How to deal with spam?

[MAXIM100]

Hello, several accounts are creating hundreds of threads on my forum. I have already disabled the ability to post new threads without approval, but now I have a new problem: I have thousands of spam messages pending approval, even though these users have been completely deleted. What should I do? How can I clear the entire list of these messages waiting for approval?

 

[Dragonfruit]

I believe this addon will allow you to approve/delete everything at once:

[XB] Approval Queue Improvements

Oct 12, 2020

Date range filter, default filters, ajax loader, content hard deletion and more...

• Painbaker
• approval queue batch update hard delete moderator tools search filters
• Add-ons [2.x]

Make sure your using an anti signup addon like this:

X

Signup abuse detection and blocking

Nov 20, 2018

Provides a toolkit to reduce signup spam

• Xon
• Add-ons [2.x]

I use an old addon that restricts URL posting until they meet a certain minimum post, thus can block bots posting links. But I can’t seem to find it from my mobile at this time.

 

[Dragonfruit]

Looks like the minimum post for URL is no longer supported, you can try to see if it works for you:

P

[XenMax] - Limit Post Link

Dec 20, 2017

This addon prevent certain usergroups from posting links until they reach a certain number of posts.

• Paul R
• xenmax
• Add-ons [2.x]

 

[Suzanne O]

I use cloudflare turnstile. Does the trick for me.

 

[AndyB]

You might like this add-on:

https://xenforo.com/community/resources/approval-queue-tools.8288/

 

[Ricsca]

I have 2 forums, since I installed www.cloudflare.com and Cloudflare Turnstile both in the basic plan, I have not had any spam.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I use security questions.

You can create niche-themed questions to block a lot of spam.

For example, on a cycling forum, I added:

"What is the brand name of the bicycle manufacturer who makes the Checkpoint Gravel Bike? (one word)"

The answer is: Trek

Some people will have to Google the answer if they don't know but most people into that niche will know what the answer is.

Those types of security questions I have found to be the best types.

Math questions suck. Easily penetrable.

I've also used "Spell spam backwards" as a security question and that seems to help and its basic that everyone should be able to get.

Aside from that, I enable Stop Forum Spam (and also report it using the API).

If your forum isn't huge and you're not getting hundreds of new members a day, you could always create a registration field (make it required) and ask why they want to join the forum. Then make it where you have to manually approve. You can test their answer against AI-detection, too, to ensure that it's not an AI response. This might be your best bet.

If you're getting mass-spam, I hear Cloudflare is one of the best ways to deal with that. I've not yet jumped onto that bandwagon, but I need to. Hopefully it's simple to do.

I got to say though. Back in either the late 90s or very early 2000s, I started out running forums with phpBB and the amount of spam bots I have to deal with daily almost made me say "F forums" lol. To me, today, it's nothing like that with all the security features and addons we have today. I'm thankful for that!

I run a nearly 50K member Facebook Group that gets significantly more spammers than any of my forums. Running that group is almost a full-time job, LOL.

 

[ekempter]

I have 2 forums, since I installed www.cloudflare.com and Cloudflare Turnstile both in the basic plan, I have not had any spam.

What is the first one?

 

[Alvin63]

I second Cloudflare Turnstile.

 

[Suzanne O]

I used to go with security questions but found out that so many trolls and other spammers would get through. So please watch that with yours

I use security questions.

You can create niche-themed questions to block a lot of spam.

For example, on a cycling forum, I added:

"What is the brand name of the bicycle manufacturer who makes the Checkpoint Gravel Bike? (one word)"

The answer is: Trek

Some people will have to Google the answer if they don't know but most people into that niche will know what the answer is.

Those types of security questions I have found to be the best types.

Math questions suck. Easily penetrable.

I've also used "Spell spam backwards" as a security question and that seems to help and its basic that everyone should be able to get.

Aside from that, I enable Stop Forum Spam (and also report it using the API).

If your forum isn't huge and you're not getting hundreds of new members a day, you could always create a registration field (make it required) and ask why they want to join the forum. Then make it where you have to manually approve. You can test their answer against AI-detection, too, to ensure that it's not an AI response. This might be your best bet.

If you're getting mass-spam, I hear Cloudflare is one of the best ways to deal with that. I've not yet jumped onto that bandwagon, but I need to. Hopefully it's simple to do.

I got to say though. Back in either the late 90s or very early 2000s, I started out running forums with phpBB and the amount of spam bots I have to deal with daily almost made me say "F forums" lol. To me, today, it's nothing like that with all the security features and addons we have today. I'm thankful for that!

I run a nearly 50K member Facebook Group that gets significantly more spammers than any of my forums. Running that group is almost a full-time job, LOL.

It will end up being like your Facebook group if you don't watch those security questions.