How do you prevent spambots from joining your forum?

froggyboy604

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I use Captcha codes, and e-mail vertification, but I notice the default captcha codes are sometimes not very good and bots can crack them easily, so I usually have to modify them, or install a better one.
 
Also using anti-spam security questions will help detect and stop a majority of comment spam bots.

Depending on your forum or blog's specifications, you can add an updated CAPTCHA code like this one here.

For forums installed on a host, you can install modifications made from a forum software provider that will detect and filter out spammers.

There are at least two more kinds of spam bots, mail servers and email harvesters. But sadly these have been around the Net for years and already being handled by a different source.

Over the past few years the anti-spam blacklist companies have already taken over and have been actively monitoring suspected IPs and shutting down the person or persons running spam-related activities across the Internet, thus blocking over several spam attempts by spammers almost every week of the year.
 
i've been getting invaded by real people, and they post the same thing each new spam member ... How to convert dvd... crap! i had 3 last night, alone. it's really bugging me, and considering holding off on new membr registrations, or have it where i have to appprove new members.

they always use a gmail e-mail account with their username in the gmail address.
 
QUOTE (hcfwesker @ April 21, 2009 04:19 am) i've been getting invaded by real people, and they post the same thing each new spam member ... How to convert dvd... crap! i had 3 last night, alone. it's really bugging me, and considering holding off on new membr registrations, or have it where i have to appprove new members.

they always use a gmail e-mail account with their username in the gmail address.
were getting the same thing hcf, but I will fight who ever is doing this until it stops.
 
QUOTE (hcfwesker @ April 21, 2009 04:19 am) i've been getting invaded by real people, and they post the same thing each new spam member ... How to convert dvd... crap! i had 3 last night, alone. it's really bugging me, and considering holding off on new membr registrations, or have it where i have to appprove new members.

they always use a gmail e-mail account with their username in the gmail address.
So you're not the only one who had those spammers making those kinds of posts, you sort of have to wait until they post that stuff before making an IP ban on them, that way you'll have proof that they actually did it. Some of them here posted it under the same IP.

About the guys that posted that stuff, they're just manual spammers, not sure what they're trying to achieve.
 
QUOTE (Spiritwarrior @ April 21, 2009 01:20 pm)About the guys that posted that stuff, they're just manual spammers, not sure what they're trying to achieve.

there out to make money and annoy forum staff, I don't know about the first but they achieved the second with me. I won't let their posts last more then a few hours on this forum.
 
I had a few real people spam my forum trying to sell PS3s at a cheap price, but I quickly delete those posts. They must have a lot of time on their hand.

I agree Security questions are good idea.
 
yeah, it's been very frequent lately across alot of forums. they find one, then it looks they they find more forums through the affiliates list, cause it's happened to alot of forums i afffiliate on.

and it's the same thing, "how to convert DVD" "put movies on an iPOD"

i've still got the topics saved in the trash board, and thinking of copying the entire thing, and adding it to one item in my censored words list ..

thT'LL REMOVE THE WHOLE POST, AND eventually they'll give up.

cause all they do, is register, and copy/paste th same thing.

someone's gotta be paying pople to do this or something.

topics about these are popping up everywhere

http://forumpromotion.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=17572
 
I read somewhere the hackers cracked the Captcha code for PHPBB3, and admins of phpbb3 forums should modify their captcha code to make it harder to read and add a security question.

I modify and added a security question on my phpbb3 forum and I currently dont have any new spammer registration.
 
QUOTE (hcfwesker @ April 21, 2009 08:53 pm) yeah, it's been very frequent lately across alot of forums. they find one, then it looks they they find more forums through the affiliates list, cause it's happened to alot of forums i afffiliate on.

and it's the same thing, "how to convert DVD" "put movies on an iPOD"

i've still got the topics saved in the trash board, and thinking of copying the entire thing, and adding it to one item in my censored words list ..

thT'LL REMOVE THE WHOLE POST, AND eventually they'll give up.

cause all they do, is register, and copy/paste th same thing.

someone's gotta be paying pople to do this or something.

topics about these are popping up everywhere

http://forumpromotion.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=17572
very epic hcf. *goes and does that*
 
QUOTE (Demon_Skeith @ April 21, 2009 09:24 pm) QUOTE (hcfwesker @ April 21, 2009 08:53 pm) yeah, it's been very frequent lately across alot of forums. they find one, then it looks they they find more forums through the affiliates list, cause it's happened to alot of forums i afffiliate on.

and it's the same thing, "Delete" "Delete"

i've still got the topics saved in the trash board, and thinking of copying the entire thing, and adding it to one item in my censored words list ..

thT'LL REMOVE THE WHOLE POST, AND eventually they'll give up.

cause all they do, is register, and copy/paste th same thing.

someone's gotta be paying pople to do this or something.

topics about these are popping up everywhere

http://forumpromotion.net/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=17572
very epic hcf. *goes and does that*
Not bad of an idea though.

Like I said, these folks are just manual spammers, meaning they paste the spam anywhere on a forum they wish, without using any bot technologies.

Best thing is to place their IP addresses in your forum's ban list, just keep doing so until their luck eventually runs out.

The effective way to get their IP is to wait until they posted the spam, to insure that you caught the right user.
 
What will happen if you bann a libraries, schools, public places IP will innocent members not be able to log in or register from school?
 
QUOTE (froggyboy604 @ April 22, 2009 09:54 pm) What will happen if you bann a libraries, schools, public places IP will innocent members not be able to log in or register from school?
ah yes, the draw back on IPs. I feel safe banning this spammers due to the fact they must be being paid and working out of home or office. and if we do ban someone innocent, then they will just have to wait until they get home.
 
banning hasn't done a thing. i vn tightend the IP adress to 6 characters, to widen the ban, in case a proxy changesd the last 6 diogits, no good.

i got 5 just last night. it's really getting annoying. i'm fixing to add all the topics i have saved, and add them to my censored words list.

if you guys deletd yours, let me know, i'll pist them here.
 
QUOTE (hcfwesker @ April 23, 2009 06:37 am) banning hasn't done a thing. i vn tightend the IP adress to 6 characters, to widen the ban, in case a proxy changesd the last 6 diogits, no good.

i got 5 just last night. it's really getting annoying. i'm fixing to add all the topics i have saved, and add them to my censored words list.

if you guys deletd yours, let me know, i'll pist them here.
your getting more then what I am, make sure to send me their IPs.
 
I guest it sucks being related to a forum spammer since you also bann the innocent people.

I am trying out the Word-Blocking idea on my phpbb3 forum that I don't use anymore to see if it works. I currently got a long list of words that I banned to see if it works at reducing porn spam.

I also improve the Captcha and Required registration question, so spam bots have a more difficult time spamming.
 
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