Scaring off the comment spammers

Discussion in 'Site & Server Administration' started by whitebark, Aug 8, 2006.

  1. #1
    Comment spam - we all hate it. We operate numerous CMS and blogs and this is always a problem. We can stop most of the generic uncreative type idiots with .htaccess rules but others still go on.

    So we have started taking a more pro-active approach. We do a whois on their lousy domains and send emails to their admin contacts. If they have protected whois - we email the registrar with details of their activities (they probably don't give two f's...).

    In the emails we put a simple note of their feeble attempt to comment spam with a message that the next attempt will be considered an intrusion attempt as they are using automated scripts, and as such we will seek to bring charges against them in their local area. We also note that we will be contacting their hosts as well.

    We have never had to go that far as they never try a second time after these emails. Of course some admin contact emails never arrive or they comment spam with multiple domains at once with each showing different registrant information - for those we certainly flag their registrars for faking their registrant details.

    It only takes a minute a day. And after doing this for some three weeks the little buggers are starting to drop off and fast.

    Try it!
     
    whitebark, Aug 8, 2006 IP
    1 person likes this.
  2. mdvaldosta

    mdvaldosta Peon

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    #2
    Good for you, we should all take that approach.
     
    mdvaldosta, Aug 8, 2006 IP
  3. timw

    timw Peon

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    #3
    Nice advice, maybe I'll try that soon.
     
    timw, Aug 9, 2006 IP
  4. QiSoftware

    QiSoftware Well-Known Member

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    #4
    I maintain two wordpress blogs [1], [2] and I use the Banned Word list effectively to manage my comment spam.

    Q...
     
    QiSoftware, Aug 9, 2006 IP
  5. Dekker

    Dekker Peon

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    #5
    I added this to my blog right above the comment section

    "Note to spammers: rel="nofollow" will be added to all links in comments."

    0 spammers since I put it in.
     
    Dekker, Aug 9, 2006 IP
  6. whitebark

    whitebark Peon

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    #6
    That worked for us on one site as well, but for the others, the calibre of the comments keeps us from doing that.
     
    whitebark, Aug 9, 2006 IP
  7. RRWH

    RRWH Active Member

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    #7
    comment spammers are pretty easy to detect.

    In my photoblog, when I detect a comment spam I give a NSFW message to them and automatically add the class C they are on into my .htaccess file

    It took only 2-3 weeks and the spammers have kindly added around 300 Class C networks to my .htaccess file for me. Every time someone tries to comment spam me they block themselves from ever being able to di it again - Simple and effective.

    I like the idea about sending a note off to the whois contact - I might just go and code this myself as well!
     
    RRWH, Aug 9, 2006 IP
  8. excaflowne

    excaflowne Well-Known Member

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    #8
    lol.. at some point we've beeen there too.. :D

    cool idea..
     
    excaflowne, Jan 31, 2010 IP
  9. FavouritesBlog

    FavouritesBlog Peon

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    #9
    Note: All spammers will face prosecution upon spamming our comments page(s). We are serious, we make money from you spammers :)
     
    FavouritesBlog, Jan 31, 2010 IP