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Third party posted information on website - could it possibly be libel.

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wonka

Junior Member
What is the name of your state? MI

It seems that someone posted a listing with my information on Who's A Rat (www.whosarat.com) - and its a complete joke. I know the guy who did it, because he has posted the same crap on other message boards. The thing is, I ran a temporary message board last fall - and when his actions were seen as being negligent the members of a board took a vote to have him banned. Well, like I said - I was the admin at the time, and he had my personal email address.

Well, he did a little data-digging and found profiles I had on other message boards. He was able to find information including my real name, age, and the city I lived in - common info on a message board. But I never had any contact with this guy, and I am certainly no rat. It wouldn't even be an issue except that I don't have a common name, so if one does a google search for my name there are 4 results - and whosarat.com is the very first one.

There has to be a way I can clear my name - I mean, I have zero record. In the info he entered in the "Informant Profile" he stated that I work for local police, DEA, AND the FBI. Then he went on to say that I am a rat, narc, AND cop - all three.

The truth is I am simply a college student who ran a stupid temporary message board, and the person who posted it has a grudge - there's obviously nothing behind anything in the informant profile he submitted. I know that it says information is for entertainment purposes only, but if a graduate school clerk comes across it when I apply to grad school in a few months, they're not going to see it that way.

If there is something I can do, someone I can contact to clear my name I would really, REALLY appreciate it if someone could let me know. Again, let me say I think this site is fine for the purpose intended, but some 19-year-old kid shouldn't be able to put someone's info on here when he just has a stupid grudge.

After he started posting my info on other message boards I did some data digging myself - I have detailed information on him. But I am not going to post an infomant profile with his info, because I think that is a gross abuse of what that website offers.

I hope that someone gets back to me and I can get this resolved - and while it states in the legal section that the site has no resposiblility for info posted by a third party I hope that something can be done. If the site's admin does not do something to take care of this, and I have some legal place to fight this, I am willing to pay someone for their services in this matter.

I already tried emailing the only address provided on the site - and I even found the phone number of the individual in an online news article. I have sent a couple of emails with no responses, and even left a voicemail on the individual's cell phone. My biggest concern is that I posted a thread about the situation on the site's message board and it got deleted immediately - so I have a feeling that the site admin is just ignoring me.

This type of thing could really cause a problem in the future, especially since I am applying to grad school soon. Please let me know if I am able to do anything in this situation.

Thanks all.
 


wonka

Junior Member
I also wanted to add, the really bad information that was posted was:

Occupation: Drug dealer, Oxycontin/Cocaine Supplier
Ilegal drug use by this informant: Oxycontin, MDMA, Methamphetmine, Cocaine.
Still involved in any illegal activity: Cocaine dealer - This guy is a loser.

This looks so bad. I appreciate anyone's help in this matter.
 

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