Patches please ban spammers targeting members by private message

[Wet Trousers]

Hi Patches,

Some people are using the current situation either to offer so-called Covid-19 protection or to post malicious links intended to install software on devices following them that would allow theft of details, fraud or ransom. Please would you immediately ban the userids doing this. I have listed those that targeted me below (with the titles of their messages) and others can reply to this thread to add any other. Thanks.

• VictorDed - We are selling the protection against COVID-19 among our members of the forum
• Stripperarbed - We are selling the protection against COVID-19 among our members of the forum

[Patches]

These users have had all their private messages deleted. The first one had sent 9 messages and the second had sent 33 messages. Neither user had posted any content in any forum thread. Both users have been permanently banned.

If anyone else gets spammed like this by private message, please let me know.

[2prnot2p]

Man, that is really disgusting! I'll keep my eye out. I've received no PMs at all lately.

[Wet Trousers]

Thanks, Patches.

[Nobody89]

I also received some spam PMs lately, but I went ahead and deleted them. I have to assume they're some of the same individuals who were already seen to by Patches, since the messages themselves were blank.

[Patches]

I need the name of the spammer to look them up and see what they are doing. So please supply the screen name if you get any private message spam.

Nobody89, you are probably correct that I had already banned the spammer because I do delete all their private messages before banning them so a blank message would be one I deleted.

[Wet Trousers]

Latest is from ThomasSTICT (I have obfuscated the URL)

Hello

Dating for Adult 18+

http://clickfrm.com/####

[Patches]

ThomasSTICT joined the forum 2 days ago. He has not posted any content. He did send 44 messages to other forum users. Those messages have been deleted and this user has been banned.

[Wet Trousers]

Thanks, Patches. Happy if you want to save time and shorten your report to 'splatted'. You're doing a great job. But, if you like hanging, drawing and quartering, and want to provide the entrails, feel free!

[2prnot2p]

Let's hear it for Patches! She does one helluva job moderating these forums. Thanks!

[Dice]

You might find an option in the vBulletin software that allows you to stop any PM's being sent until a certain amount of forum posts are made. Perhaps change it to 5 posts until PM's are available.