How do we stop them?
for unknown reasons there has been a surge in "New" Members trying to sell stuff on our sacred area....how do we stop them?
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Yeah, I've noticed that too. I guess all we can do is click the "report post" icon on the bottom of each post, and let the admins delete the thread and/or user. Not much you can do to keep them out without also shutting out potential new sincere members. I wish there was, but I can't imagine anything.
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I don't think it's possible to forestall their appearances. All the admins and mods can do is act on them once they tip their hand.
On a related note, I've seen a spate of spammer-looking new user names in the past couple of days- two randomish personal names coupled with a number. x/d with Radagastly |
If you report spammers, we will delete their posts/threads and ban them as quickly as we can.
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Note that mods can ban a spammer as soon as it is spotted, but it may take a little time for the admins to remove the post. I try to bury the spam thread by posting to another thread in the same section so at least it's not visible on the main page.
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also thank you to Mithaden for his quick response!:smokin: |
We already have the built-in anti-spam barrier when registering, but apparently spam bots get more sophisticated all the time. Don't worry; there are always mods and admins looking in throughout the day, though not constantly, depending on the time zones. We get rid of spammers ASAP.
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Perhaps we can construct a Downer spambot that automatically goes to the spammer's site, but does nothing but offer Tolkien quotes in Chinese.
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Well, I am a relatively new member and I post a great deal, but I try to say something worthwhile.
People are trying to sell stuff? :confused: |
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Yay! 100th post!!!! |
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Neg-repping them with a string of insults doesn't really help, but it's quite satisfying. ;) I'm curious about the lower levels in the new rep system....
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Oh yes I do that too .... :D Though since the system has been reset it doesn't catapult them quite so far down... of course I also report them at the same time...
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Also, when you report a post an e-mail is sent out to the pertinent admins and mods so that even if we are not hanging out on the Downs that day we see our e-mail and generally respond quickly to delete them.
I do wish to take this moment to thank those who do report them as it helps make my job easier.:D |
Interesting to know the behind the scenes stuff ... I had noticed that there could be a timelag between banning and sending to that abyss and thought it must depend on who was around.
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Evil spammers go away
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Eternal vigilance...:rolleyes:
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Especially for those who post something seeming innocuous with advertising in the sig.... :cool:
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My question is, has anyone actually ever bought anything from a spammer? Has this form of marketing ever proven to be anything but obnoxious? And do the spamites ever consider using a spell-check, because rarely do they post anything coherent.
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But yeah, not the most erudite spammers on here... |
To begin with, would there be any way of making it impossible to register with a nick that consists of both
I suppose any challenge to actually use their brains (or even be creative) would be to spammers what garlic is to vampires. |
It's mostly bots, guys. Bots are like zombies. Neg-repping them doesn't hurt them. "You gotta shoot them in the head."
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On the contrary, skip, I find the latest generation of spambots, with their ability to select quotes from the thread and comment on them, rather disturbing. For now, they remain relatively easy to spot, but it is surely only a matter of time before they are able to mingle among us undetected ... In fact, for all we know, there may be regular posters here who are actually fiendishly clever spambots trying to reel us in to buy whatever it is they have to sell. Btw, did I ever tell you about Fantasy Flight Games ... ;) |
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...and it's quite possible that we may welcome them one day as they will have evolved the ability to write cogent thoughtful on-topic posts (I hope to as well one day). |
Just had a vision that goes more or less like this:
Spam-Bot: I like ur post. Thank for sharing. For me it makes perfect sens.
A perky Lush appears with a shotgun and shoots the head off Spam-Bot. Lush: Die evil spammer! Spam-Bot makes a few jerky movements, sparks fly in the air, then it collapses in a heap on the ground. Lush blows the smoke away from the barrel. Lush: That's how we stop them! Behind Lush the smashed head of the Spam-bot is liquefied and reassembled, T-2 style. Spam-bot rises, and dusts itself off. Spam-Bot: Thank for you your kind thuoghts. You have realy helpd me in my job! Bless you and have a nice day. Lush flees in terror |
Lush wouldn't flee in terror, because she totally knows her movie plot lines. She'd lure that disgusting abomination down to a factory and straight into a vat of molten steel. And the unknown future shall commence rolling toward us.
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The also target OLD threads
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That is true.
I would like to state here that I am going to become more creative when I report them. Instead of just saying It is a spam bot or something along the lines of that, I will say something more like help help the spam bot is coming help. I might also try and stick a crying smiley thing in there. I would just like to let everyone know. |
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I looked at a thread today thinking that there would be something worth reading on it, I though it must be a new thread. It was from 2003! How do these spam bots find these sundry threads and start posting on them so rapidly? It is ridiculous, the rate that these bots are popping up recently! |
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Ick, those spammers are really getting out of hand. I know the mods are doing their best (and they're doing very well!) but the quantity of the guys seems to be increasing exponentially.
The 'spammer/user' thing is spreading to other sites as well. I have a 'friend' on facebook who keeps sending me these offers for cheap vintage jewellery but is perfectly civil the rest of the time. What's going on here? Is there a massive spamming conspiracy happening? They just never seem to die do they? :( But if we think it's bad here try going onto a poorly moderated site and you will find it is almost nothing but spam. Makes me glad that the Downs tries to keep on top of it. |
A brief information from the mod/admin team: All of us can ban spammers, but only those who are responsible for a particular forum can delete the thread. Please be patient - sometimes a thread stays around for a bit if the responsible mod hasn't seen it. It will be deleted as soon as possible.
We too wish we could find a way to nip these spammers in the bud - if any of you know of a technique that works against modern spambots, please do let us know! |
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