We detached this subthread from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=20160672 and marked it off-topic.

Looks suspicious enough anyway if users check their history, considering that user posted for the first time in a year just to make that comment.

True. But they've never posted very frequently. So maybe this is just an important issue for them.

Also, are baseless allegations OK here?

This. I just don't post here frequently or check HN. Rest assured I am a real person.

I have mentioned my Twitter in previous comments (https://twitter.com/peterkimfrank) and you'll see my submission history maps pretty well to my role at my company (https://dev.to/peter).

This was a weird comment thread to wake up to...

Well, personally my guess is that it's actually a legitimate user since the username is based on their real name, and they've linked to their Twitter account in the past. It'd be pretty silly to sell an account so closely linked to your identity. Unless it was hacked and sold without the user's knowledge I guess.

Plus it'd be really stupid for the buyer to mention it. How about stopping this thread derailment?

Is it really that much of a premium price? I’ve found a few HN accounts with downvote privileges for sale for reasonable prices compared to what people usually spend on marketing.

Touché. If I need Hacker News "influencer" services going forward, I will turn to you.

Wait, just how what are points worth in an account resale? It can't possibly be worth it for first world adults to sell.

This sort of activity and behavior is common on sites like reddit. It's used by media companies and brands, especially as the reach is much bigger than HN comments.

Astroturfing is big business and can be very profitable. An account itself isn't worth much, it's the overall execution that matters.

I'd love to see HN or Reddit or someone work with the feds on how to investigate and prosecute astroturfing/sockpuppets/shilling, perhaps as unauthorized computer access and/or fraud.

Except it's not really unauthorized access if the owner of the account allows you to publish in his/her name, is it?

I suspect lawyers could figure out the ToS so that it is.

That wouldn’t be “criminal” — a TOS violation isn’t “prosecuted” as its civil. And, the aggrieved party would have to prove actual damages.

Unauthorized access in connection with fraud, for example. I'll let the lawyers figure it out, and I hope they do.

Astroturfing and shilling isn’t illegal. Unless an account was hacked, no crime has been committed. Even lying generally isn’t a crime. In terms of fraud, there has to be a determination of unlawful gain or to deprive a victim of a legal right. Astroturfing isn’t fraud, nor is shilling.

Which is why I said they'd have to work with the feds on how.