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Author Topic: Swamped with spammers  (Read 289 times)

Atash Hagmahani

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Swamped with spammers
« on: July 31, 2010, 09:52:59 PM »
I am getting so many spam registrations, it is getting hard for me to find any real ones.

The pace at which they are showing up is accelerating. Not sure what's going on. Maybe my pagerank has moved up enough for them to find me.

If anyone has registered a legitimate account, that was never approved, send me email, or try a less spammy-looking name. At this point I don't know what to do.
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opsec

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Re: Swamped with spammers
« Reply #1 on: July 31, 2010, 10:52:43 PM »
How about installing one of those "enter the letters you see in this box" boxes on the registration page?
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Lore

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Re: Swamped with spammers
« Reply #2 on: August 01, 2010, 01:30:53 AM »

Ban the IPs of origin...?

Discontinue registrations for a while...?
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hippiechick

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Re: Swamped with spammers
« Reply #3 on: August 01, 2010, 01:24:39 PM »
You could ask people to email you directly or fill in one of those " why do you want to join" boxes.
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wander

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Re: Swamped with spammers
« Reply #4 on: August 01, 2010, 07:31:56 PM »
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Lady Lilya

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Re: Swamped with spammers
« Reply #5 on: August 01, 2010, 07:49:22 PM »
He mentioned before doing a captcha and that the spamming softwares were defeating it.
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opsec

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Re: Swamped with spammers
« Reply #6 on: August 01, 2010, 10:33:13 PM »
How about something like "to prove you are worthy to join this website, mail me a 2 liter bottle of your blood". Would that work?
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"The difference between a pessimist and an optimist is that the pessimist usually has more information"

"Where law ends tyranny begins. Where law begins, tyranny becomes legal"

"Truth is hate to those that hate truth".

Atash Hagmahani

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Re: Swamped with spammers
« Reply #7 on: August 01, 2010, 11:58:41 PM »
Thanks for the ideas.

Spambots are smart enough to defeat captchas. I think the best idea is a confirmation page that asks questions requiring intelligence.

Something has definitely happened within the last few weeks. Every time I visit the site, I am seeing more registrations. They used to only show up a few a week. Now it is almost hourly.
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Re: Swamped with spammers
« Reply #8 on: August 02, 2010, 01:06:56 AM »
What causes that to happen?
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"The difference between a pessimist and an optimist is that the pessimist usually has more information"

"Where law ends tyranny begins. Where law begins, tyranny becomes legal"

"Truth is hate to those that hate truth".

Lady Lilya

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Re: Swamped with spammers
« Reply #9 on: August 02, 2010, 08:35:50 PM »
Atash, I registered on a forum today (Dirty Carnivores) and in addition to the captcha, it had 4 names of colors, each in a differently colored font.  It asked to type in which one was the same color as it said.  Like this:
orange red blue green
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Atash Hagmahani

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Re: Swamped with spammers
« Reply #10 on: November 19, 2010, 03:29:31 PM »
Because of the deluge of spammers, I am automatically deleting ANY name with a digit in it. Sorry if I reject membership requests that were legit; I have so many spammy registrations now if it looks like spam it gets treated as spam.

I might try upgrading the forums if and when I have time. I'd better back them up first.
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We're running out of petroleum. Are you ready?

Learn about food self-sufficiency and food security at New World Seeds & Tubers.
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