Meet the spambots

[midnightblues]

Real parasites

[midnightblues]

They sound to me like bottom dwelling parasites.

[Miguel]

While there may be worse crimes,

I suspect when it comes to parasites they are at the bottom.

[Miguel]

Just a note to say that for the last week or so, I have no longer been banning the spambots in my role of moderator prior to deleting them in my role as an administrator. I now simply delete them.

As a result, it seems like the number of new registration attempts has fallen substantially. I'm not sure, but I think an email may be automatically generated when a moderator bans someone (that would make sense) and on their end their automated systems records this as a positive response.

When their system records no response, they don't follow up with new registrations immediately.

That's my theory.

[My Alter Ego]

Miguel, this seems like a sound theory. A few years back, a computer tech at work had advised us (all those in my office) NOT to "unsubscribe" to the various spam emails that came into our work email accounts, for the very reason/rationale you stated below - generating a response equals a positive response.

I hope your current strategy continues to work for you and, once, again, thank you for your efforts with this site.

Just a note to say that for the last week or so, I have no longer been banning the spambots in my role of moderator prior to deleting them in my role as an administrator. I now simply delete them.

As a result, it seems like the number of new registration attempts has fallen substantially. I'm not sure, but I think an email may be automatically generated when a moderator bans someone (that would make sense) and on their end their automated systems records this as a positive response.

When their system records no response, they don't follow up with new registrations immediately.

That's my theory.

[Miguel]

Unsubscribing from legitimate companies usually works.

David Pogue of the NYT:

Rethinking the ‘Never Unsubscribe’ Rule for Spam

When it comes to junk mail, the rule, for 15 years, has been: Never respond. Don’t even try to unsubscribe, even if they give you instructions for doing so. You’re just letting the spammer know that your e-mail address is “live,” and that you’re a dummy who actually opens those messages and reads them. You’ll wind up getting put on even more spam lists as a result.

Well, I think it’s time to revisit that advice.

...A couple of months ago, I decided to try an experiment: I’d violate the old rule. I’d deliberately try to unsubscribe from every spam list. And I’d report on my findings.

First, the good news: it worked. An awful lot of the spam comes from “legitimate” companies. Now, I don’t consider spamming O.K., ever, and I think these companies should be ashamed of themselves. But “legitimate” means that they’re real companies with real Web sites and names and addresses — and, almost always, real Unsubscribe buttons at the bottom of the spam.

...after a couple of months of this, I’m happy to report that, as far as I can see, not a single one of these companies has contacted me again. Unsubscribing in 2011 really works.

(Note that I’m talking about spam with an Unsubscribe button at the bottom. The ones pitching you Viagra or bigger body parts won’t unsubscribe you — and don’t pretend that they will.)

The corporate spam, in other words, is usually easy to stop.

http://pogue.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/0...-for-spam/

[My Alter Ego]

Good to know. Thanks.

Unsubscribing from legitimate companies usually works.

David Pogue of the NYT:

Rethinking the ‘Never Unsubscribe’ Rule for Spam

[Miguel]

Damn bots have been relentless the last 24 hours. Feel like the site was put on a new list. Someone really wants to tell y'all about "a.du.l.t.m.o.v.ie.sh.ome.w.i.fe"

[midnightblues]

Reactivate my account. By doing so I agree for a two-year contract, and a substantial re-signing bonus.

[john]

Now that I watch, I'm amazed at the number of bots that come to the site. A lot of Russian sources it seems. They don't answer the "what do you like most about Haley" question very well, but they try.