Spam Registrations

[Max Taxable]

Originally Posted by gregory_clayton

I also have a question box where they have to answer a question before they register.

I have found two things that stop bot registrations in their tracks.

1.) Make your answers identical to the questions, making the questions actually instructions to copy/paste the question into the answer box. Make them long-worded. Example:

"The answer is the same as the question. Can you copy/paste? Good! Humans can, bots cannot. Bots also cannot follow instructions, or even read! So please copy this entire paragraph and paste it into the box below. HUMANS ONLY!!!"

I have four of these, worded slightly differently, that rotate randomly.

2.) The "IsBot" mod. This mod rejects any and all registration attempts where the registration process moves between do=register and do=addmember faster than a time you set. Bots fill out the form very quickly, humans cannot possibly do it that fast. I have mine set for 10 seconds and it works great.

This system rejects 30-40 bot registrations on my board daily. Only humans can get through, a bot has never made it.

Unfortunately, there really isn't a whole lot you can do about the human spammer other than have new users all moderated, and/or limit what they can do once registered, using any of several mods that limit activities based on post count or time registered..

Plus you can smile, knowing somebody's actually paying this doof to go around spamming message boards.