Outsmarting the Spammers
This is a trick I learned long ago and was reminded of it again while reading a thread on a marketing forum. I don’t think I’ve ever shared it, but I probably should have.
This is another trick that spammers use to get their comments approved on your blog.
A lot of times, comment spammers will be so obvious that you can’t miss them. Usually, they’re full of Viagra links and whatnot. So, if it gets past Akismet or whatever you use to block spam, you can spot it right away and vanquish them to the cornfield.
Others will seemingly leave a worthwhile comment, but then they have their name as a keyword to a Viagra site or car parts or appendage enlargement pills or whatever they are selling. Akismet usually gets most of them, but if one slips through, it’s reasonably easy to identify.
The trickier ones, especially to newer bloggers, are the ones that leave a real name and appear to leave a worthwhile comment, but link out to some spam website. You have to be careful of some of these. Still, if you pay attention to the comment and what they are commenting on, you may spot them more easily. For example, I had a spam comment saying how my insightful post was so very helpful to them on their college assignment. That comment was left on this post. Anyone who found that post useful for a college assignment is probably going to a really crummy college. But, alas, it’s just an idiot spammer.
However, there is another trick they might use to get past the doorkeeper. (The doorkeeper being you, of course.) And that is to not leave any link! They’ll just leave what appears to be an insightful comment, maybe a couple of them, enough to get past you. You’re supposed to think, wow, this guy is offering some good insights. I want to keep him commenting on my blog.
Of course, what you should really be wondering is why this guy doesn’t have a blog or website of his own. Most people who comment on blogs have blogs of their own. Not everyone, of course, and that’s what these tricky spammers are counting on.
Once they get in the door, then they will begin adding their spammy links to their comments.
Don’t fall for it!
I try to follow a general strategy of no link, no approval. Unfortunately, it may keep out a few legitimate commenters, but, more likely than not, comments without a link are spammers wanting to trick you.
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