How do we stop them? - Page 3 - The Barrow-Downs Discussion Forum

Galadriel55 · 06-24-2011, 02:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by satansaloser2005

Also, look, we've got another one. Oh joy.

Another 2, I think...

satansaloser2005 · 06-24-2011, 02:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Another 2, I think...

Do tell? I only see rumparee. The other online users are you*, I, Brooke, and Foley.

*You're invisible, actually, but I still know you're on.

Galadriel55 · 06-24-2011, 02:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by satansaloser2005

Do tell? I only see rumparee. The other online users are you*, I, Brooke, and Foley.

There was someone else earlier today whose name I don't recall anymore, but he was a spammer...

Quote:

*You're invisible, actually, but I still know you're on.

Yes, I'm wearing the One Ring, and you can't see me! But you can hear me speak, and you know I'm here!

All in honour of my first WW game. As is my siggy.

Pitchwife · 06-24-2011, 02:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

There was someone else earlier today whose name I don't recall anymore, but he was a spammer.

Would that have been the one who was advertising cyber security, of all things? I nearly laughed my head off about that one. A spambot capable of self irony, who would have thought it!

Galadriel55 · 06-24-2011, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

Would that have been the one who was advertising cyber security, of all things? I nearly laughed my head off about that one. A spambot capable of self irony, who would have thought it!

HAHAHA!!!!

Who would have thought of that indeed!!!

I think that's the one. But I might be wrong. They all look alike and there's too many of them.

LadyBrooke · 06-24-2011, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

There was someone else earlier today whose name I don't recall anymore, but he was a spammer...

Are you referring to; alecia05, charrmaelydee, lllopez1518, bratt01, darian11, or kitty123. All of whom have registered today, and all of whom seem to be advertising either dog portraits or plumbing....There's more from yesterday, but I got tired of going through the member's list, and not being able to just ban the things....Or the one Pitch mentioned, that posted three separate threads....

Galadriel55 · 06-24-2011, 03:56 PM

I have the feeling that there are just two real people behind all the spammers, since there are only 2 things being advertised, as you said.

lllopaz and charrr.....something look familiar. So I take my words back: I saw 2 other spammers other than rumparee. But there are more that I (luckily) didn't notice.

EDIT: I just remembered someone whos User Name was NotASpammer. Funnily enough he didn't have a signature...

Galadriel55 · 07-09-2011, 10:16 AM

This guy looks familiar. I'm sure this is not his first time here!

Is this some spammer attack? Today I neg-repped a tirade for two of them that posted and there are more of them lurking.... And they are not even trying to look intelligent!

Mithalwen · 07-09-2011, 11:03 AM

I suppose we will get more even may be as the hobbit hype increases. It is frustrating when you see people registering which you are 99.9% sure are spammers but you can't do anything until they actually post.

Galadriel55 · 07-09-2011, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mithalwen

It is frustrating when you see people registering which you are 99.9% sure are spammers but you can't do anything until they actually post.

Seconded!!!

Galadriel55 · 10-20-2011, 06:50 PM

I sometimes wonder how they remember their usernames. Most of them wait a few days after joining before they post.

It would drive me nuts if I had to type cug56UFj04k or something of that sort every time I log in... But most of them only log in once.

alatar · 10-20-2011, 07:47 PM

It's frustrating, even as a mod, that you have to wait for the spammer's first post to infractionate them into banhood.

Then when it finally does, Aiwendil beats me to it.

Galadriel55 · 11-22-2011, 09:41 AM

Question to all of you (I want to find the degree of my craziness): does someone else also sometimes click on the name of the "newest member" to see whether they have been banned already?

Pitchwife · 11-22-2011, 10:45 AM

Yes.

Legate of Amon Lanc · 11-22-2011, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Question to all of you (I want to find the degree of my craziness): does someone else also sometimes click on the name of the "newest member" to see whether they have been banned already?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

Yes.

Haha, you two are funny.

(Now for some reason what I just wrote struck me as something Lommy would write.

)

Galadriel55 · 06-27-2012, 08:20 PM

Oh for goodness sake!... There has been a spammer here for the past few days, reusing its* name, but putting a different number after it every time. It's up to 5 already.

I don't remember how many times I've reported it already, and I'm afraid to think how many more there would have to be.

I am sort of wondering, though, did all those spammers actually watch/read LOTR or did the research to find out the new anti-spam code?

*No, they don't deserve a gender, or recognition that they are in fact people -- in my books they aren't, not until they start acting as such.

Inziladun · 06-27-2012, 08:34 PM

Reusing names is old hat for these cretins.

I doubt they bother to do any "research" about Tolkien or LOTR. At the most they might paraphrase or copy/paste from a legitimate post.

As for the anti-spam word-type requirement, I would think all it takes to get by that (or for that matter, a CAPTCHA), is a live person behind the spam instead of an automated program.
IP bans can be an avenue, but there are certainly ways around that too.

What they don't get is that they're wasting their efforts posting on this forum. The caliber of the intellect here is far too great to click on any of their worthless links.

***The Barrow-Wight*** · 06-27-2012, 08:36 PM

I'd change the anti-spam question again, but it's quicker and easier to just delete the spammer.

If you think this is bad, wait until The Hobbit is released. It's gonna get crazy.

Inziladun · 06-27-2012, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Barrow-Wight

If you think this is bad, wait until The Hobbit is released. It's gonna get crazy.

Oh yes. I think the main reason this forum is targeted is its high level of activity. The next movie ought to really ramp things up.

Legate of Amon Lanc · 06-28-2012, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Oh for goodness sake!... There has been a spammer here for the past few days, reusing its* name, but putting a different number after it every time. It's up to 5 already.

I don't remember how many times I've reported it already, and I'm afraid to think how many more there would have to be.

Indeed! Imagine a spambot who would keep coming back again and again, using a new number after its name each time, for like, for example fifty-four times... these spambots are the worst, before you know it, they get over 4000 posts and you might actually start believing they are genuine people...

Morthoron · 06-28-2012, 06:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Indeed! Imagine a spambot who would keep coming back again and again, using a new number after its name each time, for like, for example fifty-four times... these spambots are the worst, before you know it, they get over 4000 posts and you might actually start believing they are genuine people...

The delineation between spammer and real poster on this site is usually pretty clear-cut; however, on some sites I've been to, one can almost appreciate the sentience of spammers over the puerility of posts made by some allegedly "real" people.

Galadriel55 · 06-28-2012, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Legate of Amon Lanc

Indeed! Imagine a spambot who would keep coming back again and again, using a new number after its name each time, for like, for example fifty-four times... these spambots are the worst, before you know it, they get over 4000 posts and you might actually start believing they are genuine people...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Morthoron

The delineation between spammer and real poster on site is usually pretty clear-cut; however, on some sites I've been to, one can almost appreciate the sentience of spammers over the puerility of posts made by some allegedly "real" people.

That's horrible!

(The other sites, I mean; it's terrific that the Downs is different)

Nerwen · 06-29-2012, 05:19 AM

I have to say, Morth, I've gone so far as to report a real person as a bot-suspect even here. More than once, I think.

Inziladun · 06-29-2012, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nerwen

I have to say, Morth, I've gone so far as to report a real person as a bot-suspect even here. More than once, I think.

I'm probably guilty of that myself. But when it looks like a spammer, and writes like a spammer....

Inziladun · 11-20-2014, 09:44 PM

Within the past few weeks, I've seen a veritable explosion of random-looking User Names popping up as new members. I refuse to believe they all have innocent intentions.
At this moment, there are nine registering. Nazgûl!!

Tar-Jêx · 11-21-2014, 12:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Inziladun

Within the past few weeks, I've seen a veritable explosion of random-looking User Names popping up as new members. I refuse to believe they all have innocent intentions.
At this moment, there are nine registering. Nazgûl!!

They names are all similar in that they are nonsensical, too. We must purge them.

Tar-Jêx · 11-21-2014, 03:47 AM

By the flames of Orodruin, they have multiplied! Emergency!

Galadriel55 · 11-21-2014, 07:27 AM

I haven't seen a single one for a few weeks until yesterday. I kept wanting to comment that we have defeated the spammers, but I didn't want to jinx it. And today I log on and see that I'm surrounded by the foul creatures!

Inziladun · 11-22-2014, 08:14 AM

Over a dozen right now. There can be nothing good from this.

Inziladun · 11-22-2014, 02:14 PM

There are even more now! I fear the anti-spam measures have been breached. There's no way all these registrations have gone through approved procedures.

Formendacil · 11-22-2014, 03:35 PM

And at least as of the moment of writing, they seem to have a fixation on the New Silmarillion forum, of all places.

Galadriel55 · 11-22-2014, 06:36 PM

There are 31 of them for 4 visible Downers! That's an 8:1 ratio. Let's fix that. *whips out cybersword*

Edit: in the time it took me to post, they multiplied to 36 and the ratio went up to 9:1. Oh boy.

Edit 2: in the time it took me to edit, their numbers (online) went down to 29. There is hope yet?

Edit 3: 42 of them. Heck, I can't edit fast enough to keep track of statistics of such an epic invasion!

Edit4: 50 of them and we're two visible Downers down, bringing the ratio to 25:1!!!

I think I'll stop counting now, because when I refreshed the page the list got slightly longer again... oh man. Not good at all...

Inziladun · 11-23-2014, 08:27 AM

It's really getting outrageous. What are they doing?

Inziladun · 11-23-2014, 01:33 PM

And....it looks like they're gone! Is it too early to say, Long live the Barrow-Wight! Praise him with great praise?

EDIT- *sigh*, as of 14:47 here's another registering.

Mithalwen · 11-24-2014, 03:32 AM

Too soon, just me and a dozen lower lines from an eyesight test chart just now

Galadriel55 · 11-24-2014, 09:17 PM

Hmm, only one on right now. ???

Dare we hope?

Tar-Jêx · 11-25-2014, 04:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Hmm, only one on right now. ???

Dare we hope?

They've been purged a few times, I think. We got above 3200 at one point, then down to 3150, and I think we broke 3200 again before back to where we are now.

Hopefully we can stop this. What if it's 4chan? Then we're all screwed.

Inziladun · 11-25-2014, 08:18 AM

I'm really curious about the motives behind them. What are they after?

alatar · 11-25-2014, 09:20 AM

Have you considered that, maybe, the bots have grown more sentient, and as a consequence, have developed a taste for Tolkien?

Kuruharan · 11-25-2014, 11:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alatar

Have you considered that, maybe, the bots have grown more sentient, and as a consequence, have developed a taste for Tolkien?

Maybe there is hope for the future after all.

06-24-2011, 03:56 PM	#87
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,491	I have the feeling that there are just two real people behind all the spammers, since there are only 2 things being advertised, as you said. lllopaz and charrr.....something look familiar. So I take my words back: I saw 2 other spammers other than rumparee. But there are more that I (luckily) didn't notice. EDIT: I just remembered someone whos User Name was NotASpammer. Funnily enough he didn't have a signature... __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera Last edited by Galadriel55; 06-24-2011 at 04:22 PM.

07-09-2011, 10:16 AM	#88
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,491	This guy looks familiar. I'm sure this is not his first time here! Is this some spammer attack? Today I neg-repped a tirade for two of them that posted and there are more of them lurking.... And they are not even trying to look intelligent! __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera

07-09-2011, 11:03 AM	#89
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,460	I suppose we will get more even may be as the hobbit hype increases. It is frustrating when you see people registering which you are 99.9% sure are spammers but you can't do anything until they actually post. __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

10-20-2011, 06:50 PM	#91
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,491	I sometimes wonder how they remember their usernames. Most of them wait a few days after joining before they post. It would drive me nuts if I had to type cug56UFj04k or something of that sort every time I log in... But most of them only log in once. __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera

10-20-2011, 07:47 PM	#92
alatar Doubting Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Heaven's basement Posts: 2,466	It's frustrating, even as a mod, that you have to wait for the spammer's first post to infractionate them into banhood. Then when it finally does, Aiwendil beats me to it. __________________ There is naught that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it.

11-22-2011, 09:41 AM	#93
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,491	Question to all of you (I want to find the degree of my craziness): does someone else also sometimes click on the name of the "newest member" to see whether they have been banned already? __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera

11-22-2011, 10:45 AM	#94
Pitchwife Wight of the Old Forest Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Unattended on the railway station, in the litter at the dancehall Posts: 3,329	Yes. __________________ Und aus dem Erebos kamen viele seelen herauf der abgeschiedenen toten.- Homer, Odyssey, Canto XI

06-27-2012, 08:20 PM	#96
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,491	Oh for goodness sake!... There has been a spammer here for the past few days, reusing its* name, but putting a different number after it every time. It's up to 5 already. I don't remember how many times I've reported it already, and I'm afraid to think how many more there would have to be. I am sort of wondering, though, did all those spammers actually watch/read LOTR or did the research to find out the new anti-spam code? No, they don't deserve a gender, or recognition that they are in fact people -- in my books they aren't, not until they start acting as such. __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!...* ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera

06-27-2012, 08:34 PM	#97
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,039	Reusing names is old hat for these cretins. I doubt they bother to do any "research" about Tolkien or LOTR. At the most they might paraphrase or copy/paste from a legitimate post. As for the anti-spam word-type requirement, I would think all it takes to get by that (or for that matter, a CAPTCHA), is a live person behind the spam instead of an automated program. IP bans can be an avenue, but there are certainly ways around that too. What they don't get is that they're wasting their efforts posting on this forum. The caliber of the intellect here is far too great to click on any of their worthless links. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

06-27-2012, 08:36 PM	#98
*The Barrow-Wight* Night In Wight Satin Join Date: May 2000 Posts: 4,043	spam-a-lot I'd change the anti-spam question again, but it's quicker and easier to just delete the spammer. If you think this is bad, wait until The Hobbit is released. It's gonna get crazy. __________________ The Barrow-Wight

06-29-2012, 05:19 AM	#103
Nerwen Wisest of the Noldor Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ˙˙˙ssɐןƃ ƃuıʞooן ǝɥʇ ɥƃnoɹɥʇ Posts: 6,694	I have to say, Morth, I've gone so far as to report a real person as a bot-suspect even here. More than once, I think. __________________ "Even Nerwen wasn't evil in the beginning." –Elmo.

11-20-2014, 09:44 PM	#105
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,039	Within the past few weeks, I've seen a veritable explosion of random-looking User Names popping up as new members. I refuse to believe they all have innocent intentions. At this moment, there are nine registering. Nazgûl!! __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

11-21-2014, 03:47 AM	#107
Tar-Jêx Wight Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: Armenelos, Númenor Posts: 205	By the flames of Orodruin, they have multiplied! Emergency!

11-21-2014, 07:27 AM	#108
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,491	I haven't seen a single one for a few weeks until yesterday. I kept wanting to comment that we have defeated the spammers, but I didn't want to jinx it. And today I log on and see that I'm surrounded by the foul creatures! __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera

11-22-2014, 08:14 AM	#109
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,039	Over a dozen right now. There can be nothing good from this. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

11-22-2014, 02:14 PM	#110
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,039	There are even more now! I fear the anti-spam measures have been breached. There's no way all these registrations have gone through approved procedures. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

11-22-2014, 03:35 PM	#111
Formendacil Dead Serious Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Perched on Thangorodrim's towers. Posts: 3,328	And at least as of the moment of writing, they seem to have a fixation on the New Silmarillion forum, of all places. __________________ I prefer history, true or feigned.

11-22-2014, 06:36 PM	#112
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,491	There are 31 of them for 4 visible Downers! That's an 8:1 ratio. Let's fix that. whips out cybersword Edit: in the time it took me to post, they multiplied to 36 and the ratio went up to 9:1. Oh boy. Edit 2: in the time it took me to edit, their numbers (online) went down to 29. There is hope yet? Edit 3: 42 of them. Heck, I can't edit fast enough to keep track of statistics of such an epic invasion! Edit4: 50 of them and we're two visible Downers down, bringing the ratio to 25:1!!! I think I'll stop counting now, because when I refreshed the page the list got slightly longer again... oh man. Not good at all... __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera Last edited by Galadriel55; 11-22-2014 at 06:45 PM.

11-23-2014, 08:27 AM	#113
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,039	It's really getting outrageous. What are they doing? __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

11-23-2014, 01:33 PM	#114
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,039	And....it looks like they're gone! Is it too early to say, Long live the Barrow-Wight! Praise him with great praise? EDIT- sigh, as of 14:47 here's another registering. __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God. Last edited by Inziladun; 11-23-2014 at 02:27 PM.

11-24-2014, 03:32 AM	#115
Mithalwen Pilgrim Soul Join Date: May 2004 Location: watching the wonga-wonga birds circle... Posts: 9,460	Too soon, just me and a dozen lower lines from an eyesight test chart just now __________________ “But Finrod walks with Finarfin his father beneath the trees in Eldamar.” Christopher Tolkien, Requiescat in pace

11-24-2014, 09:17 PM	#116
Galadriel55 Blossom of Dwimordene Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: The realm of forgotten words Posts: 10,491	Hmm, only one on right now. ??? Dare we hope? __________________ You passed from under darkened dome, you enter now the secret land. - Take me to Finrod's fabled home!... ~ Finrod: The Rock Opera

11-25-2014, 08:18 AM	#118
Inziladun Gruesome Spectre Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Heaven's doorstep Posts: 8,039	I'm really curious about the motives behind them. What are they after? __________________ Music alone proves the existence of God.

11-25-2014, 09:20 AM	#119
alatar Doubting Dwimmerlaik Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Heaven's basement Posts: 2,466	Have you considered that, maybe, the bots have grown more sentient, and as a consequence, have developed a taste for Tolkien? __________________ There is naught that you can do, other than to resist, with hope or without it.