Flood of fake member apps...

Rico · November 12, 2008, 04:56:26 PM

Ok, for some reason the past few days have seen a flood of new members trying to get into the forum. Just to let you all know I have to approve all new members before they get access. Most of the email addresses and user id's they are using are obviously bogus (see screenshot below that I just took 5 minutes ago of seven more of them). It's pretty easy to weed out the riff-raff. I have told Kenny & Jen to watch out for spammers and problems (we had one earlier). Anyway, just wanted to let you all know. I'm not sure how we finally got on their radar but they ain't taking over this place! :biggrin

alanp · November 12, 2008, 05:18:57 PM

Wow!

Rico · November 12, 2008, 05:22:31 PM

I'd say in the last two days I have rejected 50 applications! Check out my Gmail right now. I get an email when someone applies.

sheldor · November 12, 2008, 05:51:48 PM

Looks like you've been found out. Can the forum be setup to automatically reject them after 3 days ? That way, you don't have to do anything.

Ktrek · November 12, 2008, 06:01:20 PM

I have the same problem over at The Golden Age of Hollywood Message Board Rico. It started about a week ago. You would think they would get the message that they are not going to get into the board but they persist. Like you said, for the most part, they can be easily identified. I have the most problems with .ru, gmail.com, and now .cn, but the gmails can sometimes be legit so I have to maybe do a little research first before approval. So far the Golden Age of Hollywood Social Network has not had any problems. Just the message board.

Kevin

jedijeff · November 12, 2008, 06:30:23 PM

My Forum got hit the other day as well with new members and spam. Fortunately not to bad, and looks like it has stopped for me. Thanks for the Info

billybob476 · November 12, 2008, 06:41:39 PM

Probably a new script that targets SMF boards just got released and all the kiddies are playing with it.

alanp · November 12, 2008, 07:11:37 PM

While we are on the topic, does anyone want to try natural enhancement, or want to refinance your house, or a deal on a dish, legally erase your debt, or the lowest insurance quote out there, or want Opera's weight loss solution?

If so don't PM me. Just setup a hotmail address and it should naturally be funneled into your inbox despite the junkmail filter.

Ktrek · November 12, 2008, 08:25:57 PM

Quote from: AlanP on November 12, 2008, 07:11:37 PM
While we are on the topic, does anyone want to try natural enhancement, or want to refinance your house, or a deal on a dish, legally erase your debt, or the lowest insurance quote out there, or want Opera's weight loss solution?

If so don't PM me. Just setup a hotmail address and it should naturally be funneled into your inbox despite the junkmail filter.

Alan,

I have two hotmail accounts and I rarely ever get spam in them. 98% of the time they are diverted to the Junk Box. Yahoo is where I have problems of spam slipping through.

Kevin

billybob476 · November 13, 2008, 04:18:03 AM

Quote from: Ktrek on November 12, 2008, 08:25:57 PM
Quote from: AlanP on November 12, 2008, 07:11:37 PM
While we are on the topic, does anyone want to try natural enhancement, or want to refinance your house, or a deal on a dish, legally erase your debt, or the lowest insurance quote out there, or want Opera's weight loss solution?

If so don't PM me. Just setup a hotmail address and it should naturally be funneled into your inbox despite the junkmail filter.

Alan,

I have two hotmail accounts and I rarely ever get spam in them. 98% of the time they are diverted to the Junk Box. Yahoo is where I have problems of spam slipping through.

Kevin

Then again my wife's hotmail account is 75% spam. I thik it's how much you put your email out there.

Feathers · November 13, 2008, 04:59:31 AM

Quote from: billybob476 on November 12, 2008, 06:41:39 PM
Probably a new script that targets SMF boards just got released and all the kiddies are playing with it.

That's quite likely. I've seen the same in other forums I've been involved with administrating. Saying that, there seem to be some common email domains that are used that can normally be easily centrally banned. I've sometimes ended up banning IP addresses too as serial offenders can be quite persistent.

iceman · November 13, 2008, 06:00:24 AM

Perhaps this is a result of the institution of the new Do Not Call List, I have noticed a considerable increase in spam mail since I signed up on this list as well as as a lot more survey calls.

Rico · November 13, 2008, 06:03:21 AM

Well as you guys can see I've closed the normal registration process for the time being. I'll give it a week or two and maybe open it up again. Of course, if a real person and not a spammer wants to join us they can email me and I can set it up manually. I'm just tired of waking up to a dozen or more new bogus member applications.

billybob476 · November 13, 2008, 06:05:20 AM

I don't know Rico, I for one welcome the flood of male enhancement and WoW gold seller posts that such new members would bring!

LOL. No I don't. :D

iceman · November 13, 2008, 06:10:32 AM

How long has this been going on for, the DNCL just came into practice in Canada last month, is this just a recent thing or has it been going on for awhile.

Perhaps you could put some type of program on the forum that would automatically weed out these junk files. I just heard on the news that the US closed down some huge spammer site that was responsible for alot of this junk that we get in our email accounts.

Unfortunately I guess their is always someone in the wings waiting to take their place.