What I look for is a combination of things to detect...

What I look for is a combination of things to detect WormTongues:
* frequent and continual posting on a stock by posters who claim not to hold
* a history of trolling a handful of stocks with continual negative posts
* smug, smart*ss, know-it-all opinions and advice as to why a stock is a waste of time etc
* trash-talking putdowns of management and CEO's etc for their stupidity, greed and lack of integrity (unless you know from personal experience that to be a fair assessment!)
* forceful argument against and personal derision of anybody who disagrees with their opinions
* overblown opinions and exaggerated predictions of why the stock is going to crash etc

My guess is that these people either have no money to invest and a personality disorder that craves attention, admiration, and notoriety, or are concealing aims of encouraging other holders to sell cheaply and quickly so they can mad will buy their dropped stock. My understanding is that some of these characters are actually paid by short traders to create and foment fear uncertainty and doubt. Why else would anybody spend so long writing knocking posts to HC when they are not intending to buy? I very much doubt it is out of any public spirited aims to help others.

That is why the ignore button is a really good tool. It's not just so you can only hear what you like to hear, but so that unnecessary suspicion that can never be validated does not get past your filters and cause you to doubt everything and everyone.

My view is that deciding whom and what one can and cannot trust is one of the most important choices you make in life, and ends up defining you as a result. Do your own research and don't let those worms get into your ears!