Recognizing Spam

[MontyJ]

Here is a sneaky one I have been noticing:

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=359936#p359936

Click on their user name and then show all comments. Notice the comments are general. If you look at the thread, you will see that they are mostly out of context. This is probably a non english speaking person simply promoting the waste removal site.

 

[digitS']

Does the ability to upload pictures with 1st posts increase the likelihood of spam?

I know that new members are sometimes really frustrated they cannot post pictures. And, I guess, there was a restriction on links. What prompts people to show up on TEG is often problems and it is difficult to describe insect damage and such.

Still, I'm inclined to be wordy and after spending 10 minutes trying to respond to a question, I hate the feeling that I'm just gonna see someone trying to sell me a kitchen remodel in East London!

Reminds me of my relationship with my neighbor, Mrs. Knott.

Steve

 

[Nifty]

Steve, great question! I'm not sure allowing pics increases the ability, but maybe just a little. It's always a tricky balance of blocking spammers but not blocking legit members. Move toward making it easier for members and it makes it easier for spammers... and vice versa.

It's SUPER nice of you (and others) to be so welcoming to new members. It makes ALL the difference in how active someone can become.

We do have some new features in place that we didn't have before that look at spammers email addresses IP addresses, etc. to hopefully weed them out before they start posting. Some will still always get in, but hopefully fewer. The nice thing is that removing them is now a 1-2 button click for the moderators vs. a 10 button process as it was before.

BTW, on a spam related note, you may be interested in this GREAT writeup that tells exactly what I've been going through with companies now asking (sometimes demanding) that their spam links be removed: http://www.theawl.com/2013/12/the-new-spammer-panic

(hopefully the spammers will read that and realize that their old-school spam is actually doing more harm than good)

 

[Nifty]

I'm REALLY liking the anti-spam tools on this platform!

On another site someone signed up and I wasn't sure if they were a spammer or not. I looked at their IP address and they had 2 other accounts that were also promoting stuff for sale. All bad apples were banned with just a few clicks!! (all of which would have taken a TON of work on the old system)

 

[897tgigvib]

SPAMMER-B-GONE

I love it. Now if the rest of the internet can do it maybe the infestation can be eradicated entirely.

Hopefully the spammers can turn their efforts into something legitimate.

It is a social problem worldwide. For instance, some small time drug dealers when they go to jail are taught that they can redirect their efforts, so that when they get out they can sell something legal, tires for example.

If spamming goes extinct, the spammers will need to redirect their efforts and start doing things right, legal, and socially acceptable.