Retrospective insertion of spam links in posts

[slowster]

This particular type of attempt to post spam on the forum has been discussed previously, e.g. viewtopic.php?t=147857, and is currently the subject of discussion and review among the moderators.

It just so happens that there is currently a new first post by very likely a spammer in this thread - viewtopic.php?t=165593. Although very few spammers get their first posts approved, it is largely impossible for the moderators to prevent 100% of such posts getting through.

I am making this post because:

a. Members might find it interesting to have an example of a post that got through the checks, and some may also find such an example useful in helping them to spot other spam posts in future. Obviously we want members to report such posts, including posts that are suspicious and have not (yet) had a spam link inserted in them.

b. It would be helpful if others kept an eye on the post for when the spam link gets inserted, and reported it when it happened. Ditto if this poster later inserts a link in any other posts they might make.

NB Please do not post on the thread in question drawing attention to the post or the poster, or post their user name in this thread, which could draw their attention to this thread.

[Cowsham]

That poster has over 700 posts on this forum and joined in 2007 ???

[admin]

Which one is the spammer? All those posts look legitimate to me.

[Richard Fairhurst]

Second post. Yes, the post itself looks very AI-generated and if you google the poster's name it looks like you can find similar attempts on other forums.

[fatmac]

Moderators should block the I.P. address of spammers.

[admin]

Oh, we do, but unfortunately they have more than one IP address

[Cowsham]

Second post. Yes, the post itself looks very AI-generated and if you google the poster's name it looks like you can find similar attempts on other forums.

Ah

[drossall]

Moderators should block the I.P. address of spammers.

Fairly pointless exercise. Even on the same connection, IP addresses can change rapidly. And, if you try to block a group on the basis that a team are working on a set of connections, how wide do you cast the net?

No doubt it will be done anyway, but it's kind of a King Canute thing.

[slowster]

Rather than wait any longer for the poster referred to above to attempt to insert a spam link in their post, I have now banned them, since there is sufficient evidence that they are a spammer.