I've put this thread in "General Discussion" rather than "Volconvo Operations" because visitors to Volconvo do not have permission to visit the "Volconvo Operations" forum. It's reserved for registered members.
Volconvo's staff wages a daily battle keeping registered members protected from being harassed by spammers. I'd like to give members an understanding of the barriers we've erected, and I'd like visitors to know that if they register they, too, can be assured of a secure and spam free experience.
Also, I'd like those who visit Volconvo and register and who harbor hopes of spamming members through private messages, emails, threads, or postings to know that the "life span" of a spammer who gets through the multiple lines of defense is measured in minutes.
Everyone is likely aware of the registration process: a question has to be answered, and email responded to. But that's not the end of it. Each new registration goes into a queue for moderation. A Volconvo staff member then checks the potential member's IP address with various services including Stop Forum Spam and Project Honey Pot. Included with this check is the country of origin. What we've found is that new registrants from some countries--particularly Vietnam, Philippines, Russia, Bangladesh, and India--are always spammers.
If a new member is not flagged during this process as a spammer, they are welcomed into the Volconvo family. As a new member, they face some restrictions early on, namely until they've reached a certain threshold of posts they'll be unable to post links.
And then there is our last and most formidable line of defense, Volconvo's members. Members are vigilant at reporting spam. And, Volconvo's staff quickly acts to ban the spammer, and in many cases block the IP address.
I post this not only to let members know that we're committed to offering them a safe and secure debate environment, but also in hopes of persuading potential spammers that registering here is futile. The latter may fall on some deaf ears, because some spammers, MaryJane has discovered, are working for commercial services in the countries mentioned above who offer to register on forums for clients.
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