Strange registrations

[tamarian]

I've been getting some weird registrations lately. Real members (i.e. not robots) signup, and include this kind of URL's:

http://pics.sexcrews.com/sex_video.html

I've had several in the last couple of week, all adult sounding websites, but no adult content, just circular type links.

The links themselves are weird, but the other strange thing is that the registering members don't seem to be aware of them. When such a link is used as a home page, we just ban them. However, when they enquire why they were banned, and I tell them it's due to listing adult links in their profiles (forbidden in terms and conditions), they get offended, and swear they had not listed any links, let alone adult ones. After 4 of such complaints, I'm starting to beleive them.

Have you seen similar registrations? Wha do you think is going one?

[Steve Machol]

Depending on which version you are running, you should enable image verification during registration. This stops scripts from registering.

[chrispadfield]

That site/page is weird, only thing I can think is that it is about getting a high google page rank and listing on those pages and then replacing them all with affiliate links or whatever.

As for how they are being listed at your site, thats weird that they bother to reply to your message if it is a robot; do they post at all?

[tamarian]

Depending on which version you are running, you should enable image verification during registration. This stops scripts from registering.

Steve, as I stated, these were not robots/scripts, it's real people who've emailed me.

[Kathy]

Do their names start with ! or @ or # or other non-text characters?

If so...they are signing up to use your site for Silent Spamming

[tamarian]

As for how they are being listed at your site, thats weird that they bother to reply to your message if it is a robot; do they post at all?

Exactly. And from the emails, they seemed sincerely distressed that such a link was added to their profile (this occurs during registration, as I or other admins notice it from notifications).

They never posted, as we cought them quite fast, and they remained banned since I just didn't beleive them. Now with the fourth in a row, I'll try lifting the ban and see how it goes.

Only thing I can think of is spyware auto-filling forms

[tamarian]

Do their names start with ! or @ or # or other non-text characters?

If so...they are signing up to use your site for Silent Spamming

No. We've had a few of those, but not these 4. We don't allow access to our members list.

[SilentBlade]

Thats creepy o_O

[Kathy]

Yes, but I just looked at your member list. One member joined today with ! at the beginning of their username....is that one of them? They may not know before they register that you don't allow websites on your member list....or that others can't view it. they may be just trying to get their links to their site on as many forums/sites as possible for link pr.

[tamarian]

Yes, but I just looked at your member list. One member joined today with ! at the beginning of their username....is that one of them? They may not know before they register that you don't allow websites on your member list....or that others can't view it. they may be just trying to get their links to their site on as many forums/sites as possible for link pr.

We do get those silent spam registrations like everyone else, but I'm talking a bout a different pattern. These register with normal names, like oden, etc. and fill detailed profiles, with full bio, detailed optional info, etc. and the only odd thing about their registration are adult links, in circular style similar to the link posted above, like http://cliff-pics.com/celeb_slips.html and http://pics.****ing18.org/

The usual spammers don't waste their time emailing forums about their status, but these 4 have all asserted they added no links, let alone adult links.

It is possible they're silent spamming us, but it seems like a lot of effort to spend so much time pleading their case on and on, since they have too many forums to register with to do their silent spam.

[Bema Jinn]

I've been getting some weird registrations lately. Real members (i.e. not robots) signup, and include this kind of URL's:

http://pics.sexcrews.com/sex_video.html

I've had several in the last couple of week, all adult sounding websites, but no adult content, just circular type links.

The links themselves are weird, but the other strange thing is that the registering members don't seem to be aware of them. When such a link is used as a home page, we just ban them. However, when they enquire why they were banned, and I tell them it's due to listing adult links in their profiles (forbidden in terms and conditions), they get offended, and swear they had not listed any links, let alone adult ones. After 4 of such complaints, I'm starting to beleive them.

Have you seen similar registrations? Wha do you think is going one?

I'm suprised no one has mentioned this, but i had some spyware/virus crap on my comp a while ago that turned a lot of displayed urls into other urls.

Check for viruses or spyware.

[tamarian]

I'm suprised no one has mentioned this, but i had some spyware/virus crap on my comp a while ago that turned a lot of displayed urls into other urls.

I mentioned it In post #6

[Bema Jinn]

I mentioned it In post #6

oops, sorry. didn't read the bottom of the post.

[stark427]

Same thing happens to my forums.
This is the 2nd time I see a profile with that porn url .

here is the most recent profile:

http://www.synthpopavenue.gr/forum/m...nfo&userid=968

All the other fields seem valid and original. For example, the location field shows a small area in Athens Greece, which a robot couldn't in any way have put there.

The user seems to be under the "User Awaiting Email Confirmation" status and of course I'm not gonna approve his reg before he actually confirms his account.

However, even his username is highly related to the topics that my community covers (it's the name of the lead singer of a darkwave/electro music group), so it seems like a real reg and not one that could have come from a robot.

Finally his email if from yahoo.gr which is not usually used for spam, like yahoo.com and other free email services.

[_| () R | Z]

http://www.synthpopavenue.gr/forum/m...nfo&userid=968

requires registration.....