Robots are getting better at solving captchas. eventually they'll get through. I would think that you can prevent bothering 90% of the normal users with this spam problem by simply allowing account registration. Then, when the user posts their first post, you scan the posting for hyperlinks. If present, NOW we need to know if there is a human on the other end. At that point you present a page: "Hi, your posting contains a link. This is often attempted by spammers promoting a site. So, if you can tell your story without the hyperlink, you can edit it out below, or you can prove you're human by solving the captcha". Now, if we'd allow the second post to contain links without question, the spammers will quickly learn to post multiple messages. So, once that starts, the option to put such messages-with-hyperlink into a moderation queue should also be present.
Anyway, all this probably assumes that someone has the time and ability to change the forum software, which probably isn't the case. Oh well. I can keep dreaming....
Could you point one out please. THX for the Info!
Frank
THX! I hope it is easy to install a plugin, allowing flags.
I deleted the user and post. If there are more, drop a link here and we will block the user and delete the post.
Frank
There are now at least 1 spam post a day... report would be nice.
Probably the registration page needs a feature to prevent robots registering themselves. Flags would also be good.
I will delete all reports.
Robots are getting better at solving captchas. eventually they'll get through. I would think that you can prevent bothering 90% of the normal users with this spam problem by simply allowing account registration. Then, when the user posts their first post, you scan the posting for hyperlinks. If present, NOW we need to know if there is a human on the other end. At that point you present a page: "Hi, your posting contains a link. This is often attempted by spammers promoting a site. So, if you can tell your story without the hyperlink, you can edit it out below, or you can prove you're human by solving the captcha". Now, if we'd allow the second post to contain links without question, the spammers will quickly learn to post multiple messages. So, once that starts, the option to put such messages-with-hyperlink into a moderation queue should also be present.
Anyway, all this probably assumes that someone has the time and ability to change the forum software, which probably isn't the case. Oh well. I can keep dreaming....
Welp, there's a serious spam problem!
I have installed a module for a service called CleanTalk and paid for a subscription, hopefully it helps.
Kind of a shame, I was so proud to have started such a successful topic ;-)