Only the brain-dead spambots stay in the first forum and reply to existing threads. I've seen plenty of other occurrences on other sites,
new posts can show up in
any forum.
Others have suggested a
hidden first forum as Spam Bait, like a Roach Motel if that means anything to people out there (
spam checks in but it doesn't check out ) but it's not a silver bullet.
You need to deny them their ability to auto-register and post right away. Besides the image recognition you've probably seen elsewhere (
What does this blot look like? Umm... bacon!) another such way is a
manual approval step for new posters, but that puts a burden on Walter and may prove a barrier to growth. Anyone sign up with ADN way back when it was a one man manual process and remember how long you had to wait before you could start posting?
Ray, I don't think
anything can get back to the perpetrator - unless you click on the link and I don't think that's the 'get back' you had in mind. Keep in mind the fact that if you
do click on the link, that fact gets back to the spammer and let's them know it is working - and your site name goes on 'the list'. Please resist the urge to see exactly what she may or may not have inside waiting just for you...