This Is Freaky....

[Spot's Meow]

Okay, I am officially freaked out.

I work two jobs. My second job is interning at my university’s archives. Not many people work here or use this computer. I think only one other person has occasionally used it. I don’t know my coworkers well because we all do our work individually for the most part and I haven’t been here that long.

I come into my second job today, a few minutes ago, and sit down at the computer. Normally I have to sign into the network, but it was already signed in. I move the mouse to get rid of the screensaver and what do I see on the screen? TrekBBS. Just right there on the home page. I see that the history pane is open so I think, maybe they found it going through my history. But then I remember that I have never accessed this site from that computer. I actually do real work at this job.

So then I am freaked out! Someone must have discovered my secret identity and is taunting me with this open window. But I guess that seems a little too paranoid, so I suppose it’s possible that someone else here visits the site. I just find it highly coincidental since so few people work here or would ever use this computer, and if they did so it is very likely that they would have closed the site and logged out as they normally do.

So who is messing with me?!?! I demand that you reveal yourself! This is just too weird.


ETA: I have also just discovered some items missing from my trash can...not sure if it is related to this incident.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

Well you should have checked the history and checked which threads they visited and check which name crops up in each one, or perhaps the history might have shown what posts they might have made.

or was the history pane empty?

 

[Spot's Meow]

I thought of that, but upon checking only the home page was in the history. No threads or even forums, just the home page......

 

[All Seeing Eye]

I thought of that, but upon checking only the home page was in the history. No threads or even forums, just the home page......

YIKES!

Set up a secret camera, see if it happens again and catch them out.

 

[An Officer]

The new film is generating interest from all kinds of non-fans! More sci-fi geeks than you might think...

I personally have never seen anyone else surfing this site, and would be spooked if I did!
It's a small world they say...

 

[RJDiogenes]

TrekBBS loves you. It follows you.

 

[JustKate]

Just start calling the computer "Hal" and see what happens...

 

[All Seeing Eye]

I wouldn't start getting worried until you knock the screen saver off to find it on the trekbbs post a message screen and there's a message typed out specifically to you saying "I can see you".

 

[trekkiedane]

I thought of that, but upon checking only the home page was in the history. No threads or even forums, just the home page......

Ah!

Someone there knows you're a trekkie and wants to freak you out! -just a coincidence that it was this site -could as easily have been any other Trek based site!

 

[Mallory]

TrekBBS loves you. It follows you.

Especially when you're a moderator.

 

[Spot's Meow]

By the way, in case anyone was wondering, I still don't know who put up this site that one day but there have been further incidents. It's clear that someone is going through my trash. Any time I crumple a piece of paper and throw it in there the next day it is sitting there all opened up. The things in my desk are sometimes moved around and someone keeps trying to look at my history on this computer but I've been deleting it since that first time.

I'm actually really pissed off about this. I haven't given anyone here a reason to distrust me and I barely even KNOW these people. I know their names and that is about it. Why they feel the need to pry into my business is a mystery to me. If they want to know what I'm doing why not just ask or stand behind my shoulder while I do all of my work? At least that would be honest.

Instead they want to sneak around like a little bitch. And they aren't even good at it. If you are going to read my trash at least put it back the way you found it. And log out of the damn computer when you are done prying into my business. What a stupid asshole.

 

[trekkiedane]

Wow, what an opportynity!

Take notes like this: "[someone] is going to kill the boss next Wednesday says [someone else]" -only make it sound more like the kind of notes one might take. throw it in the trash and wait to see what happens come Wednesday...

 

[RJDiogenes]

Or "The tests came back positive. I have the most highly contagious strain of Swine Flu. After work I will pick up some disinfectant."

 

[trekkiedane]

^That's a good one - after a day of sneezing loudly!

 

[nevermore]

Instead they want to sneak around like a little bitch. And they aren't even good at it. If you are going to read my trash at least put it back the way you found it. And log out of the damn computer when you are done prying into my business. What a stupid asshole.

Do you not have a secure log-in for the computer?

 

[Spot's Meow]

^No, each of the computers has a log-in but not us individuals. We log in as "computer 3" for the one I work at. But, no one else uses that computer but me so normally it remains untouched when I'm gone.

 

[archeryguy1701]

That is kind of a creepy and assholish thing for someone to be doing. Do you trash anything that might be important or have "valuable" information, or is it all pretty regular stuff? If your work place has cameras, you might be able to make an argument to have security pull the tapes.

 

[LaxScrutiny]

At a local toystore there is a cool little camera that attaches to your pet's collar and then automatically takes a picture every few seconds and then you can see where your pet went all day. It's just a little thing that doesn't look like a camera. You could get something like that and leave it on your desk.

Or take a piece of paper and coat one side with a water-proof coating (get some at an outdoors store, it's for protecting maps.) Then coat the waterproof side with ink and crumple it up. When your friend opens it they get ink all over their fingers.

Combine that with the camera. Then play the pictures/video in the common room tv screen on an endless loop.

 

[trekkiedane]

That is kind of a creepy and assholish thing for someone to be doing. Do you trash anything that might be important or have "valuable" information, or is it all pretty regular stuff? If your work place has cameras, you might be able to make an argument to have security pull the tapes.

Indeed. Go tell whomever is in charge of the place that you have noticed some irregularities -Worst case scenario: some 'bad apple in the bunch' co-worker of yours gets a slap on the hand. Best case scenario: You stop a serious case of industrial espionage...

 

[Spot's Meow]

You guys must take some pretty drastic measures at your jobs when you notice something go missing.

Unfortunately your ideas aren't that useful to me for this job. First, there is a security camera in the room but I'm not sure if it actually works or if anyone actually looks at the footage ever…I work in a small department that only has about 4 people on staff. We have a "boss" but she is often not there and I don't know her that well. Also, she could possibly be one of the people doing this.

Things are further complicated because I am only there for 2 hours a day and I have very little say in anything because I am an intern (paid, but still an intern). I am there from 3 to 5 every day...the others are there before me and sometimes leave before I get there. So it would be hard for me to "catch" them in any way.

I might be leaving this job in 3 weeks, it depends on if they have the funding to keep me for the summer or not. I want to stay there for the extra money it provides me but I kind of want to leave just so I can get away from the place. I feel unhappy and irritated every time I go there now.

There are only 3 possible suspects. I have my ideas about who it is but there is little I can do to verify it and he is in an actual position and is my supervisor so it probably wouldn't be a good idea to start being accusatory.