SPAM.

[BobD]

After many many years of nothing, in the last week we have had two spam posts appear on forum. Each time the culprit joined that day. One even attempted to atract by answering their own post.

In each case a website was advertised.

The first we gave the benefit of doubt and merely removed the link.

Since I have no access to admin over weekends the second is still visible.

My point in this post is to remind people NOT to click on links that are not validated as this can put your computer at risk. Please be careful!

Bob

[Lilypocket]

Thanks Bob!

[sassy59]

Thanks Bob this happens on other forums too sadly. We do have to be careful. Xxx

[Frances123]

Thanks Bob. x

[mrgwair567]

Thanks

[mjames1]

Thanks Bob for the warning.

I only remember seeing the one something about "needs help in writing" and reported it. There were a few clues like off topic, bad English, first time poster, link to another web site and responding twice to their own post. Hopefully no one clicked on the link because while it just could be promoting a web site, it also could contain a virus.

Got to be real careful because while this particular spam artist was a bit amateurish, some are quite sophisticated.

So a good time to remind everyone also not to click on email links unless you're sure they are legit. Whenever I see a link in an email, I first check to see if the sender is who they say they are by clicking on the name which should reveal the real email address as they sometimes pretend they are a friend or some business you know by giving false email name or the name of someone in your address book. And if it's from any type of financial institution or in any other way suspicious, I always contact the institution directly rather than reply to the email.

The other day a friend of mine got an email saying his bank account was frozen and to click on a link to verify that certain transactions were legitimate. Fortunately, he didn't take the bait but my guess is that many people did and ended up giving compromising information.

Jim

[Bagrat]

I reported the help with writing too. Posts like this a constant irritation aren't they?

[jeanjeannie50]

A good warning to give BobD

[Chrissy7]

Thanks Bob! Appreciate the heads up!!Those maniacs are everywhere!!

[Jay10]

I also reportrd the "help with writing"

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Jay10]

I was all set to respond to the person needing help writing essays, then I saw his reply to himself!

[Nan1]

Thanks Bob

[bassets]

Thanks

[Singwell]

I did wonder. Have to say, the smell one seemed a bit niffy too. Thanks for letting us know.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Singwell]

I thought that too about the smell one. Perhaps they were testing just how gullible we are on this forum?

[Singwell in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Well they certainly know about personal hygiene now 😆

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to Singwell]

That made me laugh!

[Griffin9]

There are lists of forums and websites that spammers can buy. These lists rank each forum or website on how highly its rated by google. Getting a link on one of these helps to get you up the google rankings. There are white hat methods of promoting your website and there are black hat methods and the black hats are penalised if found out by google.

I would think this forum is rated highly by the search engines. I've been running a forum for 20 years and have these link spammers popping up. I just delete them as there's not much else you can do.

[Murdy1]

Thanks for that Bob

[irene75359]

Yes, I noticed that. This week I also received a message on Facebook from a good friend of mine saying I was in this video, with a laughing face. I was suspicious and sure enough had I followed the link all my contacts would have also been spammed.

[BobD Volunteer in reply to irene75359]

That has been around for years!

[irene75359 in reply to BobD]

First time for me!

[BobD Volunteer in reply to irene75359]

First one of your friends get hacked and all their contacts get that message f any one of those falls for it then all their contacts etc ad nauseum.

The other hack is receiving a friend request. Even if you know the person it is alwasy worth checking if they are already friends. If so the new one is a hack.

A relatively new phone hack is being told you have an undelivered parcel and being told to go to a website to add details so it can be re-delivered. The list is endless.

[jeanjeannie50 in reply to irene75359]

Not heard of that trick Irene, thanks for the warning. I think I'm guilty of being too trusting.

[Tinctoria]

Thanks Bob. And can I say thank you to you and the regular volunteers for a really well run site. I find it to be both sensible and reassuring. The site is being very useful as I progress toward my ablation date.

[Cat04]

I had a spam text this week from "Health Department" saying that I had been in close contact with a positive Omicron case & that I must book a PCR test by visiting *******.com.I don't use a smart phone for a start and I've just recovered in hosp from C so ignored it 🤣

[Cha275rL]

Thankyou 👍

[Jmc43]

Well done Bob. The whole subject made me think about the calls I get about a good deal on an extended warrantee on a car I had sold in 2010. So useful. 😅

[Gertsen]

Thank you Bob

[Bostonterrierlover]

Thanks Bob