New Spamming Trick

perrie
@perrie
7 years ago
435 posts
Hi Everyone,

I seem to have a group of spammer that seem to have outsmarted me. They are capable of posting stuff, but when you go to their @xyz name, I get a message of "This page does not exist". And when I look in both profiles and Users, I can't find the name it was posted under either.. One last detail, is that my members can't delete their own accounts, so that can't be it either.

Any ideas of a. how do I find this person and b. why is it telling me that the page doesn't exist.
updated by @perrie: 10/23/17 01:49:28AM
derrickhand300
@derrickhand300
7 years ago
1,353 posts
Have you tried deleting the data/cache folder contents?
perrie
@perrie
7 years ago
435 posts
Yes I have, and the content is still there. There must be a way that they are hiding their Identity from both the user and the profile lists.
derrickhand300
@derrickhand300
7 years ago
1,353 posts
Maybe but I dont think so...I ran into this a couple years ago...just cant recall how i resolved it- should be a way to find them using batch edit...sorry I am not more help
paul
@paul
7 years ago
4,326 posts
Can you point us to the spam post?
What is his/her user/profile name?
Fyi - When a profile is deleted, all their items and posts should go with them so even if he has somehow self-deleted, his spam would then go as well.


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Paul Asher - JR Developer and System Import Specialist
perrie
@perrie
7 years ago
435 posts
I know that when a profile is deleted the items should go with them. That was why this was a mystery.

I deleted the post and when I tried to restore, it didn't restore, but earlier on today I also delete a bunch of new members who have not posted yet (to my knowledge, not under the name used) so it might have been one of them and hence why it didn't restore. The other weird thing was that I noticed was that the posts were made by @community, which is how my posts and my admins look (remember my forum is actually a group). The idea that it might have been on of the admins had crossed my mind, but then it would have restored.
updated by @perrie: 07/22/17 10:37:40PM
paul
@paul
7 years ago
4,326 posts
I need to try and replicate this. Can I register on the site as a potential spammer and try and replicate this? I'll just post a short test message then as you delete it. I'll also create a profile admin account and post as that.
Is this happening on your forum? That is actually the custom Discussion module and not a Group so just want some clarification.
Thanks


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Paul Asher - JR Developer and System Import Specialist
perrie
@perrie
7 years ago
435 posts
Sure thing Paul. Spam away.
Yes, this is happening on the forum. I thought you designed the designed the custom discussion module out of a group, and that is why when an admin posts a discussion, they all show as @community. In fact, when an admin posts it doesn't show on the forums front page module and activity feed, until we make our first comment.
paul
@paul
7 years ago
4,326 posts
Have tried this on your site with test users and profile admin users and didn't see any issues but did find and fix a couple of bugs in the Discussion module that could be related. Firstly, topics created by a deleted user were not being deleted (they are now) and secondly, profile admins now get credited with posting a topic (not '@community').
See how it goes.
Pa


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Paul Asher - JR Developer and System Import Specialist
Strumelia
Strumelia
@strumelia
7 years ago
3,603 posts
Gotta love it- I wish all spammers were like Paul ! hahah


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...just another satisfied Jamroom customer.
Migrated from Ning to Jamroom June 2015
perrie
@perrie
7 years ago
435 posts
Paul,
Thanks! Your da bomb!
Strumelia,
I know! Tell me about it! LOLOLOL!