MASSIVE Fake Portals - Escariz, Portugal
Recently, in Wayfarer, I've spotted a few "odd" submissions of Graffiti/paintings that, after a few investigation, I've noticed to be completely false.
Most of them are VERY well done, being VERY hard to spot them unless you're actually doing some kind of forensic analysis on the images itself. The submission text and description were also very cunningly mentioning a few non-existant art exhibits.
I've reported all of them (through Wayfarer Abuse form and inside Wayfarer) but still, some of them managed to slip through and it's escalating to a degree of professionalism that makes this warrant its own report in the community forum.
I'll attach on a comment the original files where the "creative" got their original images.
Submissions found:
Pintura "O Barqueiro"
Location: 40.923152, -8.394114
Photo Forensics Report: https://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=e6c3437601155de76ca2b776a4acde7e45014a3b.1064806 (check metadata)
Pintura "Os Amantes"
Location: 40.948803, -8.392137
Photo Forensics Report: https://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=03e0cfe350f58f79bfad8de8c5cc87713ab07b25.1136632 (check metadata)
Pintura "Animal de Estimação"
Location: 40.950588, -8.396328
Photo Forensics Report: https://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=f0ad01b2ca913d72af5a20ad9f4b98f859a28294.1360385 (check metadata)
Pintura "O Bovino"
Location: 40.949023, -8.394143
Photo Forensics Report: https://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=e22838d0a76fdf6d385eb92d988524cf32ba018b.1553053
Pintura "O Coração"
Location: 40.947684,-8.402453
Photo Forensics Report: https://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=78501ea5bbfc053d32ff1e618348dbdfd82d0be3.1662038
Portals currently on the network using the same methods (assuming, same author):
Pintura "Os Sapatos"
Location: 40.947815, -8.397908 (Intel)
Photo Forensics Report: https://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=34dcb8f5570144e10a195378ad4fc1b02eb2c9ff.1027587
Grafitti da Paixão
Location: 40.947164,-8.397961 (Intel)
Photo Forensics Report: https://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=d9d1ab1afbedd4be8b25ff67d4830fe27fffbf9f.1675235
I'm hoping you can take a hit on the player that keeps submitting these fake nominations
Comments
Pintura "O Coração"
Location: 40.947684,-8.402453
Image URL: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Nh4MPyfWMqJc4EdJvcq4BZsnQjPR152XH8TqhzvdhZV3JHAHpwHxlcvxFqxMRn5tQotw2iM8IPW-yIz5OH01ofZgVw=s0
Image obtained from: https://www.pinterest.pt/pin/280067670564375690/
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Pintura "O Bovino"
Location: 40.949023, -8.394143
Image URL: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/Ahw3tCKkBwTHH9PPs1cigldGRQP6S-syXPWPlUS598j9u3_ppYiSk2M41OK812m4-l58cIOQrbasebl3tzYLGLC7rWf_=s0
Image obtained from: https://www.kissclipart.com/silhouette-cow-head-wall-clock-clipart-beef-cattle-6qp6zp/
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Grafitti da Paixão
Location: 40.947164,-8.397961 (Intel)
Image URL: http://lh3.googleusercontent.com/mD6J29DM2mUIaql7MC0JnOlRZDZd3aYYZ5qgrIkszLkg5vgvUcfZk6n3oqUMjpgsy0EUkDTWB_5IassVLWt0uYRMyf8=s0
Detail on how poorly the image was doctored: https://i.imgur.com/urizfQD.png
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Just to add on @Stultusz report, this is a massive ongoing operation with already published portals and several others that are in voting, at the moment. These may go unnoticed to some reviewers - they're nicely done.
The author is saying on the supporting statement that all of these artwork were done during the festival 'Escariz Arte 2019'. A google search for the name of this festival will retun 0 results: https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=%22Escariz%20Arte%202019%22&safe=active&ssui=on
There is no Art Festival in Escariz, Portugal. None.
@NianticCasey Any chance of getting a member from your team to review this? We have flagged it using the Wayfarer Abuse form but we have seen portals already published. They all follow the same trend, same techniques. This is particularly frustrating for those who try to do the right thing.
Dupe. Ignore.
Zooming in the first example ( Pintura "O Barqueiro" ), we can see some artifacts in the picture :
Submitted by "unknown" player?
PoGo players love fake/ghost/Photoshopped POIs.
Hey folks, thanks for the flag. I've escalated this to the team for a re-review. Stay tuned for more information.
Thanks for the feedback.
In the meanwhile, I have one more to add to the queue, found in Wayfarer:
Name: Pintura "A Cegonha"
Location: 40.948931,-8.390389
Image URL: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/gTX1khnFdxh9v1Bt-lwj7I_Fz5xF7bDDlZR3-zlV-Y89GXZXq1FmON1PAosnXj4Ar7VO7m53Xl9vOUA1W8wJ7lnQjS8=s0
Forensics URL: http://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=b03708d9b0da941b8e44507d1f5298bc3b587ad7.2105615
Original Image (manipulated): https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-odq3pM1jrn8/WcEvC0T5bBI/AAAAAAAACyw/rmpksg2u-2oNUpJaVsKZ65lmSJw822lLQCLcBGAs/s1600/cegonha3.png
While this is ignored, the agent/player keeps persisting and fake portals keep entering our network.
One more submission found in Wayfarer. Assuming from the same player(s), in the same area:
Name: Pintura Mural do Tubarão
Location: 40.9436174,-8.4347828
Image URL: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/moxbW2eiZFiXWf9q36ZchOYfC0MGhJkmzGVjKPj6fUVDAe9SFeEXf-g4OCBTntQYJY-9mBVNaKzn4EL2sYpxOliFHg=s0
Supporting Image URL: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/zircFjVgQKa7Zo_igeoEoeqOulWYZ3wRJ51RQ-htDYAJWUmd9hMz3yH3x8tkfnGEcnFeXJOGxiJGoYWsf00Ht_onh90=s0
Forensics URL: https://fotoforensics.com/analysis.php?id=9f970ca0ba56bf6d4fc69f8dce18a83864375c6e.602551
Original Image: https://www.pinterest.pt/pin/417920040394315261/
In the meanwhile, despite being flagged in several ways (Wayfarer, Abuse Form and through this Forum), one of the flagrant fakes has just been converted into a portal: https://intel.ingress.com/intel?ll=40.923152,-8.394114&z=15&pll=40.923152,-8.394114
This is frustrating as FAKE portals - the ones we've mentioned before - are now live.
These were made up. @NianticCasey are you still on the case? This player 'ruivop' is getting these approved (plus others placed on private property). Should we care in provide more evidence of hiis wrongdoing?
Something that plays in your favor thanks to its approval is that you now have the certainty of its identity.
It's been more than a full month this report has been done and yet no action has been taken, despite extensive evidence being provided @NianticCasey.
I'm sad to realize this is how things roll, where cheaters get away unscathed with this kind of behavior. It really saps the fun out of the game, specially when several have volunteered (and worked) to build and maintain the quality of the portal network with legitimate, good submissions and evaluations.