CAA: Christian Anime Alliance

I've noticed something the last couple of months regarding spambots. This information may help you guys spot a spambot so you can report it.

Okay, going off of what I've learned, this is how an unread thread appears on the front page of CAA:



Now, if you click on that thread, and read it, and go back to the main page, it has an icon such as this beside it:



Or in the case of the "What are you listening to" thread in the first pic, it has a thumbs up icon beside it. Whatever, there's a lot of different icons for threads, but as shown in the second pic, there is an icon of SOME type beside the thread title.

However, using the example of a spambot caught earlier on the site:



You can see, no icon at all appears beside the thread title. I'm not sure why this is, but every spambot I have seen on CAA lacks an icon beside their thread title on the main page. So if you see a thread like, say, this:



You can be sure it's a spambot.

That's what my post in that thread, about how they've gotten smarter, meant. Spambots now often try to appear to be people. And when people reply to a spambot thread, it generates more spambots on CAA.

So if a person has a thread with weird grammar in it, or a LINK (this is a big hint), even if it's a link about our own site (as in that thread "I'm glad to be here at www.christiananime.net"), you can be almost sure it's a spambot. And if you go to the main page and see no icon beside the thread title, then it's pretty much assured.

So please. Don't respond to these threads. It only brings more of 'em here.

And if my theory is flawed, feel free to correct me.

Hmmmmmm... I'll be doing a bit of research on this one, then. It could be that the posting engine they're using is based on something like LWP, which would bypass the standard post screen - resulting in no picture.

Thanks for the tip!

or how the thread starters have like really bizarre names like AAAAAAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSHHHH or something...

Biggest clue yet would probably be that they put threads about books in the Prayer forum or something of that nature, seeing the thread has nothing to do with the forum it's located in.

Yep... "Helen" was a spambot. Good eye, Nate!

wooow!! how can you guys tell?!

We can tell because we can telll because we know how to tell because we know how to tell because we can tell.

Thanks for the info Nate.

Good bit of detective work, Nate. I'll be interested on any further findings that come up. Although I also hope we don't get a rash of members accusing members of being spam bots.

termyt wrote:Good bit of detective work, Nate. I'll be interested on any further findings that come up. Although I also hope we don't get a rash of members accusing members of being spam bots.

Well you have to look out for certain things. For example, it looked like "Helen" had a ready-made paragraph that could fit any topic, and since it found its way into the Manga Mania forum, it inserted "Manga Mania" as its supposed topic. If someone here is actually interested in manga and anime, they are likely to be a bit more specific than "We should start a group and get people involved."

There are other ways to tell where there are no false positives. I can't tell you, though, or I'd have to... Well, let's just say it's a state secret.

I'd like to point out that not all threads that end up in the wrong forum are necessarily spambots.Sometimes people simply start topic threads without knowing where the proper place to put them is.

I've done that a few times.

cool tip about the spamage botage.

Very nice

*goes and makes sure the picture is on his threads*

This is very useful to know.
Thanks for enlightening us all, Nate.

Fess up, Nate. You're a spambot, aren't you.

meboeck wrote:Well you have to look out for certain things. For example, it looked like "Helen" had a ready-made paragraph that could fit any topic, and since it found its way into the Manga Mania forum, it inserted "Manga Mania" as its supposed topic. If someone here is actually interested in manga and anime, they are likely to be a bit more specific than "We should start a group and get people involved."

I think the thing I'm curious about, is to how would someone like "Helen" spambot around, anyhow? I'm guessing "she" would just post a nice warm paragraph like that, and soon enough (but quite suttle) add links into her posts? Guess the spambots are "evolving" in the sense that it's not right off the bat on their first post do they go "try this site and buy this!"

Joshua Christopher wrote:Fess up, Nate. You're a spambot, aren't you.

He's a defective one betraying his bretheren. <_<

Which is okay.

Joshua Christopher wrote:Fess up, Nate. You're a spambot, aren't you.

Nate is the cleverest, most witty, and utterly counter productive spambot I have ever met.

If he is one he's been here an aweful long time.

Doubleshadow wrote:Nate is the cleverest, most witty, and utterly counter productive spambot I have ever met.

I'll take that as a compliment. XD]I am cannot believing you accuse me being spambot.[/url]I am excellent member who find this place looking for Christians!I am very proud to be here at CHRISTIAN ANIME ALLIANCE.It is best site for having good time!Also check out http://www.homestarrunner.com

mitsuki lover wrote:If he is one he's been here an aweful long time.

Some of them are simply very, very patient.

soo.. are Spambots...people? Or just machines? O_o;;

[quote="ChristianKitsune"]soo.. are Spambots...people? Or just machines? O_o]

Programs, I do believe. I'd like to look at some of the code they use for those...it's a nasty thing that they do...

Interesting information.

A) I am jealous of such observational skills.

B) This thread made me laugh. XD

Nice call, I've never actually seen any of teh spam bots here, I must not hang out in the right sections, but on other forums I've seen them, and they do tend to always have one common thing about them. I know a certain opst icon used to give them away on SpreeBB, as well as the fact that they were attracted to words like 'general' 'central' 'main' and such, because I used to set up spam bot lures to keep them away from the actual members posts until I could delete them, but then they changed, got better, branched into other secitions and already existing topics, and ended up with me moving to a new site.