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- georgeatkins
- Dignitary
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- Posts: 1087
- Joined: 13 Feb 2000, 11:18 am
17 Jun 2013, 9:27 am
Hi, Guys!
There seems to be an increase in the amount of spam that is getting posted in various forums. Is the system configured to allow guest messages?
George
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- danivon
- Ambassador
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- Posts: 16006
- Joined: 15 Apr 2004, 6:29 am
17 Jun 2013, 9:49 am
georgeatkins wrote:Hi, Guys!
There seems to be an increase in the amount of spam that is getting posted in various forums. Is the system configured to allow guest messages?
George
They are at least blindingly obvious and link-free. I remember we did have a spate on the old site, with a 'spam reporting thread' and some moderators with big hammers.
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- Archduke Russell John
- Dignitary
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- Posts: 3239
- Joined: 29 Jan 2003, 9:54 am
17 Jun 2013, 3:20 pm
georgeatkins wrote:Hi, Guys!
There seems to be an increase in the amount of spam that is getting posted in various forums. Is the system configured to allow guest messages?
George
These don't look like guest messages. They look like accounts but it looks like the accounts are being created by Netbots. I believe this was combated on the old site by requiring Admin approval for any new accounts. Not sure that feasible under new management.
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- georgeatkins
- Dignitary
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- Posts: 1087
- Joined: 13 Feb 2000, 11:18 am
17 Jun 2013, 7:35 pm
Archduke Russell John wrote:
These don't look like guest messages. They look like accounts but it looks like the accounts are being created by Netbots. I believe this was combated on the old site by requiring Admin approval for any new accounts. Not sure that feasible under new management.
Yes, I agree. And right; there was an approval process in place. Should still be something to turn on, even one of those processes where you attempt to type in the random letters/numbers that are almost impossible for even real people to read and repeat! :)
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- GMTom
- Administrator
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- Posts: 11284
- Joined: 14 Feb 2000, 8:40 am
18 Jun 2013, 10:32 am
..just deleted yet another! Is it possible to have one of those thingies where you need to copy the goofy looking nonsense word to enable the new account?
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- SLOTerp
- F1 Driver (Pro VI)
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- Posts: 8225
- Joined: 08 Apr 2002, 9:45 am
18 Jun 2013, 3:17 pm
I feel violated.
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- bbauska
- Administrator
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- Posts: 7463
- Joined: 26 Jun 2000, 1:13 pm
18 Jun 2013, 4:00 pm
Mike, that feeling is caused by something else...
I have been on vacation for the last couple days, and I will look into it when I return.
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- Dr Jack Jennings
- Adjutant
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- Posts: 9
- Joined: 07 Dec 2011, 4:14 am
06 Jul 2013, 4:20 pm
Yeah, first time i've visited the site in a while.
Wish some games could get going.
By the by, I see some other have their legit join dates from the old site. How can I get mine updated? I've been on since 2002.
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- bbauska
- Administrator
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- Posts: 7463
- Joined: 26 Jun 2000, 1:13 pm
08 Jul 2013, 1:20 pm
I think I have solved the spam issue. If you cannot post after I have blocked out a certain Chinese ISP please let me know and I can exempt the IP from the banned list. What a hassle. I hope there is a special corner of Hell for non-repentant spammers!
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- georgeatkins
- Dignitary
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- Posts: 1087
- Joined: 13 Feb 2000, 11:18 am
08 Jul 2013, 7:39 pm
Brad, Looks like I was able to post!
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- bbauska
- Administrator
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- Posts: 7463
- Joined: 26 Jun 2000, 1:13 pm
15 Jul 2013, 8:37 pm
2 days w/o spam... Am I tempting fate?
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- GMTom
- Administrator
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- Posts: 11284
- Joined: 14 Feb 2000, 8:40 am
29 Jul 2013, 7:42 am
I log on this morning to find a slew of spam crap posted all over the place! I deleted 12 postings and another two are in the fantasy and Civilization sections I have no ability to delete. This is getting crazy it has been pretty much daily, but the last day or two went nuts!
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- GMTom
- Administrator
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- Posts: 11284
- Joined: 14 Feb 2000, 8:40 am
30 Jul 2013, 8:30 am
and another 5 just deleted plus several more in areas I can not police.
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- bbauska
- Administrator
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- Posts: 7463
- Joined: 26 Jun 2000, 1:13 pm
30 Jul 2013, 8:40 am
GMTom wrote:and another 5 just deleted plus several more in areas I can not police.
I keep blocking out more IPs that they are coming from. Any ideas?
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- GMTom
- Administrator
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- Posts: 11284
- Joined: 14 Feb 2000, 8:40 am
30 Jul 2013, 10:36 am
I can't recall what we need to do to register. To prevent automatic registration sites will often require reading those funny script-looking letters that a machine can't read, do we require that? Do we require an email be sent to someone and for them to retrieve that message to now log on?
If this is humans logging on and taking the time, then I would say little can be done?
But honestly, HOW can this help anyone? I don't understand why they do this, can someone explain it to me? They have this crazy worded nonsense and I "get" that aspect, the phrases get picked up by Google and the like, people can now get to the posting from that link but when people find this "garbage" ...what good does it do anyone?
Quite infuriating isn't it?
oh, one idea that could really suck.
EVERY one of these spams is from users with names like ghythsgdre ...nonsense words. You could possibly limit usernames to real words??? But as I said this could suck, names like MOST of us have would not be viable for new users, no Tomahaha, no Bbauska, no Rickyp, no SloTerrp, no Georgeatkins, no Danivon or DrFate, etc Probably not a good idea (even if it could work) but maybe it's an option if things get worse?