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[return to "Tracking the Fake GitHub Star Black Market"]
1. amster+Ka[view] [source] 2023-03-18 09:53:46
>>kaeruc+(OP)
GitHub is fully aware of these, would they consider something like a "confirmed" star count that subtracts the suspicious/fake number? Or is that too much of a slippery slope.
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2. mapmel+Fb[view] [source] 2023-03-18 10:05:46
>>amster+Ka
GitHub gradually removes these users as they catch up to them, so not helpful to have extra steps. I have a couple of repos which were briefly popular, so when a new user stars it today, and I see 1000s of other stars, it's suspicious and I get a peek into their world.

There are obvious numeric usernames, but also fake orgs with repos for the users to fork and interact with, and a few account takeovers (i.e. someone had signed up for GitHub in 2015 to make a free wedding website, abandoned it, and the account fell into spammer hands). These used to be easier to report.

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3. Azadza+Ec[view] [source] 2023-03-18 10:20:58
>>mapmel+Fb
>GitHub gradually removes these users as they catch up to them

With collaterals too I presume [1]. I guess I've been the victim of some automated system. They have banned my account without warning or explanation and they've been ignoring my support tickets for about 2 months!

[1]: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=34817163

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