Spam Alert - how the scammers insert their links

[JanAtheCPA]

Dear forum members, I want to alert you to the latest method by which the scammers are inserting hyperlinks into our threads. I've found three in the last few days. Thanks to AI, their posts often appear relevant and they are sometimes "liked" because they are quoting and complimenting the OP. But, hidden inside the quoted text, is a new bit of text which contains the hyperlink.

When to be skeptical:

1. The user is brand new and is commenting on a post without having ever introduced themselves. (click on their avatar for a quick popup on their status).

2. They often post on older threads for no good reason.

3. They add a short complimentary comment, or one that is very positive and encouraging, but it's also kind of bland and generic - as if written by AI!

4. The latest technique is to use quoted text. If you expand their quoted text ("click to expand") and carefully examine the text, you'll find the added hyperlink.

When you find the spam, hit "Report" below their post so a moderator can employ "spam cleanup".

I've attached two screenshot samples and linked to another that I kept online for educational purposes (but I banned the user from posting): https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/doubt.28838/#post-160350 (Doubt?)

Click on the screenshots to expand them:

 

[Cactusflower]

Thanks @JanAtheCPA
Spammers and bots have now become insidious and even worse in the last few months. Frustrating!

 

[Baseball65]

Wow! That's evil.
I would have just guessed "This person hasn't read Sarno".
I read way more posts than I comment on...that wouldn't have provoked a response.

What is the purpose of their deception? Just hoping we might click on their link????

 

[JanAtheCPA]

What is the purpose of their deception? Just hoping we might click on their link????

That's the ultimate goal. These hidden links are unlikely to be seen, much less clicked, BUT the poster just needs to prove to the boss scammers that they successfully inserted the link so they can be paid. It's sad, really, because my understanding is that the ones placing these posts are very poor people who are probably being paid almost nothing - at best. At worst, they may have been literally enslaved.

 

[JanAtheCPA]

Today's find

 

[dystonicrunner]

Wow thanks for the heads up!

 

[JanAtheCPA]

FYI, in the name of educating forum members, both old and new, about this topic, I'm going to keep bumping this thread whenever I find a new example.

This new user posted twice today with spam links that weren't even hidden. All I have to do his hit my moderator "spam" button on one of them, and poof! everything associated with the user is gone.

 

[Bonnard]

Dear forum members, I want to alert you to the latest method by which the scammers are inserting hyperlinks into our threads. I've found three in the last few days. Thanks to AI, their posts often appear relevant and they are sometimes "liked" because they are quoting and complimenting the OP. But, hidden inside the quoted text, is a new bit of text which contains the hyperlink.

When to be skeptical:

1. The user is brand new and is commenting on a post without having ever introduced themselves. (click on their avatar for a quick popup on their status).

2. They often post on older threads for no good reason.

3. They add a short complimentary comment, or one that is very positive and encouraging, but it's also kind of bland and generic - as if written by AI!

4. The latest technique is to use quoted text. If you expand their quoted text ("click to expand") and carefully examine the text, you'll find the added hyperlink.

When you find the spam, hit "Report" below their post so a moderator can employ "spam cleanup".

I've attached two screenshot samples and linked to another that I kept online for educational purposes (but I banned the user from posting): https://www.tmswiki.org/forum/threads/doubt.28838/#post-160350 (Doubt?)

The information you shared was very useful. Got it.

 

[JanAtheCPA]

@Bonnard Do you have too much time on your hands?
Made me laugh, though, so