What is this all about?

[Zick]

Ok, this has been driving me nuts lately trying to figure out why people are doing this and what they are getting out of it?

Lately there has been a rash of new users that join and post in threads (and usually they have been helpful replies, not just spam posts) but always include one or more link(s) that have been either a smilie face (like this ) but if you look at the properties of it, it actually links to a different website.
One in particular actually was hosted from an Adult *** site. These below don't appear to be the case but what is the point, especially since they never show anything?

Here are a couple of examples;
If you look at everyone of their posts, you'll see they always include the links. Some times they show up as a red X bad picture icon or sometimes you don't see anything but you can see them clear as day in the search result window.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=7644794
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/search.php?searchid=7644744

Edit: weird, the links seem to change so the above don't work now.
Here is one of their profiles, just click on "find all posts by xxxx" and you'll see what I'm talking about.
http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/member.php?u=115408

 

[Jack Olsen]

Click on the "Report" button. They're probably spam -- even if the text is pertinent.

 

[Zick]

I had been for the ones that linked to the adult site, but these I wasn't sure about.


I'm just wondering what their end goal is for doing this? I've seen it on other sites as well.

 

[lametec]

They're probably link building. Search engines rate sites with more incoming links higher in the rankings.

 

[Zick]

That's kind of what I was thinking but didn't know how it was working exactly.

 

[darkzero]

The links don't work for me but I've seen exactly what you're talking about. The posts I've seen seem legitiment & related to the thread but the odd smiley face link or red x always had me wanting to hit the report button. I'm also curious of what their intentions are. My guess is they are spammers of some sort & won't stick around long.

 

[Stuey]

Something else I've been seeing - spammers copy-pasting other's posts in a thread and then leaving a string of links or image links that usually show up as red Xs. It's sometimes easy to miss since the bulk of the post is someone else's actual post.

 

[Zick]

Not sure why but the links I used earlier where to show particular users all posts. But those links seem to change each day so that's why their broken now.
I updated a new one in the first post that should always work.

 

[HOTFR8]

As Jack said if it looks out of place report it. Jack would have a better idea being a Mod.
have reported a few similar post myself recently. New members first posts (not intros) then followed by spam posts. Sadly SPAM is now part of the net forums and email.

 

[Stuey]

Not sure why but the links I used earlier where to show particular users all posts. But those links seem to change each day so that's why their broken now.
I updated a new one in the first post that should always work.

You linked to search results, which do expire after a short amount of time.

 

[TommyD]

Other boards I'm were having issues like this... Something about the possibility of later date mischief like hacking the site. Pictures had to be hosted off site like Photo Bucket.

Not saying this is the case but a lot of sites have been getting hacked.

 

[G_P]

Something else I've been seeing - spammers copy-pasting other's posts in a thread and then leaving a string of links or image links that usually show up as red Xs. It's sometimes easy to miss since the bulk of the post is someone else's actual post.

Had someone doing this with my posts. He would copy/paste them word for word.

When I went to quote them thats when I noticed a ton of image links. No pictures showed up in his posts but there were tons of links in there that were either dead links or were actually just blank white images that blended into the background.

 

[junk4dummies]

I am not sure who came up with the idea for combing post. It is a great idea in theroy but it really does not work. It takes more time to post and more time to read through the old post.

When you delete sold items you sitll have all the post for the old ones. No one wants to read through all the old post listing.

Just make the listings for 10 to 30 days then delete the post.

I think it is creating more work than it is worth. I do not want to read all the post of who made an offer or asked a question just to get to the bottom to see the itme is no longer available. There should be a way to delete everything if you want the same post and that makes no sense. If you are going to wipe it out it takes less time start over and have a program wipe out all past post. If I have seen it I don't want to see it again.

Just m 3 cents worth.

 

[kythri]

It's a spammer influx.

CilvestDrad
jaldjoelajeoaj
Lawrence33

All new users as of this month, all with odd posts and spyware/adware tracking signatures.

These are just the ones I've seen in 5 minutes of browsing less than 5 posts.

 

[Zick]

See ya Larkin

 

[G_P]

See ya Larkin

HAHAHAHA the spambot copied a post from a thread discussing spambots!