Kyle Doyle

It should go without saying that if you want to stay out of trouble and keep a good reputation, don't get sloshed, and don't multiply this initial stupidity to the 10th power by boasting about it online.

All too often, this sort of behavior starts a frenzy of blog posts and Facebook messages warning you "Don't friend your boss!" when the lesson should really be "Don't do anything stupid, and don't post it online."

Kyle Doyle set off such a storm and started a chain letter that may or may not be a hoax all at the same time.

How did he manage this?

The story was that Doyle got trashed (drunk) and then faking a sickie, bragged about it on his Facebook status, and got caught by the boss. Sickie Faker Busted on Facebook

The Australian

October 23, 2008 09:42am AEDT

Kyle Doyle busted after sickie brag on Facebook

October 23, 2008

A CALL centre employee has come unstuck after his boss caught him bragging about "chucking a sickie" on his Facebook profile.

Kyle Doyle's attempt at claiming a sick day after a big night out was the talk of Sydney yesterday, with an email exchange between the 21-year-old and his boss circulating in office blocks across the city.

"Kyle Doyle is not going to work, f... it -- I'm still trashed. SICKIE WOO!" he posted on his profile after failing to turn up to work.

He then tried to claim the day off for "medical reasons" but was busted when his manager at the telecommunications company saw his post and emailed Mr Doyle saying he did not believe his sick day was legitimate.

"Please provide a medical certificate stating a valid reason for your sick leave," his boss wrote.

When he realised he had been found out, Mr Doyle replied: "HAHAHA LMAO epic fail. No worries man."

Then there came the inevitable flood of posts online warning about the "dangers" of friending the boss.. The story soon reached international notoriety.

Soon, sites began claiming Doyle's story was a hoax and he had been set up.

Australian news article

Welcome to The Daily Telegraph.

AAPT claims Facebook sickie star Kyle Doyle was framed

By Byron Kaye

October 24, 2008 02:00pm

KYLE Doyle is ... framed? That's the latest twist in Sydney's favourite sickie saga after the company involved denied the events ever took place.

Mr Doyle, a 21-year-old AAPT "resolutions expert - technical", unwillingly entered a storm of publicity this week after an email exchange where he gets busted for a fake sickie spread around the internet like wildfire.

In the exchange, he refuses to give a medical certificate until his boss Niresh Regmi confronts him with his Facebook update declaring he is "not going to work, f..k it i'm still trashed. SICKIE WOO!"

He then concedes: "HAHAHA LMAO epic fail. No worries man"

LMAO is understood to be internet-speak for "Laughing my arse off".

After appearing in newspapers, websites and televisions around the world, the matter appeared to be approaching its 15-minute use-by date - until AAPT issued a statement claiming it was bogus.

"Following an investigation into AAPT's email records, we can confirm the email exchange between two of our employees ... never occurred," the telco said in a statement.

"This issue will continue to be dealt with internally, as a matter of standard company process."

A company spokeswoman would not elaborate on any theories about how the alleged email exchange became public or could have been created.

The latest developments, however, will create speculation that the exchange was cooked up by trouble-seeking colleagues of Mr Doyle and his boss.

Meanwhile, Mr Doyle, who lists his political views as "Liberal Party of Australia", has been uncontactable and AAPT staff were ordered not to discuss their most famous colleague.

However his incriminating Facebook page now lists his status as "trying to hide :/." It has also been innundated with messages of support - including 175 personal messages.

Monty: Wouldn't you do it too?

"I DATED HIM BEFORE HE WAS FAMOUS! :p luv u" wrote Holly Melrose.

Luke Reid wrote: "DUDE YOURE A MEGA STAR!!!!"

Carlos Fernandes observes: "Hahaha you're blowing up son!"

Paul Haydon: "The news and radio is eating you up! lol. You're about to be famous."

And from Katryce Nealon: "Kyle just wanted to let you know I got the email too from a friend in Melbourne..... good news travels fast hey!".

Several fan clubs dedicated to the keen clubber have also sprung up on the social networking site, all positive except one entitled: "Kyle Doyle is a Dumb Arse".

second news article

ninemsn

11.29 pm, Friday October 24 2008

Facebook 'sickie' guy facing investigation

15:00 AEST Thu Oct 23 2008

By ninemsn staff

A Sydney call centre worker who "chucked a sickie" only to be caught out on Facebook is now the subject of a formal investigation by his employer.

Kyle Doyle, a 21-year-old resolutions expert for telecommunications firm AAPT, bragged about his day off on the social networking site while telling his employer he was away for "medical reasons".

But he was found out when his boss spotted this Facebook profile update on the day in question, August 21: "Kyle Doyle is not going to work, f*** it I'm still trashed. SICKIE WOO!"

A spokeswoman for AAPT today said the company was aware of the issue and had launched a formal investigation.

"We're not commenting [further] at this stage — as you can see it's a fairly personal email exchange,'' she told ninemsn.

"The whole issue is being investigated."

According to an email trail now sweeping inboxes, the fuss began when AAPT's workforce operations manager Niresh Regmi contacted Mr Doyle asking him to provide a medical certificate for his sick leave day.

Not knowing his incriminating status post had been uncovered, Mr Doyle tried to argue his way out of trouble.

"1 day leave absences do not require a medical certificate as stated in my contract, provided I have stated that I am on leave for medical reasons," his reply email read.

Mr Regmi: "Usually that is the case… however please note that leave during these occasions is only granted for genuine medical reasons.

"You [sic] line manager has determined that your leave was not due to medical reasons and as such we cannot grant leave on this occasion."

Sticking to his story, Mr Doyle insisted his day off was due to medical reasons and challenged his boss to provide proof otherwise.

In response, Mr Regmi delivered his trump card — a screengrab of Mr Doyle's Facebook page.

Mr Doyle realised his game was up, responding in jest: "HAHAHA LMAO [laughing my arse off] epic fail… no worries man."

Mr Doyle is yet to reply to ninemsn's Facebook message requesting a comment — but he has changed his Facebook status to "trying to hide".

Last night a concerned friend posted a query on Mr Doyle's online message board asking about the fallout and the 21-year-old replied: "lol [laugh out loud] don't know yet".

By this time, Doyle had Reached Chain Letter Infamy.

a Wordpress blog.

Facebook Epic Fail email viral – starring Kyle Doyle

The names have been changed – but here us the infamous Facebook email of someone being busted pulling a sickie – we may have a new internet star in the making… Good luck KD 🙂

UPDATE 6.15pm Oct 23:

1. Comments saying it’s fake. We looked into this yesterday. KD is a real person. Source of email has not been verified. Suspicion around the am pm dates not being capitalised.

2. People unhappy we changed the names but we’re really just reporting the viral phenomenon – not the people involved (update… the actual name is now in the header seeing as other people have published it).

3. Australian published an article (here)

4. The Facebook profile is there but no longer public (as of 5pmOct 23)

5. SMH (here) Ninemsn (here)

6. Friends bombarded his wall with feedback during the day (see some of this below). Many of KDs friends were contacted by the media asking for his mobile # requesting interviews.

7. The mail seemed to “go viral” around midday on Oct 22, despite the email contents being dated Aug 27th.

From: John Smith

Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:35 a.m.

To: Karl Dowell

Subject: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Hi Karl,

Please provide a medical certificate stating a valid reason for your sick leave on Thursday 21st 2008.

Thank You

JOHN SMITH

Real Time Manager

From: Karl Dowell

Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:38 a.m.

To: John Smith

Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Niresh,

1 day leave absences do not require a medical certificate as stated in my contract, provided I have stated that I am on leave for medical reasons.

Thanks

Regards,

Karl Dowell

Resolutions Expert – Technical

From: John Smith

Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:39 a.m.

To: Karl Dowell

Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Hi Karl,

Usually that is the case, as per your contract. However please note that leave during these occasions is only granted for genuine medical reasons. You line manager has determined that your leave was not due to medical reasons and as such we cannot grant leave on this occasion.

JOHN SMITH

Real Time Manager

From: Karl Dowell

Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:43 a.m.

To: John Smith

Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Hi Niresh, My leave was due to medical reasons, so you cannot deny leave based on a line manager’s discretion, with no proof, please process leave as requested.

Thanks

Regards,

Karl Dowell

Resolutions Expert – Technical

From: John Smith

Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:50 a.m.

To: Karl Dowell

Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Hi Karl, \

I believe the proof that you are after is below

JOHN SMITH

Real Time Manager,

____

From: Karl Dowell

Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:55 a.m.

To: John Smith

Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

HAHAHA LMAO epic fail No worries man Regards,

Karl Dowell

Resolutions Expert – Technical

Below: Snapshot of Chatter on KD’s wall before it was made non-public…

Totally fake says:

October 22, 2008 at 9:04 pm

This is all fake. It is not true.

not john smith says:

October 22, 2008 at 10:22 pm

Way to cover up the names TARD

not Kyle Doyle says:

October 22, 2008 at 10:29 pm

funny that the facebook profile was still up until later this afternoon, before the mail spread like wildfire.

now it says Kyle has no friends, and EVERYTHING is gone from it…

eunmac says:

October 23, 2008 at 10:37 am

We have to be careful about putting up names – just in case… sorry.

You can see the actual email here:

http://www.jonathannguyen.net/2008/10/busted-by-facebook-kyle-and-the-sickie/

More news here:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24539147-5006784,00.html

(Contents of link(s) posted after these blong comments.)

Dean says:

October 23, 2008 at 12:04 pm

fake – I dont know of any email clients which subscript the dates or do lower cases a.m. / p.m.

still funny tho

eunmac says:

October 23, 2008 at 12:23 pm

For those who think it was faked check out the facebook profile and read his wall comments. Thoughts?

raxraxrax.com » Blog Archive » Cursebird: Turning Twitter into Tw*tter says:

October 29, 2008 at 11:21 am

[…] The first instance was that of life-loving Aussie Kyle Doyle who forgot that his manager was a ‘friend’ of his on Facebook when he updated his status boasting about him taking a sickie. You can view the full email exchange here. […]

orb says:

November 3, 2008 at 4:50 pm

this is 100 percent real. the person who this is all about is in a gaming clan that im in and is the person in the facebook picture and that is him. he even told us all about it.

At what point is it just too much information?

lozfisher.com says:

March 24, 2009 at 8:51 pm

[…] on Facebook depicting their disorderly celebrations . Then there was also the, albeit amusing, email string between the employee who called a sickie, and the ‘Real Time Manager’ who seriously […]

Do you share too much Online? « says:

April 28, 2009 at 11:28 pm

[…] Sickie Email (or more recently Swiss Sacking). Lesson: Your social network is likely to be more visible than you realise. Whilst boring its well worth managing your public settings and thinking about who you’re connected to and why. Also don’t be plain stupid (as in the case of Sickie Email). […]

Watch Year One Online Free says:

June 21, 2009 at 5:52 am

After reading the article, I just feel that I really need more information on the topic. Can you suggest some resources ? p.s. Year One is already on the Internet and you can watch it for free.

Virgin fires 13 staff over Facebook comments | Digital Crosstalk says:

July 15, 2009 at 12:32 am

[…] Facebook scandal is one of many to hit out headlines over the past few weeks. Recently one Aussie was fired from work for pulling a sickie and bragging about it on his Facebook profile. Although not the only one to […]

So how did Kyle Doyle manage to become the main character in a chain letter? Ryan and Bell explain at this link: Busted yFacebook Kyle Doyle and the Sickie

jonathan nguyen

…what happens when technology and public relations collide

busted by facebook: kyle doyle and the sickie

so i originally posted the full name and details of everyone involved, but now that sick boy has taken down his public facebook page, i think it only nice to anonymise. the interesting thing about this, besides the obvious lesson, is if there are only two people involved in this exchange, how did this email go viral?

–Update 23/10/2007

Now that all the news media have reported his name…

—

From: Boss Man

Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:35 a.m.

To: Kyle Doyle

Subject: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Hi Kyle,

Please provide a medical certificate stating a valid reason for your sick leave on Thursday 21st 2008.

Thank You

BOSS MAN

Real Time Manager, Workforce Operations

________________________________________

From: Kyle Doyle

Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:38 a.m.

To: Boss Man

Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Boss Man,

1 day leave absences do not require a medical certificate as stated in my contract, provided I have stated that I am on leave for medical reasons.

Thanks

Regards,

Kyle Doyle

Resolutions Expert - Technical

________________________________________

From: Boss Man

Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:39 a.m.

To: Kyle Doyle

Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Hi Kyle,

Usually that is the case, as per your contract. However please note that leave during these occasions is only granted for genuine medical reasons. You line manager has determined that your leave was not due to medical reasons and as such we cannot grant leave on this occasion.

Boss Man

Real Time Manager, Workforce Operations

________________________________________

From: Kyle Doyle

Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:43 a.m.

To: Boss Man

Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Hi Boss Man,

My leave was due to medical reasons, so you cannot deny leave based on a line manager’s discretion, with no proof, please process leave as requested.

Thanks

Regards,

Kyle Doyle

Resolutions Expert - Technical

________________________________________

From: Boss Man

Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:50 a.m.

To: Kyle Doyle

Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

Hi Kyle,

I believe the proof that you are after is below

Boss Man

Real Time Manager, Workforce Operations

________________________________________

From: Kyle Doyle

Sent: Wednesday, 27 August 2008 9:55 a.m.

To: Boss Man

Subject: RE: Absence on Thursday 21st 2008

HAHAHA LMAO epic fail No worries man

Regards,

Kyle Doyle

Resolutions Expert - Technical

October 22, 2008 | Filed Under case studies, facebook, random stuff, social media

comments

Tim

What a f'ing idiot! GOSH!

Brian

sick boy = Kyle Doyle

jnau

LOL. Here I am trying to be nice Brian and you just have to blurt out Kyle Doyle's name.

Ryan

Kyle sent the email to his friends and then it was sent around from there.

It was kinda sad because he deleted all his own contact details but left the email signature of the operations manager there with his direct number and email.

Not too bright if you ask me.

belle

haha yeah i saw that you didn't really remove the details after all! lol haha these guys are from my work & is bloody hilarious! he tried, and failed trying

Justin

on ya kyle , hold up the aussie way!

who fkn cares , we all chuck sickies

i woulda said " medical reason is because im not fit to work "

they wanna question it let them , typical managers being tossers

jnau

Would you have put it up on your facebook page though justin? :) When I did I search for his profile yesterday, his profile was completely public.

Pony

Boss Man sounds like a workforce Nazi

Sam

I think it's pretty obvious Kyle himself forwarded the email to some friends. He's so blarzay about it in the last post. If it wasn't the case he'd probably be trying to sue right now.

jnau

It would be interesting to see what AAPT's stance on the situation will be.

Fakie

This is a viral for Facebook, which is losing users. Did you login to Facebook after reading this?

jnau

I did Fake but I don't see that it would be in FB's interest to run publicity this way. It's kinda negative!

Richard

what an idiot... in every way. The other way this could have leaked is if he sent the email to some friends or if his boss had distrubited the email to others. I tend to lean to the former. If that's the case, he's a loser in so many ways: creating a public profile, being a toss on a thurs night, throwing a sickie, posting his exploits on fb, then fighting with his boss, then the unprofessional last response (LMFAO, no worries man), then he (most likely) forwarded it to his stupid friend's to 'brag'... I hope he get's fired. I don't want to think I'm calling AAPT and they hold onto these idiots

jnau

I must admit that in my working career, I have called in sick when it wasn't entirely necessary, probably didn't boast about it on the internet though. Makes it hard to get work in the future if he becomes known as the bludger who got busted.

Pippi

Kyle Doyle is sure to get his immortality in one of those annoying chain letter forwards. If this story is true, what a dim bulb. It isn't friending the boss that's the problem, it's people doing idiotic things in the first place, then boasting about them online. As for Pony's dipstick comment about the boss being a "workforce Nazi" that translates as "I'm a big freaking idiot!"

Within a few days, an article appeared to confirm that the story of Kyle Doyle was neither true nor a set-up.

Kyle Doyle's Facebook sickie email 'completely untrue'

The Daily TelegraphOctober 25, 2008 02:33am

KYLE Doyle - who bragged on Facebook about taking a sickie and was busted by the boss - is "a clever kid who just gets into mischief".

That's the status update from the mother of the 21-year-old at the centre of Sydney's favourite email saga.

She says her son, an AAPT "resolutions expert - technical", never took a day off. She says he cooked up the now world-famous email exchange where he gets busted for a fake sickie - for a joke.

"It's completely untrue," Mr Doyle's mother, who asked not to be named, said from at her home on Sydney's outskirts. "He's a clever kid who just gets into mischief."

Mr Doyle entered a storm of publicity this week when the apparently real email exchange with his boss spread across the web like wildfire.

In it, Mr Doyle refuses to give a medical certificate for taking a day off until his boss confronts him with his Facebook update declaring he is "not going to work, f... it i'm still trashed. SICKIE WOO!"

Mr Doyle then concedes after his boss "finds out": "HAHAHA LMAO epic fail. No worries man". LMAO is understood to be internet-speak for "Laughing my arse off".

Yesterday, as AAPT issued a statement denying the exchange took place, Mr Doyle's mum said she was upset by the portrayal of her son - which went against his family "ethics" - saying: "You don't steal from your company."

She said her son, whose Facebook lists his political views as "Liberal Party of Australia", had not missed a day off work throughout the saga.

There was a group on Facebook called "Kyle Doyle is a Dumb Arse" and it seems to have vanished.

On November 1, 2008, a friend of a friend of Doyle's sent a Facebook email, claiming the story was not a hoax.

But - it is definitely in the interests of some, to keep as many people believing as possible that the story is not a hoax...

Whether Kyle invented the whole story as a hoax "for teh lulz" or actually pulled a fake sickie and bragged about it, I call that stupid either way.