51

I'm aware of this probably similar question, but I think this has a different flavour.

I came across this "freelance job" posted on Upwork (emphasis mine):

Answer several questions on Stack Overflow platform using an assigned account, receive upvotes from the answers and help the account reach reputation points of 15 in total.

Is it just spam?

Is it next-level sock puppeting?

I consider it a violation of the rules, am I right?

Notes:

The suggested dupe: Don't be that account: buying and selling reputation and bounties is about paying for directly receiving upvotes or bounties. This one is about sharing an account and paying someone else to gain reputation on that account. It's related, sure, but I think this is a bit different.

Can multiple people operate one account? on the other hand, states

No, multiple people cannot legally operate a single account.

Which answers the third point.

The job is no longer available, because the freelancer was successfully found. Job stats on Upwork (may not be visible for not logged in users) show "Hired: 1" (in the bottom of screenshot below).

Job posting

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  • 48
    $35 for only 15 reputation points? That's a steal. Lol! Must be a scam or some kind of bait-and-switch tactic.
    – 41686d6564
    Commented Nov 19, 2022 at 20:07
  • 4
    @Ivar That post is what came to my mind initially, but I think there's a difference. This one is about paying for posting answers, not for direct upvotes or bounties.
    – 41686d6564
    Commented Nov 19, 2022 at 20:10
  • 3
    @Ivar Pretty close. There they were exchanging reputation, here it seems they directly let you use their account to gain rep.
    – Bob__
    Commented Nov 19, 2022 at 20:10
  • 2
    Possibly related: Can multiple people operate one account?
    – 41686d6564
    Commented Nov 19, 2022 at 20:11
  • 18
    I've escalated this to CMs. Please raise a flag next time, though
    – Zoe - Save the data dump Mod
    Commented Nov 19, 2022 at 20:15
  • 14
    on any post in general (or, if you believe you've found relevant accounts on Stack, flag any of their posts). Just describe what you've found. Whether the flag is relevant to the question isn't super important with mod flags about problems that go beyond specific posts
    – Zoe - Save the data dump Mod
    Commented Nov 19, 2022 at 20:19
  • 1
    If I had knew that, I would have answered more questions and you would find my account on ebay. :D
    – Thingamabobs
    Commented Nov 19, 2022 at 22:15
  • 2
    @Bob__ The link is dead, so either SO mods contacted the company to have it removed, or the person who posted the job got wind of this question and removed it.
    – Daedalus
    Commented Nov 20, 2022 at 21:47
  • 25
    Chances are the reason they specifically want accounts with 15+ reputation is so those accounts have the upvote privilege - i.e. they want to use those accounts to engage in voting fraud.
    – kaya3
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 5:57
  • 4
    I still see this job, with stats "Activity on the job: Hires: 1". They finally found a freelancer to do this, unfortunately. Link is not dead, this job is shown only to logged in users, probably. @Bob__ would you mind me editing this question to attach a screenshot?
    – STerliakov
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 13:43
  • 1
    @SUTerliakov Thanks, please do it.
    – Bob__
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 15:23
  • 2
    It has long been suspected. Now we have some evidence. What is driving it in this case? Spammers? Job applicants who think an online presence is required and buys one (corruption)?
    – Peter Mortensen
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 18:34
  • 7
    We should take those jobs whenever they appear. Post answers, get to 15 rep, get paid. Then, using your main account, flag/report all those answers and get them deleted. Dummy account back to zero (or banned), and you have $35 in your pocket. Poster wouldn't even know it was you that reported them, so you could possibly do this multiple times to the same fraudster.
    – bta
    Commented Nov 21, 2022 at 22:46
  • 3
    @bta That's a good way to go to jail for real life fraud.
    – TylerH
    Commented Nov 22, 2022 at 14:33
  • 2
    @bta No, it's like leaving your employer, and then using a backdoor to delete all the work you did for them. There is nothing illegal about what the job poster is asking for, but entering a contract to provide a service for money and secretly working to undermine said contract after getting paid is literally the definition of fraud.
    – TylerH
    Commented Nov 22, 2022 at 17:55

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
10

One individual paying another to answer questions under a 3rd account is not inherently against the rules of the site, although it is definitely a waste of money.

It could lead to rule violations very easily if various other conditions or criteria are met, including, but not limited to:

  • multiple people operating the same account (although I feel like I see a fair amount of generic 'company support' accounts on here that aren't deleted) -- For what it's worth, the site's Terms & Conditions have changed several times since that 2017 Meta post by Cody Gray; that specific language is not included anymore.
  • answering questions asked by another account you have access to in order upvote and accept them
  • the job poster re-taking control of the account at a later date
  • hiring someone under the age of 13 to operate the account (which might also run afoul of one or more country's labor laws, too)
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  • 1
    it is totally obvious that it leads to these violations so your answer is pointless (sorry to bother you)..
    – kingsjester
    Commented Nov 22, 2022 at 15:00
  • 5
    @kingsjester it's not obvious at all that any of these conditions are necessarily met. Presumably the 3rd one might be, but that's only confirmable if you've spoken with the job poster. Are you the one who took the job?
    – TylerH
    Commented Nov 22, 2022 at 15:11
  • i don't see why somebody would be paid to enhance an account which will be used only by him after.. so your first condition is met
    – kingsjester
    Commented Nov 22, 2022 at 15:26
  • 8
    @kingsjester Just because you cannot see it doesn't mean it someone else can't. What's likely and what's true are not always the same.
    – TylerH
    Commented Nov 22, 2022 at 15:45
  • 1
    How to do it without breaking the account transfer rule: have job poster post answer to question, job taker immediately edit answer to be good answer, and job poster approve edit.
    – Joshua
    Commented Nov 22, 2022 at 19:04
  • @Joshua Oh, no... Please, don't suggest loopholes!
    – Bob__
    Commented Nov 22, 2022 at 20:19
  • @Bob__: I love posting loopholes that are clear that somebody used them from the history.
    – Joshua
    Commented Nov 23, 2022 at 0:45

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