Spammers

fermi

Personally I don't think it really matters if someone flags up spam by posting something like :spam: and encouraging others to click the button.

As long as it doesn't get continually bumped with multiple replies and DO NOT quote the spam.

As said, it can bring it to the attention of others more quickly and get rid of it sooner.

One of the first things I normally do on coming on to the boards is run a search like: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/search.php?do=process&query=spam&showposts=1

and where people have flagged up spam, I often pick up ones I would have otherwise missed.

Obviously if not sure if the spam button etc will do the job it's also important to click the report button to send an email report as well.

Just my view and not any sort of official line, which I'm sure would be "report and do not reply".....

Coopdivi

There are spammers who sign up with several user names. One will ask a seemingly innocent question and another will answer with the name of the website that he/they're spamming.

There are several threads on the Restaurant and Eating Out Deals board asking about worktops. I have flagged them as spam but they're still there so presumably MSE aren't bothered. Here's one:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4698733

Jamie_Carter

Coopdivi wrote: »

There are spammers who sign up with several user names. One will ask a seemingly innocent question and another will answer with the name of the website that he/they're spamming.

There are several threads on the Restaurant and Eating Out Deals board asking about worktops. I have flagged them as spam but they're still there so presumably MSE aren't bothered. Here's one:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4698733

Looks like it's gone now. :T

ValHaller

RichardD1970 wrote: »

Would it be possible to have the :spam: button at the top of the post as some of the :spam: posts are very long and take "ages" to scroll through. :beer:

Sparhawke wrote: »

I am guessing it would take some major redesign of the board and it would probably break; better just to leave it "as is"

fermi wrote: »

Depends where that code resides. It could take some major hacking of the code, or it could be just a minor tweak to a template. Hard to say.

More than likely a very trivial hack

Coopdivi

Jamie_Carter wrote: »

Looks like it's gone now. :T

Yes, you're right.

Well done MSE :T

Arachne_2

Coopdivi wrote: »

There are spammers who sign up with several user names. One will ask a seemingly innocent question and another will answer with the name of the website that he/they're spamming.

Ping-pong spam.

On another note, I see the kitchen spammers are about again...

Own_My_Own

Jamie_Carter wrote: »

Looks like it's gone now. :T

They haven't gone far.
I just reported at least 15.

Wywth

fermi wrote: »

Personally I don't think it really matters if someone flags up spam by posting something like :spam: and encouraging others to click the button.

As long as it doesn't get continually bumped with multiple replies and DO NOT quote the spam.

As said, it can bring it to the attention of others more quickly and get rid of it sooner.

One of the first things I normally do on coming on to the boards is run a search like: http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/search.php?do=process&query=spam&showposts=1

and where people have flagged up spam, I often pick up ones I would have otherwise missed.

Obviously if not sure if the spam button etc will do the job it's also important to click the report button to send an email report as well.

Just my view and not any sort of official line, which I'm sure would be "report and do not reply".....

Where a spammer starts a new thread, I would agree, because when the first post of a thread is deleted, then the whole thread goes. (so quoting the offending post does not matter in this instance)

However, I'm not so keen on seeing this when it is within an existing thread. This is because often (because of the overworked FT who don't always look at the whole thread or simply because enough readers have hit the spam button) then only the spam post is removed and the remaining posts saying spam remain.
Then when someone later reads the thread, it often leads to more questions such as "Are you suggesting my/so & so's post was spam or have some posts been removed?"

Goldiegirl

I hadn't realised that spamming was such a big problem, but this morning the kitchen one appeared in a part of the forum the I use quite a lot.

I hit the spam button at 8am, and the post seems to have gone now, so the team do seem to be on the ball, so well done MSE.

I feel like I'm on a spam mission now!

Jamie_Carter

Goldiegirl wrote: »

I hadn't realised that spamming was such a big problem, but this morning the kitchen one appeared in a part of the forum the I use quite a lot.

I hit the spam button at 8am, and the post seems to have gone now, so the team do seem to be on the ball, so well done MSE.

I feel like I'm on a spam mission now!

I believe the spam button only needs to be pressed a certain number of times to trigger an automatic deletion of the post.