Ok, this is weird, we have the Spambot protection numbers-thingy, I guess because of all the spambots, but we're still getting them.
I also know that we're using email validation, because I tested that too (I created a useless account, called 'Email Validation Test' it can be deleted now) But why are we still getting them...?
The most common place for them to 'attack' is the Art Contests forum, which has had the password removed again. I recommend you put it back in there, but this is just my idea.
My other point is that the validation group shouldn't be able to start new topics, or post at all. This'll only be a problem if the Spambot joins with a real email address, and validates the email.
Well actually, IMHO, registrations should be disabled, and you have to go straight to a staff member to have them pre-register you, and then you can join, but you'd have to change your password as soon as you came on.
~END~
Changed it.
THE NEW PASSWORD IS 'ARTZ', EVERYONE. ARTZ.
I don't know why the Validating Group can start topics, when I set it so that they couldn't. I'll see if I can fix it now...
EDIT: I've set it so that they can only reply to topics made in the Introduction Forum. They can also send PMs, and since I doubt that spambots are capable of doing that, real people will be able to PM admins to get them validated.
That should work.
On another forum I went to it was a spambot (or maybe a real human, but I doubt it), used PMs to advertise about February time.
Sorry for the ten-day-old on-the-front-page 'gravedig', but I have something that's kind of creepy.
I shut my old site down a month ago. For nearly five months before I shut it down, the forums were DEAD. We're talking about nobody even logging on, let alone posting.
I just got an email from the forum saying that a new member ("qwertyua") had registered. I checked it out. Let me tell you this wa sthe first time one of these even entered the forum, and a spambot was avertising viagra on a forum that hadn't seen a web browser in half a year.
THE MORE YOU KNOW.