Spam account notification thread

Discussion in 'Forum Info and Questions' started by pebble, May 13, 2010.

  1. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2007
    Messages:
    2,721
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
  2. milifestyle

    milifestyle New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2008
    Messages:
    1,573
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    0
    The report function is also a good idea.

    I guess the downside of posting spammers links is in the end the account will be deleted and the link will be a broken link. Otherwise its a positive move, good one Pebble.
     
  3. ppp

    ppp Junior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2007
    Messages:
    550
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    0
    user Ianpeterson is clearly a spam account
     
  4. 9anda1f

    9anda1f Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2006
    Messages:
    3,046
    Likes Received:
    200
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    E Washington, USA
    Climate:
    Semi-Arid Shrub Steppe (BsK)
    Thanks ppp, got him. I've been looking at as many new user's accounts as I can for links in their sig line like that. There's lots, and lots I miss.

    Good thread Pebble, thanks.
     
  5. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2007
    Messages:
    2,721
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
    Glad we can be of help. I hate seeing spam not being able to do anything. Thank-you mods :)
     
  6. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2007
    Messages:
    2,721
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
    Here's another one:

    https://forums.permaculture.org.au/search.php?searchid=63656


    btw, did anyone find out if it's possible to make newbie's first post conditional on their being no links in the post or signature? Or newbies needing their first post approved before it shows? I don't know if that's more work for the mods or not though.
     
  7. milifestyle

    milifestyle New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2008
    Messages:
    1,573
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    0
    I made this thread a "Sticky" so it won't get lost in the crowd.
     
  8. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2007
    Messages:
    2,721
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
  9. milifestyle

    milifestyle New Member

    Joined:
    Feb 15, 2008
    Messages:
    1,573
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    0
    Not sure if that has been initiated on this board. It worked well on the phpBB board.

    Something for Craig to look into.

    Thanks Pebble!
     
  10. 9anda1f

    9anda1f Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2006
    Messages:
    3,046
    Likes Received:
    200
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    E Washington, USA
    Climate:
    Semi-Arid Shrub Steppe (BsK)
    There are many spammers now putting a link into their signature line. Some just "view their own profile" over and over when they log in and some actually try to post with the linked sig. Funny thing is, when you view the posted message in the moderation queue, it doesn't show the sig line ... you have to view that member's profile to see the sig or approve the post, then view it to make sure some spam sig line didn't slip by.

    I ban as many of these "signature spammers" as I can, but there is a constant crop of new ones signing up all the time. As the spam bots get more sophisticated, moderating form spam gets more exacting. = /

    Oh, and Eric, there is a mod queue now ... haven't you seen it yet??
     
  11. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2007
    Messages:
    2,721
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
    How annoying for the mods. Thanks though :)
     
  12. Grahame

    Grahame Senior Member

    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2008
    Messages:
    2,215
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    36
    janet986w is clearly a spam account in the 'hello from solair' thread
     
  13. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2005
    Messages:
    2,922
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    0
    G'day Mods and Craig. I have noticed what appears to be an awful lot of spammers (poor bastards; hard way to make a living) signing up of late. You know the ones; FastLoans001, PreMature008, etc. Obviously they are trying to get in through the back door, but with the vetting taking place, I doubt whether they would make the grade. However, out of interest I did check out a couple of their profiles, and yes they are leaving multiple spam hotlinks there, in their signatures. Is there any way we can zap their asses out of here? For those who might be new to permaculture, the presence of spammers could be sending out the wrong messages. Cheerio, M.
     
  14. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2007
    Messages:
    2,721
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
    Marko, do you mean they're getting past the vetting process and then putting spam links in their profiles and signatures? Can you please post links here?
     
  15. ecodharmamark

    ecodharmamark Junior Member

    Joined:
    Nov 9, 2005
    Messages:
    2,922
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    0
    G'day pebs

    I have not seen any actual posts from spammers, so I think the vetting system is working fine. It's just seems that every time I drop by of late there seems to be a whole new rack of 'members' in the 'currently active users' box (front page) with profile names such as need_cash_now005 lurking about. Upon clicking on names like this, and then clicking 'about me', one is usually confronted with the spiel, followed by the spam-links. Not disconcerting for me (I ignore spam), but it may be off-putting for people in the early stage of their permaculture experience. Not sure if we (you good people and/or Craig) can do something about it, other than perhaps taking a scythe to the members list in order to cull them out?

    Cheerio, Marko
     
  16. Michaelangelica

    Michaelangelica Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 2, 2006
    Messages:
    4,771
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    0
    We have just had to put limits on personal messaging; lots of spammers sneaking in on that one of late.
    it should not interfere with regular members/ users
    Let us know if there are problems
     
  17. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2007
    Messages:
    2,721
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
    I see what you mean Marko, good point.

    How cool that there are 200 guests online right now!
     
  18. 9anda1f

    9anda1f Administrator Staff Member

    Joined:
    Jul 10, 2006
    Messages:
    3,046
    Likes Received:
    200
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    E Washington, USA
    Climate:
    Semi-Arid Shrub Steppe (BsK)
    Mark,
    You are correct ... there are nearly 100 new members signing up daily. However, many/most of them are spammers of one sort or another, and the spammers are now using every forum resource possible to either post a message or get their links picked up by the search engines (which elevates their position on searches). The forum allows them all to register and thusly, their username shows up as a "new user". However, we now get an email for each new user and, although it's not instantaneous, we do comb through each registration to eliminate spammers.

    Spam messages are easy to spot, but the links in signatures, visitor messages, biographies, and such are much more difficult to find without extensive mouse clicking, and with such a volume, many still get through the sieve. Your (all members) help in identifying spammers is greatly appreciated. As Michael mentioned, the "visitor messages" function has been altered so that first time posters don't have this feature, but there are still many ways for spammers to post links.

    So, keep up your vigilance! Any help we can get to identify spammers is needed (and we thank you!).

    Bill Kearns
     
  19. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2007
    Messages:
    2,721
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty
    We thank you!!! I see hardly any spam at the front end now, so you are all doing a wonderful job.
     
  20. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

    Joined:
    Apr 24, 2007
    Messages:
    2,721
    Likes Received:
    7
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    inland Otago, NZ
    Climate:
    Inland maritime/hot/dry/frosty

Share This Page

-->