Blocking the Chinese spammers

I recall seeing something on here about blocking the Chinese spammers, but now I cannot locate the discusson.

It was about blocking the spammers who use the email from China asuch as 163.com, etc when the system sees they have typed in that for their email address.

I would hate to block the entire block of Chinese IP addresses, but if that is what I have to do.

Thanks

I used to get hundreds of those signups before I created a splash page.. I haven't received a single one since then.

A Splash page seems to prevent their Bots from signing up. Here is a link for one or make your own.

http://www.boonex.com/m/Facemans_Splash_Page_2011_04_26

This is a good thread for various ideas on how to combat them.

http://www.boonex.com/forums/topic/spam-spam-spam-spam-IDEA-.htm

I do not think splash pages are the answer completely. They do have drawbacks of their own. I, for one, and I do know of many others, NEVER join a site if all I am greeted with is a splash page!!!

The only ecxeptions to this are the obvious sites where I know what I am getting - facebook, twitter linkedin etc. Sites with millions of members can get away with splash pages. Sites with 3000 members cant.

If I go to your site and there is not enough information on the splash page to encourage me to join or if it is a paid site, and the splash page does not show me what I will be getting for my bucks, then I will not waste my time joining.

Splash pages are clean, and look professional, but they are also your shop window, and you MUST have your goods on display if you want customers!!! If not, the customers will walk on by until they find a site that clearly demonstrates what it is about and what it has to offer.

Its just an oppinion, but if you insist on using splash pages make sure it is done correctly.

Maybe block China until your site is taking off, then put a splash page on at that point?

unless China is a big part of your target site traffic...

I use 'join by country' by esase, fantastic mod. 

I just select the countries I want to allow to join, not had a single spam since installing this.

Splash pages aren't all like facebook.com.

I have a "Site Preview" link on my splash page, Video which I update frequently & descriptions of the site offerings. That works just fine for me.

Like DRautenbach said.. Just make sure they can see what your site is about.

Blocking China won't eliminate the Chinese Spammers completely. It only helped slightly for me. The spammers have access to IP's all around the world.

After thinking about it, I think the course of action is to place a captcha during signup phase. I am considering Recaptcha.

I have my join site split up into 2 pages with Captcha on the second page. Not sure if it is the join split or Captcha, but it works. So in your case if Captcha does not solve your issues, I would resort to a two page join.

I did the same thing, split my pages and have had NO spammers who have joined today PARTY TIME!!!!  Wheres the keg, I'll pump..lol

This topic thread has some valuable info... especially if you add every spam email address that's hit your email inbox... 

I don't understand this, just split up your join pages into 2 and you are done. No code changes so no upgrade issues, nothing.

This has been such an issue and a painful one for all. As i wrote earlier, my join is split in two pages, the second page has the Captcha and Terms.

Is it the split or is it the captcha or is it the combo of the two that is keeping them at bay, I do not know EXACTLY, but I know for a fact that it has worked for me very well.

So your choice; code changes or split page?

After looking at the account create page, I see there is already some sort of captcha, though I would not call it the best one available.

I guess changing that into reCaptcha may be in order,