quote:

Originally posted by cas:
Apparently at some point someone was banned by IP in the same general block and my phone was collateral damage.

quote:

Originally posted by OttoSig:
They state my account is no longer banned, only my IP address.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
<<snip>>

I tell you all this so you can get a glimpse off what it's like guarding the gateway to a discussion forum. Each time someone registers, you must approach it with scepticism.


Feel free to use SIGforum and my name as a reference if you contact them to appeal your banishment, although, depending upon the forum in question, that may get you banned for eternity.

**edit**

I just went through the registrations submitted overnight. I approved two of them, and denied seven. That's typical.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
I screen every application for membership to this forum. ...<clip>... Selling in Classifieds- if I see anyone using a VPN in Classifieds, I take a look at their posting history. If all their posts are in Classifieds, goodbye. ...<clip>...

For every well-meaning person registering for this forum, there are roughly four suspicious registrations, ...<clip>...

I've got foreign access screwed down so tight now, I'm beginning to slow their attempts. ...<clip>...

I tell you all this so you can get a glimpse off what it's like guarding the gateway to a discussion forum. Each time someone registers, you must approach it with scepticism.
...

---

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:
I honestly do not understand how you can tolerate this kind of crap, day-in and day-out!

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:

It's no accident that the membership here is so fantastically trustworthy.

Thanks Para!

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
I screen every application for membership to this forum. Using a VPN to submit your application for membership to this forum- denied, automatically. I send them a message saying "Feel free to re-register when not using a VPN to connect to us."

India, Pakistan- denied, automatically, because that is the land of scammers, in a big, big way. Hell, I get registrations from freaking Bejing. Denied, automatically. Vietnam- denied, usually. Africa with the exception of South Africa- denied, automatically. Russia? Not a freakin' chance. They keep trying over and over. Some are bots, but some are real people trying to get in.

South Korea, I have and will probably continue to approve these registrations, assuming a VPN is not used during the process. The Philippines is iffy but usually gets in.

Selling in Classifieds- if I see anyone using a VPN in Classifieds, I take a look at their posting history. If all their posts are in Classifieds, goodbye. If they appear to be a legitimate member, I'll tell them to cease using a VPN for commerce in this forum. If they keep doing it, boom.
Randomly, I search user IP addresses for duplicate IPs. If I find evidence someone is actively using more than one account in Classifieds, all those accounts are nuked.

For every well-meaning person registering for this forum, there are roughly four suspicious registrations, mostly from India and Pakistan. Usually, I simply delete the registration, then block the IP address up to the last octet. IOW, if they come in on, say, 44.127.66.23 I block 44.127.66. . Some of you who know what I'm talking about will ask why I do it this way. I have my reasons. Everytime I block the IP, here they come again from another direction but I've got foreign access screwed down so tight now, I'm beginning to slow their attempts. I've actually emailed some of these jerks and said, look, you can keep trying from now until the sun burns out, but you are not getting in.

What gets you in is not disguising your location with a VPN, and registering from a location in any of the 50 states and Puerto Rico. Great Britain and the European continent gets in as well, except Germany seems to be a problem these days. Central and South America gets in.

Oh, and Canada.

I tell you all this so you can get a glimpse off what it's like guarding the gateway to a discussion forum. Each time someone registers, you must approach it with scepticism.


Feel free to use SIGforum and my name as a reference if you contact them to appeal your banishment, although, depending upon the forum in question, that may get you banned for eternity.

**edit**

I just went through the registrations submitted overnight. I approved two of them, and denied seven. That's typical.

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:
I honestly do not understand how you can tolerate this kind of crap, day-in and day-out!

I don't tolerate it- I love it. Lock and key. It's a perfect fit for me. I love keeping these half-smart jerks out of this place and I love busting them if they make it through all the barb wire.

Don't worry about me. I'm happy

quote:

Originally posted by parabellum:
I screen every application for membership to this forum. Using a VPN to submit your application for membership to this forum- denied, automatically. I send them a message saying "Feel free to re-register when not using a VPN to connect to us."

India, Pakistan- denied, automatically, because that is the land of scammers, in a big, big way. Hell, I get registrations from freaking Bejing. Denied, automatically. Vietnam- denied, usually. Africa with the exception of South Africa- denied, automatically. Russia? Not a freakin' chance. They keep trying over and over. Some are bots, but some are real people trying to get in.

South Korea, I have and will probably continue to approve these registrations, assuming a VPN is not used during the process. The Philippines is iffy but usually gets in.

Selling in Classifieds- if I see anyone using a VPN in Classifieds, I take a look at their posting history. If all their posts are in Classifieds, goodbye. If they appear to be a legitimate member, I'll tell them to cease using a VPN for commerce in this forum. If they keep doing it, boom.
Randomly, I search user IP addresses for duplicate IPs. If I find evidence someone is actively using more than one account in Classifieds, all those accounts are nuked.

For every well-meaning person registering for this forum, there are roughly four suspicious registrations, mostly from India and Pakistan. Usually, I simply delete the registration, then block the IP address up to the last octet. IOW, if they come in on, say, 44.127.66.23 I block 44.127.66. . Some of you who know what I'm talking about will ask why I do it this way. I have my reasons. Everytime I block the IP, here they come again from another direction but I've got foreign access screwed down so tight now, I'm beginning to slow their attempts. I've actually emailed some of these jerks and said, look, you can keep trying from now until the sun burns out, but you are not getting in.

What gets you in is not disguising your location with a VPN, and registering from a location in any of the 50 states and Puerto Rico. Great Britain and the European continent gets in as well, except Germany seems to be a problem these days. Central and South America gets in.

Oh, and Canada.

I tell you all this so you can get a glimpse off what it's like guarding the gateway to a discussion forum. Each time someone registers, you must approach it with scepticism.


Feel free to use SIGforum and my name as a reference if you contact them to appeal your banishment, although, depending upon the forum in question, that may get you banned for eternity.

**edit**

I just went through the registrations submitted overnight. I approved two of them, and denied seven. That's typical.

quote:

Originally posted by goose5:
For my edification I was thinking about getting a VPN. Since I've been a member here since 2005 will I be allowed to log on?

quote:

Originally posted by goose5:

For my edification I was thinking about getting a VPN. Since I've been a member here since 2005 will I be allowed to log on?

quote:

Originally posted by V-Tail:

quote:

Originally posted by goose5:

For my edification I was thinking about getting a VPN. Since I've been a member here since 2005 will I be allowed to log on?

What have you got to lose, by trying?

My guess is that screening for VPNs is done when initially signing up to be a member, but once you have a login ID and password, you'll be good to go whether or not you're routed via a VPN.

quote:

Originally posted by goose5:
For my edification I was thinking about getting a VPN. Since I've been a member here since 2005 will I be allowed to log on?