New "bot" to deal with?

rickhz

Well-known member

• Jan 12, 2026

• %22 data-success="Embed code HTML copied to clipboard." class="">
• #1

I have had a couple members join up and begin to answer threads using the exact text from earlier posts in the same thread. The answers are correct, but they are pointless in that it is just a copy and paste of existing solutions.

Has anyone else seen this? What could be their motivation? A couple moderators think it's AI training.

 

thomas1

Well-known member

• Jan 12, 2026

• %22 data-success="Embed code HTML copied to clipboard." class="">
• #2

In the past, we noticed them returning to insert spam links into their copied-and-pasted posts.

 

rickhz

Well-known member

• Jan 12, 2026

• %22 data-success="Embed code HTML copied to clipboard." class="">
• #3

Code:

[RIGHT][URL='https://testmyspeed.onl/'][COLOR=#a9a9a9][SIZE=1]Speed Test[/SIZE][/COLOR][/URL][/RIGHT]

Just noticed that below the copy and pasted text they have inserted an "invisible" link.

 

E

ehd

Well-known member

• Jan 12, 2026

• %22 data-success="Embed code HTML copied to clipboard." class="">
• #4

And check their IPs. Mostly VPNs and Proxies.

 

C

chillibear

Well-known member

• Jan 12, 2026

• %22 data-success="Embed code HTML copied to clipboard." class="">
• #5

We've had similar with new members introductory posts being copies of posts from many many years back to presumably look "on topic". Not seen it with Q&A threads yet however.

 

Suzanne O

Well-known member

• Jan 12, 2026

• %22 data-success="Embed code HTML copied to clipboard." class="">
• #6

Manually approve all new accounts it stops them from spamming your forum

 

ES Dev Team

Well-known member

• Jan 12, 2026

• %22 data-success="Embed code HTML copied to clipboard." class="">
• #7

Suzanne O said:

Manually approve all new accounts it stops them from spamming your forum

Click to expand...

You have a total of 3 members on your forum.
I'm sure this would be quite easy for you, but that won't work on a forum of reasonable size

 

Alpha1

Well-known member

• Jan 12, 2026

• %22 data-success="Embed code HTML copied to clipboard." class="">
• #8

Just put http in your moderated spam keywords and such posts will go to approval queue.

But it would indeed be nice if empty posts with only a qoute would get get blocked. The user shouldn't be able to submit it at all.

Maybe @Xon can address this in his Signup Abuse addon. Its getting quite common.

 

X

Xon

Well-known member

• Jan 13, 2026

• %22 data-success="Embed code HTML copied to clipboard." class="">
• #9

Alpha1 said:

But it would indeed be nice if empty posts with only a qoute would get get blocked. The user shouldn't be able to submit it at all.

Click to expand...

My Post Friction add-on already support warning that a post is mostly quotes (configurable percentage) and offers a permission so a group can't accept the warning which prevents them from posting

 

Suzanne O

Well-known member

• Jan 14, 2026

• %22 data-success="Embed code HTML copied to clipboard." class="">
• #10

ES Dev Team said:

You have a total of 3 members on your forum.
I'm sure this would be quite easy for you, but that won't work on a forum of reasonable size

Click to expand...

My membership base is only small but it is for a reason.
It's a few friends from my mate's @BIG LLC site bigfooty.
My reason for having a small number is not going to be spoken about here. We still get weird amount of guests which seem to be bots doing their ai scraping.

We often share things.
We're making our main site an afl one so that people who love that code of football can come and join it.

But anyway the membership base is slowly growing.

 

Last edited: Jan 14, 2026