Forums, E-mail Addresses, & Spam

Hoopty · 08-05-2004 -- 22:56:08

FYI,
If you post e-mail addresses in the forum, please think about spoofing them such as, joeblow AT isp DOT com, or something like that.

Once the site gets listed in the search engines, the unsavory spambots will be visiting to harvest e-mail addresses. You want to make them recognizable to humans, who'll have to make changes in order to send an e-mail, but unrecognizable to the software that searches for addresses to spam.

I've already had to change the admin address because I signed several other sites guestbooks with that address, and within days got quite a bit of spam. I'll try to keep an eye out and fix any that do get listed, but I can't guarantee that I'll catch them all....

Jesse

Hoopty · 09-17-2004 -- 15:03:57

It seems like there has been some concern lately about spam and this site, I'd like to re-emphasize the info found in this sticky. Also, I'm going to list some things about the site and some things you can do to protect yourself and others from spam while using PMEL Forum.

1. If you look at your user information (My Account link on main menu), you'll notice a section for fake e-mail address. This is what is displayed in the member list area only if you opt to make your e-mail address public. Please go to this section and make sure that you edit it to something spam proof like joeblow AT isp DOT com.

2. The member list area is only available to registered users. Spambots don't register with sites, they only take information that they find in the search engines and run that site. They log any recognizable e-mail addresses that are available to them. The only portions that are available to unregistered users are the forum, the links, and the download sections. The only reason I make these available to unregistered users is for search engine inclusion.

3. Since the forum is about the only place they can really find usable information here at PMEL Forum, it is key that all users take steps to avoid becoming (or making someone else) a victim of spam. So when posting your or anyone elses address, please take the aforementioned steps to spam proof it. I will do my best to keep an eye out for this and correct it.

NOTE: At the time of this posting, PMELforum.com has not been indexed by any of the search engines, so I am pretty sure no spambots have visited us yet. This is something I keep a pretty close eye on. Also, since changing the administrator address I have not received any spam. (I foolishly did not protect the original address when I publicized PMELforum on other PMEL sites)

4. ALL data (user info, forum posts, private messages, etc...) is stored in a secure database on my hosts server. While I can't guarantee with 100 percent certainty that nobody could get into it, it would take somebody specifically hacking the site to get that info. This is not something that spammers will do to get addresses,and since our userbase is limited, hopefully that will not ever be an issue! (No, this is not a challenge to you would be PMEL hackers either...)

Bottom line is that I hate spam just as much as you and your user information is safe here. With a few simple preventative measures in the forums, we can avoid giving the spammers what they're looking for. I hope these alleviate any concerns that you may have about using PMEL Forum and if you have any more questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to ask me. Just send me a private message or drop an e-mail to administratorATpmelforumDOTcom.

Jesse

PMEL_DEVIL-DOG · 12-14-2005 -- 01:07:22

Spambots?

Hoopty · 01-03-2006 -- 23:19:01

You think the spambots are bad... you should see the netbots!

manorth · 02-25-2009 -- 19:29:54

How do people get their scopes repaired when they needed them yesterday?
tony at norwaylabs dot com

Old-Navy · 02-26-2009 -- 06:41:11

By not digging up three year old threads???

MIRCS · 02-26-2009 -- 08:05:37

Quote from: Old-Navy on 02-26-2009 -- 06:41:11
By not digging up three year old threads???

You like it and you know it

CalLabSolutions · 02-26-2009 -- 09:35:16

I moved my company's E-mail to Google's G-Mail. They offer a service where they host company E-mail. My Email address it MSchwartz@CalLabSolutions.com.

I am not afraid to post it here because Google does a great job of filtering out the spam.. I use to get about 300-500 spam mails a day.. Now that I switched to Google's E-mail service all the spam gets put in the spam file.

Mike..

OlDave · 02-26-2009 -- 10:52:19

That is a unique spelling of "Solutinos" Mike.

Winterfire2008 · 07-13-2009 -- 01:33:03

Hoopty Thank you so much for getting rid of the unusual posts from the Philippines.

I am not sure where that individual was coming from. I have worked with some great Filipino technicians and even they didn't understand this guy.

griff61 · 07-13-2009 -- 10:49:45

Quote from: Winterfire2008 on 07-13-2009 -- 01:33:03
Hoopty Thank you so much for getting rid of the unusual posts from the Philippines.

I am not sure where that individual was coming from. I have worked with some great Filipino technicians and even they didn't understand this guy.

I liked him, he made me feel nearly normal...could have been an old Master Sergeant of mine...

Winterfire2008 · 07-13-2009 -- 10:57:35

Happy Belated Birthday Griff61!!!!!

griff61 · 07-13-2009 -- 13:43:52

Quote from: Winterfire2008 on 07-13-2009 -- 10:57:35
Happy Belated Birthday Griff61!!!!!

Thank you very much

griff61 · 04-27-2011 -- 08:59:24

Quote from: apple0619 on 04-25-2011 -- 22:39:19
Many individuals gucci sunglasses...blah, blah blah

Are you having an aneurism?