Spambots

Have a suggestion for the website or forum? Post it here.

Spambots

Postby Enraged » Wed May 02, 2012 4:14 pm

As many have noticed, we had problems with spambots awhile ago, but since switching to the new Q&A captcha system, it seems to have stopped 99% of them. Unfortunately, this does not stop more advanced bots, or real people, from spamming.

We try to keep on top of banning and deleting spammers, so please have a bit of patience when you see a spammer.

The only real way to stop spammers completely is to do admin approval on all new users. I've been through this on another forum, and it is a major pain if there aren't lots of people available to do the approvals. The other forum I am on only has the forum owner do approvals, and it can take weeks and repeated emails to get it approved.

If anyone has any suggestions on other things to try to stop spammers, feel free to post here, we are always looking for good ideas.
Enraged
 
Posts: 120
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 8:29 pm

Re: Spambots

Postby Tom Smith » Wed May 02, 2012 6:01 pm

I don't have any clever ideas for speeding up/approving the user approval process, but it is possible to, in the short term, lessen the impact of hundreds of offers of fake rolexes, etc.

Click the spammer name beside the post, and when the profile shows up, add them to your "foe" list.

All this does is filters out their messages from view. It doesn't change the new message tag on the various forum topics, but it is slightly less annoying to deal with while waiting for the forum admin to swing the ban-hammer.
____________
ShapeOko 191
Tom Smith
 
Posts: 245
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 9:55 pm
Location: North Vancouver, British Columbia

Re: Spambots

Postby lasershark1 » Wed May 02, 2012 8:13 pm

Is there an option/module for phpBB that says "If a new user gets reported X number of times, autoban them?"

Sure, it CAN be abused by forum jerks, but I dont think there are any here.

Like if your account is less than 2 days old, if any of your posts get reported twice, autoban. Not once, that protects against accidental banning of real people.

Just a thought.

There's very likely also a word filter. New accounts that post with one of the words in it, autoban. (You're new, you write rolex, bam, gone)
lasershark1
 
Posts: 143
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:52 am

Re: Spambots

Postby lasershark1 » Wed May 02, 2012 8:15 pm

New accounts that post something that has a link in it gets locked down for admin unlocking - no real need for a new person posting on their 1st day to post a link somewhere.
lasershark1
 
Posts: 143
Joined: Sun Apr 22, 2012 1:52 am

Re: Spambots

Postby sea2stars » Wed May 02, 2012 9:30 pm

Plenty of options here
sea2stars
 
Posts: 72
Joined: Mon Apr 09, 2012 9:54 pm
Location: Middletown, CT


Return to Site Suggestions

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests