From what I've seen, it's still spambots. It isn't so much that the bots are "smart", it's just that the forum is outdated. It's sorta like the antivirus on our computers - it's meant to protect us, but if it hasn't been updated in years, how effective can it really be today?

I got excited quite early, I see.

Are the spammers who register now "human" and not spambots, or did the smart programmes found a way around? Dumb question I guess, just curious..

http://www.fanmail.biz/mboard/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=36771

http://www.fanmail.biz/mboard/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=36743

http://www.fanmail.biz/mboard/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=36745

http://www.fanmail.biz/mboard/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=36682

The old "3" system wasn't a CAPTCHA, just a simple challenge response.. and yeah, hardly a challenge when the correct response is 3 every time.

Unfortunately, it doesn't look like it's working all that great.. there's still new spam accounts being registered. I guess this forum is just too outdated.

[quote="jdp3577"]you already have to do a captcha at registration, it doesnt help, the bots can get around it[/quote]

The CAPTCHA we originally had was simply typing in "3". A one digit number which never changes. Not exactly hard to guess. One of 9 possibilites. As of yesterday morning we have a proper CAPTCHA. Randomly generated string of numbers and letters. Some smart bots will be able to get around it, but not as many as before hopefully.

I'm a mod on another forum where we have a captcha and get spam accounts too. We have the forum on admin activation only so accounts can't post without being activated. Unfortunately this is a hell of a lot of work. And we're only a small forum. I dread to think how long it'd take here.

you already have to do a captcha at registration, it doesnt help, the bots can get around it

The spam is getting heavy now. We really need to add this

Agreed, easy to implement with account registration and much needed {up}

SPAM Spam Spam..... we need it

This was put to admin 3 years ago numerous times and his response was that it would slow down the registration process for genuine members, and was not needed.

It was put to him again when the forum had a very big problem with a real life spammer who was sending numerous hate PMs about a year ago, and he gave the same reason, but also added "just ignore him".

That about sums it up really doesnt it? {down}

[quote="dfreely"]So has this, or any other spam solution, been implemented yet? Seems like spam is still hitting, and I can't help but wonder if this was ever followed through with.[/quote]

no, as far as I know, there hasnt been any changes