Every city has urban legends, but it’s not every day that a local urban legend winds up with interest and fascination from people all over the world, talking about it on social media. That is exactly what’s happening online right now with Melbourne’s Fake Seizure Guy.
Over almost two decades, countless concerned bystanders in Melbourne and Victoria have reported strange incidents where a Caucasian man suddenly drops to the ground and begins convulsing, before requesting that the male strangers in his vicinity sit on him to restrain his movements.
Often, people would try to assist, but when they’d mention calling an ambulance for medical help, his convulsions would stop and the man would get up and calmly walk away.
The frequency of the incidents and the lack of medical attention has led to many believing this guy is faking it. After all, if he were, he wouldn’t be able to make demands or control his convulsions at the mention of an ambulance or people seeking help.
Incidents involving the Fake Seizure Guy have been recounted for years, especially on Reddit, which even has its own subreddit for people to discuss their run-ins with him. While many people have a simple fascination with Fake Seizure Guy’s actions, others have expressed worry about his safety, especially after his reputation as somewhat of a Melbourne-based boogyman grew.
However, no one has delved into the story as much as journalist David Farrier, who has become known for his investigations into the stranger side of humanity. He began diving into the story of Fake Seizure Guy on his Substack Webworm in October 2024 and followed up with more information on his podcast Flightless Bird in February 2025.
“He says [to men], ‘Can you please sit on me and restrain me?’ I wanted to get to the bottom of what was going on,” Farrier told the Sydney Morning Herald in November 2024.
In Farrier’s earlier investigation, he spoke to multiple people who encountered the Fake Seizure Guy — including internet personality Christian Hull.
Months after he started researching, Farrier received an email from someone who claimed to be a friend of the Fake Seizure Guy. The friend claimed that the Fake Seizure Guy has “severe autism” and is “completely harmless”.
“He simply does not know that his behaviour is unacceptable to people like us,” the email read.
“The reason he asks people to ‘sit’ on him and restrain him is that he is ‘stimming’. He’s trying to get what is called ‘Deep Pressure Stimulation’, which is a common symptom of those who have severe autism (e.g. enjoying weighted blankets or hugs).
“I am worried that your article might inspire vigilantism in Melbourne. As you are aware, he has become a boogeyman on Reddit, and a lot of people are talking about how he is dangerous, which is not true.”
The email concluded with the friend urging Farrier to reach out, but when he did ask further questions, such as how they knew Fake Seizure Guy or whether they had any concerns for their friend’s safety, the friend never responded.
Ultimately, there are plenty of questions that arise with Fake Seizure Guy, and his motives are questionable at best. However, by villanising him and turning him into a boogeyman-like figure — especially if he does have “severe autism” like his friend claims — we might be doing more harm than good.
Also, it’s worth noting that you should never sit on someone who is suffering from a seizure. The recommended course of action is to remove anything near them that can cause injury, turn them gently on thier side to keep their airway clear if they’re lying down, time the seizure and call 000.
Since the letter, more information has come to light about Fake Seizure Guy. You can read the updates and Farrier’s months-long deep dive into Fake Seizure Guy, HERE.
Help is available.
If you’re in distress, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or chat online. If it’s an emergency, please call 000.
Under 25? You can reach the Kids Helpline at 1800 55 1800 or chat online.
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