Hide emails from spammers

[Skeptical]

I have put down my email address on my site for visitors to contact me. Now, after about a year or more the spam has gotten to the point where I'm getting pretty angry (over 400 per day!).

What are some ways to obfuscate my email address on my site? I'm thinking of using a graphic email text (so spammers can't just extract it). The link will be to a cgi script, which dynamically changes it to a real email address. Are there php/cgi solutions out there that can do this?

[ManagerJosh]

there's always this:
http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/showthread.php?t=90451

[orca]

Put the email like me at mydomain dot com or so.

[chrispadfield]

Just use a webform instead of an email address.

[Wayne Luke]

Just use a webform instead of an email address.

This is the only way... Spambot spiders can now read javascript to find email addresses, they can read the words and guess at email address. They can remove the "deleteme" text people embed in their email addresses. The only way is to not post your email address anywhere public period. Use contact forms and do not use ones with the email address embedded in the code. Make sure it is kept serverside.

When I was working for SitePoint, my email address was posted all over the place there. I was getting 500-600 spam messages a day there on the POP3 email they gave me. Since I left there and deleted the email address from Outlook, I average 3 spam messages a day. I also do not post my email addresses anywhere.

[Livingston]

I have put down my email address on my site for visitors to contact me. Now, after about a year or more the spam has gotten to the point where I'm getting pretty angry (over 400 per day!).

What are some ways to obfuscate my email address on my site? I'm thinking of using a graphic email text (so spammers can't just extract it). The link will be to a cgi script, which dynamically changes it to a real email address. Are there php/cgi solutions out there that can do this?

i was just about to create a topic about spam.. ah well, might as well stick it in here as it's semi-related..

I hide all email addresses on my vB forum and have it set to use a contact form instead. The domain i use for email is setup in such a way that all mail goes to a blackhole (or bounces back, depending on how i'm feeling ) unless i've created a forwarder/pop3 account.

So.. I created a unique email address for use in the "Webmaster's Email" vB setting which isn't displayed anywhere (because of the contact forms, and the sendmessage.php form) but yet they still manage to get hold of the address and send spam to it. Any ideas how this can be possible?

It's the 2nd time this has happened. I just want to be left alone from spam (like everyone else i imagine!)

[WizyWyg]

Dictionary attacks on your server/isp will result in you getting spam. And once a spamemr sees that hteir dictionary attack worked on specific addressess, onto you 6 million email cd your email address goes.

[Skeptical]

This is quite sad indeed. The thing is, the email address is needed for tech support. Many people don't want to have to use web forms and want to be able to send emails directly. This is why I have my email address on my website.

I also run Deskpro, and all day long I'm wasting tons of time clicking and deleting junk/spam tickets. I'm seriously contemplating disabling email support and have my clients use the web support ticket system only. The only thing is, I know many people will be pissed because they don't want to go through the extra hassle.

Any suggestions?

[chrispadfield]

DeskPRO 2.1 will make people click a link in the email if it is the first one they have ever sent; the risk is you miss a sales ticket because someone dosen't click the link - but that is I guess the risk of that is up to each company.

[filburt1]

Use an image. Only genius bots can read them.

The best idea is to simply never make it public. Ever. Use a catchall account on a separate domain when signing up for stuff so you can trace it and easily block it.

[chrispadfield]

To be honest I don't think the bots are up to the level of clicking on links yet; getting a newbie to enter the text of an image when it is hardly necessary is a bad idea; especially when you cut out quite a lot of hard of sight people from using your systems as well then.

[chrispadfield]

Oops, i misunderstood you, an image is a good ideea for displaying it on website.