Spammers

[travelling]

It can't have escaped anybodys attention that we are getting spammed quite a bit

I wonder if it's possible to avoid this by making it so that new members can't post for the first 24 hours as it seems when the spammers join they join and spam within minutes

Given that admin can't be around 24 hours a day I wonder if it would help to have a 24 hr thingy ?

[Hamish]

It would be worth it if it works.  I am not sure how much other forums get spammed.  The messages are a bit odd too!  Can't believe it is worth their while.

It must be a bit of a pain for the moderators to have to clean it up all the time.  I have seen other forums (fora?) ruined by spamming. 

[expr]

Yes it is quite bad at the moment, the mods are aware but obviously can't be on top of it all the time.

You can tell straight away the spammers if you go in to the bottom of the home page and click on who's on line and keep refreshing the page you will notice the eratic posting nature, it looks like it's an automated programme which then inserts hypertext in to jumbled up words which gets it past most programmes that look for spam, a little annoying to say the least.

[Hamish]

Would one of those letter recognition things when you sign up work to stop them?

[expr]

Possibly, I'm sure there will be a programme available, it's just more expense for the host.

[stutho]

Um,

We already do have one of those 'letter recognition things'.  We could go to a system where every new member is authorised by a mod before they can post but I am not sure is It would actual help that much  (as is hard to know simply from an email address who is a spammer.)  Personally I  dislike a system that delays your first post.  When I join a forum I want to post right away! How do others feel?

I wish there was a silver bullet to aim at the spammers but as yet I don't believe there is.

Stutho


 

   

[expr]

I think may be have a word the forum (provider) to see what they suggest and find out why or how the system is being let down as it stands.

I think your right in saying when you join a forum it's nice to post straight away.

[stutho]

I have just being taking a look at the latest add on packages to catch spam bots.  I think we CAN increase the security of the site without unduly inconvenience any one.  However...

1. I need to speak to the people at SJSC  before I install a new package on their forum!

2. I may have to force everyone to use the same board default theme - there are a few people on the forum that are using using non standard themes.

I  can't do any more today but I will look at this again after the weekend.