How do you spot the patterns of a spammer?

Answer 1

These are some things I did on two occasions to locate a bunch of spammers. The two situations were different because on one day the vandals were active at that time, but on the other,they were not active.

Both situations involved multiple users putting the same URLs in various answers. That was what connected one person to the next.

In the first instance several contributors were writing answers that contained the same URLs. Since most were coming into the Uncategorized category, monitoring the "New Answers" in that category revealed each spammer as he/she wrote an answer if the answers had the same URL.

If an answer has that URL, check that person's contribution page to see if any other contributions have it too. Clicking on that person's contributions does two things.

• It brings up Related Answers with similar spammed answers written by other users. Go to their contribution page and check their contributions and you'll get more Related Questions showing still other spammers. Just continue that process and you'll find more vandals inserting the same URL.

• It also shows spam being put into answers in categories other than Uncategorized. Monitoring New Answers in those other categories revealed answers by still other spammers. Then each of those user's contributions could be checked and so on.

Look for commercial websites:

People who post commercial websites in answers are selling something and they want to get as many ads out there as possible. Users who post one commercial site probably posted more, so that user should be checked.

Again, checking each contribution of a person identified as a spammer will bring up related answers which can then be checked as described above. The answers to the related questions will lead you to other vandals.

If several people have put the same URL into answers its helpful to look at all categories that question is in. One person put most answers in "Wristwatches" but put one or two in "Jewelry" as well. Checking on answers in the "Jewelry" category revealed other spammers who were using that category. Once their names are known, check their contributions too. Once again just follow the connections and you'll find more spammers and spammed answers.

Do a Search of Answers:

When a group of spammers has put the same website in different answers and categories, do a "Search" for "Answers" using that website as the key word. All answers with that website will come up, but much more important is that the names all Users who have posted that website in an answer will also come up. Go to each of those users to see if they are vandals, check their contributions and then you can do all of the steps above.

Take topicality into account:

It's the shopping season so there will be lots of commercial spam in the various types merchandise and shopping categories."Jewelry"; "Wristwatches"; "Online Shopping" will probably get spam every day now.