User Registration - New Email Rules
Posted: Wed Nov 21, 2012 5:12 pm
Ok folks,
In the last few days, this website has been sujected to an extremely high number of spambot account registrations. Although they are not permitted to post unless approved by an Admin personally, these bogus accounts nevertheless only serve to clog up our member list and create a backlog for me to go through in having to track them all down and delete them one by one. I've tried turning off new user registration for a few days to see if they would give up, but the moment I turned it back on, they were back at full strength.
Nearly without exception, these spambot programs are using free email services such as Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail, (others to be added at my discretion) to generate fake accounts and spam the registration system. These are going to be banned henceforth. I realize some of you members here are registered with an email from those services, but I see no other way of stopping this. Since user registration cannot remain closed indefinitely, from now on any new user registering will be required to use an email account that is provided to them by their ISP. For those existing members that are making use of those at this time, please post your name here to notify me: http://www.ucforums.com/showthread.php? ... #post85494
When I see you online, I will send you a PM and enable user registration so you can change your email account. There will be a seven day grace period, after which you will have to contact me personally at rcanoa@gmail.com (ironic, isn't it) and let me know that you need to update your email information.
I'm very sorry for the hassle this is going to cause, but I see no other way to protect the site (and my patience) at this point.
In the last few days, this website has been sujected to an extremely high number of spambot account registrations. Although they are not permitted to post unless approved by an Admin personally, these bogus accounts nevertheless only serve to clog up our member list and create a backlog for me to go through in having to track them all down and delete them one by one. I've tried turning off new user registration for a few days to see if they would give up, but the moment I turned it back on, they were back at full strength.
Nearly without exception, these spambot programs are using free email services such as Gmail, Yahoo, and Hotmail, (others to be added at my discretion) to generate fake accounts and spam the registration system. These are going to be banned henceforth. I realize some of you members here are registered with an email from those services, but I see no other way of stopping this. Since user registration cannot remain closed indefinitely, from now on any new user registering will be required to use an email account that is provided to them by their ISP. For those existing members that are making use of those at this time, please post your name here to notify me: http://www.ucforums.com/showthread.php? ... #post85494
When I see you online, I will send you a PM and enable user registration so you can change your email account. There will be a seven day grace period, after which you will have to contact me personally at rcanoa@gmail.com (ironic, isn't it) and let me know that you need to update your email information.
I'm very sorry for the hassle this is going to cause, but I see no other way to protect the site (and my patience) at this point.