Has anyone else noticed an increase in spam posts in the forums?

In the past few days, there seems to have been a large increase (from none to several) on the UU forums in posts from "junior members" (the post is usually the poster's first post) that usually include links to commercial websites unrelated to ukuleles and, in some but not all instances, blatantly advertise a product or service unrelated to ukuleles. Some of these spammers just start new threads that say things like "buy shoes," but at least one spammer -- a poster named "mercia" -- posted five different times about zsu zsu hamsters on May 19th, mostly in existing threads. Because this seems to have begun only in the past few days, I was wondering if it had anything to do with the migration to a new server. Is it possible that the new server is more secure for keeping away people who are attempting to spread viruses but might make the site more vulnerable to ordinary commercial spam postings? Has anyone else noticed this?

I noticed only a couple... but then I have a short attenti... wait, what were we talking about?

Yea, there has been! This was posted by Ryan, don't know if it has anything to do with it . . .

rayan said:

I'm looking into it right now. It could be the new host was not expecting this much database connections

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That post from Rayan was about a separate issue that has since been resolved.

The influx of spambots is just due to an influx of spambots. It has nothing to do with the server migration. These spambots seem to come in waves. It'll settle down. Until then, please report any spam you see by clicking on the "report post" button.

Thanks.

I really don't get the mindset of spammers. It's beyond me how they think that an irritating intrusion is somehow going to make you excited about whatever it is they're trying to sell. It seems akin to throwing turds at people hoping they'll want to buy the dog they came from.

I've seen an increase on my site, as well, so I don't think it's a focussed thing, just, as seeso said, an increase in spammers.
I've been getting anywhere from 50 to 80 "pingbacks" per day for the past few days.

Fingers crossed that it eases off.

KevinV said:

I really don't get the mindset of spammers. It's beyond me how they think that an irritating intrusion is somehow going to make you excited about whatever it is they're trying to sell. It seems akin to throwing turds at people hoping they'll want to buy the dog they came from.

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What a wonderful way to describe spam!

Or perhaps the new server is run by hamsters...

Yes I have noticed a few popping up.

what on earth is a zsu zsu hamster, and where does one get them?

austin1 said:

what on earth is a zsu zsu hamster, and where does one get them?

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It's a toy. Go search for them at amazon.

austin1 said:

what on earth is a zsu zsu hamster, and where does one get them?

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Zsu zsu hamsters were this past holiday season's most popular "must have" toy, like that Elmo doll from several years ago. People would buy them in large quantities, if they could find them at all, and then sell them successfully on eBay for a steep profit.