FAQ: Anti-spam measure after joining

[knagl]

In an effort to combat spam, I have created a simple hoop for new members to jump through.

There are new automated spam "members" joining daily, and every now and then the accounts are creating a post in the forum advertising some stupid product.  Typically, these accounts only make one post and then stop.  The posts get reported, and then the "member" gets banned and deleted.

To help keep spam out of the forum, brand new members now only have access to a "brand new user" section -- a section that established members can't even see.  To get out of the "brand new user" section and into the free-for-everyone section, a member needs to simply post (or reply) three times.  Since the automated spam accounts typically post once and leave, the automated spam account should no longer be successful in getting their message out to the member base.  Legitimate new users simply have to create or reply a total of three times (their post count needs to hit 3), and they'll automatically get promoted to "newbie" status (versus the new "Brand New" classification for posters with 0 to 2 posts) and have access to the free-for-everyone section.

Accounts that have been manually activated to full access by me are exempt from the hoop jumping, and there is a FAQ in the "brand new user" section directing humans to send me a PM if they're having trouble getting started.  The last thing we want to do is exclude real people from the forum, but the first thing we want to do is exclude spambots!

Again, the "brand new user" section is only visible to new accounts that have less than 3 posts and are not full access members.  If you're already registered and have at least 3 posts, this doesn't affect you at all, other than hopefully keeping the forums free of junk spam messages. 

After adding the three simple questions on the registration page (shown here), it's eliminated the automated spambots signing up (for now?), so I've eliminated the hoops for new memebrs to jump through to prove that they're a human.  If the problem returns I can turn it back on, but we seem to be good right now.

[JoyceAula]

Kevin you rock! Can we nominate you for president? 

[Vegas Introvert]

Your response time is ridiculous!  (ridiculous good not ridiculous bad) --- these spammers kill me...yeah, sure let me click on your incoherent bad-grammar weblink to a mystery pharamceutical to quit smoking...that "filter" is genius!   

[Roadtrip]

Aww.....

Personally, I almost "enjoy" some spam, although admittedly not all.

How about making the "brand new user" section visible.  After all, there could be something worthwhile in all the spam.

Personally, I like to visit an occasional spam or phishing site through proxies, etc.  But than again, I also "419 Bait" and my system is not particularly vulnerable compared to most.

Would'nt "captcha" work as well for stopping them?

[knagl]

Thanks, everyone.

Personally, I almost "enjoy" some spam, although admittedly not all.

Today's selection included "low voltage outdoor lighting" -- ooh!

How about making the "brand new user" section visible.  After all, there could be something worthwhile in all the spam.

I'm not keen on using this website as a platform for spammers to get their message out.  If you *really* want to, I guess I can, but I'm not sure I see value in this for the member base -- there will be zero posts of substance in that section.  In fact, the FAQ in there directs people to not bother posting anything of value since nobody will see it.

Would'nt "captcha" work as well for stopping them?

There is one on the registration page, but it's not terribly complex and these bots are still getting past it.  I don't want to make the captcha incredibly difficult to read (I hate sites that do that -- it's nearly impossible for humans to read some of them).  I'm looking into other options, too, but for now this should help things.  In time, more spambots will find their way here and we'll need to adjust at that point.

[Roadtrip]

See, that's just it.

I happen to "need" some yard walkway lights, those stick in the ground solar panel kind, so that "spam" (to you) may have had actual and important value to me.

It would have motivated me to look at the site, than eBAY, than Home Depot, than Google or Bing, since I've only been procrastinating for two years on getting some.

Thanks for saving me all that time and the hassle, because I'm still too cheap to actually buy something like that anyway.  My neighbors would benefit more than me from those, and they'd probably get stolen anyway.

[knagl]

I found a neat add-on to the software yesterday and added a new anti-spam measure for the registration page.  So far, it's fooled all of the spammers as I haven't seen a junk registration yet.  We'll see how long that lasts, but if nothing else, it's another line of defense that's easy for a legitimate user to get past, but difficult for a spambot.

Click on the image to enlarge it and see what's on the registration page now:

[elangrehr]

Kevin over from LVA, heard about site on their message board. Would liked to be moved to FULL ACCESS MEMBER.
Thanks

[knagl]

Kevin over from LVA

Welcome!

[lvfritz]

LOL Kevin........if you get some of the execs from LVA to come over, they might not be able to tell you what 9 minus 1 is.  So you weed out the spambots and also the terminally stupid.  Great job!

[tonystewartrules]

Wow I have been here so long I cannot even remember the registration process.

Terry

[chefantwon]

Your lucky I could find my glasses and actually see that captcha.