Virus, porn sites and other spams

[Sourav]

Friends

I am having some tough time dealing with spammers. In an average not a single day passes when I don't get atleast 5 of those spam posts (and delete them when ever I get time). When I will be a bit free, probably in the first quarter of 2008, I am planning to replace this forum with a custom built one, that will be much stronger and hopefully will be able to decrease the number of such posts.

By waiting for that, I will request visitors NOT to click on links from spam posts. Because, not that I am asking you not to visit porn or similar sites, we are all grown up, but rather because most of those sites carry viruses that may seriously damage the performance of your computer.

Here is an example, from hindustan times -

********************************************

Extortion racket on porn site

SAN JOSE: Online pornography hunters’ Internet adventures are already fraught with danger from malicious code many porn sites use to commandeer visitors’ machines or steal personal data.

Now, comes a scheme some researchers say amounts to extortion: One site’s threat to disable visitors’ computers with relentless pop-up ads if they don't pay for a subscription they were automatically signed up for after a free trial.

The threats, reported this week by researchers at security vendor McAfee Inc’s Avert Labs, affect people who visit the website and download software to access a free three-day trial membership.

Visitors do get free access for three days, but the download includes code that then generates a stream of pop-up windows, when the user is online and offline, demanding payment of roughly $80 for 90 days worth of additional access.

The windows stay open up to 10 minutes and appear once a day. They appear on top of any open windows and restore to their original size if shrunk or moved, making them impossible to ignore. They also reappear if the computer is rebooted.

The sites actually warn visitors that they will be billed as full members -- and lose full use of their computers if they don't -- unless they cancel the subscription within the trial period.

But the warning appears in the full terms and conditions statement, which downloader’s aren't required to read.

Once the fee is paid, the software can be removed with a special file.

“What it appears they are doing is, in my humble opinion, a form of extortion based on the (usually correct) assumption that a person's computer will be key to many other activities in their daily life,” McAfee researcher Seth Purdy wrote on the Avert Labs blog.

********************************************

Sorry once again, for the unconvenience.

Best
Sourav

[naresh]

I know its one of the pain area for you . I hope u will find some solution for this.... all the best....
Its not inconvinience but a good update and seeking advice from others to co-operate ...

[Sourav]

Thanks for the understanding, Naresh.

[Anju]

Can you put a button "offensive content" or "spam" that we can click on (by seeing the name of the post), and that will enable you to quickly view and delete such content?

[Sourav]

Thanks Parul. Yes, I am seriously thinking about changing the forum, with new anti-spam functions. Here as it stands now, even if you inform me about the offensive contents, I'll have to delete this myself. So, my work will remain same ... to log in to the site and then to click to delete, what I am doing already.

One idea would be, that I was discussiong with Naresh the other day, to give the right to delete a post to a few selected members. That would be easy to incorporate (for me).

Hmmm ...

[Sourav]

As I see it now, there are three forums where we are getting spam at this moment, Indians in France, Indians in Paris and General chat.

What could be done here, those who are interested can let me know and I will give the right to delete a post to some of you, in those forums. You don't need to promise me anything as I understand everyone is having there own life, but the idea would be in case you come across a spam while visiting ths site, you should be able to delete this directly, instead of informing me and me deleting this later.

[Anju]

Sourav,
Good idea. I am sure interested in volunteering- nothing irks me more than these stupid posts when we are trying to do something sincere and worthwhile here.

[Sourav]

Thanks Parul. I've added you as a moderator in those three forums. You may try to delete a spam, when you will see next, and let me know if this is working for you (since this is the first time I'm giving a moderator status to someone).

Sourav.

[Anju]

Yes, it is working, I deleted 7 posts.
YES!!!

[Sourav]

Ah great, thanks Parul ... that's the amount of post I was deleting a day (average) for a long time

thanks again. nice to see that it's working.

[Sourav]

Today I deleted some 1500 user's accounts, these were all spammers, destroying this site since the beginning ... I have installed a tool at the backend that helped me to remove accounts in mass ... hope I haven't deleted any genuine account.

Now I have 61 members, and I know that these are real guys, Indians who are either staying in France or are interested in France.

Also, I have changed the captcha with a new one, since the spammers are already used to the previous captcha. I have also added a 'bramhastra' for the spammers, I am asking now the question, "What is the first name of Tendulkar?" ... hope that will help to get rid of 99.9% of the spammers, and I hope that we Indians know the first name of Tendulkar.

[dippleme]

You might want to look at this one...

http://www.indiansinfrance.com/forum/member2731.html

[siddiq786]

Hello friends
I Mohammed Siddiq,planning to migrate France from India. Actually i've been to Ireland on student visa in 2007 and came back to India for good in 2009 due to some domestic pressure, now i want to migrate France with my family,please help and let me know about job oppurtunities in France.

Thanks & warm regards,
Md Siddiq,
siddiq007@gmail.com
+919700042521.
_________________
Thanks and Regards,
Md Siddiq,
E-mail:- siddiq007@gmail.com
mobile no :- +919700042521,+919704536769
_________________
Thanks and Regards,
Md Siddiq,
E-mail:- siddiq007@gmail.com
mobile no :- +919700042521,+919704536769.