If you’ve spent more than five minutes in the deeper corners of Roblox history, you’ve heard the name John Doe. Maybe you saw a grainy YouTube video with a red circle around a blocky avatar. Or perhaps a friend warned you to stay offline on March 18th.
It's one of those digital ghost stories that just won't die.
The accounts—John Doe and Jane Doe—are essentially the Herobrine of Roblox. People claim they’re hackers, vengeful spirits, or rogue AI. But the reality? Honestly, it’s much more corporate and "tech-support" than most creepypastas want you to believe.
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Who are John and Jane Doe?
Let’s look at the hard data. John Doe is User ID #2. Jane Doe is User ID #3.
They weren't "players" in the traditional sense. They were created on June 25, 2005 (though their profiles often list February 27, 2006, as the join date) by David Baszucki and Erik Cassel. Basically, they were placeholder accounts used for internal testing during the platform’s infancy.
Whenever the developers needed to see how a new feature worked for a "normal" user, they logged into John or Jane.
Eventually, the accounts were retired. They sat dormant for years. And that’s exactly where the trouble started. In the world of the internet, a vacuum of information is always filled by something weird.
The March 18th Hoax that Broke the Internet
The year was 2017. A few YouTubers—most notably guys like Kazok and Equillex—started spreading a rumor. They claimed that John Doe was coming back.
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The story went that on March 18, 2017, John and Jane Doe would "hack" Roblox and delete every account on the site.
It sounds ridiculous now. But back then? The panic was real. Thousands of kids were genuinely terrified. The rumors got so loud that Roblox Corporation actually had to step in and post an official blog entry to calm everyone down.
"These stories are not real," Roblox stated in their official help center documentation. "The John and Jane Doe accounts are often mentioned in rumors. In reality, these are old Roblox accounts created by staff for testing."
Despite the official debunking, the date March 18th is still treated like a weird sort of community holiday. Every year, like clockwork, a new generation of players wonders if the "hacking" is finally going to happen. (Spoiler: It never does.)
Why did their profiles keep changing?
One reason the myths stayed alive is that the accounts actually did show activity.
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You’d check John Doe’s profile and see he suddenly had a new badge or a different hat. If he was an inactive test account, how was he "playing" games?
It wasn't a ghost. It was a bug.
There was a specific glitch in the Roblox client that allowed users to "award" badges to other players without those players ever actually joining their game. A well-known creator named CloneTrooper1019 (Maximum_ADHD) even made a video explaining how he accidentally gave John Doe a badge from one of his projects.
Other times, people used "password guessing" techniques to try and get into these old accounts. Roblox eventually had to go in, wipe the friends lists, and change the avatars to keep things secure. In 2025, we even saw some weirdness where the accounts were briefly terminated due to mass reporting by trolls, only to be reinstated a few days later.
Myths vs. Reality
It's easy to get lost in the lore, so let's separate the facts from the fiction:
- Myth: John Doe is a hacker who will steal your Robux.
- Fact: The accounts are owned and controlled by Roblox staff. They have no special "hacking" powers.
- Myth: If you see them in a game, your computer will explode.
- Fact: In the early days, they were used as NPCs (Non-Player Characters) to test chat functions. If you see "John Doe" in a game today, it’s almost certainly someone using a display name or a fake outfit to troll you.
- Myth: John Doe is the "first" Robloxian.
- Fact: User #1 is the "Admin" account. John is #2. So, close, but not quite.
Why the legend still matters in 2026
Even though we know they’re just test accounts, John and Jane Doe have become a massive part of Roblox culture. They represent a "lost era" of the platform.
You’ll find them in horror games, "myth hunter" stories, and even as characters in fan-made movies. They’ve evolved from a boring developer tool into a piece of digital folklore.
Honestly, Roblox is a bit of a weird place. It’s a platform built on community imagination, so it makes sense that the community would invent its own monsters. John Doe isn't a threat to your account, but he is a great story to tell around the virtual campfire.
How to stay safe from "hackers"
If you're still worried about your account security, don't worry about John Doe. Worry about real-world security. Here is what you actually need to do:
- Enable 2-Step Verification (2FA): Use an authenticator app. It's the single best way to keep people out.
- Never share your .ROBLOSECURITY cookie: If someone asks for a "file" from your browser to "check your avatar," they are trying to steal your session.
- Ignore the "March 18" threats: They've been happening for nearly a decade. Nothing has ever happened, and nothing will.
- Keep your email updated: Make sure your account is linked to an email you actually have access to so you can recover it if something goes wrong.
The legend of John and Jane Doe is a fun piece of history, but that’s all it is—history. You can play on March 18th without looking over your shoulder.
What to do next
If you want to see the "ghosts" for yourself, you can still visit their profiles directly on the Roblox site. Just search for User ID 2 and User ID 3. You'll notice their avatars are often updated to match modern Roblox standards, like the "Stevie Standard" face, which is just Roblox's way of keeping their old assets from breaking.