Look, I know, this is the last forum that will offer me any sympathy but please hear me out, I need your help!

I started a new account posting Reddit videos on the TikTok app a few months back, mainly due to the amount of similar accounts that were on there that seemed to do well. I had previously come across a post from someone showing you how to make this style of video, it was titled ‘How to get Followers quick’. The man in the video explained how you would have access to unlimited content, to post daily with minimal effort. It linked everything from which threads to find the best posts, to which Text-to-speech to use as a narrator. Also the best games to show in the background of the video. I uploaded my first five videos that day and was seeing real numbers in terms of likes, comments and followers.

I passed 7000 followers in my first week and was posting 4-5 videos a day. I did mention the Original Poster’s username at the bottom and in the cut out of their post. Maybe looking back I should have asked for permission but at the time I felt this was enough. It would also hinder the amount of videos I could upload per day, as I’d have to wait for replies. I got to 20,000 followers in my first month, with many of my videos surpassing a million views.

Within a 3 month period I had amassed a following of 345,000, I was also making good enough money off this exposure to enjoy my nights out. I couldn’t believe how easy it was, I even started another account and did the exact same thing. It was, at the time something that seemed too good to be true!

I got the first message 2 weeks ago and this is what it read:

‘Hello,

I have noticed you have taken a couple of my posts from the r/NoSleep forum, my username is *******, I would kindly request you remove these videos as I haven’t given you permission to use them.

Thank you,

OP.’

I read it full of cockiness and humour, I didn’t even respond back as I didn’t see it worth my time. I deleted it and carried on making my 3rd post of the day.

Two days passed and things were going well, I had gained another 10,000 followers, the guy who messaged me’s post was getting my profile a lot of attention! It nearly had 9 million views and 800,000 likes, I credited all of the users who’s posts I used in my video anyway, why complain, I’m doing you a favour.

I received a second message from that same user:

‘Hi again,

Look. I have tried to be nice about this but you need to remove the video of my post now.

If you do not remove it, there will be consequences.

You have been warned.

You have 24 hours.’

Wow I thought to myself, this guy has a real problem. I sent a message back:

‘Hey,

I have credited you on the video and in my caption, there shouldn’t be an issue?

Don’t threaten me or I will report you.

Don’t message me again.’

I thought that would do the trick, how dare he confront me. Does he not see how well his post is doing, he should be flattered.

I received a response:

‘24 hours, remove it’

I scoffed, is this guy for real? I ignored and deleted it again.

The next day, I had a knock at my apartment door, I answered it but there was no one there. I looked down to see a small package had been left on the door mat in my hall. I picked it up and took it inside, after all, it had my name and details on it. I wasn’t expecting anything, normally the mailman would buzz the intercom when I have a delivery. I tried to look out of the window to see if anyone was on there way out of the building. After 5 or so minutes I grew impatient and stopped looking, I grabbed a knife, and opened the small cardboard box.

I peeled the layers of brown paper and wrappings away until a small, wood whittled figurine emerged from underneath. It looked like a monk was sat cross legged, in the lotus position. His eyes were closed and had strange scrawled writing on its body that looked like some kind of ancient script, but I couldn't make out what it said. It looked just freaky, like a bad omen you would find in a fantasy horror film. I started to have an uneasy feeling like something wasn’t quite right. I didn’t like it, so I threw the wooden ornament away in the outside trash. I wasn’t having that thing in my home, I thought, feeling relieved it was gone.

Later that night, while I was going through Reddit looking for new content, I could hear quiet footsteps coming from my hallway. The footsteps were accompanied by slight creaking noises that filtered into my apartment. I muted the TV I used as a comforting background noise and listened intently. Then ‘knock, knock, knock’ my door rattling with every thump. My body jolted as I jumped sinking back into my chair. It was 11pm, who the hell could it be. I decided I was going to ignore it, whoever it was would leave soon. A few minutes past and just as my breath had began to normalise it sounded again ‘knock, knock, knock’. This time I jumped up and grabbed a large kitchen knife from the block.

I made my way over to the front door, keeping my footsteps as soft as possible. I peered through the peephole, my searching eye was met by a dark empty corridor. I undid the lock and chain as I carefully turned the handle and opened the door. I clenched the knife in my right hand, while my arm uncontrollably shook. I stuck my head out and looked both ways down the hall and proceeding stairwell. I then cautiously stepped out for a better view, there was no one there. It was all deathly silent apart from the muffled sound of neighbouring TV’s.

I closed the door and locked it up once again, I felt a sudden wave of relief across my body as I walked back to my living room. This feeling didn’t last long, I stopped in terror as I stared at my glass coffee table. There sat facing my direction was the wooden figurine I had threw out earlier. This couldn’t be possible, was someone playing some kind of joke on me! I jolted my head back as I heard soft whisperings behind me, they were inaudible, but echoing from my bathroom. I hesitantly made my way down my hallway. The door was slightly ajar as I approached and for a split second, I saw a shadowy figure looking at me through the crack. I couldn’t make out any prominent features but someone was definitely in there. A fight or flight moment rushed to my head as I ran at the door. I kicked it open, the knife still clutched in my hand.

I was left stood in my empty bathroom, panting from a mixture of fear and adrenaline. It was nearing midnight and I called my dad, I asked whether I could stay over, I wasn’t going to spend my night in here. I made an excuse that my heating had stopped and wouldn’t be fixed till morning. I don’t even want to go back to my apartment.

Once I had drove over to my Dads, and was all set up in my old childhood bedroom. I opened up my TikTok app, I had forgotten to post any more videos due to the night events. I decided it was too late and passed out on my bed.

The next morning I checked the app again, there was a new message in my inbox I had received in the early hours of the morning, it was from the same user.

‘I warned you of the consequences, no one can help you now. ‘

I was freaked out, I tried to report the user but later that day his account was no longer there. I went on their Reddit account, it was also gone. In the few days after, I couldn’t face staying in that apartment again. So I ended the apartment lease and moved back to my dads. The strange occurrences seemed to follow me and so did that wretched figurine. I would feel my bedsheets move and tug as I slept at night, the kitchen tap would frequently turn on at random times day or night. The worst thing of all, was every time I would throw out or chuck that small terrifying statue into the nearby river, it would end up just sitting, nestled upon my pillow that same evening. I decided to shut down my accounts soon after and I even deleted the app, trying everything to make it stop. It hasn’t, if anything it’s getting worse.

Please help me, I don’t know what to do anymore and I really can’t take much more of this!

Please, a warning to other content creators, if you ever receive a message like this, please do not ignore it.

Just do what it says or you to could end up with a small parcel at your front door.