New moderator(s), spammers be very afraid

[guidoveloce]

well, here we can delete the spam and submit the ip address to spammers database at the same time, but spammers probably come back using a different ip, so we must delete the posts and ban again the spammers, even if they are the same persons who have been banned only few minutes before.

[Richard230]

One interesting thing is that I do visit several other forums and have yet to see a similar group of spam postings. In fact, I can't recall seeing any spam at all, other than a few individual commercial posts that are not exactly following the forum rules when it comes to unauthorized advertising and gets quickly deleted by the moderators. So either this "live streaming" individual from SF has it in for this forum or their spam bot just finds this site easy to fool and make stupid subject posts. I also find it interesting that the spam only gets posted on Friday or weekend afternoons, Pacific Standard Time. That leads me to believe that we might be dealing with a teenager who has better things to do during weekdays - such as go to school or visiting his or her friends. Likely he makes a few cents for every post his bot manages to get past the forum gate guard - which ironically some legitimate forum members had trouble with in the past.

Besides having such dumb subject titles, which irritate my brain (kind of reminds me of a certain news-making Tweeter), I am concerned that the "live streaming" links might actually be intended to install malware on to someone's computer who might have inadvertently clicked on the link.

Anyway, I will be happy to post the spam that I stumble across here for deletion by the current moderators, or you can give me the power to delete the posts immediately - keeping in mind that I am pretty much a one trick pony and know little about computers other than how to turn them on and off, how to type and how to push the Enter button. (I have buttons all over my keyboard that have never been touched. Interestingly the "A" and "S" on my keyboard buttons have been worn off of the key tops. )

[Roadpizza]

PST? Ain't me!

"- keeping in mind that I am pretty much a one trick pony and know little about computers other than how to turn them on and off, how to type and how to push the Enter button. (I have buttons all over my keyboard that have never been touched."-RICHARD

Man you more qualifications then me and look what they did......I'm Global even...

[guidoveloce]

has anybody read the vBulletin manual?
I've done it and, as every manual it is incomprehensible. so I've started to do what I need simply doing it and I discovered that it easier than I thought. I suppose that most of us, the moderators, are just a bit more than computer illiterates. but it is enough.

[Richard230]

Needless to say, I have no idea what a vBulletin manual is. But I did discover some more Spam posts. Apparently, if it is a Saturday afternoon on the U.S. West Coast is must be time for Spam. And these thread topics are just plain weird. It makes them real easy to locate:



https://f800riders.org/forum/showthre...73#post2422273


https://f800riders.org/forum/showthre...65#post2422265


https://f800riders.org/forum/showthre...dated-versions

[guidoveloce]

I've asked to the other moderators if they agree to make new mods. at the moment I've not received answers, but probably I must wait until monday that some of them will come back to the forum. maybe are out for a weekend ride. I know that they will surely agree with my decision, but I think that it's better to wait for their response.

[Richard230]

And the Spam just keeps on coming:


And going at 6:07 PST -Pizza

[guidoveloce]

as you can see, now we have three new moderators. Richard, Chris and Mark have joined to us... our little anti-spam army becomes stronger.
welcome among the blu named!

[DWS]

Welcome bloke's ...

[DWS]

Twas a good idea appointing new moderators Guido ... we haven't had any spam since ...

[guidoveloce]

as the title said...

[Richard230]

I just banned and cooked my first can of Spam. Shielesti from San Francisco (where else?) on Friday afternoon tried to sneak another "Live Stream" post past us, but he didn't get far - just 32 minutes.

Teresital from SF only lasted 2 minutes.

[Daboo]

VBulletin has another layer of moderator tools that we don't seem to have here. It may be that they were using older software.

Here's a screen capture from a process for moderators that I wrote up.



The left hand frame had some very useful tools. One I liked, was being able to look up the IP address of the spammer and see what other accounts they had in progress of being authorized. As the text says, "No Mercy".

Do we have such a thing available to us?

Chris

[Richard230]

Just nailed another one. I can hardly wait until tomorrow afternoon.

[Richard230]

The Spam is starting early today. Our little friend is getting up around 5 am PST, but between ST404 and myself the Spam didn't have much of a shelf life. It sure doesn't take long to become an "ace" in the Spam war. They make it too easy with their stupid bot posting dumb thread titles.

I spoke too soon. The bot is apparently learning to make more interesting thread titles. This one almost caught me off guard: https://f800riders.org/forum/showthre...80%99s-critics

[TelemarkTumalo]

I attempted to "delete posts as spam" on a couple of posts last night, but not sure that I did it right. When I selected the thread and then marked delete as spam, I received a dialogue box that said something like I was only deleting it temporarily and to proceed carefully. Any advice?

[Richard230]

I attempted to "delete posts as spam" on a couple of posts last night, but not sure that I did it right. When I selected the thread and then marked delete as spam, I received a dialogue box that said something like I was only deleting it temporarily and to proceed carefully. Any advice?

Yes. I just nailed another one. This one was from "Estonia". Forget the "Moderation Tools" box at the lower right of your screen. Place your cursor over the poster's name, left click, and that brings up a small box that has an option to nuke the poster and his IP address. Click "confirm" and away they go.

[DWS]

VBulletin has another layer of moderator tools that we don't seem to have here. It may be that they were using older software.

Here's a screen capture from a process for moderators that I wrote up.




The left hand frame had some very useful tools. One I liked, was being able to look up the IP address of the spammer and see what other accounts they had in progress of being authorized. As the text says, "No Mercy".

Do we have such a thing available to us?

Chris

You need administration access to get the extra tools ...

[DWS]

Yes. I just nailed another one. This one was from "Estonia". Forget the "Moderation Tools" box at the lower right of your screen. Place your cursor over the poster's name, left click, and that brings up a small box that has an option to nuke the poster and his IP address. Click "confirm" and away they go.

Now that you've got the "Nuke" button down pat. (no pun intended ST404).
There's another step you can take to move the spam threads to the trash.

Select the little square to the right of the thread.
Open the "Moderation Tools" bottom right.
Select "Move Threads" then "Proceed".
Destination Forum, scroll down to "Trash Can".
De-select the Redirect button, then "Move Threads".

[Daboo]

You need administration access to get the extra tools ...

Power corrupts. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. We want power!

[Richard230]

Now that you've got the "Nuke" button down pat. (no pun intended ST404).
There's another step you can take to move the spam threads to the trash.

Select the little square to the right of the thread.
Open the "Moderation Tools" bottom right.
Select "Move Threads" then "Proceed".
Destination Forum, scroll down to "Trash Can".
De-select the Redirect button, then "Move Threads".

Is being in the "trash can" more permanent than being banned? Giving the spammer the ban, along with their IP address, seems pretty permanent to me and is certainly easier than using the more complicated "Moderation Tools" shovel. Or does their thread still exist after the "nuke" and needs to be trashed, too? If it does I hadn't noticed.

P.S. just got another one, from SF again.

[DWS]

Is being in the "trash can" more permanent than being banned? Giving the spammer the ban, along with their IP address, seems pretty permanent to me and is certainly easier than using the more complicated "Moderation Tools" shovel. Or does their thread still exist after the "nuke" and needs to be trashed, too? If it does I hadn't noticed.

P.S. just got another one, from SF again.

It's basically to get rid of clutter.
The moderators can still see the spam threads even after they've been banned.
If they're moved to the trash, then they don't clutter up the other threads ...

[Richard230]

It's basically to get rid of clutter.
The moderators can still see the spam threads even after they've been banned.
If they're moved to the trash, then they don't clutter up the other threads ...

I practiced trashing and banning the latest Spam. Here is what I did: I trashed the spam per your instructions above, then I "nuked" the spammer while he was in the trash can. Is that the correct procedure? I wish we had our own automatic bot that would chase these guys down as fast as they jump into our pool. I hate to give them their 30 minutes of fame before they get discovered.

Interestingly, the spam was a link to "live streaming of the Super Bowl" - which is going on right now. You would have thought that the spammer would be watching it himself, instead of dumping it on us. I keep getting the feeling that the live streaming link is likely to pay you back with malware rather than letting you watch Lady Gaga waltz around the field.

[Tims1572]

Hey Richard, just so you know. The Hormel "Spam" plant in Stockton CA. has right in in there Foreman/Supervisor manual. Or they did when I used to live up there. It said that along with the other meat chopped up in the mix. That 1 pound of "Rat" meat was allowed per every 1000 lbs. of the other meat being used for the final product. I am dead serious.

I know a guy and his wife that worked there. She was a Supervisor and he himself was taking the test to be 1 too. I got to see this in the test manual myself.

The plant was crawling with them.

So for any Bay Area Spammers. Just remember, They may be part Rat. It all cooks up the same. That trash can could be the Hormel meat hopper?

Keep up the good work. Lol.

Oh and how is everybody else doing?

All good over on the G450X Sections. Thanks Devon.

"Huskytalk" section is still about dead. Have maybe a few posts a month. Can't get any replies to them unless I try to answer them all myself. With a referral out !

Timmy

[de100kb]

Anyway, I will be happy to post the spam that I stumble across here for deletion by the current moderators, or you can give me the power to delete the posts immediately - keeping in mind that I am pretty much a one trick pony and know little about computers other than how to turn them on and off, how to type and how to push the Enter button. (I have buttons all over my keyboard that have never been touched. Interestingly the "A" and "S" on my keyboard buttons have been worn off of the key tops. )

Great, I've asked Mr. Richard Harmon if he would be willing to join the ranks on several occasions but he always refused so it was a great surprise to see Richard230
when checking in

And a warm welcome to Chris and Mark joining the ranks

[Daboo]

Thanks. Whatever I can do to help.

Chris

[Richard230]

Great, I've asked Mr. Richard Harmon if he would be willing to join the ranks on several occasions but he always refused so it was a great surprise to see Richard230
when checking in

And a warm welcome to Chris and Mark joining the ranks

The spammer from San Francisco (located only 15 miles from me) irritated me to such an extent that I wanted to take action, so I finally broke down and joined the anti-spam nuke-it-now club. I might add that I didn't think I could figure out how to use the moderation tools (being pretty much of a Luddite) but I was happy to find that I still had enough marbles left to push the correct buttons.

[Daboo]

Now when you go to a BMW MOA Get-A-Way, you can impress the others by telling them that you're a moderator on a BMW forum.

You can also tell the bartender that you're a moderator and he'll give you a discount on your beer. Charge you $5, instead of $2 or $3.

Chris

[Daboo]

Can someone check up on our spammer? I haven't seen anything at all this weekend so far, and it's not like I see the deleted threads that one of you have caught earlier.

I'm worried about him/her. I hope nothing bad has happened.

A thought just occurred...maybe it is a college kid and they are off on spring break enjoying some sunny beach using the money they gained by spamming us.

...so don't bother checking.

Chris

[Richard230]

Can someone check up on our spammer? I haven't seen anything at all this weekend so far, and it's not like I see the deleted threads that one of you have caught earlier.

I'm worried about him/her. I hope nothing bad has happened.

A thought just occurred...maybe it is a college kid and they are off on spring break enjoying some sunny beach using the money they gained by spamming us.

...so don't bother checking.

Chris

You jinked us Chris. The Live Streaming he/she/it from San Francisco is back this afternoon. And has found its way into the Trash Can.

[Daboo]

Maybe they were visiting their sick grandma. Taking her some homemade chicken soup, or something.

I'm trying to think positive, on how they might be actually a decent person and not some scumbag.



Chris

[Richard230]

Guido, Dabou and Telemark sure did a great job of filling the trash can last night. Now who is going to take out the trash and send it to the landfill?

It is really too bad that we can't just send all of the trash back to where it came from.

[guidoveloce]

in truth, I've never thought to empty the trash can, actually I don't even know if it is possible. it would be great if we could send back all the trash to who produces it.

[Richard230]

DWS was sure kept busy last night by the spam army. Thanks DWS for trashing them all.

[DWS]

You and Daboo got your fair share as well Richard ...

[Richard230]

You and Daboo got your fair share as well Richard ...

Daboo filled up the can today and I took out the trash.

[Richard230]

Guido sure had a lot of ??? trash to haul out last night. Sorry Guido. But thanks for all of that work. Apparently we have a jerk spammer who wants to screw with our forum. I hope someone returns the favor sometime.

[guidoveloce]

Guido sure had a lot of ??? trash to haul out last night.

it's the routine of every week end.

[Daboo]

I'm amazed. No spam this weekend. Did the forum software change to block them automatically?

At first, I thought. Oh wow! Maybe they are a Christian and involved with Easter activities at church. Then the more cynical side of me realized that they are probably at some beach celebrating "Spring Break".

Chris

[guidoveloce]

don't claim victory. there is another day this week end.

[notacop]

You guys are having entirely too much fun.
The feeling of power coursing through the key board to abolish the lesser evils that invade the sanctity of the forum.
My underwear is off to you! Oops, hat!