GetDotted Domains

Viewing Thread:
"Increase in SEO Spammers using Gmail accounts - and how to improve things"

The "Freeola Customer Forum" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.

Fri 02/09/11 at 14:02
Moderator
"Are you sure?"
Posts: 5,000
It always amuses me that so called SEO 'experts/companies' resort to Spamming people to try to generate work!

Here is a recent example from a 'contact form':

"Cecelia Maloney
[email protected]
0120120120
We are interested to increase traffic to your website, please get back to us in order to discuss the possibility in further detail.
"

A quick Google shows these are well known spammers so I have no problem listing their 'details'.

There is a chance they are not really interested in SEO but just trying to elicit a response to see if the email address is active - either way I recommend you NEVER reply.

A number of 'form' spammers just like to try and submit dodgy links - malicious and/or spam.

It seems Gmail is getting very popular with these spammers - and in my experience they are nearly all coming from Indian ISPs.

Once these spammers have the URL of your contact 'form' or 'guest book' they regularly return directly to the page to offer their services!

Recently I've started to maintain an .htaccess file so that I can manually deny access to these visitors - this stops them from even viewing my website.

This is what they get presented with if they try to return to my site:

Forbidden
You don't have permission to access / on this server.



My .htaccess file denying these spammers access currently looks like this:

order allow,deny
deny from 122.173.
deny from 122.167.
deny from 122.163.
deny from 122.183.
deny from 122.161.
deny from 122.177.
deny from 122.160.
deny from 122.172.
deny from 122.169.
deny from 121.247.167
deny from 94.100.25.52
deny from 117.200.162
deny from 182.68.
deny from 182.68.94
deny from 182.64.239
allow from all


This works well for me - I guess they move on to easier pickings and I only have to add a new IP address every few months.

Obviously if you need your website to be visible to certain countries (India in my IP examples) then you would need to be very careful using this method as it would be very easy to block legitimate visitors. Especially where I am using IP masks rather than full addresses.

If you are using Freeola's standard formmail script you simply have to add this line to your form code which will add your visitors IP address to any submitted messages:
<input type="hidden" name="env_report" value="yes">
A quick Google on the address will then show you if it is a problem IP.

Just thought I would pass this on in case others are troubled by similar spam, or if you have your own tips please let me know :¬)

[s]Hmmm...[/s]
Fri 02/09/11 at 14:02
Moderator
"Are you sure?"
Posts: 5,000
It always amuses me that so called SEO 'experts/companies' resort to Spamming people to try to generate work!

Here is a recent example from a 'contact form':

"Cecelia Maloney
[email protected]
0120120120
We are interested to increase traffic to your website, please get back to us in order to discuss the possibility in further detail.
"

A quick Google shows these are well known spammers so I have no problem listing their 'details'.

There is a chance they are not really interested in SEO but just trying to elicit a response to see if the email address is active - either way I recommend you NEVER reply.

A number of 'form' spammers just like to try and submit dodgy links - malicious and/or spam.

It seems Gmail is getting very popular with these spammers - and in my experience they are nearly all coming from Indian ISPs.

Once these spammers have the URL of your contact 'form' or 'guest book' they regularly return directly to the page to offer their services!

Recently I've started to maintain an .htaccess file so that I can manually deny access to these visitors - this stops them from even viewing my website.

This is what they get presented with if they try to return to my site:

Forbidden
You don't have permission to access / on this server.



My .htaccess file denying these spammers access currently looks like this:

order allow,deny
deny from 122.173.
deny from 122.167.
deny from 122.163.
deny from 122.183.
deny from 122.161.
deny from 122.177.
deny from 122.160.
deny from 122.172.
deny from 122.169.
deny from 121.247.167
deny from 94.100.25.52
deny from 117.200.162
deny from 182.68.
deny from 182.68.94
deny from 182.64.239
allow from all


This works well for me - I guess they move on to easier pickings and I only have to add a new IP address every few months.

Obviously if you need your website to be visible to certain countries (India in my IP examples) then you would need to be very careful using this method as it would be very easy to block legitimate visitors. Especially where I am using IP masks rather than full addresses.

If you are using Freeola's standard formmail script you simply have to add this line to your form code which will add your visitors IP address to any submitted messages:
<input type="hidden" name="env_report" value="yes">
A quick Google on the address will then show you if it is a problem IP.

Just thought I would pass this on in case others are troubled by similar spam, or if you have your own tips please let me know :¬)

[s]Hmmm...[/s]
Fri 02/09/11 at 15:03
Staff Moderator
"Show Me Your Moves"
Posts: 2,255
Wow, this is useful information! However being hidden away on this forum doesn't do what you have typed here justice.

I have an idea! The Freeola Knowledge Base would be the perfect platform for you to share your experiences! Not only would this allow you to help visitors to the Freeola.com website, but it will also give you the opportunity to win fabulous prizes!

Guides can be submitted via your MyFreeola account and should appear on-line, pending moderator approval, within a few hours!

:)
Fri 02/09/11 at 15:33
Regular
"Devil in disguise"
Posts: 3,151
Web discrimination on the basis of country...shocking racism.
Fri 02/09/11 at 15:43
Regular
"Feather edged ..."
Posts: 8,536
Exacto mondo Butch ... what a nice idea :¬D
Fri 02/09/11 at 16:28
Moderator
"Are you sure?"
Posts: 5,000
Butch wrote:
Wow, this is useful information! However being hidden away on this forum doesn't do what you have typed here justice.

I have an idea! The Freeola Knowledge Base would be the perfect platform for you to share your experiences! Not only would this allow you to help visitors to the Freeola.com website, but it will also give you the opportunity to win fabulous prizes!

Guides can be submitted via your MyFreeola account and should appear on-line, pending moderator approval, within a few hours!

:)


Fantastic idea :¬)
I've given it a go!

[s]Hmmm...[/s]
Fri 02/09/11 at 16:35
Moderator
"Are you sure?"
Posts: 5,000
Garin wrote:
Web discrimination on the basis of country...shocking racism.


I did realise it was a rather tough path to take - but I'm afraid the only traffic (this is obviously site specific) I see from India is bad
:¬(

Not good I know - perhaps legitimate Indian companies will pick up on this and help to stamp out some of the undesirable tactics others are using?

If it's not online spam then they try phoning me.
This will stop them from seeing my contact details so helps to stop unwanted phone calls and online messages.

As I said - you have to be careful, selective and it's site specific!


Dragonlance wrote:
Exacto mondo Butch ... what a nice idea :¬D


:¬)
[s]Hmmm...[/s]
Thu 08/09/11 at 13:52
Moderator
"Are you sure?"
Posts: 5,000
Hmmm... wrote:
Butch wrote:
[i]...and should appear on-line, pending moderator approval, within a few hours!


Fantastic idea :¬)
I've given it a go![/i]


I see my submission from last week still shows as "Awaiting moderation" - did I get something wrong???

[s]Hmmm...[/s]
Thu 08/09/11 at 13:59
Staff Moderator
"Show Me Your Moves"
Posts: 2,255
I know, I have just not got around to proofing and re-reading it yet, expect it live later today.
Thu 08/09/11 at 18:39
Moderator
"Are you sure?"
Posts: 5,000
Thanks, I see I made it.

I wonder if it would be worth using an icon or colour to identify user submitted articles in the Knowledge Base from Freeola ones to help people?


[s]Hmmm...[/s]
Thu 08/09/11 at 21:09
Regular
"Feather edged ..."
Posts: 8,536
Have to agree with Hmmm ... he deserves the recognition and so does anyone else providing 'help' for the KB, for that matter :¬)

Freeola & GetDotted are rated 5 Stars

Check out some of our customer reviews below:

Continue this excellent work...
Brilliant! As usual the careful and intuitive production that Freeola puts into everything it sets out to do, I am delighted.
Thanks!
Thank you for dealing with this so promptly it's nice having a service provider that offers a good service, rare to find nowadays.

View More Reviews

Need some help? Give us a call on 01376 55 60 60

Go to Support Centre
Feedback Close Feedback

It appears you are using an old browser, as such, some parts of the Freeola and Getdotted site will not work as intended. Using the latest version of your browser, or another browser such as Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, or Opera will provide a better, safer browsing experience for you.