spam on the board

[Elona]

So how do spammers like "neerttorn" peddling rx get on the board?  I notice this person or outfit has a post in several topics today--each one devoted to drug sales.  Obviously, one doesn't have to read this nonsense, but I find just its presence objectionable.

[Sew-Classic]

Unfortunately, despite many people's best efforts to keep such things at bay, I think this type of occurrence is just one of the down sides to the internet.

[fzxdoc]

We Site Admininstators try to delete the spam posts as soon as they are posted and permanently ban the posters who are responsible for them.  Often we are notified by members of the presence of a new spam post and we pounce on it like a duck on a Junebug. 

We hadn't had any spammers for a long time, but now DragonLady says that they have found a way to get past the character recognition filter that has worked so well up until now.  Hopefully the site hosts can come up with a more effective filter soon.  In the meanwhile, we'll keep up our vigilance.

You're so right, Elona, it is annoying to have such posts on our friendly site! 

Kathryn

[Doris W. in TN]

The best thing is that no members ever reply to those posts, either.  When I visit here at SG, first thing I do is click on the "Show Unread Posts Since Last Visit".    When I see a post with '0' replies,   I look at it first and it is 99% of the time SPAM, and I report it.
We had a lot of spam around Thanksgiving.    Ugh......

[Gorgeous Things]

Yes, and today we seem to be getting spammed by Alabama. Poor state has nothing to do with it, I'm sure!

[marciae]

I do the same as Doris - this morning noticed a person posted in several places.  Too bad they don't have a life!!  But as the old saying goes - they get turned down alot but I'm guess they also get a lot!

[AnnRowley]

Thank you to everyone - too numerous to mention individually! -  who reported the last couple of huge batches of SPAM.
I hope I've got it all...

Just at the moment I can definitely think of stuff I would much rather be doing than getting rid of these  *******'s !

[fzxdoc]

Ann, you're such a good Moderator not only because you are so dedicated, but also because you can clean up some of that spam while we in the USA are sleeping!  Thanks!

Kathryn

[andib]

What is the best way to report it.  When I notice spam, I look to see if any mods are on the board and email them, if not I email DL...is that the preferred procedure?

[karent]

I generally just click on "report to moderator" down in the lower right corner.  Seems to work, they disappear pretty quickly!  K

[DragonLady]

What is the best way to report it.  When I notice spam, I look to see if any mods are on the board and email them, if not I email DL...is that the preferred procedure?

The "report to moderator" link automatically alerts all of us mods, so whoever is here (if anyone is) can get to it right away.

[andib]

Is there a report to moderator link that can be accesses without opening up the topic???  If I see something funny, I don't even open the topic page.

[Karla]

I'd love to be able to report these things without opening them.  A few weeks ago there was one with big, big pictures that could have really shocked me if I didn't work for a gynecologist.    I'd just as soon skip the entertainment by reporting without opening the email.

[Liana]

I suppose you could just report another post and in your message, tell us what post you're really reporting.  But be clear, please.  It really does help us to have the link to the bad topic, although I'm no more excited than you to see all that stuff. 

Karla,  OT here, but I remember when they used to offer you a mirror at the gynecologist, so you could see the glory of whatever, I guess.   Oh the marvelous 1970's!

[Doris W. in TN]

  A few weeks ago there was one with big, big pictures that could have really shocked me if I didn't work for a gynecologist. 

I reported one just like that today.   That  hair removal job must have been painful. 

[Zoubida]

You have courage for opening those posts Ladies. I'm very careful not to open them and reading you makes me glad I did. 

[Sew-Classic]

Why do they call it "spam"?

[Doris W. in TN]

Why do they call it "spam"?

Good question, so I looked it up.  Here's what I found: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_(electronic)
Scroll down almost halfway to the "History"   I found it rather interesting.

[andib]

I have been emailing DL, if I do not see another Mod. on the board.  Is that OK, or does that bug you DL?

[DragonLady]

I have been emailing DL, if I do not see another Mod. on the board.  Is that OK, or does that bug you DL?

I don't mind.  But...sometimes 70 people email me with the same note "spam on the board" and none of them tell me where.  So I have 70 emails that may be about 70 different spam topics.  Or they may all be about just one.  Or anything in between.  A little more info "in the news section" or "in a topic about shoes" would really help.  

Also, be aware that because my email address is public, I get about 75,000 emails every single day.  I usually check it once, and spend the whole day sorting through it.  Spam filters don't do very well, because often people put things in the titles or subjects that trigger the filters, even though they're only reporting a problem.  The word "adult material" in the subject of an email alerting me to spam will be deleted right along with those selling it.  So I filter it to find the most important stuff first -problems logging in, problems with display, problems with the database, etc.  Then go through the spam box looking for stuff that might've been tossed out because the computer can't tell the difference.

[andib]

Thanks for your reply...WOW, that is a lot of email!!!

I will try to be very specific when I email you in the future!  Thanks again for making this a great place!

[Doris W. in TN]

FWIW, most of the spam posts that I open are filled with links, not photos.   Perhaps more are getting to the photos before I do.  I think I've only seen 2 or 3 photos in the past couple months.     

[Liana]

They are mostly just links.  Long, long lists of links.    Better than photos.

[Lisa]

I don't want to discourage you from reporting spam...but I thought I'd tell you how the mods/admins are addressing it.  Each of us (as far as I can tell) is looking for it every time we come on the board, and deleting spam and banning its perpetrators as quickly as we see it.

So don't feel that you must immediately view/report it when you see it--although you should feel free to do so.  However if you see something that's been there for a few hours, or all of a sudden we have large quantities of it, we would appreciate your letting us know. 

Lisa

[kaaren]

I am always amazed to see that members have opened and maybe even "read" the postings from the spammers.  Usually, I look to see who started a thread and ignore it if I do not recognize the poster.  The mods usually come on to welcome sincere new members, so I wait for the "welcome" posting! 

However, if we each tried to start a new topic with a specific title, it might help all of us.  I ignored "have you ever" for the longest time.  I wasn't quite sure what I would open.  But when I recognized the signatures of the latest posters, I found I was reading postings I could have written.  Not recognizing clothes on the drying line is too real!

But back to the spammers, if we let the mods either do the first posting or an immediate delete, DL could cut down on her email in box.  so read the subject topic and look at the topic starter.  Let's keep the responses and viewed at zero until we see the "all clear".  Kaaren

[DragonLady]

But back to the spammers, if we let the mods either do the first posting or an immediate delete, DL could cut down on her email in box.  so read the subject topic and look at the topic starter.  Let's keep the responses and viewed at zero until we see the "all clear".  Kaaren

I think it's a bit much to ask the mods to write the first response to every new topic, even if only by new members.  That would be an arduous task.  Also, many people use the "unread posts" option, so they get a whole list of -well, stuff they haven't read.  Asking them to give that up to help avoid spam is a bit much, too.

The best solution will probably come in the way of enhanced features for the board that will help seperate real human interactions from the mass-posting or machine-posting methods of professional spammers.

[Doris W. in TN]

Also, many people use the "unread posts" option, so they get a whole list of -well, stuff they haven't read.  Asking them to give that up to help avoid spam is a bit much, too.

That is how I read SG, and spot the spam immediately.   

So . . . would it be better if I don't open them, knowing they're spam,  and "report to moderator?"   Please advise.  I'm getting sort of confused after reading the posts here on this topic.

[Lisa]

Doris,

Don't feel like you have to.  If it's been there for a while, and you want to, go ahead report one of them--but you don't need to report more than one at any give time.   Once you've reported one, we'll find the rest of them.   And we really do look for them, when we come to SG...so even if no one has reported them, we'll still get rid of them!

We really appreciate everyone's care and concern for SG.

Thank you all!

Lisa

[Doris W. in TN]

Thanks Lisa.   Now I'll know what to do.   I just want to help keep SG  a nice, safe, clean and pleasant site that is so nice to visit.

[Sew-Classic]

Good question, so I looked it up.  Here's what I found: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spam_(electronic)
Scroll down almost halfway to the "History"   I found it rather interesting.

LOL Monte Python! figures...

Could someone tell me how to use the "Unread posts option?"  (Forgive my ignorance)

[Lisa]

Could someone tell me how to use the "Unread posts option?" 

At the top of the page, you'll see the User Info box which should read something like this:

Hey, Sew-Classic, you have ___ messages, ___ are new.
Total time logged in: ____ days, ___ hours and ___ minutes.
Show unread posts since last visit.
Show new replies to your posts.
December 17, 2008, 06:15:46 PM

The ones shown in red are links...the first one will show you "unread posts since last visit." 

If you can't see the User Info box at the top of the page, you'll find a little downward-pointing arrow button to the left of the "Home" button near the top of the page. If you click that, you'll expand the User Info box, and should then be able to see the links.

However the "unread posts" link won't show you where each of them is posted, so I usually choose not to use that link (I like to look at threads posted on each board together).   But even if you don't use the "unread posts" link, you can still limit your review to posts you haven't seen before!    As you probably know, each of the boards has a square button to the left of it.  If it's "grayed out", there's nothing new there.  If it is colored, then there are new posts.  When you click a board which shows new posts, you'll see a little "new" button in the subject column of the threads which have new posts.  If you click that "new" button, you'll be taken to the oldest post you haven't seen previously.

HTH,

Lisa

 

[Sew-Classic]

if you can't see the User Info box at the top of the page, you'll find a little downward-pointing arrow button to the left of the "Home" button near the top of the page. If you click that, you'll expand the User Info box, and should then be able to see the links

Thanks!