New type of spammer

Two different users, "suse" and "tommy" registered at different times, different email addreses. Days apart. Suse posts a seemingly innocent query. A real forum member replies. A couple of days later, tommy responds with a well-crafted spam message. Curious, I check their email accounts, and while they are different, the address before the "@" is the same. I've been tag-teamed!

pretty inovative, BAN'EM! haha

Yep, it's happening on my board too. They register, then they lay in wait. Then they start talking to each other as if they are members just passing in the swing of things.

I think this is a pattern being used on DP to sell crap services too. One guy posts and then a few more come along and claim to have used the service or brought the product. They give each other rep and good ratings in iTrader too.

So watch out over there, to me it has become a haven for scams. There was a time when the membership was small enough to know who was who for the most part. But that is no longer the case.

What that says to me is that there are degrees in which a forum is successful. Too small and nothing happens. Then it gets active and a member base develops friendships and the baord moves daily and grows. Then the board grows so big, recognition is lost and people can take advantage. Kinda like being a pick pocket in a crowd and using the crowd for cover.

/rant

I've got them on my forum too in the past couple of weeks. Not that I'd wish them on anyone, but I'm glad to know I'm not the only one.