the worst thing to do when getting accused of hacking is not saying anything - just a quick “oh thx for the compliment but its just skill” or something to that effect can stop things from escalating most often.
i know its not exactly logical but some hackers dont think hacking is necessarily a dishonest practice - for many reasons. So its not always a case of “yeah they are hacking why wont they just lie and say they are not”?
One thing is sure: being distant and giving the server a wall of silence when you have been accused of hacking isnt going to make people less suspicious
