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-   -   How do we stop them? (http://forum.barrowdowns.com/showthread.php?t=15563)

Morsul the Dark 07-08-2009 09:10 PM

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?

radagastly 07-08-2009 09:26 PM

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.

Inziladun 07-08-2009 09:30 PM

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

Mithadan 07-08-2009 09:31 PM

If you report spammers, we will delete their posts/threads and ban them as quickly as we can.

alatar 07-08-2009 09:31 PM

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.

Morsul the Dark 07-08-2009 09:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alatar (Post 603091)
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.

Not a bad Idea

also thank you to Mithaden for his quick response!:smokin:

Estelyn Telcontar 07-09-2009 04:04 AM

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.

Morthoron 07-09-2009 05:23 AM

Perhaps we can construct a Downer spambot that automatically goes to the spammer's site, but does nothing but offer Tolkien quotes in Chinese.

Nessa Telrunya 07-09-2009 07:21 AM

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:

Inziladun 07-09-2009 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nessa Telrunya (Post 603130)
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:

Yes. Usually it seems to be 'new in the box' (ie- probably stolen) electronic items such as I-PODS and cell phones, but I've seen a few new wrinkles lately.

Nessa Telrunya 07-09-2009 07:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inziladun (Post 603133)
Yes. Usually it seems to be 'new in the box' (ie- probably stolen) electronic items such as I-PODS and cell phones, but I've seen a few new wrinkles lately.

What do electronics have to do with Tolkien? I don't see how they could justify putting ads like that in any forum category.



Yay! 100th post!!!!

Inziladun 07-09-2009 07:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nessa Telrunya (Post 603136)
What do electronics have to do with Tolkien? I don't see how they could justify putting ads like that in any forum category.

There is no justification, but they don't care about violating forum rules. Their sole purpose is to make a few posts and hope to drum up a bit of business.

Rikae 07-09-2009 10:01 AM

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....

Mithalwen 07-09-2009 10:40 AM

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...

mormegil 07-09-2009 10:53 AM

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

Mithalwen 07-09-2009 11:48 AM

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.

Morsul the Dark 10-06-2009 10:40 AM

Evil spammers go away

alatar 10-06-2009 11:10 AM

Eternal vigilance...:rolleyes:

Mithalwen 10-06-2009 11:35 AM

Especially for those who post something seeming innocuous with advertising in the sig.... :cool:

Morsul the Dark 10-06-2009 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mithalwen (Post 612554)
Especially for those who post something seeming innocuous with advertising in the sig.... :cool:

Yeah They actually got me on that one I missed it Alatar however was not fooled

Morthoron 10-06-2009 12:16 PM

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.

Bêthberry 10-06-2009 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morthoron (Post 612561)
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.

I think, seeing as we are likely one of the last bastions of good spelling on teh Interwebs, that they never give spell-check a thought, as they likely don't bother to read us. They may, in fact, be unable to read our spelling. :D

alatar 10-06-2009 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morthoron (Post 612561)
My question is, has anyone actually ever bought anything from a spammer?

My question is about reciprocity. As these spammers leave a sign pointing back to their caves, how can that be used to send them something...ah...special? :D

skip spence 10-06-2009 01:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morthoron (Post 612561)
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.

On another forum we had a member who replied to one of those Nigerian scam letters and proceeded to have a lengthy correspondence with a gentleman that he baited, reeled in, then released, over and over again, while duly posting the entire interchange. It was one of the funniest things I've ever read. Will see if I find it again.

But yeah, not the most erudite spammers on here...

Pitchwife 10-06-2009 02:01 PM

To begin with, would there be any way of making it impossible to register with a nick that consists of both
  • lower case letters only, and
  • more than two numbers at the end?
(still allowing for e.g. skip, Boro88 and autume98, but doing away with spmmr666 and all variations thereof)
I suppose any challenge to actually use their brains (or even be creative) would be to spammers what garlic is to vampires.

Lush 10-07-2009 09:53 AM

It's mostly bots, guys. Bots are like zombies. Neg-repping them doesn't hurt them. "You gotta shoot them in the head."

skip spence 10-07-2009 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lush (Post 612633)
It's mostly bots, guys. Bots are like zombies. Neg-repping them doesn't hurt them. "You gotta shoot them in the head."

Yeah, a good thing about these spam-bots is how they make it clear the day the machines will rise up and enslave us all is well into the future :rolleyes:

The Saucepan Man 10-07-2009 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by skip spence (Post 612634)
Yeah, a good thing about these spam-bots is how they make it clear the day the machines will rise up and enslave us all is well into the future :rolleyes:

I like ur post. Thank for sharing. For me it makes perfect sens ... bzzt ... znnnk ... bwwwwwwvvv ...

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 ... ;)

Nerwen 10-07-2009 06:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man (Post 612666)
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 ...

Currently it's a bit of a giveaway when they post in the T-I-G threads.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Narration
As the flames seared her flesh, she screamed in agony– but the scream became an eerie howl, as her body seemed to ripple... then to transform into a gigantic werewolf. The monster thrashed as it burned alive, its fur blazing. As the fire mounted higher it gave a last, spine-chilling howl of anguish before it was lost to view in the flames. A few hours later nothing was left but charred and smoking bones.

Quote:

Originally Posted by spmmr34
Thank for you your kind thuoghts. You have realy helpd me in my job!

Bless you and have a nice day.

http://online facelifts– before and after


alatar 10-07-2009 07:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Saucepan Man (Post 612666)
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 ...

No one is beyond suspicion...:D

...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).

skip spence 10-08-2009 02:43 PM

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 10-11-2009 09:19 AM

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.

Nerwen 10-12-2009 04:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lush (Post 612836)
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.

...Bringing ever newer and more sophisticated spambots, some even with a basic grasp of the English language!:eek:

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Ghost in the Machine
Glad to hear you're using this*: I plan to keep it much more aggressively up-to-date than has been the case in the past, but don't hesitate to let me know if you find errors or need clarifications.

*Glorfindel, apparently.

Morsul the Dark 10-12-2009 07:54 PM

The also target OLD threads

Hakon 10-12-2009 09:12 PM

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.

TheGreatElvenWarrior 10-12-2009 10:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nerwen (Post 612905)
...Bringing ever newer and more sophisticated spambots, some even with a basic grasp of the English language!:eek:

That is what's more scary than ever!

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!

Mnemosyne 10-12-2009 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGreatElvenWarrior (Post 612988)
That is what's more scary than ever!

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!

Maybe we can send this one into the Red Zone before it gets banned! Doesn't actually do anything, I know, but it's a nice guilty pleasure...

TheGreatElvenWarrior 10-12-2009 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mnemosyne (Post 612990)
Maybe we can send this one into the Red Zone before it gets banned! Doesn't actually do anything, I know, but it's a nice guilty pleasure...

A very good idea!

Laurinquë 12-16-2009 01:49 AM

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.

Estelyn Telcontar 12-16-2009 03:30 AM

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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