Suspicious users

[Checker]

Most of this "users" (e.g. Smerseceryirm) have Email of admin@10liao.net
This is well known for spam.
See

[carbonize]

Or see http://www.stopforumspam.com/search?q=a ... 10liao.net which has over 160 entries for that address mostly from the same ip. Possibly wasn't in the database when they joined this forum though.

[Checker]

User popazermusht seems to be very active
See (Enter user-name: popazermusht)

[carbonize]

Or just go to http://www.stopforumspam.com/search?q=popazermusht

Again this account appears to have been created here at the start of his spree so was not in the database yet.

[Checker]

Or just go to http://www.stopforumspam.com/search?q=popazermusht

Yes, that's quicker

Again this account appears to have been created here at the start of his spree so was not in the database yet.

Yes, seems so. Both started at 02 Nov 2011.

[lautrepay]

Since July 23 to October 22 = 751 new users = 8.34 new users per day
Since October 23 to this moment = 732 new users = 81.33 new users per day

Is that a consequence of tproli's new design of the site or a huge wave of fake users?

[tproli]

Looking at those names they should be fakes... though I personally have known someone called "sdpjupvalvjv" but he wasn't keen on portable freewares

[webfork]

Looking at those names they should be fakes... though I personally have known someone called "sdpjupvalvjv" but he wasn't keen on portable freewares

Hehehe

Is that a consequence of tproli's new design of the site or a huge wave of fake users?

Yeah I'm not sure what's going on there. Looking into that.

[guinness]

Looking at those names they should be fakes... though I personally have known someone called "sdpjupvalvjv" but he wasn't keen on portable freewares

Weird, I know him too!!!

[I am Baas]

Well you are one of those lucky few that know "sdpjupvalvjv"

[Andrew Lee]

Just replied to webfork, who suggested adding blocking IP ranges. Here's my reply:

IP ranges has its problems. Legit users will inevitably get hit. We've had examples of that before when users email me asking why their IPs have been banned.

The current approach is the best we've got. Spam never gets into public view.

I used to run a cull from time-to-time to remove non-active users with 0 posts, but even that eneded up hitting some legit users. There are actually people who sign up but never post, then one fine day, they want to contribute to a topic but find their account removed. Then they email me.

So I stopped the culling sessions. The only problem we've got now is an inflated user list, but I thought that is the lesser of all the evils.

[I am Baas]

449 new members in the first 5 days of November alone (checked on Nov 05, 2012 7:51 pm). It's the first time that "Total members" number tops that of "Total topics".

[Andrew Lee]

Just did a prune on users who have not logged in for the past 3 months with 0 posts.

Now I will just sit back and wait for complaints from users asking why they cannot log in.

[guinness]

Maybe add a disclaimer at sign-up that if you don't post within the first 3 months your account will be closed.

[m^(2)]

Well, I've been using some forums for years w/out posting...so I'm not into such methods.