[MikeLac]

Originally Posted by Medtech

For the last 3 years, I have several vbulletin forums and control a dozen more, the only real effective way i have found to prevent spam is to block registration for all known spammers. Using a database with millions of logged userid, email, and ip addresses of submitted spammers is the easiest way to go. It is also fully automatic. That is the vbstopforumspam mod i linked you to. you may get 1 or 2 spammers a year, just submit their info (so anyone else using this mod will not get them), otherwise, you will not have to deal with them.

There is no other real effective way to deal with them. you can bann emails in admincp, but there are too many to list.

personally i view creating extra usergroups to moderate potential spammers is time consuming and always needing your attention.:erm:

I installed the Mod. I also checked the IP addresses of the 2 Spammers that I got against that database and there has been lots of Spam activity against them. So the Mod definitely would have blocked them. I know that it is ONLY 2. But I was surprised that they found my Forum when I haven't even done a single thing to let people know about it yet. Other than some Family and Friends. My Forum will be launched within a couple of days now. I already have several promotional plans in place. But it made me realize that I could have a big Spam problem once my Forum becomes a little more known. Better to stop the bleeding BEFORE it starts. Proactive rather than Reactive.

I also did exactly what Revvin suggested. I created a separate Usergroup to Move the members to once they have accumulated 5 posts or more. The Registered Usergroup is heavily restricted. 5 Posts isn't much to ask for to remove the restrictions. Most Spammers wouldn't even accumulate 5 posts under the same User Name. Then, once a night, I will just do a check of the Registered Users and move everyone that has made 5 or more posts over to the Official Members. I am not going to manually check all of the posts to make sure that they are not Spam. But the members will think that I will. Forum members will also report any Spam posts that I miss.

Now, I feel that Spam will not be an issue. I'm just starting my first Forum. Someday, I might have a dozen or more just like yourself. I have created many web sites. Always meaning to start an online forum.

--------------- Added [DATE]1262563290[/DATE] at [TIME]1262563290[/TIME] ---------------

Originally Posted by Revvin

As far as blocking email addresses you don't block the full address you block the domain so thats '@freeemailprovider.com' for example. I don't block every domain but once you've been running a site for a while you'll get to know what freebie email providers are more hassle than they are worth to allow users to sign up with.

Ah, I see what you mean.

I installed the Mod. If it can not access the database to check a Users registration, it displays the following message:

"Registration denied. We check new registrations against a database of known forum spammers. At this time, we are unable to contact this database to verify your registration. This is only a temporary problem. We are sorry for the inconvenience but please do try again later."

That is what I have it set at. I can have it set to continue with the registration process if it can not access the database. If there are several instances where Users have trouble registering because it can not connect to the database, then I will set it to allow registrations if it can not connect.

I manually checked the 2 IP addresses against the database of the Spammers that registered multiple Accounts and Spammed my Forum. They are:

http://www.stopforumspam.com/ipcheck/91.211.117.129

http://www.stopforumspam.com/ipcheck/188.165.192.166

The Mod would have blocked both of those Spammers if I had it installed at the time.

I also implemented all of your tips.

Thanks to both you and MedTech for your replies. :up: