ETA 20/09/10 I am still updating this post, although I’m tending to add the names in batches so it may be a week or so before I get around to it.

If you have recently received a random message or contact from an unknown person containing text similar to the title, it may be a troll. His name seems to be Paul Melville Austin, but he uses a variety of pseudonyms, including Paul Benjamn Austin (also just plain Paul Austin) and Paul Sebastian Williams, to harass users and gain attention for himself. He seems to have accounts on both LiveJournal and Dreamwidth under the names of australianchild, bullenemu, colemancharlott and tyne_wear (ETA Also marmaladeatkins, michellerowatt, carlottecoleman, marmaladeatkins, thetestcard, australiaoz, marmalade44, uline, marmaladeat, charcoleman, ozaustralia, marmalade00, australian00s, australiachild, tyne_and_wear, jasminebreaks, aliciajohns, w6chamap, tynetees, mullauna.myopenid.com, australia_oz, mitcham.myopenid.com, aus_dw, middletonkate, phillipart,
P Bm Austin, Paul B. Austin and Jordy Lucas [Last three names are from Facebook]) but may have others. He is also known to use some non-journal nicknames and have multiple email addresses.

He has several behaviors, and a general pattern by which you can identify him;
*He contacts users, via email, IM’s or private messages.
*He usually presents himself as either a young woman (generally using a stolen icon) or as an older, disabled man.
– His frequently changes his name with each contact.
*He will generally start out saying something like “can I talk to you?”.
*He then launches into a story of abuse.
– Sometimes the abuse will be sexual and sometimes it is disability related, with either a sexual or humiliation component. The specific details vary from contact to contact.
*He will often express gender identity confusion and/or dating problems.
*He is interested in alternate history and fandom and will sometimes try to use this to get close to his new target.
*He often sets off the “squick-o-meter” when conversing with people. You may get a feeling that there is something Not Quite Right.
*On some occasions he has continued communication, even after being asked to stop

For example in August 2008 he posed as a High School Student called Marta (http://community.feministing.com/2008/08/reaching-out-and-welcoming.html) who was a survivor of sexual abuse.

This behaviour has continued over many years. He may or may not be dangerous. Please use appropriate amounts of caution if you choose to interact with him. If you feel he is breaking or has broken the Dreamwidth or LiveJournal Terms of Service while interacting with you, please contact them immediately. They can be reached via abuse@dreamwidth.org or abuse@livejournal.com, as appropriate.

I am trying to collect more information about the people he contacts and his interactions with them. If you believe you may have had contact with one of his personas, please leave me a message on this post.

Comments are screened, please note whether you want the comment to remain screened or are happy to have it unscreened. Anon comments are allowed, but may not necessarily be unscreened.

The more people who know about this man and his MO, the fewer people he can harass and trick. So also, please consider linking or re-posting this note in your own journal.

Thanks!

Categories: ethics & philosophy, law & order

Tags: blogging, cyber-stalking, cybersafety, harassment