Spam, spam, spam and more spam!

[SDGANDER]

< Edit: This post was part of a spam thread that got spirited away into the ether! JK >

Think maybe its time that auto registration was removed in favour of a moderator vetting the sign up process.....

SDG

[John Kennett]

Recently there have definitely been more halfwit spammers joining the forums recently, to tempt us with cheap Ipods and other desireable bits and pieces at prices too low to believe . . .

We have various options:

- just ignore them, and if anyone is daft enought to fall for their scams, so be it
- delete the posts and ban the users as swiftly as possible (which is what we do at the moment)
- change the registration system so that new users have to be manually authorised before they post

I think that the last option would be a bad move, as it will make it harder for genuine people to join RIBnet and take part. I don't like adding unnecessary obstacles.

Another option, that might cause similar problems, would be to prevent people from using hotmail (or other "throw away" accounts when they sign up.

What do you think? Does it bother you either way?

John

[Hugh Jardon]

option 2 the current option is best i suspect

Originally Posted by John Kennett

Recently there have definitely been more halfwit spammers joining the forums recently, to tempt us with cheap Ipods and other desireable bits and pieces at prices too low to believe . . .

We have various options:

- just ignore them, and if anyone is daft enought to fall for their scams, so be it
- delete the posts and ban the users as swiftly as possible (which is what we do at the moment)
- change the registration system so that new users have to be manually authorised before they post

I think that the last option would be a bad move, as it will make it harder for genuine people to join RIBnet and take part. I don't like adding unnecessary obstacles.

Another option, that might cause similar problems, would be to prevent people from using hotmail (or other "throw away" accounts when they sign up.

What do you think? Does it bother you either way?

John

[TQBoater]

What about option 3 but with a couple of trusted members who can mod new users posts if they start to spam the list as soon as they join.

That takes the work load off you for trusting new users and they will get posts put up quicker.

[Limey Linda]

I joined this forum about 2 months ago and have noticed an increase in spam and pop ups. I now tend to expect this from UK based web sites. Much worse than in the USA. I would have expected the reverse.
Regards, Tony

[slimtim]

Keep as is I reckon, that way we can abuse them for cluttering up the forum (not that they will ever come back to read it, but it makes us feel better right?!).

I ordered 10,000 units of every stock item from one of the spammers the other day (to be delivered within the hour by a chipmunk or something) but they didn't even have the courtesy to PM me to confirm my order...whatever happened to customer care?

[Poly]

I have to say that the level of spam is surprisingly low for an easy to sign up to forum and quite tolerable. Current system seems to be working to me. If it gets worse then I would have thought you need a couple of moderators to delete the cr*p quickly. I would have been less likely to sign up in the first place if I had to wait for a moderator to approve me as its just a hassle. Presumably smart spammers can get round moderator approved accounts anyway.