were angry at the random heroic DPS, but you agreed to do something. You didn't follow through, that's not my problem. I'm just letting you know where I stand, and that your name will be reported." He starts going off on my husband, saying he hopes he stays in the hospital to get himself away from me because of what a horrible person I am, calling me a wh*re, so on and so forth. At this point, even though I know that I was ready to drop it, I did not appreciate what he was saying to me, particularly about my husband. I replied in anger, "I understand, you're a 40-year-old-virgin living at home with Mom, and that your own man b**b excites you, and maybe someday you'll get to touch a real one. But until then, try being a little more respectful and following through on your word."

Then I logged on an alt he didn't know about, and that was the end of it.

Or so I thought.

After an exhausting day at the hospital with my husband yesterday, I was finally able to bring him home in the evening although as some of you know from another post he's still on massive antibiotics and home oxygen. I logged on my main real quick to check my mail, and I see I have four VERY LONG messages from an unknown toon. I opened the first one to see the guy going off on me, and I didn't even bother to read it, I just deleted them all. As I clicked on each one I saw the text for a split second, and the very last one said something like, "HA! YOU'RE OWNED B*TCH! I WILL HUNT YOU DOWN!"

Well I, at this point, reported it to Blizzard. I'm at my student teaching internship today, so I don't know if they have had a chance to check on this and get back to me, but regardless of whether or not this guy could actually find me, it kind of freaked me out a bit. He's reporting me for harassment, after he logged back on the original toon he whispered me from. Then continues making alts to cuss me out, and each time I ignore one he makes another. Then I go to reply to him on one of my alts that he does not have ignored, and he retaliates to that extreme?

In reflection, I should have just stopped saying anything to him after I ignored the last alt, but in the same breath he was not understanding what he did wrong, and wanted me to explain to him why I would bother reporting his name. Can't explain that if he has me ignored... and this all started because a greedy tank was mad at 10-15k dps per damage player on two bosses in a heroic?

So my question is, have any of you had any in-game harassment issues, either from other hunters over a pet, or otherwise? I truly hope Blizz addresses this soon - returning home to find that in my mailbox made me feel like I couldn't even be on my main. I'm still a bit freaked out by it just because of the hateful nature of this individual.

Also, I really wish Blizz's tickets allowed for more text because I had to basically say everything I just said above within the text limit, and a lot was left out.

[Royi]

ugh sorry to hear that.

It would have been better for the situation to simply just put the player on /ignore and go on with your day. I know you wanted to say a few things to him, but he's a jerk and he's going to continue to be a jerk.

By logging on a alt and further wispering him, you mainly threw some gas onto the fire unfortunately.

~Overall... even though you want to say "YOURE A HORRIBLE PLAYER" or anything like that, its best to normally just /ignore and then find something else to do.


~Recently I was in a random, and the tank was stuck up and consistantly telling this rogue how to play, to a point where it was incredibly demeaning. After the last outburst I vote/kicked him, it failed (because the other two players probably didnt want to wait for a tank), then the tank votekicked the rogue, reason was "he tried to votekick me", i voted no, but the other two said yes (maybe they knew each other)... and he was kicked. I dropped group without saying anything... It never does any good to complain to jerks

[Anyia]

*sigh* why do some people have to act like such tools?

If he's still pestering you while Blizz looks at the ticket, may I suggest using the "right-click->Report Spam" in addition to regular ignore? If I'm not mistaken, that blocks all toons from that account for as long as you're logged in. From what I've heard though, Blizz takes harassment rather serious, so I'd imagine it gets looked at quite quickly.

Good luck, and sorry to hear you had to put up with this in addition to everything else bad going on!

[Lisaara]

You can report them. Blizzard takes that seriously. I got someone banned for 6 months cause they kept harassing me on their alts then threatened suicide if I didnt talk to them.

Also I think the site you mean is WoWJackass.com. I'd definitely put him there with some screencaps(Caps not needed but it helps).

[Cialbi]

Royi has the gist of it. You lost your cool, and antagonized somebody who was already overreacting. I don't fault you for getting so angry, and feel hypocritical given my past, but you have to admit that arguing with this unstable individual is only making the situation worse.

I hope this gets cleared up soon (he's created ample evidence against himself that Blizzard can retrieve), and that you can breathe easier. Good thing this wasn't a face-to-face encounter; sounds like he would be a scary person IRL. Until then, why don't you create an alt on Nesingwary and join the <Petopians> guild?

[Araela]

Yep, I fully admit I added fuel to the fire. Normally I don't lose my cool over something so trivial, and I did. Still, some of the things people say online is pretty amazing. I'd love to see how the same confrontation would have gone face to face - hahaha.

I've been promising Jessibelle that I'd play on one of my hunters over on Moonguard sometime, however, I would love to make an alt to join the Petopians guild on Nesingwary. I just may venture out that way tonight!

EDIT: Is the Petopians guild horde or alliance?

[Cialbi]

Horde. There is an Alliance guild on the same server, but it's pretty much second fiddle to the Horde guild. Just type in /who Petopians, and pick any name you see, and ask for an invite.

EDIT: Should mention that while I won't be online this evening, the guild is a lively one and there will probably be at least a dozen people online, give or take. So, you ought not to have any issues.

[Sarayana]

Wow, I'm really sorry to hear that. Clearly, he took pleasure in finding something that would really push your buttons (your sick husband) and used it... I hope Blizz takes it seriously, if nothing else then because of the threat in the mail.

Btw, if you want to put in a ticket without the word limit you can email that email address they give at the end... wowgm@blizzard.com I think it is. No word limit.

Good luck with everything, hopefully the jerk got it out of his system and will leave you alone now.

[Lisaara]

Yep, I fully admit I added fuel to the fire. Normally I don't lose my cool over something so trivial, and I did. Still, some of the things people say online is pretty amazing. I'd love to see how the same confrontation would have gone face to face - hahaha.

I've been promising Jessibelle that I'd play on one of my hunters over on Moonguard sometime, however, I would love to make an alt to join the Petopians guild on Nesingwary. I just may venture out that way tonight!

EDIT: Is the Petopians guild horde or alliance?

haha. You shoooould. x3

[Araela]

Didn't make it onto either, as I got my little orc up to 51 and went on a Deathmaw hunt. No such luck, but I'm not overly saddened by it- there's always another day!

I will probably make a goblin then on Nesingwary to try it out And Jessi, I still plan on playing one of my hunters on Moonguard I'm just not sure which one. >.<

[Worba]

First I would never pay anyone to tank or heal a dungeon; it creates expectations of players who can turn out to be 12 year olds (emotionally if not physically) and has way too much chance of causing you to get ripped off.

That said, yes, that guy was a lying d-bag; if he wants to leave, fine, but he should have given back the portion of the fee he hadn't yet earned (e.g. done 2/4 bosses = give back 40g before leaving).

Finally though, it sounds like in the aftermath, you two were somewhat playing off eachother - from your side of the story, it certainly sounds like he went way overboard... but ultimately feuds are a net loss for everyone. I can understand mouthing off at someone you're mad it - god knows my temper can be pretty foul - but it's best to leave it at a simple F-U to blow off steam, put them on /ignore, and go your way.

If they switch toons to get around it, right click and report spam - that blocks their whole account... until you log off, but in most cases that's enough time for them to lose interest. If they're still harassing you after that, then a /report is in order - just make sure at that point you aren't misbehaving, and you can be fairly sure the GM is going to find against them.

Also, I hope your husband is feeling better!

[Moore]

o.o Whenever someone messages me such as; I gank their toon and then they make a horde toon to message me I just pretend I don't speak English. I lol at the frustration someone on the other side must feel typing out a huge paragraph of rageness towards me and then I reply "ich kann nicht sprechen Englisch " and they normally just give up.

One mistake you made is listing something from your personal life on WoW people on WoW and the internet in general are assholes and will try to hurt people any way they can.

Also hope your husband is feeling better as well!

[Royi]

o.o Whenever someone messages me such as; I gank their toon and then they make a horde toon to message me I just pretend I don't speak English. I lol at the frustration someone on the other side must feel typing out a huge paragraph of rageness towards me and then I reply "ich kann nicht sprechen Englisch " and they normally just give up.

One mistake you made is listing something from your personal life on WoW people on WoW and the internet in general are assholes and will try to hurt people any way they can.

Also hope your husband is feeling better as well!

This 100%

Or else sometimes i will respond to a whisper with "World Gold $0.99/1000G 30 Mins Delivery, 100% Fully Stock Buy Cheap World Gold Try Us Buy Now". Basically wait till a gold spammer spams one of those messages, copy it down. Then I generally use it when lvl 1 toons wisper me about buying gold.

Yeah, never, EVER, tell a troll about your personal life. They will never gain sympathy for you and use it against you. Bad Troll tank is trolling...

Hope all goes well for you though.

[Araela]

Thanks all. My husband is back home and doing better, but still fighting the infection and on oxygen at night- but overall he's doing better.

[Lyiar]

Never ever bring up real life people/events/information when you are arguing with someone on the internet. ESPECIALLY. If they didn't have consideration for you in the first place, it's not going to change by anything you say. It's just more ammunition for them to throw at you. And they can twist it to something extremely over the top. People hide behind the anonymity of the web.

You should have just let it go when he left the group. But whats the saying, hindsight is 20/20 huh? =P Believe me, I like to fuel people's rage - but the other way around. Replying back is never a good choice.

The other day while I was mining in Uldum, something I usually do when I'm hunting for Madexx. I was just finishing off this Pyrite node when I saw this shaman standing on top of the mine. I didn't even see him land. But doesn't matter, I got there first. Hence why I got the loot from the mine. I flew off. Then came the hate tell - "#$@# you you #$%@#$%^ piece of #$% #%@#." (blip out!) =D

That took me back a bit. Over one little node that I had gotten there first? I wasn't going to apologize for that. I probably would've given him the ores if he had ask, just because I'm a nice person. But I have little consideration for anyone that blantently abusive. I replied back with, "rage more." Knowing full well that's what he was going to do. He sent me back a bunch of more name callings and lewd suggestions of what I should do with his private parts. I typed back that if he didn't stop harassing me, I was going to report him. But he had put me on ignore. Amused, I told my guildies about it. One of them ask for his name, I absentmindly gave it to him.

A few minutes later, the shaman msg me again with a wall of insults telling me I must be lonely to go and make an alt just so that I could talk to him. Took me a second to realize my guildie must've sent him a msg. So I ask in gchat what he said. He told me didn't say anything profane, just a short msg "rage more, mine faster."

I just laughed it off and put the guy on ignore since he wants to bombard me with text and I couldn't even reply back. But see how easy it is to fuel the fire? I didn't even say anything other than "rage more" to the guy.

I really don't get in depth harassment. I'm usually pretty aloof ingame, I try my best not to let things bother me.

[Lisaara]

Thanks all. My husband is back home and doing better, but still fighting the infection and on oxygen at night- but overall he's doing better.

I'm so glad! *huggles*

[Cialbi]

Never ever bring up real life people/events/information when you are arguing with someone on the internet. ESPECIALLY. If they didn't have consideration for you in the first place, it's not going to change by anything you say. It's just more ammunition for them to throw at you. And they can twist it to something extremely over the top. People hide behind the anonymity of the web.

True, if you don't really know them. If you know that they actually care about you, but are being annoying at a time when you really don't need it, that's when it helps to bring up issues like that.

But, you must remember that trolls don't give a shit, even if your children, spouse, parents, puppy, kitten, and vacuum cleaner all died recently.
I hope that my morbid sense of humor doesn't offend anyone... >.>

[Worba]

Never ever bring up real life people/events/information when you are arguing with someone on the internet. ESPECIALLY. If they didn't have consideration for you in the first place, it's not going to change by anything you say. It's just more ammunition for them to throw at you. And they can twist it to something extremely over the top. People hide behind the anonymity of the web.

You should have just let it go when he left the group. But whats the saying, hindsight is 20/20 huh? =P Believe me, I like to fuel people's rage - but the other way around. Replying back is never a good choice.

The other day while I was mining in Uldum, something I usually do when I'm hunting for Madexx. I was just finishing off this Pyrite node when I saw this shaman standing on top of the mine. I didn't even see him land. But doesn't matter, I got there first. Hence why I got the loot from the mine. I flew off. Then came the hate tell - "#$@# you you #$%@#$%^ piece of #$% #%@#." (blip out!) =D

That took me back a bit. Over one little node that I had gotten there first? I wasn't going to apologize for that. I probably would've given him the ores if he had ask, just because I'm a nice person. But I have little consideration for anyone that blantently abusive. I replied back with, "rage more." Knowing full well that's what he was going to do. He sent me back a bunch of more name callings and lewd suggestions of what I should do with his private parts. I typed back that if he didn't stop harassing me, I was going to report him. But he had put me on ignore. Amused, I told my guildies about it. One of them ask for his name, I absentmindly gave it to him.

A few minutes later, the shaman msg me again with a wall of insults telling me I must be lonely to go and make an alt just so that I could talk to him. Took me a second to realize my guildie must've sent him a msg. So I ask in gchat what he said. He told me didn't say anything profane, just a short msg "rage more, mine faster."

I just laughed it off and put the guy on ignore since he wants to bombard me with text and I couldn't even reply back. But see how easy it is to fuel the fire? I didn't even say anything other than "rage more" to the guy.

I really don't get in depth harassment. I'm usually pretty aloof ingame, I try my best not to let things bother me.

Hmm. I agree the guy overreacted, but I seem to recall at least at one point haste made mining go faster - think it was when 3.0 came out; I remember some guy swooped in and started mining a node I'd already started mining - and he got the ore. A few days later on a different toon who was higher level and wearing a lot of +haste gear, I ended up racing someone to a node (this was on quel danas, the island with all the lvl 70 dailies aka BC precursor to argent tourney)... he got there a step ahead of me, but it was so close and I wasn't feeling charitable that day so I figured "what the hell might as well try" and lo and behold, I got the ore - and I could actually see my bar complete faster than I'd been used to in past.

Not sure if that's still the case, as it's been a long time since I was in competition for someone for ore nodes (esp nowadays that resource nodes are super common at least in Azeroth), but that could have been a factor. Another factor is that lag can cause people to get there first but not appear on another player's screen for 1-2 seconds, in which case both players are seeing red and 100% certain they are right.

In the end though... sh*t happens.

[Royi]

But, you must remember that trolls don't give a shit, even if your ... vacuum cleaner all died recently.

I mentioned my poor Henry once to a troll, it was a tough time for me.... never going to do that again... RIP Henry... RIP

[Worba]

But, you must remember that trolls don't give a shit, even if your ... vacuum cleaner all died recently.

I mentioned my poor Henry once to a troll, it was a tough time for me.... never going to do that again... RIP Henry... RIP

Hmm I see the resemblance, yes...