›

Howdy, Stranger!

It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!

Sign In Register

In this Discussion

Fighting the spammers/New UHX members by invite only?

swamp_knobbler_mahanswamp_knobbler_mahan
edited July 2013
Hey everybody. We're still getting HAMMERED by spambot requests to join UHX, which means that some legitimate requests are getting declined when we decline the hundreds of spammers every week.

There's a setting that new members can only join by invite from an existing member. Shall I turn that on?

Or Matthew, is there some kind of Captcha we can implement to try and stop the spammers? Seems like there should be by default but I'm not seeing one: http://vanillaforums.org/docs/configuration-dashboardusersregistration

Comments

  • YoursTrulyYoursTruly
    GNARLY ISSUE!!!!!!

    Thank you UrHo Nerd Team for your valiant unceasing battle against our alien overlords!!!
  • MatthewMatthew
    Any applicant who puts the following in the “Why do you want to join?” field is definitely spam:
    {I want to {see new threads|follow the discussion|be part here|see new additions|access all parts|contibute|say something|reply to a thread|reply to a user|message a user|contact a user|read everything}.
  • MatthewMatthew
    Also the captcha didn’t really help before. It was enabled during the time when there were like 10,000 spam accounts that we had to go through.
  • ThickeningAgentThickeningAgent
    what if new 'applicants' were to be interviewed?

    do away entirely with automatic enrollment... "email us to schedule an appointment."
  • YoursTrulyYoursTruly
    whoa
  • swamp_knobbler_mahanswamp_knobbler_mahan
    edited July 2013
    That's essentially what an invite-only system would accomplish. People have to know or email one of us and ask for an invite, which kinda sucks because it would eliminate strangers, but it would also get rid of the spam problem completely.
  • YoursTrulyYoursTruly
    it is funny to think of strangers trying to figure out how to meet or contact one of us. Giving us "a little walking-around money" (HINT HINT)
  • LelandLeland
    Have them write The Concierge.
  • ThickeningAgentThickeningAgent
    I think there is a way to make the application/interview process a fun and interesting thing. There could be very clear, simple instructions that involve something like writing an essay or scheduling an interview. it would not have to be immediate, there could even be a schedule (post "interviews will happen on the second Wednesday of odd months" or something). questions could range from 'why do you want to be a part of this community?' to 'if you were an animal, what animal would you be?' anyone legitimate human being who isn't a spammer would be accepted, they'd just have to go through this interesting process of self introduction.

    THERE IS A CREATIVE SOLUTION TO THIS PROBLEM
  • the_owlsthe_owls
    I say let the aliens in, but not the robots.
Sign In or Register to comment.