Descent into Spam Hell

[bafco]

Now 100% complete.

Opened the forum this morning, clicked on "New Posts" and got about 20 entries. All of them were spam.

Doesn't VBulletin provide any anti-spam measures? If so then could we please have them implemented.

[Cyranna's Father]

Now 100% complete.

Opened the forum this morning, clicked on "New Posts" and got about 20 entries. All of them were spam.

Doesn't VBulletin provide any anti-spam measures? If so then could we please have them implemented.

there are over 800 since last night

[wingnutLP]

we were getting spammed by the kitchen adverts so I changed registration to googles recaptcha...

That didn't work!

So I will go back to fencing questions.

You don't seem to be able to do both which is annoying.

Alex

[Cyranna's Father]

we were getting spammed by the kitchen adverts so I changed registration to googles recaptcha...

That didn't work!

So I will go back to fencing questions.

You don't seem to be able to do both which is annoying.

Alex

interestingly I have the telephone number of the kitchen company now, would anyone like it?

[cesh_fencing]

we were getting spammed by the kitchen adverts so I changed registration to googles recaptcha...

That didn't work!

So I will go back to fencing questions.

You don't seem to be able to do both which is annoying.

Alex

Can there not be a limit for new users to only do 3 or so threads within 24hrs?

At least then such spamming would need to have multiple users etc to completely block things up.

Still however a couple of threads still to be removed..

[Fencingforever]

Or could new users have their first 3 or 5 threads approved before they can post ...

I admit to being slightly nervous at opening the Forum lately for spam and today see another kitchen thread in Blackpool by 'haembuh'.

Season's Greetings everyone

[Nick E]

Or could new users have their first 3 or 5 threads approved before they can post ...

Looks like it might need to come to this, with spam now embedded into existing threads as well as new threads. Another example on the Epee.me thread today, with a link it seems to a sex site.

[MKCap]

we were getting spammed by the kitchen adverts so I changed registration to googles recaptcha...

That didn't work!

So I will go back to fencing questions.

You don't seem to be able to do both which is annoying.

Alex

It could be made to fairly easily

[Gerrit]

I was thinking of more ways we could try to stop the spam on the forum. A few ideas:

• asking the admins to add the word "cheap" to the bad/swear words list. I suppose too many of us like a bargain
• asking the admins to add "kitchens" to the bad/swear words list. That might work?
• calling any mentioned vendors and nicely asking them to refrain from spamming the forum
• writing a threatening letter to any mentioned vendors and asking them to desist with suitable threat of punishment (maybe by sword)
• making friends with someone in Anonymous and ask them nicely to take out any cheap online kitchen vendors.

Well, maybe that won't work. I assume the vast majority of first-time posts must be spam related. Can the forum be configured to require vetting by admins of all first posts?

Does anybody see a way out of Spam Hell?

Or maybe I'm wrong and we should really be looking at this as an opportunity. The Fencing Forum is now well established as the preferred destination to find rubbish kitchen vendors on the Internet. Can we perhaps make advertising revenue from this phenomenon and plough the money back into the sport?

[Gav]

I mentioned all of this to Alex Paul. He's looking into options.

Briefly - I agree.