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My forum has been getting hammered by 'registration bots' lately. For technical/logistical reasons, I cannot use captcha. I do use email validation, but there are probably a dozen or so "membership applications" (AKA 'registrations') per day. What's a guy to do???
I decided to try a novel (?) approach. I REVERSED the buttons on the policy page... you know, the ones that say 'Accept' and 'Cancel'. The first paragraph states that the Applicant *must* click the 'Cancel' button. Since my assumption is that bots don't read, I figured I would try this approach.
It is too soon to draw any conclusions, but ZERO bot registrations in past 24 hours!
I will keep you posted. Even if it works, it may be only a matter of time until my 'hook' is rendered useless... but I *am* enjoying no bogus 'applicants' for a while.
gary b
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I decided to try a novel (?) approach. I REVERSED the buttons on the policy page... you know, the ones that say 'Accept' and 'Cancel'. The first paragraph states that the Applicant *must* click the 'Cancel' button. Since my assumption is that bots don't read, I figured I would try this approach.
It is too soon to draw any conclusions, but ZERO bot registrations in past 24 hours!
I will keep you posted. Even if it works, it may be only a matter of time until my 'hook' is rendered useless... but I *am* enjoying no bogus 'applicants' for a while.
gary b
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Posted
Very simple and nice. That would definantly screw me up the first couple times cause I usually don't read the policy on forums 
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Posted
Code changes implemented: Dec 18
Today's date: Jan 10
Number of days: 23
Number of bogus bot registrations: ZERO!
Anyone else try this? If so, with what results?? <
Today's date: Jan 10
Number of days: 23
Number of bogus bot registrations: ZERO!
Anyone else try this? If so, with what results?? <
Posted
That's great news gary b :-) Anything that stops/slows up these filth is good for us all!<
Posted
I will try and implement something like this at some point I just made a switch in hosts and have more pressing needs than the forums. But I think I am doing a site for my HOA and I think I will implement this to and hope it has the same results.
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Posted
6-month report:
ZERO bogus bot registrations!! NADA! ZILCH!!
Number of Applicants that did NOT need registration assistance: 20
Number of Applicants that needed assistance to register: 1
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ZERO bogus bot registrations!! NADA! ZILCH!!
Number of Applicants that did NOT need registration assistance: 20
Number of Applicants that needed assistance to register: 1
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