Author Topic: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)  (Read 37222 times)

Offline DDGator

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ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« on: February 01, 2007, 01:47:42 PM »
The User Agreement has been modified with the following language:

**Important Note to New Members ** The forum has been plagued with registrations by commercial spammers.  New forum members are encouraged to post somewhere in the forum soon after joining so it is clear you are not such a spammer.  New users may be removed without warning if spamming is suspected.  If you are deleted and intend to be a productive member of the forum, please e-mail the Administrator to clear up any confusion so you may re-register.  We apologize for any inconveneince.

We are taking aggressive action to purge spammers.  If you accidentally get caught up in one of these purges, I apologize for the inconvenience.  No legitimate members are being targeted!  Thanks.
Duane (DDGator)
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E-mail: Admin-at-RohrbaughForum.com

Offline Fud

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #1 on: February 02, 2007, 09:14:31 PM »
It appears that a lot of gun boards are being targetted by professional spammers. FFF is getting a handful of hits per day.

If you're interested, PM me to compare notes.

Offline DDGator

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #2 on: February 02, 2007, 10:02:35 PM »
In my spare time, I have delted 500+ members.  

What is it these people are hoping to accomplish?
Duane (DDGator)
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Offline Fud

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #3 on: February 02, 2007, 11:31:46 PM »
Don't delete. Ban. Deleted members can re-register again. Banned members need to get another e-mail address.

Offline S.F._Phantom

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #4 on: February 03, 2007, 02:08:05 AM »
Ban their IP..... ;D
We Are The Pilgrims, Master;We Shall Go Always A Little Further

Offline Fud

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #5 on: February 03, 2007, 01:19:45 PM »
Banning the IP will also help but it has been my experience that most of them use a proxy server and come in on a different IP address each time.

Offline Soda_Pop

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #6 on: February 05, 2007, 12:01:18 AM »
We had the same problem over on www.therallypoint.org

We actually track IP and email addresses before we allow a member to have access to the forums.

Offline DDGator

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #7 on: February 05, 2007, 10:55:37 AM »
I wish I had the technology to screen members like that -- I don't with this forum software.  Maybe if we upgrade...
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Offline R9SCarry

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #8 on: February 05, 2007, 07:56:04 PM »
These %#&%^$'s are a royal PITA and yeah - most use proxy servers.

Quite how they hope to get sales when trolling/spamming our types of board I do not know! :(  Certainly a ban is best but there again - some keep coming back.  One source in UK and another from Russia are frequent.

They should consider themselves lucky that gun boards cannot live fire in their direction :D
Chris - R9S
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Offline Fud

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #9 on: February 06, 2007, 10:54:06 AM »
Are you also seeing this at THR? How are they dealing with the problem?

Offline Richard S

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #10 on: February 06, 2007, 02:38:37 PM »
What I think about these "bottom feeders" can't be expressed in polite company.  Lately, I've been getting about five e-mail messages a day from crooked geeks hiding behind proxy servers trying to peddle junk bonds or penny stocks.  I've even received two of those pathetic Nigerian "409 Scam" letters.  (I thought those stupid things had run their course years ago.)  Even my newest SPAM blocker can't keep up with all of this garbage.  

I join Chris in the closing sentiment of his previous message.
(1963-1967) "GO ARMY!"

Offline R9SCarry

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #11 on: February 06, 2007, 05:52:13 PM »
Alan - yes THR and also CombatCarry - no one is immune as there is no way satisfactory put on a block.

Methodology has to be the usual PITA - hope someone spots them and we do a quick clean up.  Members do often use the ''report to mod'' button and so that often helps fix things super quick.

''Bottom Feeders" Richard - yes indeed ........ parasites and all the other things we can't print here :(
Chris - R9S
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Offline DDGator

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #12 on: February 06, 2007, 06:19:33 PM »
I have taken some steps -- like banning certain known IP addresess and such, but it hardly stems the flow.

It is difficult to ban all these spam members because of the nature of the software.  A little easier to delete them -- but still a multi-step process.  

There have been 10+ spam members join since 9am this morning.  >:(  The wierd thing is that they almost never post anything -- they just join.

For a while we had 600+ spam members on the board!  I was asleep at the switch I guess, but it didn't take long.

I don't understand what value they get out of joining the forum and not posting...  Furthermore, I have to ask the question -- even if it doesn't cost them much to "advertise" in this way, what can it possibly be worth?  Who buys products from these people?

Heck, even if you are the kind of person who pays for on-line pornography, do you decide to go to a particular Ukranian porn site because they are spamming the Rohrbaugh Forum?   ???  I don't get it.

I wish someone smarter than me could explain the economics of this type of spamming to me...  Anyone?
« Last Edit: February 06, 2007, 06:20:22 PM by admin »
Duane (DDGator)
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Offline DDGator

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #13 on: February 06, 2007, 06:29:12 PM »
Wait, it gets better.  One of the frequent e-mail addresses for these spam members (you can't see their e-mail, but I can) is something@cashette.com.

When you go to cashette.com it is an e-mail provider that promises to stop all "free" spam, and pay you for spam you agree to receive... Huh?  They create spam and then want me to use their service to block spam?  Then they want to charge other spammers to send me spam?  You have to look at their FAQ - the whole thing makes my head hurt.
Duane (DDGator)
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Offline R9SCarry

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Re: ATTENTION New Members (and Potential Members)
« Reply #14 on: February 06, 2007, 08:19:24 PM »
Duane - there is much out there to make the head hurt!  These spammers always seem to be able to stay one step ahead by some means.

Like you, I fail to see how they make any sales!  I'd be interested too to find out if in fact an order was placed, would anyone receive any goods!  Whole darned thing smacks of scam entirely.

Grrrr ........... (not a very effective representation of how they chap my butt!).
Chris - R9S
Guns don't kill people - people kill people.
R9 FAQ Site
NRA Life member and Certified Instructor.