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Author Topic: Links in Signature  (Read 10264 times)

wraith808

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Links in Signature
« on: August 15, 2016, 11:05 AM »
Do we have a limit in place on the number of posts people have to have before posting links in their signature?  I've seen a user with links in their signature, that have posted not spam but not useful comments on older threads that have links in their signature.  I was wondering if the reason for the non-useful posts was to get past the threshold to post links in their sig?

anandcoral

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Re: Links in Signature
« Reply #1 on: August 15, 2016, 12:38 PM »
I was wondering if the reason for the non-useful posts was to get past the threshold to post links in their sig?

I was wondering that too when I noted that one (N) has posted reply to even a year 2006 message !!

Regards,

Anand

Ath

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Re: Links in Signature
« Reply #2 on: August 15, 2016, 12:58 PM »
I've reported it as spam using the report as spam link. It sure looks odd enough to me to do so.

wraith808

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Re: Links in Signature
« Reply #3 on: August 15, 2016, 01:03 PM »
I've reported it as spam using the report as spam link. It sure looks odd enough to me to do so.

I did also, I just figured it was strange enough for me to bring up as it might be something that we wanted to generally cover.

mouser

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Re: Links in Signature
« Reply #4 on: August 15, 2016, 01:42 PM »
There are rules in place that won't show someone's signature at all until they have made 5 or so posts, although it will let them put on in.

While this does mean that you'll sometimes briefly see a signature with links for a new user who has only been here a day who is posting a lot, this is an almost sure sign they are a spammer, so it's useful for finding them.

What I could do though, is add a one week delay so you won't see signature spam by brand new users.

mouser

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Re: Links in Signature
« Reply #5 on: August 15, 2016, 02:26 PM »
I have updated the forum code so signature (and similar linkable fields) will not be displayed until a member has been registered for 3 or more days.
The only downside is that it may make it harder to spot spammers.

wraith808

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Re: Links in Signature
« Reply #6 on: August 15, 2016, 03:12 PM »
I have updated the forum code so signature (and similar linkable fields) will not be displayed until a member has been registered for 3 or more days.
The only downside is that it may make it harder to spot spammers.

Oh, it wasn't a problem either way.  I was just wondering when I saw the spam if that was the reason.

mouser

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Re: Links in Signature
« Reply #7 on: August 15, 2016, 03:47 PM »
I was wondering if the reason for the non-useful posts was to get past the threshold to post links in their sig?

i doubt they are thinking that cleverly, they are probably just posting to old threads in hopes of sticking their links/signature where people won't notice.  But we have a good community hear and such posts never survive a day without being reported :)

Stoic Joker

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Re: Links in Signature
« Reply #8 on: August 16, 2016, 06:40 AM »
I have updated the forum code so signature (and similar linkable fields) will not be displayed until a member has been registered for 3 or more days.
The only downside is that it may make it harder to spot spammers.

Can you log the qualifying events somewhere (Email?) to draw attention to them?

mouser

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Re: Links in Signature
« Reply #9 on: August 16, 2016, 06:58 AM »
Yep, do that already :)
Even when signatures and other items are not shown, moderators get emails when people change their profile or edit an old post and try to sneak in a link (which could otherwise be pretty effective way of inserting spam).  The emails include a score indicating how suspicious the edit/signature/profilechange is