The darker side of Steemit and the story of Hashbash

I'm writing for my own protection as much as anything, because I don't want to become a target, but also I want others to be aware how someone could ruin an account without proof. So be careful when forming up downvoting mobs. I make no allegations or presumptions of guilt to anyone.

On Steemit chat I noticed a user by the name of Hashbash claiming she was being extorted for nudes by @ilyastarar and everyone should downvote and flag him . Let me just say before anyone goes of half-cocked that I doubt he did anything wrong. I only mention his name to let him know someone's making allegations about him.

Initially I was concerned for her and said she should call the police, extortion is illegal after all. She said this was not an option because he was in Pakistan but were we willing to form up a little mob to downvote him.

I was in, that's a terrible thing to do to someone. However, me being the sceptical sort, I asked for proof a couple of times in the way of screenshots which she said she would provide...

Anyway, around an hour went by and I expressed my growing scepticism to other members of our would-be-mob. Hashbash came back to answer my very reasonable questioning saying she wouldn't now be providing screenshots, because reasons...and accused me of creating tension. Claiming she never asked for a downvote (I'll let you decide that one).

She then posted she was withdrawing her request for a down vote campaign against @ilyastarar.

Finally I scrolled to the top of the page to take screens, lest I become the target of a smear campaign and saw the same user, same target, but this time a different allegation of him creating "a fake I.D". Unfortunately I didn't screencap it in time and it's gone now.

There were four or five people at least who bought the story and were going to target the user (I believe one already downvoted him), which could have turned into more. I just want people to think about things before they join in any downvoting, for any reason. Mob justice is ugly and seldom ever reasoned. If a user asks you to target someone else; ask for proof.