We use cookies to understand how the site is used and to improve it. You can accept them, or carry on with them switched off.
Also known as: fake
A post whose name, advertised size, and NFO describe one thing while the archive holds something else, typically padding, advertising, or malware. Fakes persist because a release name is only text and nothing on Usenet verifies it. Indexers depend largely on user reports to flag them, and a mismatch between claimed size and actual article count is an early signal.
Browse all terms in Privacy & Security, or see the full Usenet glossary.