Spam... I Cant Stand Spam
- Thread starter jasbourre
- Start date
For some reason, the spam bots seem to pick on adding posts to one thread in particular. We've even locked a thread once because of this. But it does no good because they'll just find another thread to pick on.
We have discussed making all new members posts "moderated", or needing approval before they actually get posted, but the decision was that it would be an inconvenience to legitimate new members. What we've settled for is to create a "new member" group where suspected spammers that just registered are placed in that group and their posts get moderated. Frequently though, spammers are put in the "banned spammer" group before they even get to post here. We usually catch about ten new spammers each day this way. The problem is when a spammer registers and posts before any of the staff here can catch them. In these cases, we ask that you not respond to the spammer, but you do hit the "report this post" icon in the lower left corner of the post. That way the mod and administrators are notified by email.
If it gets really worse, we might consider changing the registration process, but for now, Peter, the owner is opposed to moderating all new member's posts. I've been on several forums where they do that, an I have to say, it is annoying to have to wait an hour or more before your question or response shows up.
We're doing what we can and we're working hard to keep the Gauge spam free. But I have to tell you, regardless of what we do, it's a real battle.
We have discussed making all new members posts "moderated", or needing approval before they actually get posted, but the decision was that it would be an inconvenience to legitimate new members. What we've settled for is to create a "new member" group where suspected spammers that just registered are placed in that group and their posts get moderated. Frequently though, spammers are put in the "banned spammer" group before they even get to post here. We usually catch about ten new spammers each day this way. The problem is when a spammer registers and posts before any of the staff here can catch them. In these cases, we ask that you not respond to the spammer, but you do hit the "report this post" icon in the lower left corner of the post. That way the mod and administrators are notified by email.
If it gets really worse, we might consider changing the registration process, but for now, Peter, the owner is opposed to moderating all new member's posts. I've been on several forums where they do that, an I have to say, it is annoying to have to wait an hour or more before your question or response shows up.
We're doing what we can and we're working hard to keep the Gauge spam free. But I have to tell you, regardless of what we do, it's a real battle.
Hey if you think thats bad, I traced a total of 152 messages sent from the SAME IP address under 4 fake email accounts, with 4 (one mer account) email titles, all sent to the one of my emails addresses. Worst part, Mozilla Firefox didn't even flag them as spam! Good thing is, I can ban IP's because I own the server. 
Safeguarding forums becomes an uphill battle, my biggest suggestion is to ban cashette.com & mail.ru from registering, it's curbed allot on forums I frequent, and ones I own.
Safeguarding forums becomes an uphill battle, my biggest suggestion is to ban cashette.com & mail.ru from registering, it's curbed allot on forums I frequent, and ones I own.
Thanks Don for keeping us informed on this mater.
I have seen on other forums that they do not aloy any free email servers ie hotmail, yahoo ect.
Something to think about.
jbaakko said:
I have seen on other forums that they do not aloy any free email servers ie hotmail, yahoo ect.
Something to think about.
How hard would it be to get each new member to write a short essay on why they want to join? I can't imagine spambots would write about SD40-2s and why they hate Tower 55 quite like model railroaders can. Screen each new member to see if they're here for the trains or for the free advertising...
Not allowing free email clients would kinda block about 25% of our membership.... the good ones...
And yes, we have already blocked those two and quite a few more. We will also try to filter out those IP addresses that spammers use over and over again. We have a few tricks up our sleeves that we don't want to advertise, but each time we find a new defense, they change the software to circumvent it.
I use the Thunderbird spam filter too and it catches about 80% of the spam sent to my email addresses. I have a Yahoo address that has been on some public forums and I get 30 or so spam messages a day, and Yahoo catches almost all of them. I had to close one account a while back because spam was filling up my inbox as soon as I was able to clear it, several hundred an hour.
Just so you know, the Gauge does not display or share email addresses, and we highly recommend that you do not post your email address anywhere here. Spammers send out bots specifically to mine email address wherever they can be found. If you need to contact any of our members, just use the PM system initially and share email addresses that way.
And yes, we have already blocked those two and quite a few more. We will also try to filter out those IP addresses that spammers use over and over again. We have a few tricks up our sleeves that we don't want to advertise, but each time we find a new defense, they change the software to circumvent it.
I use the Thunderbird spam filter too and it catches about 80% of the spam sent to my email addresses. I have a Yahoo address that has been on some public forums and I get 30 or so spam messages a day, and Yahoo catches almost all of them. I had to close one account a while back because spam was filling up my inbox as soon as I was able to clear it, several hundred an hour.
Just so you know, the Gauge does not display or share email addresses, and we highly recommend that you do not post your email address anywhere here. Spammers send out bots specifically to mine email address wherever they can be found. If you need to contact any of our members, just use the PM system initially and share email addresses that way.
If you block free e-mail accounts, you can "grandfather" those already registered. Their accounts shouldn't be affected. Also, you can temporarily unlock the feature to let a new member in if they send and e-mail and ask.ezdays said:
Another thing that helps is registration verification. I can't remeber if I had to do that here or not but it keeps people from registering with fake e-mail addys just to post spam.
Hey, everybody
. We know spam is a problem and getting worse everyday. But, imagine what it would be like without the admins. and moderators keeping The Gauge clean for us. Lets thank them for the great job they do. I visit a lot of forums and The Gauge is the best, and the busyest, maybe thats one of the reasons.
Loren
. We know spam is a problem and getting worse everyday. But, imagine what it would be like without the admins. and moderators keeping The Gauge clean for us. Lets thank them for the great job they do. I visit a lot of forums and The Gauge is the best, and the busyest, maybe thats one of the reasons.Loren
Thanks Loren,
We do try to keep it to a minimum, or as Monty Python said...
"It's only got a little bit of spam in it..."
Andrew
We do try to keep it to a minimum, or as Monty Python said...
"It's only got a little bit of spam in it..."
Andrew
Customer:
Morning,
Waitress:
Morning.
Customer:
What have you got?
Waitress:
Well, there's egg and bacon,
egg sausage and bacon
Egg and spam
Egg, bacon and spam
Egg, badon, sausage and spam
Spam, bacon, sausage and spam
Spam, egg, spam, spam, bacon and spam
Spam, sausage, spam, spam, spam, bacon, spam tomato and spam
Spam, spam, spam, egg and spam
Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, baked beans, spam, spam, spam and spam.
(Choir: Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Lovely Spam! Lovely Spam!)
Or Lobster Thermidor aux crevettes with a mornay sauce
served in a provencale manner with shallots and aubergines
garnished with truffle pate, brandy and a fried egg on top and spam.
Wife:
Have you got anything without spam?
Waitress:
Well, the spam, eggs, sausage and spam
That's not got much spam in it
Wife:
I don't want any spam!
Customer:
Why can't she have eggs, bacon, spam and sausage?
Wife:
That's got spam in it!
Customer:
Hasn't got much spam in it as spam, eggs, sausage and spam has it?
(Choir: Spam! Spam! Spam!...)
Wife:
Could you do me eggs, bacon, spam and sausage without the spam, then?
Waitress:
Iiiiiiiiiiiich!!
Wife:
What do you mean 'Iiiiiiiiiich'? I don't like spam!
(Choir: Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!)
Waitress (to choir):
Shut up!
(Choir: Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!)
Waitress:
Shut Up! Bloody Vikings!
You can't have egg, bacon, spam and sausage without the spam.
Wife:
I don't like spam!
Customer:
Shush dear, don't have a fuss. I'll have your spam. I love it,
I'm having spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, baked beans,
spam, spam, spam, and spam!
(Choir: Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!)
Waitress:
Shut Up!! Baked beans are off.
Customer:
Well, could I have her spam instead of the baked beans then?
Waitress:
You mean spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam,
spam and spam?
Choir (intervening):
Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam!
Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!
Spam spa-a-a-a-a-am spam spa-a-a-a-a-am spam.
Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam!
Spam spam spam spam!
Morning,
Waitress:
Morning.
Customer:
What have you got?
Waitress:
Well, there's egg and bacon,
egg sausage and bacon
Egg and spam
Egg, bacon and spam
Egg, badon, sausage and spam
Spam, bacon, sausage and spam
Spam, egg, spam, spam, bacon and spam
Spam, sausage, spam, spam, spam, bacon, spam tomato and spam
Spam, spam, spam, egg and spam
Spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, baked beans, spam, spam, spam and spam.
(Choir: Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Lovely Spam! Lovely Spam!)
Or Lobster Thermidor aux crevettes with a mornay sauce
served in a provencale manner with shallots and aubergines
garnished with truffle pate, brandy and a fried egg on top and spam.
Wife:
Have you got anything without spam?
Waitress:
Well, the spam, eggs, sausage and spam
That's not got much spam in it
Wife:
I don't want any spam!
Customer:
Why can't she have eggs, bacon, spam and sausage?
Wife:
That's got spam in it!
Customer:
Hasn't got much spam in it as spam, eggs, sausage and spam has it?
(Choir: Spam! Spam! Spam!...)
Wife:
Could you do me eggs, bacon, spam and sausage without the spam, then?
Waitress:
Iiiiiiiiiiiich!!
Wife:
What do you mean 'Iiiiiiiiiich'? I don't like spam!
(Choir: Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!)
Waitress (to choir):
Shut up!
(Choir: Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!)
Waitress:
Shut Up! Bloody Vikings!
You can't have egg, bacon, spam and sausage without the spam.
Wife:
I don't like spam!
Customer:
Shush dear, don't have a fuss. I'll have your spam. I love it,
I'm having spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, baked beans,
spam, spam, spam, and spam!
(Choir: Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam! Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!)
Waitress:
Shut Up!! Baked beans are off.
Customer:
Well, could I have her spam instead of the baked beans then?
Waitress:
You mean spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam, spam,
spam and spam?
Choir (intervening):
Spam! Spam! Spam! Spam!
Lovely spam! Wonderful spam!
Spam spa-a-a-a-a-am spam spa-a-a-a-a-am spam.
Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam! Lovely spam!
Spam spam spam spam!
Spam in MY dictionary
Spam: 1. A mass produced kind of meat in a can used to feed our troops durring WWII and can be used in over 100 different ways. This kid of spam I like 2. :curse: put up on forums and such so people can try to sell :curse: to other people for quick cash and personal info. This spam is :curse: in my book, so thank you mods for doing such a great job:thumb:
Wait, HOW can you own the server?
Spam: 1. A mass produced kind of meat in a can used to feed our troops durring WWII and can be used in over 100 different ways. This kid of spam I like
2. :curse: put up on forums and such so people can try to sell :curse: to other people for quick cash and personal info. This spam is :curse: in my book, so thank you mods for doing such a great job:thumb: jbaakko said:I can ban IP's because I own the server.
Wait, HOW can you own the server?
I do research (type in servers into google), and it seems a majority of forums block these two servers. I recently looked at a .it domain too, but I didn't find the info I found with them. I decided that mail.ru & cashette.com had spammed me enough, and various other sites had the same issue so out they went.jasbourre said:
Never had a hotmail.com spam yet, they're getting better.
Well, ok, I rent it, but its not hard to own a server, you buy one, hook it up to the internet and point a domain to the server's IP address. Then you set up the email boxes on the server, and wala, you own your server.CNWman said:
Yes, thanks Don for addressing these issues and answering questions!
Meanwhile I've been to the Spam Museum in Austin MN. I was a hoot!
Ralph
Meanwhile I've been to the Spam Museum in Austin MN.
I was a hoot!Ralph
That's just too funny. I love Monty Python.Why me said:
I'd rather get spam than junk mail, though. It's far easier to recycle electrons.
Spam Spam Spam Spam
I lived in Hawaii for eight years and Spam is very popular there. They eat more Spam per person than any other state. And they are quite proud of it. A normal breakfast consists of eggs, rice and Spam. It’s not that bad.
Aloha
Tom
I lived in Hawaii for eight years and Spam is very popular there. They eat more Spam per person than any other state. And they are quite proud of it. A normal breakfast consists of eggs, rice and Spam. It’s not that bad.
Aloha
Tom