Spam problems

[kehaar]

Hey, that was kind of fun! Just knocked off 4 of 'em. It IS kind of like a game! ...a fish-in-a-barrel one, but still very satisfying.

[nutcracker]

It would be fun to have a small flash minigame, where you could shoot the thread down and it disapproves the post.

[Freshbite]

I bet some of the hardcore forum members could arrange something...

[Anton]

Hmmm anyone who gets disapproved too much should get auto blocked. it looks like, blocking the spam just provokes the bot to keep on spamming, so in effect, it doesn't really solve the problem until the bot can actually get banned. Just like what seems to be happening in this thread.

I think this is a good idea, or there should be a forum (maybe in the spf) where people can report users that continue to be a problem. That way the full time moderators can ban those users.

[Freshbite]

I often check the Members list for new members with advertisement in their signature. I get a good 15 or so each day.

[Anton]

Yeah, but that requires that extra time to scan the new members list :p

[Freshbite]

It's a service I can contribute with atleast once a day.
Doing it hinders them from posting in the future, so it's for a preventive purpose.

[Anton]

Of course, and I have been very appreciative of your services

[Silverfish]

Thanks, Freshbite. Thresbite.

[Freshbite]

Haha. It's not merely a service. I find the bots kind of annoying too, so I'm glad to be able to do something about it.

[nutcracker]

These bots have just invited a finnish forum I am on. They use google translate to translate the messages. The security is pretty much the same as on wolfire forum.
The bots must have grown new brains

[PsyKzz]

It may be worth noting any of the emails they are using and blacklisting a few.
I know aswell you can stop certain mails servers as i have seen it used on other forums i moderate.

The choice is down to you, because you could blacklist potential customers.

[tannim]

Could "notify user" be unchecked by default? The spammers don't need to know so only those who are approved will benefit from it at all.

[Endoperez]

Could "notify user" be unchecked by default? The spammers don't need to know so only those who are approved will benefit from it at all.

There is the possibility of someone being disapproved accidentally. In that case, some sort of an explanation/notification is preferable.

However, since a vast majority of these spam posts advertise products, that should be the first option in the "reason for disapproving" list.

[Grayswandir]

Rather than having a new users first post have to be authorized (which requires someone keeping an eye out for new user posts), why not just make a thread that all new users have to post in once. A "welcome" thread of sorts. It will also localize any spam that gets through and make it easier to moderate. It works on another forum I used to frequent.