1 Topic by Dirk B. (edited by Dirk B. 2021-04-02 02:17:10)

Topic: Connections spammer

Sol, a writer named steve.jeff sent me a connection request because he wants to have business-oriented communications with me. Naturally, I declined.

Must be something in the water today.

Quote Post 1

Re: Connections spammer

I just got the same request.

Quote Post 2

Re: Connections spammer

Me too:
Hi buddy, How are you? Actually am new here and your profile seem to catch my eyes and I've read through it. I have a good feeling about this, can we be friends? If yes kindly Email me - steven.rj.217@gmail.com Or WhatsApp +2250585863777

Quote Post 3

Re: Connections spammer

The funny part about that, Elspeth, is that you haven't added your profile information yet.
Apparently my new business buddy, Steve, isn't the sharpest knife in the drawer.

Quote Post 4

Re: Connections spammer

Dirk B. wrote:

Sol, a writer named steve.jeff sent me a connection request because he wants to have business-oriented communications with me. Naturally, I declined.

Must be something in the water today.

I received one from steve.jeff saying congratulations. Just deleted it without responding or connecting.

Quote Post 5

Re: Connections spammer

Thanks. I closed the account. Spammers have been out in force lately. Must be getting desperate.

Quote Post 6

7 Reply by Elspeth (edited by Elspeth 2021-04-02 18:30:58)

Re: Connections spammer

Our new friend Steve is a bot without discernment but with lots of free time.

Quote Post 7

8 Reply by Randall Krzak (edited by Randall Krzak 2021-04-08 09:36:35)

Re: Connections spammer

Just had a request from someone named Vela to publish my work on novelstar.top. Just checked and she's done 32 similar regular reviews on the works of various TNBWers before suggesting they publish on the same site.

Quote Post 8

Re: Connections spammer

Thanks, I just closed her account. Novelstar is a really shady operation. They have been spamming writing sites across the Internet. Must be desperate.

Quote Post 9

Re: Connections spammer

Thanks, SolN!

Quote Post 10

Re: Connections spammer

And another. Everyone, meet Steve007, a friendly, lovable bot who just wants to waste your time and steal your money, if possible. Let’s all give Steve007 a big welcome!
“ Hi Buddy ???? How are you? I have read and saw your profile. It's quite impressive! This message is to actually express my desire to be one of your friends and also have an opportunity to discuss with you something important and private. Can we be friends? If yes, I hope we can get along sometimes, I'm on WhatsApp +44 7466 951665 OR EMAIL me steven.rj.217@gmail.com God Bless you.”

Quote Post 11

Re: Connections spammer

I just got a review from Novelstar today. Deleted it.

Bill

Quote Post 12

Re: Connections spammer

"Mimiful" is also a Novelstar spammer.

Bill

Quote Post 13

Re: Connections spammer

This is like whack-a-mole.

Quote Post 14

Re: Connections spammer

I agree, Dirk. Outside of a massive amount of filtering, I can't think of a way to kill the beast. On the site I used to run a few years ago, we eventually had to resort to IP filtering. It worked, but it also left a few potential legal applicants for an account unable to log in if they were in the same IP range.

Bill

Quote Post 15

16 Reply by Randall Krzak (edited by Randall Krzak 2021-04-10 07:50:24)

Re: Connections spammer

Another this morning from Novelstar--same as Bill, Mimiful. A second one from them labeled Unknown. Both deleted

Quote Post 16

17 Reply by njc

Re: Connections spammer

How about this for new writers: Provide something traceable to a real address, OR endure a probation requiring verified content reviews within some period.  Reward writers for replying to, and verifying, the reviews.  I suggest a scale of three to five levels between vacuous review and serious analysis (empty of meaning, comments apply to story, comments may help the reader improve, comments show serious analysis, comments show deep/extensive analysis   ?).  Three reviews above empty, and a total of, say six points (if using a zero-to-four scale) ?

Quote Post 17

Re: Connections spammer

Another option is to allow long-term members to immediately suspend a new account pending review by the site admin(s). This doesn't address ways of encouraging long-term memberships and improving writing/reviews, which were discussed in Sol's thread.

Quote Post 18

19 Reply by B Douglas Slack (edited by B Douglas Slack 2021-04-10 18:56:57)

Re: Connections spammer

Dirk B. wrote:

Another option is to allow long-term members to immediately suspend a new account pending review by the site admin(s). This doesn't address ways of encouraging long-term memberships and improving writing/reviews, which were discussed in Sol's thread.

Or, to simply allow certain long-term users (not all) to either delete a new profile, or have it held in abeyance for review by higher authority. I am a Moderator for Booksie and I can delete a spam account wherever I find it.

Bill

Quote Post 19

Re: Connections spammer

Hi Sol. I blocked Vela/Novelstar, but she/they have found a way around it. She now goes by "Unknown" and tries to sell the same nonsense. They seem VERY savvy, pc-wise. I trashed all her comments.
Mike

Quote Post 20

Re: Connections spammer

Thanks. We're brainstorming ways of keeping these miscreants off the site. They're very persistent and seem to think this is the way to promote their product.

Quote Post 21

Re: Connections spammer

Thanks, Sol. Hopefully soon they'll get tired of trying. Let 'em make less work for you.

Quote Post 22

Re: Connections spammer

I just blocked Deerr/Novelstar this morning. Yet another spamming account (which has yet to be deleted).

Bill

Quote Post 23

24 Reply by njc

Re: Connections spammer

SolN wrote:

Thanks. We're brainstorming ways of keeping these miscreants off the site. They're very persistent and seem to think this is the way to promote their product.

They might also be trying to get people to login to a site loaded with malware.

Quote Post 24

Re: Connections spammer

Evening. Sol. Off track, I received three in-line reviews for my contest entry, Leviathan, but I'm not able to access them. Can you help me?
Thanks,
Mike

Quote Post 25