Cheating the Spammers

[mikemorrellNL]

I assume that the mods/admins are doing everything possible to prevent Spam using the options in the 'Administrators Control Panel' (ACP). That said, I reported 3 or 4 'members' as spammers this morning simply by searching the forum for the word 'Airlines'. Together, they had posted hundreds of spam messages in different forums in a matter of hours. Probably, it was the same bot switching 'members' (and messages) every so often.

Given the prevalence of specific 'keywords' in the flood of spam posts we're seeing, I wonder if we're making full use of the 'block post if it contains a keyword' function in the ACP. It was intended to flag posts for moderator approval (and/or remind members that specific words in their posts do not comply with forum guidelines).  But perhaps the 'keyword list' and flagging/blocking could be applied to 'SPAM keywords' too. Just a thought.

 

Mike

 

[Tony Parsons]

2 hours ago, Normanski said:

All admins need to do is give more people the permission to delete users and their posts. At the moment, there’s Sandy in Montana and William in Australia (I think) and no one in between. 
 

If that isn’t possible, we’re fooked 

Interesting idea. Just one comment :

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes

[Tony Parsons]

Mayhap someone from Spam Central is reading our comments - just noticed two Spam Userids ending numerically !

[Tony Parsons]

5 hours ago, samstevens said:

The reason it is likely a daft idea is that we’ve been told, clearly and distinctly, that no proactive measures other than after-the-fact cleanup are going to be instituted. So continuing to think up solutions that are not going to be adopted seems like, if not daft, at least an exercise in futility. 

It seems the spammers have hit a major nerve. It’s not getting fixed any time soon. Try to just let it go. Make it an exercise in dealing with a reality over which you have no control other than your own reaction. Or don’t! 😊

Sam, dear heart - Life is an exercise in futility. 

[mikemorrellNL]

6 hours ago, samstevens said:

The reason it is likely a daft idea is that we’ve been told, clearly and distinctly, that no proactive measures other than after-the-fact cleanup are going to be instituted. So continuing to think up solutions that are not going to be adopted seems like, if not daft, at least an exercise in futility. 

It seems the spammers have hit a major nerve. It’s not getting fixed any time soon. Try to just let it go. Make it an exercise in dealing with a reality over which you have no control other than your own reaction. Or don’t! 😊

IHMO, this is a defeatist attitude. Will we ever defeat spam completely? Probably not. But - with no access to the 'Administrators Control Panel' (ACP) I suspect - just as a member - that there is perhaps more that we could do. I - accept - primarily - the statement by PN-admins that they are unable to install (anti-spam) plug-ins. I do wonder why they - on this specific website - have this restriction.

Mike

PS. I've made it abundantly clear in PM's and in forums that I'm willing (and reasonably able) to join the fight against  spammers. No response so far.

[Sandy Vongries]

I just spent the last hour and a half knocking down spam.  If there were were another method accessible to me I would certainly avail myself of it.

[samstevens]

51 minutes ago, mikemorrellNL said:

IHMO, this is a defeatist attitude.

What’s the difference between defeatism and realism?

Sandy has faced and is facing reality every day. He has a task he can accomplish and does it. The only task given you is reporting spam. That’s it. Do it or not.

@mikemorrellNL, if I were a defeatist, I’d be feeling defeated by spam. I don't. Not in the least. I ignore it, even laugh at it … when I’m not too busy laughing at all the posts about it which, to me, are no more interesting than spam itself. I find that’s a better attitude for me than whining about it. If you want to keep wondering about administration policy and choices, which isn’t going to get rid of a single bit of spam, while tilting at windmills thinking there’s more you can do when there’s clearly not (if there was, I’m sure Sandy would have you do it), be my guest. 

Isn’t it clear that this site is going to live or die by its choices and you have no control over those choices at this point? If not, I hope it becomes more clear to you soon. 

You are responsible for the content of the site, posting photos and making comments. You are not responsible for executive decisions and whether those decisions lead to the site’s success or failure.  In return for providing its content, you get NO say in financial, software, or planning. Hopefully, you’re getting other kinds of returns from being here. I know I am.

I’m the defeatist? I sense you’re feeling much more defeated by this spam business than I, or you wouldn’t be part of the crowd helplessly and pointlessly talking about it. 

Edited February 18, 2023 by samstevens

[samstevens]

😊

[samstevens]

@mikemorrellNL and others ... as a constructive step away from spam, I've started a No Words thread, one of the things I can do here and that can be found even through mounds of spam when it occurs. Please join if you care to.

NO WORDS, NO SPAM

 

[John Farrell]

It looks like the spammers don't work on Sunday.

[Tony Parsons]

Found two today. Do you suppose they are professionals -

 

 

or just Spamateurs ?

[Dustin McAmera]

Sunday spammers: give them plenty of room..

[PapaTango]

On 2/18/2023 at 7:04 AM, Tony Parsons said:

Interesting idea. Just one comment :

Quis custodiet ipsos custodes

Not only that, but I just noticed that the font color selector is missing from the editor bar...  Time to call the Wizard of Ahhs!

A long time ago on a forum long forgotten, I thought something like this was a good idea.  That was until several clubbish pissing wars started and people began to delete each other's content and give warnings that had points.  Let's just say that this was a large part of why that site failed. 🤡

These spammers seem to like the image posting route--as that avoids even the most carefully constructed word filters.

We should gather up our torches and pitchforks and seek out those who rain this mayhem upon us.

I would feel ever so much better if I could just turn some of these fonts to red. 😄

Edited February 19, 2023 by PapaTango

[samstevens]

1 hour ago, PapaTango said:

font color selector is missing from the editor bar...  Time to call the Wizard of Ahhs!

Just call good ol' Sam. It's missing from my phone but not from my desktop (iMac). I suggest simply adapting and, when you see an exclamation point, think RED! [Typed on a color-capable machine.] Don't be blue.

Edited February 19, 2023 by samstevens

[Tony Parsons]

56 minutes ago, PapaTango said:

<snip>

We should gather up our torches and pitchforks and seek out those who rain this mayhem upon us.

<snip>

Do you mean like that ???

Tarring and feathering is too good for them.

 

[PapaTango]

Oh.  I didn't recognize the silly A thingie in the bar.  That worries me, but not for reasons that you might think...  🤐

In Xenforo, it's a little artist's palette.  Perhaps I am getting used to that... 😎

[PapaTango]

1 hour ago, samstevens said:

Just call good ol' Sam. It's missing from my phone but not from my desktop (iMac). I suggest simply adapting and, when you see an exclamation point, think RED! [Typed on a color-capable machine.] Don't be blue.

Well, that's a shame.  Everyone ought to have color in their lives.  I can see it on my phone--perhaps you should check again...

Edited February 19, 2023 by PapaTango

[samstevens]

9 minutes ago, PapaTango said:

I can see it on my phone--perhaps you should check again...

And you think because you can see it on your phone I would see it mine? On PN? I did check and, of course not. Logic be damned! (iPhone 13)

[PapaTango]

1 hour ago, samstevens said:

And you think because you can see it on your phone I would see it mine? On PN? I did check and, of course not. Logic be damned! (iPhone 13)

Well, of course I do.  Having one of those iPhone$ it may take a bit to catch up with you.  All good things come with time, right?  Or so I heard...

[Mark Keefer]

I smash as many as I can, flagged one last night 40 minutes after it was posted, late night West Coast time. I think the faster we can get them killed and the more of a PIA it will be for them, maybe they will give up, unless it is AI bots doing it.

[John Farrell]

I report them, too...but the tool is too slow for the blitz spammers. We need either a moderator on duty, or an expansion of the tools we can use.

[Mark Keefer]

These are coming in 3 a minute, not even real, all have same phone number but different company names. I would guess it is AI bots run by scammers. Could try IP range blocking at server or firewall router...but they are probably smart enough to use VPN. Maybe new rules for new users, could limit new users to only post in one generic flush forum until after verified by email by mail.

 

Perhaps someone is just being a jerk and has it in for PN. 

Maybe CAPTCHA could slow down AI from creating a new account. Long delay if PN sending email verify email could slow down Spam server. How about charging a small fee to set up an account. Maybe $2 fee, hell I did a paid membership for almost two decades. I am sure spammers won't pay a fee for every spam posting. 

[httpwww.photo.netbarry]

pipat65636 is spamming over and over.

[John Farrell]

It looks like guests are posting spam as pictures.

[William Michael]

On 2/24/2023 at 5:54 PM, John Farrell said:

It looks like guests are posting spam as pictures.

It took a few months, however, I understand this loop-hole has recently been closed, so we should see no more Guests posting any images.

***

There (still) exists the possibility that the "About Me" tab at a Member's home page can be abused for advertising, embedded links and spam. Many thanks to those members who have reported when that situation exists. 

WW