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1. hindsight2
   Member
   Posted 6 months ago #

   HI, all. I'm hoping to be educated . . .

   I've had a run of several days where my site receives dozens and dozens of comments/trakcbacks from someone with too much time on their hands. Every comment/trackback has said the same thing. I've copied it here:

   ==================================================================
   Website : ebay sniper (IP: 12.22.62.46 , 12.22.62.46)
   URL : http://www.yourebaysniper.com
   Trackback excerpt:
   ebay sniper...

   I came across your site while searching google for just this topic! Your views are interesting and well thought out....
   ==================================================================

   My questions are:

   1) How are they getting into my site without leaving a footprint in either Google Analytics or Site Meter? They come and go at will, like a ghost, with no evidence of thier passing except the annoying comments/trackbacks.

   2) I blocked their IP address in my .htaccess file, but that dosen't seem to stop them. Is it possible they have hijacked another company's IP address? In searching WhoIs on ARIN, it comes up as ADVANCED DATA EXCHANGE, but I blocked that range anyway. Yet this annoying dude still makes it through.

   3) What can I do to stop them?

   Thanks for any and all suggestions. I'm really frustrated with these guys.

   -Mike.

2. Chris_K
   Administrator
   Posted 6 months ago #

   It is just a trackback, no hacks or anything scary.

   Read up on Combating_Comment_Spam for some options.

3. hindsight2
   Member
   Posted 6 months ago #

   Thanks, Chris. I found a place in my admin settings to turn off pings and trackbacks. What will happen if I turn that setting to OFF?

4. Chris_K
   Administrator
   Posted 6 months ago #

   That would disable ALL trackbacks and pingbacks. Certainly, one option as long as you don't want to get valid ones either.

   The article I linked discusses some plugin approaches as well. For instance, I use the Bad Behavior and Akismet plugins. I never see any of that junk -- between them they block hundreds a day.

5. hindsight2
   Member
   Posted 6 months ago #

   This is very helpful. Thank you!

6. AlbertF
   Member
   Posted 6 months ago #

   I use the Akismet plugin as well. Can't live without it. I activated it for one day, and it blocked off over 300 spam already. I really recommend it. It has stopped the spam from getting through my trackback/comment queue.

7. hindsight2
   Member
   Posted 6 months ago #

   Okay, well that seems to be doing it. Thanks, Chris and Albert!

   Cheers,
   -Mike.

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