Stop Spam Accounts From Being Registered

[LordoftheJoust]

Recently, my forum has had repeated spam accounts being registered with names like "buy-viagra253" and crap like that. I've banned a couple email domains and that has stopped most of them, but they keep changing IPs and using normal email account domains. I wanted to stop them from registering, so I made it so that they'd have to activate by email. Well, now they just don't activate but their names still show up.

There should be a mod that says that memberships won't even be created until they've activated not that the memberships are created, but you just can't do anything until you activate them. That way spammers won't even become members until they activate by email, because they are using bad emails most of the time anyway.

[青山 素子]

I'd suggest looking at the CAPTCHA mod. This will be a standard feature beginning with SMF 1.1 RC3 (out to Charter members currently, and to all people in a bit).

[LordoftheJoust]

Motoko, as always, you rock. I'll try this mod after I get back from school, and I'll see how it works. Usually those visual identification systems work like a charm. Thanks, and I'll reply how it works.

[mikei]

Ive upgraded to latest simple machines - the CAPTCHA mod DEFINITELY HELPS - + Ive used wildcards stopping free emails like gmail yahoo in the ban section so what I wrote below is no longer a problem . However I dont allow automatic registration.

Now am just waiting for the "Preview Post" I saw mentioned as a definte upcoming feature to come out then can go back to allow automatic registration  .Thanks SMF ..... once again


These are the guys that are spamming SMF forums

DONT EMAIL THESE ADRESSES _ Obviously more and more spam will come your way then

But youll notice if you check whos online at the time their free emails ( they dont use these ones)
almostt always same   

% This is the RIPE Whois query server #2.
% The objects are in RPSL format.
%
% Note: the default output of the RIPE Whois server
% is changed. Your tools may need to be adjusted. See
% hxxp:www.ripe.net/db/news/abuse-proposal-20050331.html [nonactive]
% for more details.
%
% Rights restricted by copyright.
% See hxxp:www.ripe.net/db/copyright.html [nonactive]

% Note: This output has been filtered.
%       To receive output for a database update, use the "-B" flag

% Information related to '195.131.212.0 - 195.131.214.255'

inetnum:         195.131.212.0 - 195.131.214.255
netname:         WEBPLUS-ADSL
descr:           WEBPlus Ltd.
descr:           St.Petersburg
country:         RU
admin-c:         MICK-RIPE
tech-c:          MICK-RIPE
tech-c:          MOLL-RIPE
tech-c:          MIAN-RIPE
status:          ASSIGNED PA "status:" definitions
mnt-by:          AS6690-MNT
remarks:         <INFRA-AW>
source:          RIPE # Filtered

person:          Michael V. Vasiliev
address:         ZAO WebPlus, 29 Kolomenskaya
address:         191119, Saint-Petersburg
address:         Russia
phone:           +7 812 3269020
fax-no:          +7 812 3269029
e-mail:          [email protected]
nic-hdl:         MICK-RIPE
source:          RIPE # Filtered

person:          Mary M. Gromova
address:         Best Telecommunications Ltd.
address:         Kulakov side-st. 11, off. 314
address:         Moscow, RU
phone:           +7 495 7874776
nic-hdl:         MOLL-RIPE
mnt-by:          MOLL-MNT
source:          RIPE # Filtered

person:          Andrey B. Miheev
address:         Shtrih-M Ltd.
address:         4, Masterkov st.
address:         Moscow
address:         115280, Russia
phone:           +7 495 7876090
fax-no:          +7 495 7876099
e-mail:          [email protected]
nic-hdl:         MIAN-RIPE
source:          RIPE # Filtered

% Information related to '195.131.0.0/16AS6690'

route:           195.131.0.0/16
descr:           WebPlus ZAO
origin:          AS6690
mnt-by:          AS6690-MNT
source:          RIPE # Filtere

just in case anyone wants to know though it doesnt neccessarily help me -- until ive upgraded to the verify by typing system

whatever.........

[vbgamer45]

Its kind of hard to stop spammers from overseas and in that case russia they just keep doing so since it makes them money.

[Cycloneflame]

Well, at least, use a CAPTCHA system in the Registration page. It should be generated by GD and/or ImageMagick (Depends what is avaliable)