Spammy Members

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Philip Chidlow
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Spammy Members

Post by Philip Chidlow »

Just noticed - whilst looking for a contact on the Memberlist section, there are loads of bogus members around the 150 mark. Can we do something to clean up the list?
• 1992 Citroen BX TZD Turbo Hurricane
• 2006 Xsara Picasso 1.6 16v
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toddao
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Post by toddao »

Are you suggesting that 'Mc_ Hittler' isn't a genuine BXer? :D


' One day it's gonna rain and it's gonna wash all the scum off the street..' get yourself a mo-hawk haircut Phil and go hunt spammy filth, like De Niro in Taxi Driver
Todd


this yellow writing is really hard to read
M

Post by M »

Hmmm...

Well, no one is actually posting any spam (unlike over on A/S where there are regular warhammer or Viagra posts) Some members only really are members to observe, not participate, some people post once in a blue moon and some post to flog a car then disappear. We did have a lot of early spammers - but their acounts are not active anyway, anyone registering now has to go through the whole "are you a human not a spambot" type thing - then their emails are verified by one of the admin team then if we are happy they are not a spammer the account gets activated. I think it would be harsh to delete people just because they have not posted or because they have a "silly" handle. Besides, certain discounts for insurance and GSF are dependant on us having a certain number of members.
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TB2
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Post by TB2 »

I noticed that too a while ago. It's all over the list, not just around 150. Look at 700-750 for example. It's obviously full of spam bots created users like "BeTyWrZs", "dhgemmiyhw", or "yokigvyfdh". And I think there's another, more sophisticated spam bot registring users,too. It's even filling in their location or hobbies. Prove me wrong, but I think "Elidgiple" from Papua New Guinea or "Soniinwapab" from Zambia aren't real users eighter.

Indeed our admin seems to have prevented any horrid outcome of these registrations. Still, if you look at the profiles of those users, they always provide all Instant Messenger IDs (so if anyone writes them, the bots can start spamming back) and also links to suspicous home pages (Tip: Don't click on them).

Looking at the list, I'd say at least 200 of the users are spam bot created ones. From 14 Apr 2008 to 05 May 2008 users # 684 to 888 have registered and most of them are spammers. I also think that there's little one can do about it. You can't make out who's fake and who's not if only by going through the names one by one and checking for the above schematics. On the other hand, all users with 0 posts could be deleted all at once, which would surely solve the problem, while all those who have only registered to read will also be kicked...

Best is to prevent such registrations in the first place, and this has already been done in May. If you look at the last page, there's not even one of those bots around. So it's just a cosmetical flaw of the member list and statistics in the end, if you disregard the fact that most of those "user homepages" link to probably malicous sites...
Carl

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---
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Toddman
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Post by Toddman »

I remove ten or more from the 16v forum most days it is a pain.

I agree Phil should go hunt the scum down

Cheers
Luke
Please call me Luke :)
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Philip Chidlow
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Post by Philip Chidlow »

I'll be back...


:D

The Spaminator
• 1992 Citroen BX TZD Turbo Hurricane
• 2006 Xsara Picasso 1.6 16v
CitroXim
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Post by CitroXim »

Philip Chidlow wrote:I'll be back...


:D

The Spaminator
And we'll be here to splat 'ya!

We've virtually wiped spam right out now on here and the FCF. Our little tricks and mods to the forum software, coupled with the need for every new account to be personally checked and activated by an Admin controls the problem a treat. In fact, it is clear from looking at the stats now that a lot of spambots "give up" when they find a well managed site that is impenetrable to them. These days, we just have to keep an eye on registrations for hotmail users and the like. Reluctantly, I opened up the ability from hotmail accounts on the FCF following desparate pleas from a member there. A few spammers have noticed and try it on but we're ever vigilent!

As for the spurious users in the database, well, we could get rid of 'em but it's a long and tedious job for very little profit. Besides, we admins, despite what you might think, do have a life outside cars and forums :lol:
Jim

'98 Xantia 1.9TD in Red - Gabriel the Bus...
'96 Xantia Activa in Red - My favourite toy...
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Philip Chidlow
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Post by Philip Chidlow »

Understood. Just an observation!
• 1992 Citroen BX TZD Turbo Hurricane
• 2006 Xsara Picasso 1.6 16v
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docchevron
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Post by docchevron »

citrojim wrote: Besides, we admins, despite what you might think, do have a life outside cars and forums :lol:
You do!? :shock: How is this allowed?!?!?!?!?!?

I think we should be told!


Cont. Page 94..

(Ok, unless you read Private Eye you probably wont get that!)
Smokes lots, because enough's enough already!

Far too many BX's, a bus, an ambulance a few trucks, not enough time and never enough cash...
M

Post by M »

docchevron1472 wrote:
citrojim wrote: Besides, we admins, despite what you might think, do have a life outside cars and forums :lol:
You do!? :shock: How is this allowed?!?!?!?!?!?
I think we should be told!
Cont. Page 94..
(Ok, unless you read Private Eye you probably wont get that!)
Not since Willie Rushton died I havent.
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Post by CitroXim »

Philip Chidlow wrote:Understood. Just an observation!
And a good one as well Philip. With the dark, winter nights coming on, it'll keep us out of mischief to weed the more obvious ones out and an opportunity might well present itself with plans that are afoot to migrate the forums to a new phpBB platform at some point in the future. It would be nice to migrate with a clean user account table. We'll have to move to the next version of phpBB at some point as technical support is soon to be withdrawn for the version of phpBB we're currently running and with it, security patches.

There is a "tool" that will carry out a mass deletion of user accounts at a stroke but as it's a "third-party" add-on for phpBB and given the relational nature of the database, it's use carries some risk.
The Doc wrote:I think we should be told!
Read our blogs Chris :wink: Except for mine, you'll have to join the FCF for that although thinking on, you may find the X***** word crops up rather too frequently for your liking :lol: :lol: And, you'll have to see many pictures depicting the X***** as well...
Jim

'98 Xantia 1.9TD in Red - Gabriel the Bus...
'96 Xantia Activa in Red - My favourite toy...
'07 Pug 207 in Blue - The Deathtrap...
'15 Giant Defy Bike in Blue - Daily rider...
'16 Giant TCR Bike in Black/Lime Green - Fine weather only...
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mat_fenwick
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Post by mat_fenwick »

citrojim wrote:you may find the X***** word crops up rather too frequently for your liking :lol: :lol: And, you'll have to see many pictures depicting the X***** as well...
I wonder whether you can get a filter for that, like the ones to prevent kids visiting websites they shouldn't? :wink:
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docchevron
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Post by docchevron »

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Ah Willie Rushton, a great loss to the world....

I would join FCF Jim, but I spend too much time posting bollocks on forums as it is!

You could of course copy your blog over here aswell so the more enlightened BX lovers could share in the joy of JimWorld (TM)!
Smokes lots, because enough's enough already!

Far too many BX's, a bus, an ambulance a few trucks, not enough time and never enough cash...
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Philip Chidlow
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Post by Philip Chidlow »

I know it must be impossible to guarantee that every member is kosher, but something like this lacks 'excitement/significance' because of the meaningless members :cry:

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• 1992 Citroen BX TZD Turbo Hurricane
• 2006 Xsara Picasso 1.6 16v
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