There's a person who seems to mess up peoples boxes in my area. Boxes seem to either go missing or are moved to a different spot sometimes many yards away after this person finds them. Quite a few people have noticed it as well. This person also has a nasty reputation of telling (possibly posting their comments) that their clues are boring, their walk is boring etc.
I would like to block this person from seeing my boxes. I'm getting tired of putting in the effort of creating the box for it all to be messed up or gone.
Is there a way to block someone?

I think putting restrictions on your plants may work.

Only if the boxer is new... we've got the same problem and restrictions would block other boxers rather than these...

W. O. M. ?

I think the only way you can block someone from seeing your boxes is through the restrictions. Of course this restricts other boxers also from seeing it. Always a rotten apple in the bunch.

Restrictions or WOM will make it difficult for new or other good meaning boxers to find it. What about getting in touch with the moderators or creators of AQ to lodge a complaint. If this person is not following the rules maybe they can get kicked off the site.

You can change your clues to "Email me for clues" and then monitor explicitly.

I have seen this used by several different planters to protect series that are especially important to them or that have carves that they want to protect a little bit more than normal.

It's an option but has the same problem as WOM....although the planter is the only one supposed to give out the clues, many people simply as their friends and then get them that way.....believe me, I've tried it.....it doesn't work

Virtual sympathy heading your way!

We recently experienced this with a couple of our boxes but the good news is the offender doesn't live here. Vacation is over, they went home and so we are safe for another year...

But then the rest of the year we have excited kids, inexperienced newbies and the occasional pantomath spreading and sharing their brand of wisdom.

We just extend some grace and shrug it off. It also helps to tell ourselves it could just as easily been a fire or a hurricane to take out our stamps

But I understand the frustration, more than once I have taken to the boards to vent (and afterwards felt so much better)!
Who knows, maybe the offender will change their ways after recognizing themselves on an AQ message board....

Three Flamigos

Maybe that is something Ryan should look into. Ryan could delete them, but they could just make a new account unless he logged it with the associated email address. Same could happen if you could block them. Hmmmm?

This person also has a nasty reputation of telling (possibly posting their comments) that their clues are boring, their walk is boring etc.

I have my "public comments" set to moderate all comments (Preferences ->Letterboxes & Searches) so the comments on my boxes won't be seen unless I approve them.

Unfortunately, there is no good solution to sloppy (or rude) practices of a long time boxer. They are who they are. The best I can do is check my boxes soon after I get a find notice, or if my box is planted further away, have a network of boxing friends who can check (maintain) for me.

What does W O M mean?

What does W O M mean?

Word Of Mouth

thanks for my new word, Pantomath

Maybe that is something Ryan should look into. Ryan could delete them

I don't think it's a good idea for me to start taking requests for people whose accounts that should be deleted. It's all fun when you get someone else's account deleted, but you'll find it less fun when someone who doesn't like you gets your account deleted.

I have no way of verifying reports of who-did-what-no-I-didn't-you-you-did-I-have-photos-you-have-photos-of-a-box-that-a-racoon-pushed-out-of-a-tree-whatever-yeah-well-I-hate-you-and-I'm-going-to-report-you-anyhow-and-I-can't-believe-you-deleted-my-account!-I'm-going-to-create-a-new-account-and-get-yours-deleted-so-ha!

Sometimes, you have to work problems out on your own. Restrict your boxes if it makes you feel better, or have a plan to check up on a box soon after someone you suspect is a problem will look for your box, or whatever. Set up a camera to see what they do (and maybe have evidence of their crimes).

Unless someone is deliberately vandalizing boxes, threatening to, or posting photos of their crimes, there's not much I can do about it. I'm not going to start deleting or freezing accounts because some people are accusing someone else of being a "bad" letterboxer.

You'll get my sympathies, but accusations by themselves are useless.

-- Ryan

This person also has a nasty reputation of telling (possibly posting their comments) that their clues are boring, their walk is boring etc.

I have my "public comments" set to moderate all comments (Preferences ->Letterboxes & Searches) so the comments on my boxes won't be seen unless I approve them.

Why not leave the negative comments up, as long as there are no spoilers? In many cases, negative comments are a reflection on the finder, not the box. If you remove their comments, no one can see how negative that person is.

I’ve never had a public “negative comment” on any of my boxes, but the moderation feature is really great to prevent clue hints/spoilers.

I suppose if I did get a “negative comment”, I would get rid of it for my own well being and continued enjoyment of the hobby.