Spam prevention

Hi Justin

I`m curious as to how putting in the number of a sum when posting comments on blogs stops spamming. I would be grateful if you could explain.

Thanks

Irene

From what I know is that you get other website owners who simply wish to get links linking back to their websites, so they use techniques called blackhat where they can post spam using programs on thousands of sites in a matter of hours/minutes.

The so called programs cannot bypass lets say the sum questions thats here or captcha that is also frequently used.

Its always a problem with spammers, I remeber I had a blog once withour spam prevention and I had about 100+ spammy comments :(

Also there exists professional bloggers whose job it is to post when a new product or service is being launched.

Also one way to overcome negative postings is to bury them with positive posts.

...but that doesn´t explain why the maths

Irene

I guess it stops the automated spammers but not the professional spammer/reviewers etc

 Most blog comment spam is automated and making people complete some simple maths, or type in letters that appear in a picture is a pretty effective method at eliminating these automated commenting programs from completing their task.

You will always get the bloggers who manually spam websites and those are much more difficult to stop them in their strides.

Unfortunately there will always be spammers and we'll forever be trying to find better ways to combat them.

Justin

Thank you for the explanation!

Irene

Justin

This just arrived as a pm - hopefully you can stop this sort of rubbish??

Thanks

Hello my dear!!,
My name is Samanta. I am a female. I am nice and loving and very good looking. I am looking for a nice person for a nice friendship. I saw your profile today at www.eyeonspain.com and liked it. I will like to open up a friendshipith you.
please write me on my email (samantaefemena@yahoo.com) so that i will send my photograph to you and more about me.
Hoping to hear from you.
Miss Samanta.

Davmunster, you've just posted her email address for all, who Google, to see. Bet Samanta lurves you!  She'll get no end of 'business' from this!!

Ooooo... as soon as I posted the spammer hit my PM box!

Flybynight I would never post a private e-mail address. i really don't care if some EOS members want to contact "Samanta" - what I want is some kind of filter so that my and your PM boxes don't get filled up with messages like this.

I've seen forums ruined by this kind of "commercial" activity - Juistin please don'r let it happen here!

Thanks guys, I have sorted it.

Time to put some more measures in place!

Justin

Thanks for all your efforts Justin (and team). Much appreciated.