Spam threads - a message from GNHQ

Patsy70

LilyGransnet

Hi all,

We're sorry for the enormous amount of overnight spam - we're working our way through removing it all now.

We'll be discussing how we can prevent this in future, so please bear with us.

Thanks for all of your reports and patience here.

Unfortunately, you don’t seem to have this under control.

Unfortunately there is not an easy fix. It is frustrating if you are a poster, but even more so if you need to find a solution to prevent them.
These things are not easy to sort, unless you buy expensive software, I think.

LilyGransnet

Hi all,

We're sorry for the enormous amount of overnight spam - we're working our way through removing it all now.

We'll be discussing how we can prevent this in future, so please bear with us.

Thanks for all of your reports and patience here.

Unfortunately, you don’t seem to have this under control.

Thanks Lily -once you’ve sorted spam can you crack on with scams 😀

Yes, the one I reported today went away quickly, and I did say that there were lots more. The last message from GNHQ said to keep reporting them.

Bump

I reported one at 10.14, it’s been removed, hopefully HQ will act on the remainder.

Here we go again. "Active" is swamped with them.

Chestnut

Kelly as I said upthread new users should have their posts checked before they get posted. Also, a text message sent to a mobile phone to verify the user before their username is accepted.

Here we go again, 6pm Monday. Please do as I suggest and block new users until their posts have been checked and verified.

-
-I'm not sure that CAPTCHAs work either (except to irritate legitimate users), but I don't know enough about this stuff to figure out the answer-

People can’t draw a quick straight line to the CAPTCHA whereas computer bots etc do, therefore it can work out if you are human easily.

I'd still like to know GNHQ's preference on these spam posts. Should we post "reported" so others know the thread has been reported, or do multiple 'reports' of the same thread not cause any extra work for the team?

Maybe pick up the capital letters ? Block any post using more than usual. Can’t be that hard for the techies. Other sites don’t seem to have this problem.

Kelly as I said upthread new users should have their posts checked before they get posted. Also, a text message sent to a mobile phone to verify the user before their username is accepted.

Yes, thank you GNHQ. This site is very helpful to many people.

Thanks GNHQ for the update. Extra work for you all of course and highly irritating. I hope your tech people can get on top of the problem soon.

Here we go again - lots of spam threads yet again!

I wonder if someone is trying to demonstrate how easy it is to disrupt things on the internet? This is happening on another site as well.

I hate all this rubbish being poured out over a very helpful website.

I am very much a lurker and rarely post but hope that if every lurker posted something that is on their mind it would suppress this offensive spam.

I started hiding the threads last night. There were about 30 of them so it took a while. This morning there were about 20 and every time I cleared the active list, a couple more kept popping up. Last night each thread seemed to be about a different US state so maybe there were even 50! This morning it has moved to South Africa and there were even some Dutch towns mentioned.

I think it has got to the point of, the state of the site being in the media. If the size of it, merits media attention.

LilyGransnet

Hi all,

We're sorry for the enormous amount of overnight spam - we're working our way through removing it all now.

We'll be discussing how we can prevent this in future, so please bear with us.

Thanks for all of your reports and patience here.

The Unanswered Forum is full of these spam thread AGAIN! If the GN tech department cannot stop them how can we be sure that our personal details are secure?

GN is becoming overrun.

SunshineSally

It’s getting ridiculous now 🤬. Spoils the enjoyment of the site for all of us.

I agree. Its getting tiresome.

SunshineSally

It’s getting ridiculous now 🤬. Spoils the enjoyment of the site for all of us.

It certainly does, but all the bumping is beginning to annoy me too!
Is there a plot to bring down GN? 😉 What is the purpose of all this Spam?

GNHQ have my sympathy. So many people complaining, when they are trying their best. It is an IT nightmare. Perhaps they do not have the security systems required to deal with it and it may be extremely expensive to install. I suspect GN does not generate much income.

It’s getting ridiculous now 🤬. Spoils the enjoyment of the site for all of us.