PM Spammers

[tjudy]

We have had more than a few PM spammers popping in lately. I looked into the option of requiring a minimum number of posts before the PM privileges kick in, but this version of vBulletin does not seem to offer that. If you get a spam PM, please post the name of the abuser here ASAP so we can ban them and delete all their PM.

Mods... let me ban these PM spammers because I can delete the the PM messages they send, but you cannot.

 

[dfea]

Hey Ted,

I got a PM spam on the 9th. It was from gabriiel880.

- Dan

 

[fischfan13]

Ted, what you need is what I put in at EastCoastCichlids.org (free plug)...it's vbStopForumSpam.
Also you can check out Project Honey Pot and install what they have.
In your Admin Panel in Banning Options I would also be happy to give you the IP addys of thousands of spammers that you would be able to ban them as well.

 

[slimbolen99]

Ted:

Received message today from ccelest778.

 

[ShirleyNg]

DO NOT click on the link in the PM. My Safari browser warns me that this link would direct user to a malware site and resulted in malicious software being downloaded and installed without user consent.

This kind of spam PM was seen as early as 2002, with the exact same content.

 

[pink lady]

Malware message

I received this email today that Ted said is malware "BEWARE"
Will you be able to remove it Ted???

Dear pink lady,

You have received a new private message at Apistogramma Forums - The Dwarf Cichlid Connection from Lady_Admin, entitled "Important message from the forum administration".

To read the original version, respond to, or delete this message, you must log in here:
http://www.forum.apistogramma.com/private.php

This is the message that was sent:
***************
Dear, Kristina023;pink lady;Ogof;sakana;boydvd!
A virus alert was noticed on your computer.
We highly recommend you to check your computer and perform online virus check at our site immediately: http://antivirus.effectmeds.com/Kristina023;pink lady;Ogof;sakana;boydvd
Sincerely, Forum Administration www.forum.apistogramma.com.
***************

Again, please do not reply to this email. You must go to the following page to reply to this private message:
http://www.forum.apistogramma.com/private.php

All the best,
Apistogramma Forums - The Dwarf Cichlid Connection

 

[Bilbo]

I got a second one today.

Why is Apistogramma.com so prone to these people? I have never had or seen spam messages from other forums.

TJudy you are doing a great job so thank you for your diligence but this must be infuriating for you and the other mods.

 

[dfea]

Ted,

Second one for me today too, you deleted the first before I even saw it, the second is from GooDFriend.

- Dan

 

[slowhand35]

GooDFriend strikes again

I just got another PM from this jerk today, can't these guys be banned or something?

 

[ShirleyNg]

I got another one from GooDFriend.

I hate spammers.

 

[slimbolen99]

My lord. I got two more. One from the GooDFriend and the other from nikoolaj880.

I guess we take for granted how lucky we've been not to have this so much before.

 

[ShirleyNg]

One from nikoolaj880 for me.

 

[dfea]

Yep, got hit by nikoolaj880 last night.

- Dan

 

[tjudy]

All those listed are banned. I get to them as fast as I can. I am banning them because as an admin I can delete all their PM sent as well. I will be downloading and installing a new security system next week that will hopefully take care of the problem. I am not in a place I can do that easily, so please be patient until I get back home next week.

 

[SteveE]

I got one from luckkkyman. Looks like 4 or 5 people got it. I also got them from most of the ones already listed and this one is the same message that those were.

 

[JasonC]

I just got one from luckkkyman... also have had msg's from the others mentioned... any way to do an IP ban on these punks?

 

[Bilbo]

luckkkyman to me as well.

 

[slimbolen99]

The minimum post idea is probably a good one. If that doesn't work, it may be a good idea to lock out new member sign ups for a week. Once the software that is spamming us receives failed login attempts they may go onto the next victim.

This is just a short term fix suggestion, in long term, the addition of better member sign up verification may help.

 

[fischfan13]

I threw my suggestion out there. No need to do anything about "minimum" posts for pms or posting.
I run a forum as well, and I use vBulletin.
vBulletin has a StopSpam list, as does other sites. All of these spammers' IP addys are already listed on these sites and I have had in the past year ZERO spammers get thru...ZERO.
580 members, 25,000 posts...ZERO spammers.

In the Admin Control Panel there is a place to copy and paste all of these IP addys...
Piece of cake.

Personally I am getting upset because I have my email hooked up to my Blackberry and it seems at the worst times I have received emails form here saying that I have a PM.

 

[tjudy]

HI Bill,

Thank you. I will be contacting you about your suggestion. I have been out of town since last Wednesday, and am just catching up on stuff.

Ted