Spammers are getting smarter (or at least trying)

[Shawn Gossman]

I have a forum all about hiking.

To mitigate spam, I approve all new member requests. Had this one in my Que today.



If it wasn't for the email (gave it away as a spammer), I might have considered this a legit member based on the username since.

My guess is that's it's AI spam scraping the topic of the forum and using it in the username.

Forum owners beware!

 

[Cpvr]

I've seen some of them as well, I'd block that email range though in the spam filter. I think some of them are running some type of AI bot to mass join forums.

 

[Mike30]

I will make an anti-spam/bot tool for forums... I just need a little more of time. but that's on the plans since long time. No AI bots will be able to go through, not even human spammers Just wait for it...

 

[Heatman]

I will make an anti-spam/bot tool for forums... I just need a little more of time. but that's on the plans since long time. No AI bots will be able to go through, not even human spammers Just wait for it...

It's going to be very helpful to forum owners when you finally pull off making the anti-spam/bot tool for forums because spamming is one of the biggest challenges communities deal with today. Moderators don't have a break because of spammers who made it through.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I've seen some of them as well, I'd block that email range though in the spam filter. I think some of them are running some type of AI bot to mass join forums.

That's what I've been doing - banning a whole email range. I also ban many gTLDs because who is really using those for domains and emails these days?

 

[Cpvr]

That's what I've been doing - banning a whole email range. I also ban many gTLDs because who is really using those for domains and emails these days?

Exactly, you're absolutely right. I also have "approved" members on for now on my forum. I get hit with a bunch of spammers a few weeks back, then I banned those ips/ranges and emails.

I should deactivate it again though lol.

 

[Heatman]

Exactly, you're absolutely right. I also have "approved" members on for now on my forum. I get hit with a bunch of spammers a few weeks back, then I banned those ips/ranges and emails.

I should deactivate it again though lol.

It's funny how some of them thinks they are smarter than the person who invested his time, energy and money into running his forum believing they can sneak in without being found out.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

True human spammers just don't realize how long some of us have been in the game.

 

[Heatman]

True human spammers just don't realize how long some of us have been in the game.

Most of them do know but they feel that irrespective of how long the forum owners have been in the game, as long as they manage to sneak in and pull off a single spam, they would achieve part of their goals.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

Most of them do know but they feel that irrespective of how long the forum owners have been in the game, as long as they manage to sneak in and pull off a single spam, they would achieve part of their goals.

We need ways to alert us when signature has been changed.

I'm sure there is a way to alert when posts have been changed. I know you can always restrict editing times.

 

[Heatman]

We need ways to alert us when signature has been changed.

I'm sure there is a way to alert when posts have been changed. I know you can always restrict editing times.

I don't think I've seen any kind of alerts for any changes made on signatures until you see their post with the signature.

As for posts, I've seen it several times on different boards where the time the post was edited is known too.

 

[Mike30]

It's going to be very helpful to forum owners when you finally pull off making the anti-spam/bot tool for forums because spamming is one of the biggest challenges communities deal with today. Moderators don't have a break because of spammers who made it through.

I will bring that tool further to the top on my list then. Next week I will have more time to sit down and do coding...

Yes, moderators should be busy assisting good members, not with bots or scammers/spammers