Author Topic: Duplicate accounts - important - please read (Read 8186 times)

RichardA · « **on:** November 20, 2008, 09:49:56 PM »

Please remember not to register more then one account.

Duplicate accounts will be deleted.

Occasionally it happens because members haven't for some reason activated their original account. If this is the case please check your spam folder in your email software or through your ISP's control panel (usually reached by logging into their website) to see if you received your activation email.

The login page also has a link to help your reset your password if you forget it.

The reason for this rule is because forums like this are a target for spammers to post links to their sites selling drugs, Vi*gra, cigarettes, etc., for Google to find. Basically, Google and some other search engines finds websites by finding links to it on other sites and the more links Google finds, the better it is for the linked site in appearing in search engine listings. Google can also 'blacklist' sites pointing to 'bad' sites which of course is very undesirable.

Thanks.

RichardA · « **Reply #1 on:** November 23, 2008, 11:31:08 AM »

Turns out we have been hit by some spammers registering many accounts on this forum. So far they have been activating most accounts but not posting from them.

RichardA · « **Reply #2 on:** December 01, 2008, 09:48:54 PM »

Just to yet you know, all new registrations are now checked against a database of known spammers; if a 'hit' is returned the new account is banned. Apparently, there has been an 'outbreak' recently!

To help catch those who slip through the net, suspicious email addresses and usernames will be checked manually.

The visual verification image has also been changed to prevent automated registrations.

I got suspicious when someone (or something) was registering a large number ofe accounts using similar usernames from similar email addresses. In total we had loads of these accounts which all pointed to just a handfull of IP addresses. By using Google and the stopforumspam site, I have identified these as serial spammers.

Although they never posted, they can insert links to bad sites in their profiles or signatures....although they are yet to do so. In fact, most spammers don't post - they use this very tactic ("slient spamming") to insert bad links without raising suspicion.