Help Us Fight Spam

[jessssi]

It seems like there are some that don't have spam on their signatures but their username have the same style as the ones that do. I guess I can't jump to conclusions since those accounts aren't doing anything wrong yet, but just thought I'd mention it so you'd keep an eye out.

[Seabody]

Yes - once you've learnt a few, you tend to expect that others have the same style. For instance, if the common link was XwhateverY, I tend to expect, when I see a name like XSeabodyY or XJessiY, or even XPamY, that those users will have some form of spam in their profile. I spent 5 minutes browsing the memberlist and finding names like that which can't contain spam, because the users have never been active. It's just coincidence, I expect. Just like coincidence if there was Leto85 (With the arm profile picture) and Leto86 (With a Leg profile picture).

[jessssi]

Yeah but if they've never been active, then what's the point of keeping their accounts? The memberlist looks messy with all those random accounts that never get used anyway. And to be honest, it's getting a little bit ridiculous. Today it has just been spam account after spam account.

[Saltypaws]

Actually, we do work on getting rid of some of them, but, unfortunately, we get rid of a few and more register.  It is a never ending battle, but there are a few of us that actually do delete accounts that have made no posts since they have registered and look like spam.

[Schipperke]

I try to check all the new accounts regularly, but if they put in their spam after I've already checked, it won't be found unless some other moderator is checking.  A lot of times it's just chance that I'm looking at who's online and catch a spammer actually modifying their profile.  So if members report any spam profiles they run across, that should help.

[jessssi]

So we just PM you the link of the account?

[Schipperke]

So we just PM you the link of the account?

Yes, that would be very helpful, Jessi.  Thanks!

[Seabody]

I'd just like to take time to thank our moderators for their hard work.
Recently (5 minutes ago, in fact), I spotted a topic that I thought might need merging with another topic. I looked at it, at it was another topic written entirely in Polish. Needless to say that I immediately hit the "Report to Moderator" button, filled in my comment and waited. I then proceeded to look at the profile of the spammer, when I saw that, when I pressed "Show all posts", this person had no posts.
Thank you to whichever moderator removed this post (and possibly person). The quick spam-fighting is one of the reasons I stayed on this forum, instead of registering, pointing out a mistake in the Guide Sitemap (I remember my very first post! ) and leaving to play Sims in my little corner of the world.

What I don't get is this: Why do they write in Polish? That's about the third topic I've seen in Polish - the others were about wheels.
Thank you again, you wonderful moderators!

Seabody.

[Pam]

It was just a Polish based spammer.  We see that quite a bit in other languages, too.  I want to thank our members, too, because three people reported that same spam message.  It's great that we all work together. 

[malteser60]

From my perspective everybody is doing a great job as I hardly ever see spam on the site. I think I've only reported twice. And If I'm at work i'm constantly dipping in and out of the forum. So well done everybody 

[Seabody]

It goes so fast... The first time I ever saw spam, I panicked, didn't think about reporting it, and within seconds, I was dashing all over the forum, seeing if they had made any other posts, getting error messages the account didn't exist... And when I went to report it, *poof* the message was gone.
Long story short, Thanks again moderators.

EDIT: And I've reported... 5 posts, I think. But one (that wasn't spam - I thought it broke a forum rule) turned out to be allowed, as Pam told me afterwards.

[Hosfac]

As a moderator, I would much rather see you report a post that didn't break the rules because you thought it did than to have you not report a post that did break the rules because you weren't sure about it.  If the report is earnest, I wouldn't even consider holding it against you.

[Pam]

I agree with Hosfac.  Better to go ahead and report something if there's some question about it.  Better safe than sorry. 

[beccaboo105]

I'd like to say well done to the mods and everyone for getting spam off so quickly. I saw a couple recently, reported them and as soon as a moderator was online they were gone  It's great to know how efficient this forum is!

[samoht04]

There was a Spammer just on that managed to get Two Posts in and then they were gone! I think it was mtglady who got the Spammer so Thanks to her!