Dealing with Forum Spam

[Shawn Gossman]

How do you deal with forum spam?

I typically add security questions, Google ReCaptcha, or manually approve. Sometimes I'll use two of these methods to tighten security.

Preventing spam is important as it can really hurt the reputation of your forum.

I wish forums came default with features to prohibit links from users before a certain number of posts are reached. I think that alone could help curb a lot of spam issues.

Do you do anything special to deal with forum spam?

 

[AWS]

Spam isn't as big a problem as it used to be. The spam filters of modern software do a good job of stopping it.

I have a list of stopwords I use that does it's job. No need for fancy filters.

I do believe spammers have moved on to sites like Reddit. Forums don't have the same global appeal they one did.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I have a list of stopwords I use that does it's job. No need for fancy filters.

Care to share your list?

 

[AWS]

Here it is:

http://*
https://*
*.abb
*.abbott
*.abogado
*.ac
*.academy
*.accenture
*.accountant
*.accountants
*.active
*.actor
*.ad
*.ads
*.adult
*.ae
*.aeg
*.aero
*.af
*.afl
*.ag
*.agency
*.ai
*.aig
*.airforce
*.airtel
*.al
*.allfinanz
*.alsace
*.am
*.amsterdam
*.an
*.android
*.ao
*.apartments
*.app
*.aq
*.aquarelle
*.ar
*.archi
*.army
*.arpa
*.as
*.asia
*.associates
*.at
*.attorney
*.au
*.auction
*.audio
*.auto
*.autos
*.aw
*.ax
*.axa
*.az
*.azure
*.ba
*.band
*.bank
*.bar
*.barcelona
*.barclaycard
*.barclays
*.bargains
*.bauhaus
*.bayern
*.bb
*.bbc
*.bbva
*.bcn
*.bd
*.be
*.beer
*.bentley
*.berlin
*.best
*.bet
*.bf
*.bg
*.bh
*.bharti
*.bi
*.bible
*.bid
*.bike
*.bing
*.bingo
*.bio
*.biz
*.bj
*.black
*.blackfriday
*.bloomberg
*.blue
*.bm
*.bmw
*.bn
*.bnl
*.bnpparibas
*.bo
*.boats
*.bond
*.boo
*.boutique
*.br
*.bradesco
*.bridgestone
*.broker
*.brother
*.brussels
*.bs
*.bt
*.budapest
*.build
*.builders
*.business
*.buzz
*.bv
*.bw
*.by
*.bz
*.bzh
*.ca
*.cab
*.cafe
*.cal
*.camera
*.camp
*.cancerresearch
*.canon
*.capetown
*.capital
*.caravan
*.cards
*.care
*.career
*.careers
*.cars
*.cartier
*.casa
*.cash
*.casino
*.cat
*.catering
*.cba
*.cbn
*.cc
*.cd
*.center
*.ceo
*.cern
*.cf
*.cfa
*.cfd
*.cg
*.ch
*.channel
*.chat
*.cheap
*.chloe
*.christmas
*.chrome
*.church
*.ci
*.cisco
*.citic
*.city
*.ck
*.cl
*.claims
*.cleaning
*.click
*.clinic
*.clothing
*.cloud
*.club
*.cm
*.cn
*.co
*.coach
*.codes
*.coffee
*.college
*.cologne
*.com
*.commbank
*.community
*.company
*.computer
*.condos
*.construction
*.consulting
*.contractors
*.cooking
*.cool
*.coop
*.corsica
*.country
*.coupons
*.courses
*.cr
*.credit
*.creditcard
*.cricket
*.crown
*.crs
*.cruises
*.cu
*.cuisinella
*.cv
*.cw
*.cx
*.cy
*.cymru
*.cyou
*.cz
*.dabur
*.dad
*.dance
*.date
*.dating
*.datsun
*.day
*.dclk
*.de
*.deals
*.degree
*.delivery
*.delta
*.democrat
*.dental
*.dentist
*.desi
*.design
*.dev
*.diamonds
*.diet
*.digital
*.direct
*.directory
*.discount
*.dj
*.dk
*.dm
*.dnp
*.do
*.docs
*.dog
*.doha
*.domains
*.doosan
*.download
*.drive
*.durban
*.dvag
*.dz
*.earth
*.eat
*.ec
*.edu
*.education
*.ee
*.eg
*.email
*.emerck
*.energy
*.engineer
*.engineering
*.enterprises
*.epson
*.equipment
*.er
*.erni
*.es
*.esq
*.estate
*.et
*.eu
*.eurovision
*.eus
*.events
*.everbank
*.exchange
*.expert
*.exposed
*.express
*.fail
*.faith
*.fan
*.fans
*.farm
*.fashion
*.feedback
*.fi
*.film
*.finance
*.financial
*.firmdale
*.fish
*.fishing
*.fit
*.fitness
*.fj
*.fk
*.flights
*.florist
*.flowers
*.flsmidth
*.fly
*.fm
*.fo
*.foo
*.football
*.forex
*.forsale
*.forum
*.foundation
*.fr
*.frl
*.frogans
*.fund
*.furniture
*.futbol
*.fyi
*.ga
*.gal
*.gallery
*.game
*.garden
*.gb
*.gbiz
*.gd
*.gdn
*.ge
*.gent
*.genting
*.gf
*.gg
*.ggee
*.gh
*.gi
*.gift
*.gifts
*.gives
*.gl
*.glass
*.gle
*.global
*.globo
*.gm
*.gmail
*.gmo
*.gmx
*.gn
*.gold
*.goldpoint
*.golf
*.goo
*.goog
*.google
*.gop
*.gov
*.gp
*.gq
*.gr
*.graphics
*.gratis
*.green
*.gripe
*.gs
*.gt
*.gu
*.guge
*.guide
*.guitars
*.guru
*.gw
*.gy
*.hamburg
*.hangout
*.haus
*.healthcare
*.help
*.here
*.hermes
*.hiphop
*.hitachi
*.hiv
*.hk
*.hm
*.hn
*.hockey
*.holdings
*.holiday
*.homedepot
*.homes
*.honda
*.horse
*.host
*.hosting
*.hoteles
*.hotmail
*.house
*.how
*.hr
*.hsbc
*.ht
*.hu
*.ibm
*.icbc
*.ice
*.icu
*.id
*.ie
*.ifm
*.iinet
*.il
*.im
*.immo
*.immobilien
*.in
*.industries
*.infiniti
*.info
*.ing
*.ink
*.institute
*.insure
*.int
*.international
*.investments
*.io
*.ipiranga
*.iq
*.ir
*.irish
*.is
*.ist
*.istanbul
*.it
*.itau
*.iwc
*.java
*.jcb
*.je
*.jetzt
*.jewelry
*.jlc
*.jll
*.jm
*.jo
*.jobs
*.joburg
*.jp
*.jprs
*.juegos
*.kaufen
*.kddi
*.ke
*.kg
*.kh
*.ki
*.kim
*.kitchen
*.kiwi
*.km
*.kn
*.koeln
*.komatsu
*.kp
*.kr
*.krd
*.kred
*.kw
*.ky
*.kyoto
*.kz
*.la
*.lacaixa
*.lancaster
*.land
*.lasalle
*.lat
*.latrobe
*.law
*.lawyer
*.lb
*.lc
*.lds
*.lease
*.leclerc
*.legal
*.lexus
*.lgbt
*.li
*.liaison
*.lidl
*.life
*.lighting
*.limited
*.limo
*.link
*.live
*.lixil
*.lk
*.loan
*.loans
*.lol
*.london
*.lotte
*.lotto
*.love
*.lr
*.ls
*.lt
*.ltda
*.lu
*.lupin
*.luxe
*.luxury
*.lv
*.ly
*.ma
*.madrid
*.maif
*.maison
*.man
*.management
*.mango
*.market
*.marketing
*.markets
*.marriott
*.mba
*.mc
*.md
*.me
*.media
*.meet
*.melbourne
*.meme
*.memorial
*.men
*.menu
*.mg
*.mh
*.miami
*.microsoft
*.mil
*.mini
*.mk
*.ml
*.mm
*.mma
*.mn
*.mo
*.mobi
*.moda
*.moe
*.monash
*.money
*.montblanc
*.mormon
*.mortgage
*.moscow
*.motorcycles
*.mov
*.movie
*.movistar
*.mp
*.mq
*.mr
*.ms
*.mt
*.mtn
*.mtpc
*.mu
*.museum
*.mv
*.mw
*.mx
*.my
*.mz
*.na
*.nadex
*.nagoya
*.name
*.navy
*.nc
*.ne
*.nec
*.net
*.netbank
*.network
*.neustar
*.new
*.news
*.nexus
*.nf
*.ng
*.ngo
*.nhk
*.ni
*.nico
*.ninja
*.nissan
*.nl
*.no
*.nokia
*.np
*.nr
*.nra
*.nrw
*.ntt
*.nu
*.nyc
*.nz
*.office
*.okinawa
*.om
*.omega
*.one
*.ong
*.onl
*.online
*.ooo
*.oracle
*.orange
*.org
*.organic
*.osaka
*.otsuka
*.ovh
*.pa
*.page
*.panerai
*.paris
*.partners
*.parts
*.party
*.pe
*.pet
*.pf
*.pg
*.ph
*.pharmacy
*.philips
*.photo
*.photography
*.photos
*.physio
*.piaget
*.pics
*.pictet
*.pictures
*.pink
*.pizza
*.pk
*.pl
*.place
*.play
*.plumbing
*.plus
*.pm
*.pn
*.pohl
*.poker
*.porn
*.post
*.pr
*.praxi
*.press
*.pro
*.prod
*.productions
*.prof
*.properties
*.property
*.ps
*.pt
*.pub
*.pw
*.py
*.qa
*.qpon
*.quebec
*.racing
*.re
*.realtor
*.realty
*.recipes
*.red
*.redstone
*.rehab
*.reise
*.reisen
*.reit
*.ren
*.rent
*.rentals
*.repair
*.report
*.republican
*.rest
*.restaurant
*.review
*.reviews
*.rich
*.ricoh
*.rio
*.rip
*.ro
*.rocks
*.rodeo
*.rs
*.rsvp
*.ru
*.ruhr
*.run
*.rw
*.ryukyu
*.sa
*.saarland
*.sakura
*.sale
*.samsung
*.sandvik
*.sandvikcoromant
*.sanofi
*.sap
*.sarl
*.saxo
*.sb
*.sc
*.sca
*.scb
*.schmidt
*.scholarships
*.school
*.schule
*.schwarz
*.science
*.scor
*.scot
*.sd
*.se
*.seat
*.sener
*.services
*.sew
*.sex
*.sexy
*.sg
*.sh
*.shiksha
*.shoes
*.show
*.shriram
*.si
*.singles
*.site
*.sj
*.sk
*.ski
*.sky
*.skype
*.sl
*.sm
*.sn
*.sncf
*.so
*.soccer
*.social
*.software
*.sohu
*.solar
*.solutions
*.sony
*.soy
*.space
*.spiegel
*.spreadbetting
*.sr
*.srl
*.st
*.starhub
*.statoil
*.studio
*.study
*.style
*.su
*.sucks
*.supplies
*.supply
*.support
*.surf
*.surgery
*.suzuki
*.sv
*.swatch
*.swiss
*.sx
*.sy
*.sydney
*.systems
*.sz
*.taipei
*.tatamotors
*.tatar
*.tattoo
*.tax
*.taxi
*.tc
*.td
*.team
*.tech
*.technology
*.tel
*.telefonica
*.temasek
*.tennis
*.tf
*.tg
*.th
*.thd
*.theater
*.tickets
*.tienda
*.tips
*.tires
*.tirol
*.tj
*.tk
*.tl
*.tm
*.tn
*.to
*.today
*.tokyo
*.tools
*.top
*.toray
*.toshiba
*.tours
*.town
*.toyota
*.toys
*.tr
*.trade
*.trading
*.training
*.travel
*.trust
*.tt
*.tui
*.tv
*.tw
*.tz
*.ua
*.ubs
*.ug
*.uk
*.university
*.uno
*.uol
*.us
*.uy
*.uz
*.va
*.vacations
*.vc
*.ve
*.vegas
*.ventures
*.versicherung
*.vet
*.vg
*.vi
*.viajes
*.video
*.villas
*.vision
*.vista
*.vistaprint
*.vlaanderen
*.vn
*.vodka
*.vote
*.voting
*.voto
*.voyage
*.vu
*.wales
*.walter
*.wang
*.watch
*.webcam
*.website
*.wed
*.wedding
*.weir
*.wf
*.whoswho
*.wien
*.wiki
*.williamhill
*.win
*.windows
*.wme
*.work
*.works
*.world
*.ws
*.wtc
*.wtf
*.xbox
*.xerox
*.xin
*.xn--11b4c3d
*.xn--1qqw23a
*.xn--30rr7y
*.xn--3bst00m
*.xn--3ds443g
*.xn--3e0b707e
*.xn--3pxu8k
*.xn--42c2d9a
*.xn--45brj9c
*.xn--45q11c
*.xn--4gbrim
*.xn--55qw42g
*.xn--55qx5d
*.xn--6frz82g
*.xn--6qq986b3xl
*.xn--80adxhks
*.xn--80ao21a
*.xn--80asehdb
*.xn--80aswg
*.xn--90a3ac
*.xn--90ais
*.xn--9dbq2a
*.xn--9et52u
*.xn--b4w605ferd
*.xn--c1avg
*.xn--c2br7g
*.xn--cg4bki
*.xn--clchc0ea0b2g2a9gcd
*.xn--czr694b
*.xn--czrs0t
*.xn--czru2d
*.xn--d1acj3b
*.xn--d1alf
*.xn--estv75g
*.xn--fhbei
*.xn--fiq228c5hs
*.xn--fiq64b
*.xn--fiqs8s
*.xn--fiqz9s
*.xn--fjq720a
*.xn--flw351e
*.xn--fpcrj9c3d
*.xn--fzc2c9e2c
*.xn--gecrj9c
*.xn--h2brj9c
*.xn--hxt814e
*.xn--i1b6b1a6a2e
*.xn--imr513n
*.xn--io0a7i
*.xn--j1aef
*.xn--j1amh
*.xn--j6w193g
*.xn--kcrx77d1x4a
*.xn--kprw13d
*.xn--kpry57d
*.xn--kput3i
*.xn--l1acc
*.xn--lgbbat1ad8j
*.xn--mgb9awbf
*.xn--mgba3a4f16a
*.xn--mgbaam7a8h
*.xn--mgbab2bd
*.xn--mgbayh7gpa
*.xn--mgbbh1a71e
*.xn--mgbc0a9azcg
*.xn--mgberp4a5d4ar
*.xn--mgbpl2fh
*.xn--mgbx4cd0ab
*.xn--mk1bu44c
*.xn--mxtq1m
*.xn--ngbc5azd
*.xn--node
*.xn--nqv7f
*.xn--nqv7fs00ema
*.xn--nyqy26a
*.xn--o3cw4h
*.xn--ogbpf8fl
*.xn--p1acf
*.xn--p1ai
*.xn--pgbs0dh
*.xn--pssy2u
*.xn--q9jyb4c
*.xn--qcka1pmc
*.xn--rhqv96g
*.xn--s9brj9c
*.xn--ses554g
*.xn--t60b56a
*.xn--tckwe
*.xn--unup4y
*.xn--vermgensberater-ctb
*.xn--vermgensberatung-pwb
*.xn--vhquv
*.xn--vuq861b
*.xn--wgbh1c
*.xn--wgbl6a
*.xn--xhq521b
*.xn--xkc2al3hye2a
*.xn--xkc2dl3a5ee0h
*.xn--y9a3aq
*.xn--yfro4i67o
*.xn--ygbi2ammx
*.xn--zfr164b
*.xxx
*.xyz
*.yachts
*.yandex
*.ye
*.yodobashi
*.yoga
*.yokohama
*.youtube
*.yt
*.za
*.zip
*.zm
*.zone
*.zuerich
*.zw

Copy and paste to Options > Spam management > Spam phrases.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

Now I take it that you don't allow anything to post links right?

 

[AWS]

Active members, members with more than 10 posts, can post without restrictions. I have it set that spam filters only scan the first 10 posts by new users. Some sites it's set to 3.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

Active members, members with more than 10 posts, can post without restrictions. I have it set that spam filters only scan the first 10 posts by new users. Some sites it's set to 3.

I love this strategy!

 

[Cpvr]

The only issue I’ve been having lately is that a new member joins, makes a post, and then a day or two later, they’ll edit the post, add a link, and change the post to include the link with newer content.

I ban them after I catch it and I also add the link to the spam filter.

It tends to happen at least once or twice on a weekly basis.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

The only issue I’ve been having lately is that a new member joins, makes a post, and then a day or two later, they’ll edit the post, add a link, and change the post to include the link with newer content.

I ban them after I catch it and I also add the link to the spam filter.

It tends to happen at least once or twice on a weekly basis.

Heck I'd go with @AWS strategy and require a review for URLs. I would think it should catch the post edits too.

 

[Jason]

XF is very good about blocking spam. Also, there is things you can do on your part. One good way to keep spammers out is by asking mildly difficult questions or asking people to spell words backward in user registration. It works for about any forum software.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

XF is very good about blocking spam. Also, there is things you can do on your part. One good way to keep spammers out is by asking mildly difficult questions or asking people to spell words backward in user registration. It works for about any forum software.

I agree. The security questions, Stop Forum Spam, and other techniques should be all we need to stop it.

 

[Jason]

I agree. The security questions, Stop Forum Spam, and other techniques should be all we need to stop it.

Some of the other methods might work too. However, we need to be especially aware of weak methods to be avoided. What are some?

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I find that math questions are ineffective.

And if you get too hard on the math question, you might lose a real member.

People having to go Google the answer usually results in people closing out the tab and moving on.

I stay away from math questions.

 

[Jason]

I find that math questions are ineffective.

And if you get too hard on the math question, you might lose a real member.

People having to go Google the answer usually results in people closing out the tab and moving on.

I stay away from math questions.

I wasn't really thinking about those. I was suggesting something like what is default with MyBB. You get some weak combo of letters to go over and then you're asked, "What is 2 + 2?".

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I wasn't really thinking about those. I was suggesting something like what is default with MyBB. You get some weak combo of letters to go over and then you're asked, "What is 2 + 2?".

Yeah. Weaker "in the box" CAPTCHAs. I think MyBB and SMF both has those and they usually aren't worth much in stopping spam.

 

[Bawse]

I use Google captcha, and a security question, and for normal members spamming. I might give them a chance, depending on the situation. If they don't listen to my warnings, than I'll ban them them.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I typically don't have any issues with normal members spamming. I allow quite a bit in terms of advertising.

 

[~ True Legend ~]

I find that math questions are ineffective.

And if you get too hard on the math question, you might lose a real member.

People having to go Google the answer usually results in people closing out the tab and moving on.

I stay away from math questions.

There is AI software specifically to solve complex math problems, rendering this approach ineffective

Let’s also be inclusive of “hidden disabilities”

I may be going off on a tangent here, but I post this as an analogy to the “arms race” - neurodiverse ppl have proven to be prone to getting caught up in AI-gen detectors used for assignments at universities, while there are tools available specifically effective in evasion of AI-gen detection.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I think AI is really going to change the spam game probably for the worst.

Xrumer with AI capabilities would be a forum nightmare.

And the bad thing is, most forum platforms aren't jumping into the AI market. So, if you don't fight AI with AI, the one not using AI will likely fall.