How to Deal With Spambots (Please Read! Important!)

Hey guys. I noticed a number of our staff User Reports have not been about users, but about spambots; this troubles me, as bots are quite a problem to forums in general.

To clarify, a spambot is not a person, but an automated bot that signs up for a forum, then proceeds to post one or several messages wherein links to spammy things are advertised. (At times, these links are in their signature or profiles instead.) They often have random statements loosely related to their links also, statements that are meant to trick users into clicking said links.

By themselves, bots are annoying. But several forums I've seen have been heavily overrun by ignoring the problem. Basically, if bots are not dealt with properly, they'll return...and with friends. They spread, much like a virus. They can honestly pose a great problem is ignored.

So, I would like to explain how to deal with spambots. You guys might be just users, but anybody can join the fight against spam.


The first step is to clarify that what you're about to deal with is, in fact, a bot. Fortunately, spambots are usually fairly obvious of their identity. Here's some common indictators.

• 1. No avatar. Spambots almost NEVER have avatars past the default avatar; I don't think their coding is advanced enough for this. Here on the HPF, a simple large Poke'ball image (this!) is used for a user's default avatar.
  
  
• 2. Questionable and clearly-advertised links. ALL SPAMBOTS MAKE THESE. This is their purpose, and why they're called spambots, so this is the best indicator of a spambot as well! In a bot's post, signature or profile, there are links to things that are blatantly spammy. These are usually fairly obvious... "sex toys and clothing", "Viagra", "natural remedies for constipation", etc. Often, the links lead to something purchasable. Obviously, don't click these links. They may also lead to malware or viruses.
  
  
• 3. No or limited text beyond the links. Often, the spambot has no ability to stay on topic (if it is posting in an existing topic), or has a flimsy and clumsy topic to speak about that will always relate to its spam-links (if it makes his own topic).
  
  
• 4. Randomized/nonsensical username. Oftentimes bots choose very odd usernames; the point of this is to choose something nobody else has chosen (usually because it's crap), so the bot is granted access into the forum as easily as possible.
  
  
• 5. Bland or generic interests/occupation/etc. If their profile looks rather basic, this might be a red-flag.
  
  
• 6. One-shot posts. Often, spambots post once, and then never post again, since they have accomplished their duty. There are exceptions to this, where bots will spam in multiple posts, but this is uncommon.

These are the most-common red flags when it comes to deducing if something is a user or a spambot.

Incidentally users, avoid doing the 6 points just mentioned. We staff will try as hard as possible to efficiently ban spambots, so that they cannot attract other spambots via their continued existence. While we're very careful about our actions, it is heavily advised not to imitate a spambot in these ways! (Such behavior would be worth admonishment in any regard.)

Let's look at some screenshots of a couple bots.

http://i43.tinypic.com/aub2h4.jpg - This bot made its own topic. You'll note that it has to do with I-pods...something that MIGHT be okay in General Discussion, but the bot put this in the Artwork section...that's one flag. Reading the post, you'll notice a lack of an avatar...another flag. The post itself doesn't sound too bad until you get to the bottom, and see links advertised... Well, there's the answer right there: this is a spambot.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v232/Zyrook/006.jpg - This bot follows a similar pattern to the above bot, but you'll notice his links are in his signature. Again, there are several additional red flags, including having no avatar.

http://i42.tinypic.com/k1pbur.png - This bot posted in an existing topic, The Wishing Well, which was a forum game. Obviously, his post has nothing to do with that and is poorly written...two flags there. Again, he lacks an avatar. And again, he posts a link...which is the final nail in the coffin.


So how do you deal with a spambot? Simply report the offending spambot post to a moderator or admin by clicking the button in the post. We will respond quickly to your complaints. ;3

Thanks guys!

hey, i have a question... Are these spambots able to read your msn and spam you from there? Cause i've been getting spambots requesting to be their friends on my msn...and this is recent, like a month or two ago...

This is common sense but it may be also worth mentioning, do not ever click the links they're advertising.

I was on a forum a few years back. About three bots joined and advertised general stuff. A week passed then there were thousands of them.
The forum had to change url.

Zephyrnereus wrote:hey, i have a question... Are these spambots able to read your msn and spam you from there? Cause i've been getting spambots requesting to be their friends on my msn...and this is recent, like a month or two ago...

There have been some IM spambots running around lately for many people around the net. These are not related to the ones here on the HPF however.

Anthan wrote:This is common sense but it may be also worth mentioning, do not ever click the links they're advertising.

I was on a forum a few years back. About three bots joined and advertised general stuff. A week passed then there were thousands of them.
The forum had to change url.

Good point, I forgot that some might forget common sense... I updated the first post to point out that no one should ever click the spam links.

And that multiplication of the spambots is exactly why I'm taking this matter seriously. We shall deal with them efficiently.