Suggestion - Require approval on new threads for new users (i.e less than 10 posts)

[EDcase]

33 minutes ago, RostokMcSpoons said:

I'm presuming the spam posts are coming from a bot that only knows what the 'registration' and 'post a thread' pages look like.  Any change to the registration page will break the automated script.  However, these days you can build or amend a fairly sophisticated app just from a chatgpt session (well CodePilot if you want to be specific), so any sort of simple challenge might get worked around.

I've got no idea how these bots work or how AI tools could improve them but I've noticed that many of these spam users even set their avatars.

I doubt a simple question is going to stop them when any question simple enough for newbs can be easily searched.

Would be interesting to see

[Dan Robinson]

12 hours ago, Shamal said:

and still using a biro

Doesn't that scratch your screen? 

[Shamal]

8 hours ago, EDcase said:

Hasn't the simple test question been suggested before?

 

 

Yes you are right. It was suggested.

We were asked to post up possible questions.

I don't know if it was implemented.

[hunter511]

One of the bots I reported bafore had managed to list an AK47 under guns owned so not sure where that puts a joining question? Unless we go with the classic what am bestest gnu?

18 hours ago, EDcase said:

 

 

[EDcase]

At least some of them must be real people

[RostokMcSpoons]

29 minutes ago, hunter511 said:

One of the bots I reported bafore had managed to list an AK47 under guns owned so not sure where that puts a joining question? Unless we go with the classic what am bestest gnu?

 

 

That's interesting.   Tbh once I've identified someone trying to sell me Voodoo dick enlargement with a side-order of chemicals and a Scandinavian girl-friend thrown in for the smallest of fees, well once I've finished signing up for that I don't bother looking at anything else!

 

Was it one of those. or something a bit more 'targeted'?

 

 

Edited January 19, 2024 by RostokMcSpoons

[Speedbird_666]

Have new registrations been suspended @proffrink & @Jedi_Master?

 

No new members in the last 20 hours - testing on a different browser, I can't see a button to register.

[Rogerborg]

1 hour ago, Speedbird_666 said:

Have new registrations been suspended @proffrink & @Jedi_Master?

 

No new members in the last 20 hours - testing on a different browser, I can't see a button to register.

 

Yarp.

 

 

 

Closer and closer to my "Ban us all" solution, I see. <excellent.gif>

 

 

[Enid_Puceflange]

1 hour ago, Rogerborg said:

 

Yarp.

 

 

 

Closer and closer to my "Ban us all" solution, I see. <excellent.gif>

 

 

 

It’s the way forward….

It’ll save my marriage and my bank account ?

[Jedi_Master]

Yes, proffrink is looking at what is best to deter/restrict the spammers.

[Tackle]

@Jedi_Master  @proffrink

Guys, What was the outcome on deterring the spammers etc ? 

[Jedi_Master]

7 minutes ago, Tackle said:

@Jedi_Master  @proffrink

Guys, What was the outcome on deterring the spammers etc ? 

 

@proffrink  is working on the issue within limitations of the software, it is a work in progress.

 

[Enid_Puceflange]

Well

The peace & quiet from the Nigerian voodoo love spammers didn’t last long after registrations re opened 

[Dan Robinson]

I'm wondering what these nimrods get out of it....  Surely no one ever clicks the links.  Especially on rather niche forums like this.... I mean - I for one have never missed a period.

[Jamsandwich]

12 minutes ago, Dan Robinson said:

I'm wondering what these nimrods get out of it....  Surely no one ever clicks the links.  Especially on rather niche forums like this.... I mean - I for one have never missed a period.

 

? Oh no! I've never had a period, should I see a doctor?  Should I click the link??

 

But more seriously, it takes them very little effort to just run the tool and have it spam everywhere.  It's probably targeting the host or tool used by this forum rather than the forum itself.  The more spam they more chance they'll find an idiot.

[Tackle]

Got rid of one last night, & another just now, but yeah, what da fuq can they get out of it, has anybody ever clicked a link ? 

[Dan Robinson]

4 minutes ago, Tackle said:

Got rid of one last night, & another just now, but yeah, what da fuq can they get out of it, has anybody ever clicked a link ? 

 

I saw that lot pop up in real time last night...  I was still sober enough not to be tempted to click the link.

[Enid_Puceflange]

I just joined the discord for this website, on the discord it shows it’s a “bot” that joined, dunno if we should have the - Select all images with traffic lights idea for setting up accounts?

Or quite simply stop some regions from signing up.

(They probably use proxy servers anyway?)

Does anyone know if Airsoft can be played in Nigeria? 
They all seem to have rs Ak’s held together with gaffer anyway

[Rogerborg]

38 minutes ago, Enid_Puceflange said:

Or quite simply stop some regions from signing up.

 

Whitelisting UK IPs remains my suggestion, since the chances of an Elbonian spam-goblin using a UK proxy seems slim.

[Enid_Puceflange]

1 minute ago, Rogerborg said:

 

Whitelisting UK IPs remains my suggestion, since the chances of an Elbonian spam-goblin using a UK proxy seems slim.

Yup, let’s face it

99% of the members here are from the uk

The others don’t seem to log in or even contribute much after they have stopped asking Airgun or RS questions 

[Tackle]

57 minutes ago, Rogerborg said:

 

Whitelisting UK IPs remains my suggestion, since the chances of an Elbonian spam-goblin using a UK proxy seems slim.

 

55 minutes ago, Enid_Puceflange said:

Yup, let’s face it

99% of the members here are from the uk

The others don’t seem to log in or even contribute much after they have stopped asking Airgun or RS questions 

I wonder if that can be done, but with the option of other regions being screened before membership is approved (like some fb groups do), after all we have got a few European & USA contributing members. 

If thats possible, maybe the demi-mods can have access to the screening process, in order to reduce the pressure on the god-mods. 

? ?

[Speedbird_666]

And another account nuked.

 

Oh well, the quiet time was nice.

 

Another idea - limit new registrations to a 2 hour window per day? Say...6-8PM. A legit user will wait, and the overseas spammers will be more likely be offline at that point.

[Leo Greer]

On 13/02/2024 at 06:44, Enid_Puceflange said:

Yup, let’s face it

99% of the members here are from the uk

The others don’t seem to log in or even contribute much after they have stopped asking Airgun or RS questions 

 

?

 

On 13/02/2024 at 07:38, Tackle said:

after all we have got a few European & USA contributing members. 

 

??

Edited February 21, 2024 by Leo Greer