Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Tired of reporting spam

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The Volatile Chemist - 8-1-2015 at 08:11

Me too. I'm on a lot at night (at least where I am) and thus see a lot of spam.

diddi - 8-1-2015 at 14:45

same. being in .au, I see a lot while the USA folks are asleep.

Bert - 9-1-2015 at 15:59

You are all drafted. Details to be worked out later!

j_sum1 - 9-1-2015 at 18:31

Count me in too if you need me.

Zyklon-A - 9-1-2015 at 19:47

I can put in some time too.

Brain&Force - 9-1-2015 at 23:34

Great! Let's do this!

Are you looking for a minimum time commitment?

The Volatile Chemist - 11-1-2015 at 11:31

I'm excited. How's it gonna work?

gdflp - 14-1-2015 at 10:36

Any updates? Just a thought, but it might make sense to move a thread like this to Whimsy or another private subforum. If the spambots are indeed human, then they can currently read our defense tactics freely and figure out ways around them.

The Volatile Chemist - 14-1-2015 at 16:40

Quote: Originally posted by gdflp  
Any updates? Just a thought, but it might make sense to move a thread like this to Whimsy or another private subforum. If the spambots are indeed human, then they can currently read our defense tactics freely and figure out ways around them.

Yeah, we probably should. Unless the bots are another member out for fun - like Woelen! Just kidding...
But a separate thread might be nice.

Bert - 28-1-2015 at 20:25

EVERYONE! Please be on the lookout-

For a new spam variant-

Characteristics observed so far:

Human authored, an apparent reply to existing thread, but with little meaningful content, usually the majority is a quote of another's previous reply, with perhaps a sentence or two of new content.

BUT!

After the body, down in the bottom where a signature might be- There are links, in a font/color very close to color of default page background. Easy to miss-

Please report these ASAP if you notice such links hiden in otherwise apparently legitimate posts.

Some of the spam I deleted today had been present for over a month without anyone noticing/reporting the spam links-

diddi - 28-1-2015 at 20:37

pretty sure I reported one of them the other day. looks like reply to thread, but has links to some product scattered through the text.

j_sum1 - 29-1-2015 at 03:38

58 spam posts by one spammer in the last few minutes.
Yuck.


[edit]
And dispatched quickly before I got to report them. Something in the system is working. :)

[Edited on 29-1-2015 by j_sum1]

violet sin - 29-1-2015 at 04:05

i reported all of 'em... that wasn't too fun. open them all in separate windows, paste "spam", hit report, close window, and you are on to the next 57

The Volatile Chemist - 29-1-2015 at 06:57

I'll be working on a script that looks for spam :)

The Volatile Chemist - 29-1-2015 at 06:58

I'll be working on a script that looks for spam :)

The Volatile Chemist - 29-1-2015 at 07:00

I'll be working on a script that looks for spam :

(I will assume posting this 3 X was irony?)

[Edited on 30-1-2015 by Bert]

Zyklon-A - 29-1-2015 at 07:20

Anyone else notice this four page long spam fest?

Bert - 29-1-2015 at 07:38

Quote: Originally posted by Zyklon-A  
Anyone else notice this four page long spam fest?


http://youtu.be/wKjxFJfcrcA

Zyklon-A - 29-1-2015 at 11:56

I like this one better, but wuteva. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5hfYJsQAhl0

morganbw - 11-3-2015 at 15:39

It is so effing easy to just not read the shit threads.
What am I missing?
If you do not like it, ignore it.

aga - 11-3-2015 at 15:59

Agree, yet combating Spam is a good thing.


morganbw - 12-3-2015 at 13:11

Quote: Originally posted by aga  
Agree, yet combating Spam is a good thing.


You are right sir.
Ignoring can only go so far/enough spam can overwhelm

The Volatile Chemist - 13-3-2015 at 13:15

I have no clue why that posted three times.... And I think I was on a normal computer, too. Sorry, Bert.
The script isn't going well, got sidetracked.

Eddygp - 13-4-2016 at 03:38

https://xkcd.com/810/

Velzee - 12-8-2016 at 12:48

I have noticed that I usually log onto SM just as the spammers post; I usually just report them, but recently the odd porn-linking ones have been popping up quite frequently. I know we're supposed to just report them and move on, but I wish I could do something other than that, because I'm usually up at all hours of the day and most of the mods aren't online at the time. For example, I'll go online at like three in the morning, and there'll be four random, usually Spanish, spam posts is this sub forum, and a few scatter in the EM section, and unfortunately the mods aren't online.

Crowfjord - 12-8-2016 at 12:52

Mods don't need to be online. If two trusted members report spam, it will be automatically deleted by the software.

Deathunter88 - 12-8-2016 at 23:47

Quote: Originally posted by Crowfjord  
Mods don't need to be online. If two trusted members report spam, it will be automatically deleted by the software.


Who qualifies as a "trusted member"?

Crowfjord - 13-8-2016 at 05:26

"Trusted members" are those who have been added to a list in the forums spam removal algorithm. I think administrators add members who have reliably reported spam multiple time. I believe this is also explained earlier/further up in this thread.

j_sum1 - 24-8-2016 at 19:04

Spam got slightly cleverer today.
Quote: Originally posted by Davisonmachine  
Finish Up

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crystal grower - 30-8-2016 at 00:54

Quote: Originally posted by Crowfjord  
Mods don't need to be online. If two trusted members report spam, it will be automatically deleted by the software.

It think that this is a good idea, alternatively it could work in way that when 2 trusted members report spam, the post will be hidden but not deleted and when admin is online he will decide whether delete this post or make it publish again.

wg48 - 30-8-2016 at 01:29

Quote: Originally posted by Crowfjord  
Mods don't need to be online. If two trusted members report spam, it will be automatically deleted by the software.


So unless one is a trusted member there seems to be no point in reporting the spam. Do I have that correct?


crystal grower - 30-8-2016 at 02:13

Quote: Originally posted by Brain&Force  
If you need a dedicated spamkill squad, count me in.

I will help too.
Count me in if something like that is created.

Velzee - 2-9-2016 at 03:23

Quote: Originally posted by crystal grower  
Quote: Originally posted by Brain&Force  
If you need a dedicated spamkill squad, count me in.

I will help too.
Count me in if something like that is created.

And I as well.

Crowfjord - 3-9-2016 at 19:11

Quote: Originally posted by wg48  
Quote: Originally posted by Crowfjord  
Mods don't need to be online. If two trusted members report spam, it will be automatically deleted by the software.


So unless one is a trusted member there seems to be no point in reporting the spam. Do I have that correct?



Not necessarily. As far as I know, if you frequently report spam you will be added to the list of trusted members. You can ask an admin (maybe just Polverone) to be sure.

crystal grower - 20-9-2016 at 02:08

Is there any progress regarding the antispam system (whether the "trusted members" thing or something else)?
Thanks for answer.

aga - 20-9-2016 at 05:13

i reported a set of 4 this morning.

Pretty soon they were gone, so i guess the anti-spam thing is working fine.

Hopefully nobody was looking for bulk quantities of mild steel made in India ...

crystal grower - 23-9-2016 at 23:48

Who wouldn't want steel from india xD.
Yeah I agree the anti-spam works quite well but I still think that ideas statet above would improve it. However, I'm not a programmer and I haven't idea hoe difficult it would be to make this change to system, so I'll let it be.
By the way, I've noticed a new "spam trend" today - posting spam inside normal threads, I have reported three of these today, I hope they'll get deleted soon.

Marvin - 24-9-2016 at 03:57

Quote: Originally posted by wg48  

So unless one is a trusted member there seems to be no point in reporting the spam. Do I have that correct?

No. Do report spam. The system is 1 trusted member (on the list) and 1 ordinary member (joined a minimum number of days ago) will cause a wipe (of a new user).

Texium - 24-9-2016 at 13:26

Quote: Originally posted by crystal grower  
By the way, I've noticed a new "spam trend" today - posting spam inside normal threads, I have reported three of these today, I hope they'll get deleted soon.
Yeah, unfortunately those still have to be manually deleted. I went into each thread and got rid of them. They had each already been reported by 5 people by the time I got to them, so clearly the spam deletion code doesn't work when the post is part of an existing thread.

aga - 24-9-2016 at 14:38

It is probably better that a sane human looks at reported spam, so as to prevent threads with Useful Content getting deleted by malicious user(s) with multiple high posting accounts etc.

Computer programs can do amazing things, but still cannot perform as well as human in the human realm.

Well, not yet, maybe not ever.

j_sum1 - 12-10-2016 at 03:59

Nothing new to add.
Just again incredulous that someone actually believes that the gibberish posted is actually going to raise revenue somehow. I mean it gets posted for a reason right?

NedsHead - 12-10-2016 at 04:51

that's what I don't understand, how on earth does spamming this forum translate into dollars?

j_sum1 - 12-10-2016 at 04:53

It doesn't. But enough people think it does.

aga - 12-10-2016 at 07:01

Spam markerting is all about numbers.

Those actually selling the spamming services just have to show that they distributed X million of a customer's "important messages" and they get paid.

It only takes 1 dumfuk to click on one of their links and it is all worthwhile for them, so they do it again, and again.

(Hopefully) simple way to prevent spam.

crystal grower - 13-11-2016 at 00:15

What if members with less than (for example) 10posts weren't allowed to post url links? Or they would be controlled by moderarors before posting.
I'm not sure if it's technically possible or not, but I think it would be helpful.

aga - 13-11-2016 at 01:32

That'd discourage new people with a utoob channel etc from joining.

To be fair, i don't see enough spam to consider it a massive problem.

Just report them and pretty soon they disappear.

j_sum1 - 15-2-2017 at 02:01

A guy. Apparently. Named Sabina. But felt the need to emphasise that the facebook account was female.

Ummm... Nope!


SabinaCamp.jpg - 41kB

Corrosive Joeseph - 15-2-2017 at 15:17



Shoot The Dog.jpg - 22kB

Texium - 21-2-2017 at 19:09

Newest spam thread title:

"Mistresses typographically contaminants lemming."

Gotta admit, they're pretty great sometimes.

gdflp - 2-3-2017 at 22:08

Someone got a new spam bot...

SciMadSpam.png - 593kB

Chemetix - 2-3-2017 at 22:49



Spammer Meme.jpg - 203kB

Tsjerk - 3-3-2017 at 00:33

I haven't read this whole tread, so it may have been suggested; what about a really really simple chemistry test for new accounts? Something like what is the chemical formula of water and is oxygen a reducer or a oxidizer?

Corrosive Joeseph - 6-3-2017 at 03:40

Quote: Originally posted by Tsjerk  
I haven't read this whole tread, so it may have been suggested; what about a really really simple chemistry test for new accounts? Something like what is the chemical formula of water and is oxygen a reducer or a oxidizer?



Yup. I haven't read the whole thread either but 'Todays Posts' has just been spam-bombed again.................. This sh%t really does my head in

Maybe we could have it so that new accounts can't start a thread until they have 10 or 20 posts.................... That should stop it................

It should also stop people just signing up just to ask something or to sell stuff without giving a little contribution first.

Of all the forums on the net, SM really has it's own brand of culture, protocol and 'social' customs............ Members who sign up just to take and not give back are rightly frowned upon here....................

Where TF is aga when we need him......................? :D


/CJ

j_sum1 - 6-3-2017 at 04:18

I think aga is taking a self-imposed hiatus. Again. I wish he would just pull his head in a bit and enjoy the place; contributing as he can. But I get the impression he hasn't been in a good space for a while and has therefore lacked a certain perspective. I might send him an email.

I like your suggested policy on newbies. I am pretty sure that it has been suggested before but that there are either technical or philosophical issues with its implementation.

For a page of chinese garbage like we just experienced, I simply report the top two on the list and the one that has been viewed most often. Simply type "spam" (and nothing else) in the report box. Once a certain number of users do the same, the SM script takes over and deletes the spam user and all their posts. I don't think there is a need to report all of them. I go for those three since I am more likely that way to follow someone else's reporting and kick-start the script.

Cryolite. - 7-3-2017 at 11:52

I actually came across an interesting concept for combating spam on a Java programming forum. Instead of having a standard confirmation email (which can be worked around), why not ask simple chemistry questions? Things like "How many moles of oxygen are consumed when 1.43 moles of iron rust?" This should defeat the most attempts to script account creation, and as a bonus it keeps the extremely low effort users from creating accounts :D

mayko - 9-3-2017 at 21:09

TRINITY!!!!!!
....HELP!!!!!

A Halogenated Substance - 18-3-2017 at 06:50

Quote:
The second, and far more common problem, is that you do not have a single post yet. We've suffered from a spam problem here over the past few years, so in September of 2007 we instituted a "one post (reply) before being able to start a new thread" policy into the forum software. This prevented the automated spambots from posting their messages and cluttering our forum. This applies to all new members. Additionally, it is required of all members who registered before September 2007 to post at least once before being allowed to start a thread. The software did not differentiate between existing and non-existing members.


This is from a forum called "The Amateur Pyro" ( http://www.amateurpyro.com/forums/ ) which I found while trying to hunt out various chemistry forums. Perhaps a rule could be implemented in which new members have to reply at least once before being able to make a new topic. This could stop spammers which are typically one time posters before being deleted.

Now we just need someone to implement it if this a agreeable idea...

JJay - 30-4-2017 at 19:54

There is a completely ridiculous amount of spam here at this moment.

j_sum1 - 30-4-2017 at 20:08

What? Aren't you interested in the security holes for Chines remotes of US cars?
I thought everyone wanted information about that.

In. Every. Forum. Repeated. Over. And. Over. In. Chinese.

I've reported the first few in the list and also the three that have been visited most often. If we all do that then it should disappear pronto.

RogueRose - 1-5-2017 at 09:34

Maybe limemenmt a limit on the # of posts a new user can make to a 1-3 posts in the beginers or misc section or any posting limit the first 10 posts. Once the posts are shown to not be spam, then allow posting.

Is there any way to flag a user after they have posted X number of posts in a certain amount of time - like 6, 12 or 24 hours? Once they go past a certain number they get put in a queue for moderation and then they are OK'd if they are good posts.

The moderation could be done by any trusted member (decided by mods/admin, post count, membership time, whatever). Have the posts listed in a sub forum "posts awaiting moderation" and from there they can be passed or flagged.

IDK if this software has features which would make this possible but I would guess one of these could be implemented in some way or another, maybe a combo of them.

It may take creating a new user group and place trusted member in this (maybe by user request??) and then give those members access to the "post moderation" forum. The users with access to this forum could have the option to delete the posts which are bad.

I'd like to help if I can, I can brainstorm some more but it is kind of like shooting in the dark without knowing what the board is capable or, what the admin is willing to implement and whether they will install board modifications (I'm sure there are some specifically for this problem).


Corrosive Joeseph - 4-5-2017 at 13:33

The latest one, I mean WTF...........? - "Find Out Who is Discussing Baby Minky Blanket and Why You Need to Be Concerned "

Sorry, just had to preserve that one :D


/CJ

Review of first 5 posts

symboom - 10-8-2017 at 08:24

Would review of new profiles and their first posts help cut down spam such as many have links. Luckly spam has been less of a problem on here also

What are some ways we can make an administrators job easier clearing spam
Reporting and typing the reason spam

I do like rougerose and that idea

[Edited on 10-8-2017 by symboom]

Assured Fish - 12-8-2017 at 03:16

Wait are we supposed to be reporting those weird nonsensical posts that pop up once a day.
I just assumed the mods had that shit handled but if it goes by tally then i don't mind spending 10 second of my time reporting them.

Melgar - 28-8-2017 at 05:32

One minor edit to the PHP code of the registration page would banish them for good. I've done it before with phpBB, and it's extremely easy. All we have to do is come up with a very easy question, or set of questions, to ask anyone registering. I downloaded the XMB software already, I just need someone to agree to add in the new code when it's ready.

j_sum1 - 30-4-2018 at 03:37

There has been a bit of a glut of spam lately -- looks like several sources.
Thanks to everyone for reporting. Our systems are not perfect but we are staying on top of it all.

If you don't already know, simply hit the report button, type "spam" and send. The script will take over from there; erasing the thread and banning the spammer. Don't add a reply to the thread.

Please report this type of "camo spam"

Bert - 4-5-2018 at 09:40

Look at this user account posting history:

https://www.sciencemadness.org/whisper/search.php?srchuname=...

https://www.sciencemadness.org/whisper/viewthread.php?tid=82...

https://www.sciencemadness.org/whisper/viewthread.php?tid=82...

https://www.sciencemadness.org/whisper/viewthread.php?tid=82...

https://www.sciencemadness.org/whisper/viewthread.php?tid=82...

Every single one follows the same pattern. A question on a topic more or less appropriate to the forum. Followed by the claim to not have found an answer, and a couple of links (the objective of this charade being to have that link not removed, as we do with the stupid simple spam posts).

This spammer clearly has a template which is adapted in minor ways to whatever site/forum he is spamming.

This is wasting a bit of user time on pointless responses to camouflaged spam.

If you notice this type of post, please use the report button. Don't reply to the question.

[Edited on 5-4-2018 by Bert]

Tsjerk - 4-5-2018 at 10:53

So they are starting to think now.... interesting.

If we can push them hard enough, will they actually LEARN CHEMISTRY?!

Bert - 4-5-2018 at 11:54



constructive_spam.png - 39kB

The first link is another science related forum, where they copy the questions posted here. They are smart enough to correlate these topics with other forums, but do not generate the actual question themselves.



So, I saw some spammers-

saw.jpg - 16kB

[Edited on 5-4-2018 by Bert]

aga - 4-5-2018 at 12:58

The new slew of Smart Spam is slightly more difficult to spot.

Just hover over the links they post --do not click-- and take a look at where the link goes to.

This is basic web hygiene - take a peek at the URL before clicking. It could be anything nasty.

Report it. Let the Gods sort it out ;)

whats with the russian bots

coppercone - 19-5-2018 at 07:57

Every time I open a page I see some thread advertising pirated call of dutys or other virus ridden bullshit.

This forum needs a heavier catchpa or something.

Tsjerk - 19-5-2018 at 08:02

This is being worked on

DrEvidence - 19-5-2018 at 12:50

I like warez, it's free :D

Bert - 19-5-2018 at 15:55


I heard the Russian bots made a secret deal with the German bots to take over all the Polish bot nets, then split the Polish bot nets between themselves- and that the German bots are going to backstab the Russian bots a little while later.

mayko - 19-5-2018 at 18:59


Screen Shot 2018-04-18 at 9.45.22 PM.png - 128kB

Vosoryx - 19-5-2018 at 19:18

Quote: Originally posted by Bert  

I heard the Russian bots made a secret deal with the German bots to take over all the Polish bot nets, then split the Polish bot nets between themselves- and that the German bots are going to backstab the Russian bots a little while later.


I also heard that this secret deal, otherwise known as the: "Botzi-Botsviet non aggression pact" was signed at bots-litovsk.

[Edited on 20-5-2018 by Vosoryx]

Bert - 20-5-2018 at 00:21

I have been rather irritable of late, and had started analyzing the spams for details that allow the spammer accounts to be uprooted wholesale, rather than retail.

Someone is unhappy that all their lovely wickedness is going away?

Reboot - 20-5-2018 at 09:42

You could require a moderator's approval of a new member's first post before their posts become public.

Or, given the specialized nature of this site, we could have a quick quiz on the signup page. A couple of questions on basic chemical trivia might do the job. For instance, you might ask them the chemical formula for hydrogen bromide; things that are, if not immediately obvious to all chem students, at least easily looked up.

aga - 20-5-2018 at 10:57

On some forums it is mandatory for noobs to introduce themselves in a designated topic, i.e. 'Welcome' before being able to post spam everywhere.

Is spam reporting still helpful ?
Just i have this terrible image of an Inbox that some poor soul has to look at, full of spam reports.

DavidJR - 20-5-2018 at 12:19

Quote: Originally posted by aga  
On some forums it is mandatory for noobs to introduce themselves in a designated topic, i.e. 'Welcome' before being able to post spam everywhere.

Is spam reporting still helpful ?
Just i have this terrible image of an Inbox that some poor soul has to look at, full of spam reports.


I personally don't like the whole mandatory-introduce-yourself-thread thing. I would have found it very off-putting if I had to do that rather than just realising I had something to say about a thread and replying.

--

There is of course anti-spam software and services like Akismet but I don't know how easy it would be to integrate that with the current forum software. I guess that's part of the motivation to migrate to newer software.

Or, as suggested, just a simple chemistry question at sign-up. As trivial as possible (i.e. google-able), so as to avoid creating a barrier for chemistry newbs. Anything really, it only needs to be enough to stop a dumb generic bot.

[Edited on 20-5-2018 by DavidJR]

Texium - 20-5-2018 at 15:14

Quote: Originally posted by aga  
Is spam reporting still helpful ?
Just i have this terrible image of an Inbox that some poor soul has to look at, full of spam reports.
It's still helpful, but the image is accurate:

IMG_4440.PNG - 185kB
They used to be deleted automatically but it doesn't work anymore for some reason. The reports are still effective though.

j_sum1 - 20-5-2018 at 15:44

We have had a bit of a glut in spam the last few days. I woke up to 56 reported posts in my inbox this morning, which is a bit unusual. Especially since I had been pretty vigilant about checking and deleting over the weekend.

Under the circumstances, if you report a post for a reason other than spam, there is a risk that the report will get lost among all the spam reports. If the spammers are particularly active it might pay to U2U a mod as well as reporting if you have other concerns.

LearnedAmateur - 20-5-2018 at 22:32

I’m guessing those report bunches are to do with ‘waves’ of spam, what I like to do and what I think would be most helpful is to mention that there are several spam posts in a single report as opposed to reporting all of them. Then it’s just a matter of filtering through the Today’s Posts page, most bots are easy enough to spot from that alone.

Oh, and how about a feature prevents other users from reporting an already flagged post? Not that I have any experience but I’m sure that at least some posts are reported multiple times - would help with clogging up the report list.

[Edited on 21-5-2018 by LearnedAmateur]

j_sum1 - 20-5-2018 at 23:23

All good ideas. But the best thing is to activate the spam-nuke script that runs when spam is reported. It does not always work reliably (for reasons I am not sure of) but when it does, it does a good job.

It checks a few criteria and then deletes all threads started by the spammer, bans the account and auto-deletes the reported post u2us.

So, don't reply to spam posts - this will prevent the script from working. And if you notice more than one spam under the same username, just report the one with the most views. After a certain number of reports the whole lot will disappear.

It looks bad at the moment but would be a lot worse without the script.

NedsHead - 21-5-2018 at 01:13

It would be easier if we could report the member account doing the spamming, rather than having to report their individual spam posts

LearnedAmateur - 21-5-2018 at 01:21

The thing is though, I’ve noticed, is that different accounts do the spam - it’s only a few times I’ve seen a single account with multiple posts. In each wave for instance, you’ll get several new accounts each with the one post and that’s it; a single post each is a reason for a quick sign-up question, and your idea would come in handy for multiple post spambots.

j_sum1 - 21-5-2018 at 01:47

@ LA. That's true this time around. But it is not always so.

@NH. If the spam script runs the account gets banned; so reporting a post also deals to the account.

crystal grower - 21-5-2018 at 05:29

Quote: Originally posted by j_sum1  
All good ideas. But the best thing is to activate the spam-nuke script that runs when spam is reported. It does not always work reliably (for reasons I am not sure of) but when it does, it does a good job.

It checks a few criteria and then deletes all threads started by the spammer, bans the account and auto-deletes the reported post u2us.

So, don't reply to spam posts - this will prevent the script from working. And if you notice more than one spam under the same username, just report the one with the most views. After a certain number of reports the whole lot will disappear.

It looks bad at the moment but would be a lot worse without the script.

Remember as you said dont reply?
Well, spammers started replying themselves LOL.


Screenshot_20180521-152501.png - 342kB

LearnedAmateur - 21-5-2018 at 06:07

Crap, they’re evolving. Just have to hope they don’t start replying to actual threads.. Things will get really messy in that case.

Vomaturge - 21-5-2018 at 10:34

Quote: Originally posted by LearnedAmateur  
Just have to hope they don’t start replying to actual threads.. Things will get really messy in that case.


I actually think I have seen one like that. There was an old thread about either phosphine or phosgene (can't remember which, not interested in trying either at home), which had been bumped by a completely unrelated post, advertising nursing degrees or something. I reported it as "spam," and it disappeared. Should have taken a screenshot! I suppose it couldn't be that hard to make a bot that can reply to threads with unrelated posts.

And then there's the real sneaky kind:
Quote: Originally posted by Bert  
EVERYONE! Please be on the lookout-

For a new spam variant-

Characteristics observed so far:

Human authored, an apparent reply to existing thread, but with little meaningful content, usually the majority is a quote of another's previous reply, with perhaps a sentence or two of new content.

BUT!

After the body, down in the bottom where a signature might be- There are links, in a font/color very close to color of default page background. Easy to miss-

Please report these ASAP if you notice such links hiden in otherwise apparently legitimate posts.

Some of the spam I deleted today had been present for over a month without anyone noticing/reporting the spam links-


I wonder how much money is really made using these adds. Surely advertisers wouldn't hire actual humans to come up with unique handmade spam posts... Or would they?


aga - 21-5-2018 at 11:08

It's all a Numbers game.

If one idiot in a million clicks and Buys a $0.99 item, just need to send out a billion spams to get a million buyers.

Internet junk is pretty much free, so they just send out 10 billion bits of spam garbage to make sure.

If The-Idiots-Who-Click-and-Buy could be systematically eliminated, the spam would stop.

Edit:

Early UK billion definition there, not US.

[Edited on 21-5-2018 by aga]

crystal grower - 27-5-2018 at 01:11

I have a suggestion regarding the report system.
Is it possible to add a option "spam" when reporting which you would just tick off instead of writing spam?
It seems like no big deal but after reporting 15+ spam posts at a time , it would really come in handy.

symboom - 28-5-2018 at 11:46

I like your idea and not responding to spam would make it easier but unfortunatly we have to open up some of them of they are chemistry related vs spam
some sort of system that helps

So im for the spam button then a comfirmation page
To prevent accidental reporting

Maybe members that reach hazard to others would help keep it from being abused by visiter of the site by potentual new member that are just spam accounts none of them go past 10 posts.

And they would be the only ones who can report spam
So its not a revenge thing if a new user just wants to be spoonfed

I think this idea may help admin here



[Edited on 28-5-2018 by symboom]

[Edited on 28-5-2018 by symboom]

aga - 28-5-2018 at 12:35

Us rank-and-file users have less of a hard time with spam than the mods.

All we have to do is report it and it pretty quickly disappears.

I think someone has to press buttons for that to happen, which would be a Mod, so less bitching about it you proles - they have a harder time with it than any of us do.

If Lord Bertie could please clarify one point:
is it easer on Mods if we ONLY report the earliest spam that we see, or is it better for you if we report them ALL.

I still have this nightmare vision of a volunteer Mod wading through a long list of reports, each with my name on it, when the first report could have been enough.

Nightmare-ish enough to get a message with my name on it in any case ;)

j_sum1 - 28-5-2018 at 12:43

If there is a bunch of spam from the same user then it will suffice to just report one. I try to pick the one that has been viewed (and hence reported) most often. When the account gets deleted then all spam from that user vanishes with it.

This is of course predicated on the fact that our systems are working properly -- which is not always the case.

Texium - 28-5-2018 at 12:48

If there are multiple threads started by the same spam account, you only need to report one thread.

Also for some reason my spam reports are still not being automatically deleted, but that seems to just be affecting me and not the other mods. And I can't seem to get ahold of Polverone to get that fixed. :mad:

aga - 28-5-2018 at 13:00

Thanks for the clarification chaps.

So, to be clear :-

If there is a spamming account making multiple posts, it is better to just report one of their posts, saving you Mods having a million U2Us for no benefit

If there are multiple spamming users posting just once, report them all.

Is that about right ?

[Edited on 28-5-2018 by aga]

Texium - 28-5-2018 at 13:01

Spot-on

aga - 28-5-2018 at 13:07

Confirmation received.

Begin reprogramming brain .....
... error. retying 1/3 ... success.
... completed.

Resuming normal operations.

fusso - 29-5-2018 at 08:34

Oh fuck, seems like SM is being targetted by spammers and scammers recently. I keep seeing annoying spam posts every few hrs.:mad::mad::mad:
Hey cocksucking motherfucking son of bitches!!! YOU WILL NEVER GAIN ANY REWARD SPAMMING HERE!!! Just go home and hide back in ur motherfucking mothers' cunts!!!:mad::mad::mad:

Aww... another auto-reply spam post just today...:mad::mad::mad::mad::mad:

Is there any ways to ban certain email domains from registering? I see some of them are from the same domain/site.


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Tsjerk - 29-5-2018 at 09:58

@Fusso; stop your yelling and cursing and tripple posting. You are actually doing the same stuff as you are accusing these bots of.
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