Spammers and phpBB
 

MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch

[Closed] Spammers and phpBB

8 Posts
5 Users
0 Reactions
67 Views
Posts: 5655
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Anyone got any tips for reducing spam on a phpBB powered forum? I've enabled confirmation emails and changed the captcha settings a bit from the default ones, but I'm still getting lots of weird usernames registering, and a couple of spam posts a day. Anyone know of any good mods I can add? I don't really want to approve new members manually if I can help it. Ta all.


 
Posted : 15/04/2009 8:47 am
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

'Spam words' mod.

Set it to delete all posts and block all accounts with under 10 posts that contain any of your hotwords. I'll send you the list I use on the forum i administer. We auto delete about 50 accounts a week, maybe one a week gets through.


 
Posted : 15/04/2009 5:35 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

here you go, loaded them into a txt file and whacked it on the server.

enjoy.


 
Posted : 15/04/2009 5:44 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Try adding a non-standard question to the user registration form

e.g. How many thumbs does a human have?

Easy enough for anyone registering to answer, will stop a lot of the spam bots.

http://www.phpbb.com/kb/article/custom-profile-fields-as-an-anti-spammer-tool/


 
Posted : 15/04/2009 5:51 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Second the non standard question we tried all sorts from cryptic word images to banning gmail but they stopped overnight with 'what is 1 + 1?' custom question in the registration section. Didn't even have to change the question again.


 
Posted : 15/04/2009 6:37 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

I've modded a couple of phpBB forums (fora?) to ask for an anti-spam word as described above. Spambot registrations stopped immediately.


 
Posted : 15/04/2009 6:39 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

by 'spam word' i meant the mod that scans all posts for 'spam' words and just straight up deletes the new account and all posts, saves me hours a week.


 
Posted : 15/04/2009 10:55 pm
Posts: 0
Free Member
 

Much better to stop them from registering in the first place IMO.


 
Posted : 16/04/2009 7:56 am
Posts: 5655
Full Member
Topic starter
 

Cheers for advice all. Does anyone have problems with human spammers too or does it tend to be strictly bots?


 
Posted : 16/04/2009 8:33 am