Contact Us Spam

[Alfuzzy]

Site is getting a lot of "Contact Us" Spam. Is there any way to control this via stock Xenforo install?

The person/bot sending this Contact Us spam many times uses the same username...but almost always uses a different email address.

I know Xenforo can ban Contact Us email address's...but couldn't find any control measures for Contact Us "name".

If there's something that can be done...that would be awesome!

Thanks

 

[Rhodium]

Try with Hcaptcha if you are using google recaptcha, it works better for me to control contact us spam.

 

[Alfuzzy]

Thanks for the suggestion. I have tried Hcaptcha recently (on it's most difficult setting)...even swapped some emails with Hcaptcha customer support. HCaptcha has not helped with site Contact Us...or new account registration spam.

Q&A Captcha doesn't work either...tried that too. No bueno!

Thanks

 

[Starbucks]

Thanks for the suggestion. I have tried Hcaptcha recently (on it's most difficult setting)...even swapped some emails with Hcaptcha customer support. HCaptcha has not helped with site Contact Us...or new account registration spam.

Q&A Captcha doesn't work either...tried that too. No bueno!

Thanks

Have you tried to identify the country by checking its IP? Maybe you can temporarily ban the country or region. Usually these are bots, after an x amount of failing connections it stops.

 

[AndyB]

You might like this add-on:

https://xenforo.com/community/resources/contact-us-manager.8253/

 

[Alfuzzy]

I just checked a bunch of Contact Us messages from this person/bot...and it turns out it's the exact same IP address each time. Thus I guess I will ban this individual IP address.

Here's the actual IP address 46.161.11.199 (it's in the UK). I don't feel guilty sharing it...since it's a spammer.

If I ban this single IP address...how large a geographical area does this block? Site has a lot of members from the UK...and don't want to block legit members by accident.

Thanks

 

[Alfuzzy]

Thanks Andy. Will check it out.

 

[Starbucks]

You might like this add-on:

https://xenforo.com/community/resources/contact-us-manager.8253/

Of course!! @AndyB has an addon for everything! That addon will be great for him.

 

[Starbucks]

I just checked a bunch of Contact Us messages from this person/bot...and it turns out it's the exact same IP address each time. Thus I guess I will ban this individual IP address.

Here's the actual IP address 46.161.11.199 (it's in the UK). I don't feel guilty sharing it...since it's a spammer.

If I ban this single IP address...how large a geographical area does this block? Site has a lot of members from the UK...and don't want to block legit members by accident.

Thanks

If you’re using cloudflare, you could block the IP with a rule. Or, you can create a htaccess or config rule to block that IP.

Good luck!

 

[Alfuzzy]

Looks like Andy's Add-on blocks country codes. IP is from the UK. Site has too many members in the UK to block the UK.

 

[Alfuzzy]

If you’re using cloudflare, you could block the IP with a rule. Or, you can create a htaccess or config rule to block that IP.

Good luck!

We can block IP's via XF AdminCP (99% sure).

Question is...if I block this individual IP...how large of a geographical area will I be blocking?

Thanks

 

[Starbucks]

We can block IP's via XF AdminCP (99% sure).

Question is...if I block this individual IP...how large of a geographical area will I be blocking?

Thanks

Each IP is unique, so if you’d block that specific IP, you’d only block this person.

However, if they start to use a VPN or go to the nearest coffee place like Starbucks and use their Wifi, they can access your website again, or even by using the Wifi of the neighbors.

 

[Alfuzzy]

Each IP is unique, so if you’d block that specific IP, you’d only block this person.

Good deal that's what I thought...but wanted to be 100% sure.

However, if they start to use a VPN or go to the nearest coffee place like Starbucks and use their Wifi, they can access your website again, or even by using the Wifi of the neighbors.

Ohh yes...I'm VERY aware of this! Thanks

 

[Wildcat Media]

This add-on will help reduce or eliminate bot traffic:

[OzzModz] Contact Us Spaminator

Sick and tired of your inbox getting flooded with spam coming from the "Contact Us" system on your xenforo install(s)? You've tried everything and still it persists? You even shut off the "Contact Us" form to guest visitors? You need the...

xenforo.com

 

[GW2]

This add-on will help reduce or eliminate bot traffic:

[OzzModz] Contact Us Spaminator

Sick and tired of your inbox getting flooded with spam coming from the "Contact Us" system on your xenforo install(s)? You've tried everything and still it persists? You even shut off the "Contact Us" form to guest visitors? You need the...

xenforo.com

I have used the "contact us spamminator" add-on since we purchased XF in 2021. Our forum has had basically zero problem with spammers using 'Contact Us'. I do not even bother looking at the log of spammers. However, I did just for this reply. Today's spamminator log for our forum shows 37,620 rejected spammers since the add-on was installed in early 2021, including ten rejected spammers within the past 24 hours....and this is just those that come in only through 'contact us'.

Highly recommended. There may be other solutions, but this add-on works great, at low cost.

 

[GW2]

We can block IP's via XF AdminCP (99% sure).

Question is...if I block this individual IP...how large of a geographical area will I be blocking?

Thanks

Blocking an individual by IP is not a good idea. Bear in mind that many (innocent) users can be using the same IP address...such as at a hotel, airport, coffee shop, etc.

 

[nocte]

Each IP is unique, so if you’d block that specific IP, you’d only block this person.

Good deal that's what I thought...but wanted to be 100% sure.

NO! Today most IPs are not unique. Because of rare IPv4 addresses NAT IP-addresses are heavily used:

Network address translation - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

We have IP addresses, that were used by hundreds of users during the last couple of weeks.

So, no: banning a common IP address is not a good idea.

The addon by @Ozzy47 seems to be a good approach. Simply adding a captcha to the contact form (addon needed) would also be a good approach.

 

[Ozzy47]

Captchas are useless.

 

[MapleOne]

Captchas are useless.

Agreed but quite honestly I am spending a fair bit on mods and renewals for mods yearly plus cloud so the $30 is on the expensive side for an addon.

Does that addon ever go on sale?

 

[MapleOne]

PS,: I stopped the spam 100% my using a custom contact form URL and simply inserting the board email address.


Never had a spam email from them since because their spam bots are looking for a form.