Anti-SPAM Measures

[Sturgeon]

Having gotten a bit annoyed about the spammers, I have taken the following two steps.

1. Changed board registration so that all future new users will have to be approved by the administrator before they can complete registration and post.
2. Since email addresses with the TLD mail.ru were exclusively spammers, no-one will be able to register with any such email address.
3. Went through the user list and deleted the accounts of anyone who had completed registration up until 31 January 2010 but who had made no posts. This included Deadshot, or someone using that name, which if it really was him, he can re-register. The vast majority of those deleted accounts were most likely spammers -- with almost--random appearing user names, and many having emails or websites that were clearly spam/porn in nature.

Perhaps we will see a reduction in spamming after this.

[vmkeith]

Something else that can be done...I've seen it on other forum sites...is set up new posts to be routed to the site admin and moderators for approval before actually being posted in the forums. The only downside to this is the delay it can take before a post is actually seen on the site.

[Skink]

Well that sounds good idea vmkeith

[vmkeith]

Thanks, it's a measure that the admins and moderators use on the Call of Duty forum I'm a member of. Again, there is a delay, but it keeps the spammers away.

[Sturgeon]

In response to vmkeith's suggestion I fixed it so that new users would have to post three times with admin or moderator approval before being permitted to post freely. We'll see how well that works...

But in the meantime, the requirement for admin approval for signup shows an immediate effect to the good. So far about six registrants have attempted to register, and they are all clearly spam accounts. Names like:

• Bipimmara
• CYMNPLEWMEW, and
• Qarlcom

Most of the spammers thus far have had similar, meaningless, names. I am gleefully ignoring these obvious spammers. It makes me feel GOOD.

Last night I went through all the "inactive" users (meaning, the ones who had registered but had not yet completed registration by responding to the email), and deleted every single one who had registered before February 1st. As I noted, above, this included a user named Deadshot, who may be the same Deadshot who was registered in the old forum -- but he can re-register later of course.

[Skink]

Mr. Sturgeon, I have a question. Are u and mike the same person?

[Sturgeon]

Yes, actually. I use Sturgeon for board administration and MikeClark (which is my real name, btw) for posting. Sometimes I forget and post using Sturgeon, but I try to avoid it. My personal login does not have board admin powers.

[Skink]

That is so, so original.