Unsolicited topics

[RacerBill]

Mr. Webmaster - I know that you are limited in what you can do, but some of the stuff that is starting to appear is getting really out of line. A Russina gal... is funny, but messages with links to explicit sites is over the edge.

Thanks for all that you do, really.

[Greg Amy]

RacerBill (not Webmaster Bill), this is a function of the board software. Spammers are writing code familiar with the software, having it sign up on the forum automatically and post spam. Webmaster Bill tried to lock down the signup forms but it was troublesome; folks were having trouble getting on.

So, as an alternative, Bill re-opened the signup procedure and deputized a handfull of existing mucho-access IT members to police it (me included). We are constantly on the look out for these posts, we report them to Bill for account deletion, then we delete the thread (you'll notice all those are gone now).

So, when faced with an option of keeping people out or having to deal with the inconvenience spam, Webmaster Bill chose the latter...

[lateapex911]

I've been deleting two or three of those daily. I think that Mr webmaster has a new BB in the works, but the last hack on this one damaged some code, and we need to hang in there for a bit. I thought the chick was funny...;)

[Knestis]

I've been killing one ever two or three days, too. There's really no other practical option. DO NOT CLICK ANY OF THOSE LINKS, and someone will throw the crap out.
K

[m glassburner]

I too find it irratating <_< keep up the good work guys !! B)

[Bill Miller]

We&#39;re doing our best to stay on top of them.

[Greg Amy]

We must be getting kee-raploads. I personally snag at least one a day, sometimes three. And they&#39;ve been getting pretty graphic lately...

[Conover]

Hey guys, thanks for your help, I was really thinking for a while that we&#39;d have to rename the general forum, but it&#39;s been alot better lately, I haven&#39;t noticed near as much riff raff.
THANKS!

[AntonioGG]

I still think any first post with a smiley should be automatically deleted. All the spam posts I&#39;ve seen have the :-) post icon.

[JeffYoung]

I delete too, usually a couple a day.

One thing I noticed if this helps -- they often come in batches late at night.

[RacerBill]

I want to really thank all you board (not bored) guys out there for watching out for the integrity of our forum, and I appoligize if you thought i was insinuating that you were doing anything but a stellar job. My frustration is with the .... who post that stuff.

I have noticed an increase in the number of sites and stuff that require me to return the characters contained in a graphic image, one that cannot be captured automatically. Would this type of device prevent the spammers from registering on the forum?

Thanks for all your hard work. Looking forward to meeting many of you at Mid-Ohio.

[imported_Webmaster]

:) :) :) Hi Guys, please I am lonely Russian girl who.... ok ok never mind.... :P

Thanks a whole hell of a lot for helping out. You guys can take total responsibility for th esurvival of IT.com!
Without your help, we&#39;d be in a world of hurt. Yes, there are new formums on teh horizon...but I got sidetracked again adn didn&#39;t work on it for the entire month of January... I can&#39;t believe how an entire month can disappear like that. :blink:

oh and if any of you IT guys would like to look into how to change the URL of the registration page dynamically that would really snuff out these guys. I was thinking the link to the registration page could change it&#39;s target randomly and HUMANS who clicked on it would be directed to the proper registration page but bots would get a 404. If anyone has time to investigate this I&#39;d really appreciate it.

Hang in there... :cavallo:

[abreakey]

Webmaster -- I run a forum based on the Invision Power Board platform as well. Over the past couple of weeks/months we have also been overtaken by SPAM messages. I think I have finally got it under control by using the ban filters. I have banned this list of email addresses from signing up for the forum. So far, I haven&#39;t had any trouble with real people attempting to register and not getting in -- and the SPAM has basically stopped.

This is the list of domains i have banned, maybe it would work for you as well:
@bestfreemall.info
@topmeds20.org
@web.de
@onlinehealthclub.org
@freeideasearch.info
@gawab.com
@megabox.ru
@mail.ru
@cashette.com
@list.ru
@spambob.net
@gurvitsnojew.org
@onlinebestplenty.org
@mail.zp.ua
@topadult20.info
@topvideogalerz.info
@ajiex.info
@awab.com
@fromru.com
@fin-online.biz
@gurvitsnojew.org
@mail.zp.ua
@megabox.ru
@web.de
@ya.ru
@freeservicemail.info
@freefreemail.info
@163.com
@best-ringtones-online.info
@medicinese.org
@bestboyfilms.org
@telegraf.by
@spivare.com
@elite1000.org
@uscreditdepot.com
@pokushai.org
@googlemail.com <-- note, that is NOT gmail.
@inmail24.com
@searchproducts.info
@etradeoil.com
@youngboys.org

adamb

[imported_Webmaster]

Adam, thanks I had a lot of those already but your list will definately help. :023:

[imported_Webmaster]

Guys the amount of spam registrations in my inbox is decreasing while the notifications and IMs are increasing :)
So please no, need to IM me and no need to "report the posts" to me. They are always deleted by the time I login anyway.

I get emails for every registration and go through them once a week deleting obvious spammer posts.

Thanks guys.. keep up the good work!
:cavallo:

[lateapex911]

OK, so IIRC you originally wanted us to report the offensive bastard so you could delete the resistration name, but now you&#39;re saying "just delete", and you&#39;ll handle the registration issues!?

Cool, thats even easier!

[greendot]

Totally appreciate all that goes on beind the scenes to reduce the spam problem and wouldn&#39;t post this except I&#39;ve gotten numerous posts to [email protected] from [email protected]

Hope this is helpful.

Bruce

[Greg Amy]

We&#39;re still using the Yahoo group? I&#39;d totally forgotten about that; I haven&#39;t used it in years...anyone else using it?

BTW, if you&#39;re making replies to those emails, they&#39;re not getting read by anyone, such as me, that doesn&#39;t use the email group...

[greendot]

I guess I can fix my own problem by getting out of the defunct Yahoo group.

We need that slapping oneself upside the head icon. :lol:

[Greg Amy]

Yeah, I just came from reviewing that group; it&#39;s nothing but an unmoderated spamtrap. We used to use it to archive messages from this forum, but that stopped in 2004. I recommend that anyone subscribed to that group to unsubscribe.

Mr Webmaster, I recommend you delete that Yahoo group.

[imported_Webmaster]

>> Mr Webmaster, I recommend you delete that Yahoo group.

No idea how. :(

[Greg Amy]

I assume you&#39;re the owner of the Yahoo group? Log in and browse to:

http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/ImprovedTouring/manage

Bottom right hand corner of main screen, select "Delete Group".