SPAM

[Randy B]

Is it just me, or has it gotten worse lately. Tonight I found 5 so far and it's getting really old. Is there anything we can do to stop these idiots from intruding on this nice place to visit?

 

[Offroad]

I think the spammers have figured out ferret and guth are human so they can get away with posting when they are sleeping. Maybe we could give editing power to some one who is awake when we are sleeping like our australian friends? Just a thought.

 

[JF Coastal_imp]

I've been noticing that as well. Not sure how other forums handle this.

 

[Lord Popgun]

To register, some sites use that vision test thing where you have to type in some letters/numbers that only a human can see.

 

[the Ferret]

My first job in the morning, cleaning up spam. We actually work pretty hard at keeping it off, have spam filters etc but spammers are clever vile little creatures, and even though we permanently ban any we catch, and block IP addresses, they figure a way how to get inside. The human equivalent of cock roaches.

Not sure they are totally stoppable.

 

[JF Coastal_imp]

Thanks for all the hard work Ferret ! I'm sure it's a PIA, and we don't even see the half of it.

 

[Xyzzy_imp]

On the forum I run, I have all new members "moderated" for their first post. I then manually approve each first post that a member makes. (I actually have several members authorized to approve posts.) If it is spam I just delete the user. It only takes a few minutes a week. There is a "member upgrade" script that runs hourly and if a new member has one or more approved posts they get upgraded to non-moderated status.

I also have a simple question-answer challenge and a captcha.

All of this took a few hours to set up but it has paid off in the long run. My forum uses vBulletin so I don't know if these options are available here.

Since I implemented this process not even one spam has slipped through to where the general readership would see it.

My profile shows my forum address. If you try to register you will see this method in action. The forum covers a pretty obscure topic so I doubt anyone will want to actually join, though!

Edit: I also have a tool to scan the web logs and block abusive IP addresses. This helps a lot!

 

[Lord Popgun]

Xyzzy,

Wow, you have to be Einstein or Newton to even understand the forum thread names!!

 

[the Ferret]

Had one the other day that appeared legit, made a relevant comment about the subject and I thought it was ok for a first post (seen a lot weirder legitimate first posts lol). anyhow a forum member hit it with a moderator notice and when I clicked on it said his complaint was it was spam. I went back and looked at it again and there was a link in the thread, but nothing in his Bio about car detailing. Several members put links in their posts with references to their outside interests and I have bought CB1100 T shirts from one member who worked at a BMW dealer but had a T shirt business that did that. Anyhow, not being sure if he was legit or not, I deleted his post, but didn't ban him. If he complains about me deleting his post I will know he's legit. If we never hear from him again, he is not legit. If he posts again and it is not relevant to the subject, he will get banned.

Most spam is obvious selling cremes or drugs or just philosophical non sense for some reason. That is easy to recognize. But some of it is very deceptive.

Btw I hate Captchas when I am forced to use them. I understand WHY they use them, but I AM a human and I have trouble making some of them out.

 

[Lord Popgun]

At least now I know that the "vision test thing" is a Captchas. Didn't know it had a name. A pretty cool acronym too according to Wiki.

 

[the Ferret]

How ironic just got a mod notice on a new spam from popgun. Something out of Indonesia.They usually don't hit during the day here. usually at night. Anyhow, deleted and banned!

Going for a ride now, be back in a few hours. You guys keep your eye out for spam while I'm gone lol

 

[Randy B]

Two more have popped up....AAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

MAKE IT STOOOOOOPPPPPP!!!!!!!!

 

[Lord Popgun]

Yeah, I report 'em as fast as I sees them!

 

[the Ferret]

Took a little ride (188 miles) and come back to spam city from Indonesia lol..

Cockroaches eliminated! ( for now)

 

[rboe]

They are a fact of life. Over on our astronomy website spammers are the only members we let moderators ban with abandon. Otherwise; only admins ban folks. We have a lot of moderators and with a large membership, spammers don't last long.

One of our tech admins developed a sign up process that involves checking the IP address and email against a world wide data base on spammers. Went from several hundred applicants a day to ten-20 legit ones. We added Captcha too. Had to. If you don't, once the forum reaches a critical mass it becomes an hourly job. May as well shut her down if you can't manage the spammers.

Maybe if we could string them up until the flesh dropped from their bones...... wishful thinking.

 

[CBAnonymous_imp]

My wife is a moderator on another motorcycle forum. She tells me that they use a program that forces any and all new member introductions to be seen only by moderators, until approved. No first time posts are seen by any other members of the forum before they are approved.

 

[Randy B]

3 more......This is getting out of control.

 

[the Ferret]

Guth is working with some new software that may alleviate some of this. stay tuned

 

[emptysea]

Thanks, Mickey. In the meantime, maybe we regulars should refrain from commenting on the spam either on the offending thread or in threads like this. Rather, just report the thread and move on.

We know Guth and The Ferret are monitoring the Spam, so all that commenting on it does is fill up the "Recent Posts" column.

 

[the Ferret]

Ok boys cleaned out the spam at 6 am, then went for a 166 mile ride to meet a buddy for breakfast ( Chapomis was right.. I was out riding). get back home and my thread alert is lit up like Christmas. Apparently Erica struck a nerve here with the weight loss thing. Rest assured the thread has been deleted, she has been permanently banned and I am eagerly looking forward to the next assault. BTW I particularly liked the comment that the ad would have been better off on a Harley forum. You guys are a hoot.