# due to the sudden influx of bogus users and spam bots... - removed 7/12



## Jaguar

we have had to enable admin approved signups. this is a big inconvenience for members and admins alike, but it is necessary until we can hopefully figure out some way to combat the ridiculous amount of graphic spam we've been getting.

what this means is, it could take up to a few days for new members' registration requests to be processed. until they are, you will not be able to send private messages or post on the forums, but you will be able to browse as normal. the plus side is, there should be significantly less gross and annoying spam. yay!

we apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your patience. we are doing the best we can with what resources we have.  while we will do our best to filter out those bogus users, we are only human, and may make mistakes in letting them through sometimes, and vice versa to legitimate members. 

if we are repeatedly declining your signup, try using a different and less spam-like username - for example, "John D" instead of "johndoe495" as it will be less likely to be flagged as spam. If that isn't an option, add three asterisks (***) to the end of your username, which will be removed after you activate. if you take this route, keep in mind your password will be reset via e-mail after the asterisks are removed.


----------



## lilspaz68

*Re: due to the sudden influx of bogus users and spam bots...*

I assume you cannot put in a captcha? Those work really well on weeding out most spammers


----------



## Jaguar

*Re: due to the sudden influx of bogus users and spam bots...*

there is one already - it's very easily bottable, and we cannot upgrade it.


----------



## halfmoon

*Re: due to the sudden influx of bogus users and spam bots...*

Obviously, because there's still porn being posted in the forum. We need something better, because it's disgusting! I know of a few users who are only kids.


----------



## Jaguar

*Re: due to the sudden influx of bogus users and spam bots...*

these members getting through are ones that have signed up days/weeks/months ago, and just surfacing now.

with this forum we're using there is honestly nothing more we can do. do you think the admins and mods like seeing graphic spam and having to ban and delete somewhere around 20 members a day? :-\ i assure you, once again, we are doing everything we can. 

if you knew how this site was a year and a half ago, perhaps you would understand a bit more.


----------



## halfmoon

*Re: due to the sudden influx of bogus users and spam bots...*

I wasn't saying anything about our admins and mods! You guys really do a great job. I was frustrated with the general idea of this stuff being posted after you're trying to stop it... I thought they kept getting through, I didn't know they had already been registered before you started screening users.


----------



## Kiko

*Re: due to the sudden influx of bogus users and spam bots...*

Yup, petty gross. I don't understand the point either :/


----------



## Jaguar

just wanted to say that i've removed this signup limitation, so expect to see some spam around the forum again. i simply don't have the time to be sifting through 400+ signup requests per day, and i have not gotten a response back from the site owner about upgrading the forum yet. 

if you want to see better security features, less spam and such on RatForum, please send a pm to Yungster and let him know your feelings.


----------



## lilspaz68

Ahh makes sense now.

It's okay I'll set aside 5 mins in the morning to report the spammers who worked overnight LOL

Use the Report to Moderator button people, but make sure you only report 1 spammer whether they have multiple posts or not. Once they are removed all their posts go with them


----------



## smesyna

lilspaz68 said:


> Ahh makes sense now.
> 
> It's okay I'll set aside 5 mins in the morning to report the spammers who worked overnight LOL
> 
> Use the Report to Moderator button people, but make sure you only report 1 spammer whether they have multiple posts or not. Once they are removed all their posts go with them


Haha I wish once they were removed all their posts left, I have to delete them one by one. I do only need one report per spammer though, as I can get all their posts from there.


----------



## lilspaz68

smesyna said:


> lilspaz68 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Ahh makes sense now.
> 
> It's okay I'll set aside 5 mins in the morning to report the spammers who worked overnight LOL
> 
> Use the Report to Moderator button people, but make sure you only report 1 spammer whether they have multiple posts or not. Once they are removed all their posts go with them
> 
> 
> 
> Haha I wish once they were removed all their posts left, I have to delete them one by one. I do only need one report per spammer though, as I can get all their posts from there.
Click to expand...

You don't have the option? We do, remove posts, leave posts...


----------



## smesyna

lilspaz68 said:


> smesyna said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> lilspaz68 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Ahh makes sense now.
> 
> It's okay I'll set aside 5 mins in the morning to report the spammers who worked overnight LOL
> 
> Use the Report to Moderator button people, but make sure you only report 1 spammer whether they have multiple posts or not. Once they are removed all their posts go with them
> 
> 
> 
> Haha I wish once they were removed all their posts left, I have to delete them one by one. I do only need one report per spammer though, as I can get all their posts from there.
> 
> Click to expand...
> 
> You don't have the option? We do, remove posts, leave posts...
Click to expand...

Nope, yet another reason we need this upgrade! It would save me a lot of time if I could just delete all their posts at once.


----------



## lilspaz68

Well I think they must party on Friday nights instead of lurking over their computers...only 1 this morning


----------



## Kinsey

I have to delete one by one as well- takes forever because my page has to refresh over and over. Blah!


----------



## lilspaz68

These spammers are getting creative and putting up their posts as replies now


----------



## smesyna

I found that too  With all the spam I don't have time to read all the posts so please especially report those! I don't understand why they post seven times in one thread though ??? It's the same people reading it LOL. *sigh*


----------



## jadeangel

they're on a role today, I'm trying to report the ones I'm finding in threads as the singular threads are easier to find


----------



## AllegroAssai

It's getting really horrible, my little boy loves this site and I don't like having to check every single page. 

And what is the POINT? People just get annoyed, no-one actually clicks on the links, right?


----------



## jadeangel

the only link i click is the report button xD


----------



## Jaguar

i still urge you to pm the site owner Yungster about these issues. let him know you want ratforum to be a spam free and all ages safe environment. the mods are doing everything they can at this point 

http://www.ratforum.com/index.php?action=pm;sa=send;u=4772


----------



## jadeangel

Just a bit of an update  I got a response back from the mail I sent and they said they're working on updating the forums! So maybe we won't have to deal with too much more spam and bots


----------



## Ramen

lilspaz68 said:


> These spammers are getting creative and putting up their posts as replies now


Yes I know, I saw spam on a Rainbow Bridge post once. It's terrible. 
Who cares about fish oil when someone's furbaby is gone? D:<


----------



## Strawberry

My cousin tried to sign up to the forum a few days ago and got declined. She also tried signing up today and the same thing happened. 

This was the message that appears on the site: Registration denied. We check new registrations against a database of known forum spammers. At this time, we are unable to contact this database to verify your registration. We are sorry for the inconvenience but please do try again later.

I was wondering when this may be fixed, or if there is a loop hole in signing up? Thank you.


----------



## Jaguar

I contacted the owner of the forum about this. Thanks


----------



## Hamsterific

It took me a while to sign up because of that spamer thing but it seems to be working now. Thanks!


----------



## Dollfaise

Hello! I first signed up around 2/28. I posted an intro thread, got a number of responses, and then didn't really come back because I hadn't decided on purchasing a rat and therefore had no reason to return. But now that I have one and am looking to possibly buy a second, I would like to be more active. I don't seem to be able to post though and I'm wondering why I haven't been approved after such a long time, if this is in fact the case. I know my name might seem a bit "troll-ish" to some but I use it a lot, especially since I'm a gamer and it's just kind of my "thing". Is there anything I could do to receive posting privileges? Thanks!


----------



## Jaguar

Dollfaise said:


> Hello! I first signed up around 2/28. I posted an intro thread, got a number of responses, and then didn't really come back because I hadn't decided on purchasing a rat and therefore had no reason to return. But now that I have one and am looking to possibly buy a second, I would like to be more active. I don't seem to be able to post though and I'm wondering why I haven't been approved after such a long time, if this is in fact the case. I know my name might seem a bit "troll-ish" to some but I use it a lot, especially since I'm a gamer and it's just kind of my "thing". Is there anything I could do to receive posting privileges? Thanks!


There was a rule put in place recently that makes new accounts have to make 3 posts/topics in "Say Hello" before they get their full account rights. Since you registered before the change, you didn't get the welcome PM that explained this. You're in the right usergroup now, so you should be able to post wherever. Let me know if you need any more help (preferably through a PM!)


----------

