Spam Attack

[Steve Herschbach]

We started getting hit hard in last 48 hours. Main problem these are not bots, but an army of paid spammers. Most are based in India, but there are a few in U.S. prisons also. So appears somebody has made an offer to pay for spam.

The other problem is since they are mostly in India, they start hitting at 2am, so even if reported it stays up until Chase wakes up, and then me. He is farther east so first up.

The reports help a lot, but until now were set as just a report. I have temporarily set the report function to quarantine any posts that are reported. In effect you are all moderators until this abates. Please do not abuse this - only report obvious spam or other serious forum rule violations. It will go in a review status until Chase or I look at it, so we will see if anyone is reporting stuff that should not be reported.

My hope is by making the spam posts go away faster with everyone's help, that they will give up soon and move on. I assume the people only get paid if the spam stay up, and so they will find easier pastures if they get thwarted here.

Since these are people, there is no way to stop them without changing the registration process, either to where we have to approve every application, or go to where a person must be sponsored by an existing member. Bots can be foiled, but any process that lets your average person in let's a human spammer in also. Anyway, sorry about all this. If it continues much longer I may simply block all new registrations for a week, which will put a stop to it for sure.

[Jim_Alaska]

Thanks for your diligence in taking care of this Steve. I was up early the other day and saw and reported the SPAM, I figured you weren't awake yet. I had to go to "registration approval" on my forums because of this very thing. Some of these people live in places that are so backward that this may be the only income they can get. It makes you wonder how they can afford a computer.

[GhostMiner]

5 minutes ago, Jim_Alaska said:

Thanks for your diligence in taking care of this Steve. I was up early the other day and saw and reported the SPAM, I figured you weren't awake yet. I had to go to "registration approval" on my forums because of this very thing. Some of these people live in places that are so backward that this may be the only income they can get. It makes you wonder how they can afford a computer.

LOL. Good one.

[V3i/MXT Pro]

Thanks Steve, for a moment I thought you might have branched out into travel agency services. 😉

[dig4gold]

1 hour ago, Jim_Alaska said:

It makes you wonder how they can afford a computer.

Stole it of course.

D4G

[GhostMiner]

 

 

[Sourdough Scott]

Not sure what they were trying to gain with this. But they are relentless. 

[Steve Herschbach]

And just stupid. Did anyone here immediately call any of those numbers? No. Maybe it works someplace, I have to assume it does, but in general they are just wasting their time and ours.

[1515Art]

There’s a guy who goes by the name “Pierogi” on his channel “Scammer Payback”, a cyber security specialist he baits these guys in and then reverses the game taking over their computers copying then deleting all their files before turning everything over to law enforcement. He’s got a lot of videos out there a real hoot to watch, google it if you have not had the pleasure of seeing him in action.

[phrunt]

I'd be happy to nuke any spam, I'm in a different time zone which may help.