Shoptalkforums.com

Looks like they found us again.

Would it be feasible to change the registration so there would be some sort of a screening step before new members are approved?
A simple question or two to weed out the spambots and such.

I know it might be a lot of work, but so is chasing spammers and deleting messages & accounts, if it gets worse. This morning looked especially bad. (Speed & Drag Racing forum had at least 7 porn/viagra etc. spam messages from different user names)

Maybe add a few more volunteer moderators to do only registration screening.

The new test version of STF v3 allready has antispam functionality built in.

We'll see how it does...... I have my doubts.

This morning was about the worst I have ever seen. We will move to a system where several people are doing the monitoring. I just can't do it all by myself. Because we are an open registration site, there is little to keep the spammers out. I suspect we will always have to fight them. I can tell you , they don't want me sitting on the jury at their trial!

Bugfuel, good idea about getting more help on the job. That's our direction along with the change in software. If you find a spam post THAT IS OVER 24 HOURS OLD, please contact your moderator.

doc

Require a email addy that works for registration

Anyone know of a plug in or how to do this?

We do require a valid email to "activate" the account. Most of the spammer registrations don't make a post because they never activate. They never get the activation email. But they still have to be deleted from the database.

All but a very few of the spammers are bots. Some are very sophisticated and have found the way to bypass the whole registration process and just become an "activated registration" from the start. These are the ones that make the nasty posts. Very, very hard to beat.

I understand that version 3 software does have a more robust security procedure. Again, we'll hope for the best. The bastids is smart, though. (Learned that word from dstar....... ) See, even I know how to get past the security.

doc

This forums is an open registration site, there is little to keep the spammers out.

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Spammers out!