Problem Member - Please Read - Important

[[Ho...]]

Thank you so much Colin - HopingtoBeMeAgain did contact me and ask me for my e-mail address.  He was looking to start up a support group by phone.  whatever else he said, alerted me to be cautious and I never answered him.  I am so glad that I didn't.  But another friend did answer him and he upset her so badly.  I am so glad that you have banned him and will be even more cautious now.  Thank you Colin - we are all so very vulnerable now and we don't need this kind of thing making us worse. 

Hoping2BFree

I think he went around the whole site looking for those who seemed most vulnerable and that is who he contacted for their e-mail.  Such an evil person!!!!

[[el...]]

I think he went around the whole site looking for those who seemed most vulnerable and that is who he contacted for their e-mail.  Such an evil person!!!!

 

That is his M.O. exactly, Hoping.

 

If anything good can come out of this, it is a great lesson in exercising caution when it comes to sharing personal info on the internet.  

[[El...]]

Hi,

 

I haven't posted here in a long long time, but recently heard of this thread and thought I'd chime in to give some of you a better understanding of this guy.

 

I used to have phone contact with Rik many years ago, and he told me himself that he keeps a notebook with everybody he speaks to on the phone listed in this notebook with information he gathers about that person.  He said it is to help him remember everybody's info because he talks to so many people and it was hard to remember stuff about everybody.  So, if you've ever talked to him on the phone, you are in this notebook along with any info he learned about you. 

 

You may have noticed when talking with him that he will ask personal questions here and there, like are you married, what does your spouse do for a living, where do you live, little things like that that wouldn't make you suspicious.  But he is writing all this down in that notebook! 

 

 

If you notice, he ALWAYS says things like, "I know a guy named___ from ____ who did _____."    This is not recalled from memory.  It's from the notebook.

 

I used to feel bad for him, but then realized he's really disturbed.  He has even tried to get into AD withdrawal forums numerous times pretending to be a woman.  He needs help, but is looking in all the wrong places for it.  Too bad his family won't step in and do something.

 

If any of you are in his phone group, just be very careful what you tell him because he's writing it all down.  Pay attention to the things he asks.  He WILL use it against you if you ever make him mad.  My experience was pretty bad.

 

So glad to see that others are being warned about this guy.  Thanks

[[es...]]

incredible

 

we used to get this on hep c forums (i have hepatitis, that is what got me started on xanax)

we had one woman we found posting on many medical forums and pretending to be a doctor

she was even at a funeral home site looking for customers

 

it was a real eye-opener as to what can go on at medical forums, and i suppose all forums

 

elaine you are so correct

the little details rik would ask for

 

he was making note cards . seeing who had money, getting "dirt" to use on people

 

it makes me so angry . people that prey on sick people are some of the very lowest

 

 

[[Co...]]

Hello Hoping2Bfree, Elaine and escapo, and all.

 

'Rik' has posted to very many support sites across the Internet. I think most places have banned him, but not all. Because he never takes notice of our rules or bans, and because of the way attempts to gather personal details and contact information, we felt compelled to make public our concerns about this guy. He is not welcome here - he knows this.

 

We have a fair turnover of moderators, so the newer ones will not have had experience of Rik from the past. Those of us that are more familiar with him tend to not review posts as we did in the past - as we are generally busy with other matters - we might miss a newly generated account from 'Rik'. We've decided that it is better that the wider membership know about Rik; they can act as our eyes and ears, and can better protect themselves too.

 

I have seen him post at sites about his contacts and work with medical professionals and researchers. I know some of it to be complete fiction, so I assume it all to be fiction. He might e-mail or call some researchers, but this does not connote a working relationship, which is the impression he tries to give the reader. Sometimes he goes the whole hog and makes claims of being "medical journalist and senior editor, practicing medical psychologist, [and] neuroresearcher". (See my last post). Do not trust this guy.

 

Thank you, everyone. Keep an eye out, but try not to worry too much about this character. If you have a problem, contact us and we will try to help.

 

Thanks.

[[Fr...]]

Thank you for doing such through searching to make this character know to us. It would be so easy to pick up the phone when one is sick from withdrawal and somebody is beckoning us. This person is just plain bad and I've learned a lesson to not give out my email address or phone number to anybody. BB is a great forum and there is always somebody to help if we are not feeling well. I once posted in the shout box and had people helping me on my blog, wonderful, kind people who had gone down the same path and were so sincere. So there is no need to give out email address and genuine people don't ask for them.

 

Frannie

[[Co...]]

Hi Frannie,

 

Of course we would not attempt to dictate what members should do away from the BenzoBuddies website. But it is our very strong advice that members choose an anonymous membership name; do not reveal personally identifiable information; and do not use communication mediums outside of the BenzoBuddies website. The vast majority of our members are genuine and harmless, and some members like to further develop their friendships away the community. But you are advised to operate caution if you decide to ignore our advice in this matter. It is a sad fact that some people seek out the vulnerable in an attempt to take advantage of them. Many of our members value their privacy, registering here with a unique and anonymous persona - this is another good reason to be careful about the information they share to ensure your continued privacy.

 

Although we, of course, do not attempt to dictate what members do away from this website - we only post strongly worded advice - we have decided that certain restrictions apply to the information members can share within this community. Members are not allowed to publish personal contact details in posts (nor to the shoutbox or chat room); nor should they seek to encourage other members to share their contact details. It is not against our rules for members to share contact details through the PM (Personal Message ) system (we think this would be draconian). But, to protect members from inappropriate solicitation of contact details, members should report any PM that makes them feel uncomfortable, or speculatively seeks their contact details, or offers unsolicited contact details for communication away from BenzoBuddies.

 

Of course friendships form between members, but please use your best judgment in these matters.

 

Edit: typos and re-phrasings.

[[...]]

Dear Colin:

 

I just want to thank you for creating this safe place for us to heal.  I can't imagine what I would have done without BB during the healing process.  We are as vulnerable as newly hatched birds during this time.  I can never express all the gratitude I feel for what you have done.

 

ntw

[[Co...]]

Hi ntw,

 

Good to hear from you.

 

Thank you for your kind comments. Of course, though, it is the group effort from all our members that makes our community possible and a good place to visit.

 

Take care,

 

Colin.

[[La...]]

There will always be people to take advantage of the vulnerable, weak and sad.... in a forum like this, we have to be very careful. Thank you, Colin, for being our watch-out :-)

[[Fr...]]

Hi Colin, You are giving out good sound advice and I plan on taking it. It's as you've stated, most people are good people but it only takes one to make somebody's life miserable or cause real harm. Thank you and all of your administrators and mods for helping me out of the maze of benzos.

 

Frannie

[[Co...]]

Hello Lancy and Frannie,

 

Thank you for your comments.

 

If members use the communication systems we have in place here, choose an anonymous membership name, and keep their personal details private, there is a vanishingly small risk from using this (or other) forum(s) for support.

 

I must remind members though, that they are responsible for problems that arise away from this website. We do not intend to police the Internet.

 

We are quite strict about behavior at the forum, chat room, PM system, etc. - it helps us avoid potential problems before they have a chance to arise. I think, given the nature of this community, most members appreciate our reasons for this.

[[re...]]

Ha ha ha. YOU GOT HIM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yup i saw his BS when he was sit2know and questioned his ethics. He seemed like a scaremonger to me as well. There is NO way you are good for like 5 years and all of a sudden you are in withdrawal again. There was something to this and I knew it. GOD JOB COLIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Keep up the good work man. Your site was a saving grace when I came across it. Seemed to be the only genuine one out there without the continuous drama that others seem to perpetuate.

All the best,

Rev

[[Co...]]

Hi rev,

 

Of course we have long banned his accounts, but never before posted about it to the forum. It seems that you are not alone in being pleased to read about this. I'm not sure that I anticipated how many members might welcome our announcement and move on this matter.

[[es...]]

Trouble is, and I realize it is not in the province of this site, he just sets up new accounts elsewhere and preys on the infirm.

[[da...]]

Yes...he moves on.  I understand he is working his magic in some flouroquinline forum as we speak, complaining of permanent damage that was done to him from taking Levaquin.  Someone elses problem but a shame just the same.

[[Co...]]

Hi all,

 

A trusted member has asked me if I will add an update to this thread about KonaJim (Rik). This issue was reported at another benzo forum - I probably would not be reporting it here, but the thread has been removed from the other forum.

 

In my opening post to this thread, I reported that Rik has claimed to be a doctor - he has denied ever making such claims at the other forum. I was made aware of Rik's post, yesterday, (where Rik denies ever claiming to be a doctor), and read it for myself. Although the thread has now been removed, I have been sent a copy of the webpage, so I can accurately report Rik's denial here:

 

What you know Zoe is slander spread through the groups by one woman who is mentally ill....and I do mean mentally ill. She did it to me and two other men. She made death threats to my wife and to Allens wife.

 

We had the calls traced and she has been taken care of. Tell me one verifiable fact that I am a fraud.....not conjecture but a fact. I think the big stink was that I said I am a doctor - I am - 9 years of education. I am not a medical doctor I am a psychologist. Some people are too ignorant to know that PhD psychologists are called doctors. My minister is called doctor.

 

So far all you are doing is repeating gossip that has no facts - send me one fact....one!! Not second hand but a fact.

 

For all we know you could be a 50 year old man sitting in his soiled underwear on his basement computer - easy to do net slander.

 

Rik attempts to confuse the issue my claiming that his use of 'doctor' was justified because of his PhD. No! Rik has indeed claimed to be a medical doctor!

 

Apparently, another thread was started at the other forum last night (again, removed) with links to webpages where Rik has posted his e-mail address, and where he claims to be an MD. Of course, I expect that he will again deny these claims, and try to dismiss the material in some manner.

 

"Dr. James R. Roberts" is another alias (or maybe the real name) of Rik.

 

Rik publishes his e-mail address in the following posts:

 

[nobbc]http://benzowithdrawal.com/forum/index.php?topic=2655.msg72190#msg72190[/nobbc]

 

[nobbc]http://benzowithdrawal.com/forum/index.php?topic=3574.msg93368#msg93368[/nobbc]

 

Rik claims to be an MD in this cached Google webpage (click the 'cancel' button on the login popup message):

 

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:Ab8mi4xnakAJ:www.mindplacesupport.com/testvb/archive/index.php/t-910.html%3Fs%3D30fe04a92175a854d329b0538b6eeb69+%22whole-living.org%22&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&source=www.google.com

 

In case they disappear, I've copied the webpages in question.

 

For our members that might come across Rik elsewhere, do not be taken in by him. He is not an MD, and until he publishes the names of the professional bodies to which he belongs, I will presume that he possesses no professional qualifications.

 

Rik also posted the following, yesterday:

 

I just wrote a note to another member on this. The internet is full of people that act out in ways they would not be able to if they were in person. Then you assemble a group of psychiatric patients and you get a few with profound pathology that is not evident in their basic posts. Their distorted thinking seems real to them (just got off the phone with an old client that has this severely) and they project it onto other people - this lowers their own anxiety and gives them a villain or causation instead of doing self introspection which could fracture a fragile ego.

 

We used to call these people neurotic - now we diagnose them with adjustment disorders. A person who spreads harmful gossip with out proof is at the minimum, of weak character so they are not able to engage in rational self thought and take on other peoples beliefs without question. A narcissist that believes their own internal falsehoods and projects them onto others or a sociopath.

 

I had hundreds of these people as clients when I was in practice so to have them on these forums attacking people without any shred of proof is not so much about the attacked but says much more about the attacker.

 

People come to psyche drugs for a reason - just that some people have major reasons that don't go away when the drugs stop....and in fact can get worse when the chemical restraints are removed.

 

Isn't that charming!? He attempts to blame this on the ailments suffered by others. It will not wash! It would be nice if Rik published the names of the professional bodies to which he belongs (has belonged) so that we could check out his credentials to 'counsel' others. After all, he has taken payment for his telephone consultations! In an earlier post to this thread, I quoted Rik where he claimed to be a "practicing medical psychologist" (July 3rd, 2009). As far as I'm aware, in all US states, you must belong to a professional body to be a "practicing medical psychologist".

 

Anyway, I hope this information helps those that are trying to tackle Rik elsewhere.

[[el...]]

 

 

Rik attempts to confuse the issue my claiming that his use of 'doctor' was justified because of his PhD. No! Rik has indeed claimed to be a medical doctor!

 

Apparently, another thread was started at the other forum last night (again, removed) with links to webpages where Rik has posted his e-mail address, and where he claims to be an MD. Of course, I expect that he will again deny these claims, and try to dismiss the material in some manner.

 

 

Well, that certainly doesn't leave him any more wiggle room! 

[[Fr...]]

I've talked to the administrator of an SSRI forum about this person. She told me that he tried to get on numerous times an actually did once, in spite of their best efforts to keep him out. He was banned when they realized who he was and they had been warned to watch out for him. It would seem by his writing that this person could be a real danger, especially when people are vulnerable and not well from withdrawal. Thank you Colin for posting this. 

 

Frannie

[[am...]]

Whilst he might be a "doctor" he would only be a "doctor of philosophy" if his credentials are to be believed, then again you can buy PhDs online for very little.

 

 

Why are so many psychopaths involved in psychiatric medication forums......

 

 

[[es...]]

we tracked rik down to the pacific northwest about two years ago

he sells used RVs and isn't a doctor

 

rik would attempt to terrify forum members

he dropped names and if one believed him you would believe rik was in contact with the top doctors of Planet Earth daily

we found out he was scamming people - sick people - out of money .. by doing telephone consultations

 

we're looking into his so-called credentials now as this appears to be illegal

perhaps a felony in the US

 

i've never seen anything lower than a predator like this man going at those ill and desperate for relief

 

not all of us are in the depths of BZ wd nor will we sit still for a predator like this stalking forums

rik actually said he was so bad he had to be chained to a radiator at night in police handcuffs

 

hopefully he will be chained to a prison cell soon

 

 

[[am...]]

he was so bad he had to be chained to a radiator at night in police handcuffs

 

hopefully he will be chained to a prison cell soon

 

 

 

[[ca...]]

he was so bad he had to be chained to a radiator at night in police handcuffs

 

hopefully he will be chained to a prison cell soon

 

 

 

 

People that prey on the sick and ill have a "special" place reserved for them in my opinion. I find the whole situation very sad and sick, he must not be mentally well not that that is an excuse. I hope noone else gets tricked and hurt by him.

[[Ch...]]

Colin,

When I was brand new, a "Rik" contacted me and like a benzo withdrawal person desperately reaching out , I gave him my phone number and e-mail.........He then called me a few days later and said not to call him again as it made him feel too bad talking to someone in withdrawal....

Am I in any serious danger in any form? Didnt give address!!!

Thanks

[[Pa...]]

Hi ChicoMarsha,

 

I'm sorry to hear you were one of "Riks" victims, but please don't worry, Colin made these comments that I hope will help still your fear.

 

Hi all,

 

A member asked me 'is this guy, Rik, physically dangerous?' To reassure you all, although, of course, I cannot know the answer to this, what I can say is that I am not aware of him making any physical threats. All the complaints I have come across relate to his misrepresentations, and how he makes those in contact with him feel worse. It is highly unusual for us to post about a banned member like this, but when eljay came across a suspicious post last night (and our checks confirmed his identity) I decided enough is enough, and posted this thread.

 

We have made it absolutely crystal-clear to Rik that he is not welcome here, yet every-so-often, we come across a new account belonging to him. He varies his benzodiazepine details: sometimes he withdrew many years ago; and other times (like with his latest account), his use has been much more recent. What doesn't vary though, are his attempts to manipulate members and suggestions of personal contact away from the forum.

 

Anyway, I hope this helps reassure you all.