Spam reporting thread #73

Tämä viestiketju jatkaa tätä viestiketjua: Spam reporting thread #72.

Tämä viestiketju jatkuu täällä: Spam reporting thread #74.

KeskusteluSpam Fighters!

Liity LibraryThingin jäseneksi, niin voit kirjoittaa viestin.

Spam reporting thread #73

1lilithcat
tammikuu 4, 2021, 8:40 am

PROCEDURES FOR REPORTING SPAM

Distinguish between the following, and flag the highest level of the violation:

-- Type 1: Irredeemable commercial spam: make sure to flag the member's profile, as well as the spammy activity. This type includes things selling strollers, pharmaceuticals, live-streaming sports games, porn, and/or trying to create traffic/links to sites for such things. Sufficient profile flags will automatically result in temporary suspension and deletion of the member's activity, so use your profile-flagging powers wisely and carefully.

-- Type 2: Teachable moments: DO NOT flag the member's profile, but DO flag the violating activity (e.g. self-promotional Talk post, group, or local venue). This type includes promotional activity that violates the Terms of Service (TOS), but where the member is potentially redeemable, e.g. overzealous authors, overzealous publishers, or other members with small TOS violations but who are otherwise using the site legitimately. These cases should be reported to staff (by sending a message or email to staff and/or or posting on this thread), so the member can be taught how to use the site.

Specific procedures:
-- Overzealous authors or publishers (these fall under type 2): do NOT flag the member's profile. Report to staff here or privately. You can also send the member a polite message pointing them to the terms, mentioning the "no promoting" language, and pointing them to the Do's and Don't page for authors: http://www.librarything.com/about_authors.php
-- Suspected sock-puppetry to promote a book, write fake reviews, and/or stack ratings: do not flag the profile, but report to staff here or by message, so staff can investigate. This is a serious violation for which members can be permanently banned.
-- Profile flags for commercial spammers only (type 1): On the member's profile page, click on the "report for spam" link, then follow instructions to flag the member. Again, this is only for commercial spam, not for "overzealous" authors, publishers, or booksellers, which should be reported to staff instead. See Talk post: http://www.librarything.com/topic/85810
-- Spam or promotional posts in a Talk topic (type 1 or 2): flag the post as an abuse of the terms of service.
-- Spam or promotional groups (types 1 and 2): flag new groups using the "flag this group" link.
-- Spam lists: report in this thread, and flag the member if it's commercial spam.
-- Spam works (type 1 spam): flag the work as spam on the work's editions page, and then vote on proposed work spam. Make sure to read the guidelines before proposing or voting, especially for what is not spam. Voting page: http://www.librarything.com/spam_works.php
-- Spam in a review (type 1), or an explicitly promotional review (type 2): flag the review as an abuse of the TOS, using the red flag.
-- Spam or promotion in "published reviews," or other CK fields (type 1 or 2): post here and/or delete.
-- Spam or egregious promotion/advertising in venues or events (type 1 or 2): post here and/or delete. Note that authors are permitted to add events for their books.
-- Spam in book links / quick links: post here and/or edit to remove spam.
-- Spam author names listed on a work: No current procedure. Tim has asked us not to change CK to indicate spammers, and not to combine spam authors together.
-- Not sure if it's spam? Post here, and explain why.

Please note that Tim has asked us not to use either CK or the combining system (whether works or authors) for spam fighting.

For more information see these wiki pages:
Procedures for flagging and reporting spam: https://wiki.librarything.com/index.php/Spam
Spam works, guidelines for flagging and voting: http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php/HelpThing:Spam_works

(A copy of these guidelines, for pasting in new threads, can be found here or at the top of previous threads.)

2lilithcat
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 5, 2021, 4:55 pm

32wonderY
tammikuu 7, 2021, 1:07 pm

Review by author encouraging sales; violates TOS

http://www.librarything.com/work/25930198/reviews/

4gilroy
tammikuu 7, 2021, 2:06 pm

>3 2wonderY: The thread already has both posts flagged, but posting here for the sake of tracking purposes:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/328495

And Profile (Already noted, do not flag) https://www.librarything.com/profile/tom9191

6MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 12, 2021, 3:45 am

Topic is https://www.librarything.com/topic/326633#7383627

Message and profile gone now.

7gilroy
tammikuu 14, 2021, 5:19 am

Enthusiastic Author:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/305867#7311265

Warned once before, but not flagging profile

8MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: tammikuu 14, 2021, 5:26 am

>7 gilroy: He's forgotten since October?

BTW, message 7 in that topic is very bad spam.
https://www.librarything.com/profile/Bookie-Books is offering reviews etc. for sale.

9gilroy
tammikuu 14, 2021, 7:31 pm

>8 MarthaJeanne: No, I was feeling generous when I posted that this morning. Also I think he got spam flagged off and brought back the last time.

10MarthaJeanne
tammikuu 28, 2021, 12:24 pm

https://www.librarything.com/topic/327348#7403500

Author spam (https://www.librarything.com/profile/Sasha_Lauren)

12lilithcat
helmikuu 1, 2021, 11:09 am

>11 MarthaJeanne:

At least he's asking if it's okay.

13MarthaJeanne
helmikuu 1, 2021, 12:22 pm

In theory yes, but the link is in there.

142wonderY
helmikuu 1, 2021, 12:42 pm

I wrote him a more complete message.

17karenb
helmikuu 5, 2021, 11:03 pm

>16 Taphophile13: ETA she delete the message

22MarthaJeanne
helmikuu 8, 2021, 2:31 am

23MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: helmikuu 12, 2021, 3:50 pm

252wonderY
Muokkaaja: helmikuu 16, 2021, 8:34 am

>24 2wonderY: And six other threads - Gone.

28SandraArdnas
helmikuu 19, 2021, 11:11 am

>27 gilroy: That group can't be viewed without joining

29Taphophile13
helmikuu 19, 2021, 11:17 am

>27 gilroy:, >28 SandraArdnas: Group has been flagged and user has been removed.

302wonderY
helmikuu 19, 2021, 11:18 am

>27 gilroy: I can’t even see who admins that group. Did you want the group flagged? 351 messages and 351 topics - seems a very exclusive group.

31gilroy
helmikuu 19, 2021, 11:27 am

>30 2wonderY: The group was flagged out of existence before I could post the rest of the information. It had 1 user, 1 post.

33MarthaJeanne
helmikuu 22, 2021, 5:42 am

>32 karenb: Gone now.

37lilithcat
helmikuu 24, 2021, 10:21 pm

>36 karenb:

Gone now.

41karenb
maaliskuu 2, 2021, 4:19 am

>40 2wonderY: left a comment

43MarthaJeanne
maaliskuu 4, 2021, 9:08 am

>42 haydninvienna: And both are gone.

44SandraArdnas
Muokkaaja: maaliskuu 5, 2021, 4:30 pm

https://www.librarything.com/topic/330350

author advertising book

Edit: was warned before. I didn't flag the profile nevertheless

ETA: Gone already

46Cecrow
maaliskuu 6, 2021, 10:29 pm

This overzealous author just spammed my neat-and-tidy challenge thread:
https://www.librarything.com/profile/thaddeud
see https://www.librarything.com/topic/133916#7445167

48MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: maaliskuu 7, 2021, 2:04 am

>46 Cecrow: Messages are gone. After seeing the one message and his entry of the book I looked up the URL. My goodness! He does not seem to write standard English.

I put a comment on his profile.

512wonderY
maaliskuu 10, 2021, 9:20 am

All works have met the threshold and are suppressed. I think staff need to take down the profile though.

52lilithcat
maaliskuu 10, 2021, 9:39 am

>51 2wonderY:

Profile is gone.

57MarthaJeanne
maaliskuu 19, 2021, 5:42 pm

>56 karenb: in general I don't flag profiles if there is no other advertising, but for some things I'm willing to make exceptions.

Gone.

58gilroy
maaliskuu 22, 2021, 5:53 am

https://www.librarything.com/topic/330772
Enthusiastic Author

https://www.librarything.com/profile/EnochianFabler (Do NOT flag. Message already on profile.)

59karenb
maaliskuu 22, 2021, 6:23 am

602wonderY
Muokkaaja: maaliskuu 22, 2021, 8:31 am

https://www.librarything.com/profile/seoexpertindia

See the spam in the profile pictures

61MarthaJeanne
maaliskuu 22, 2021, 9:42 am

>60 2wonderY: is gone, but >59 karenb: isn't.

64karenb
maaliskuu 25, 2021, 12:24 am

Less than a minute!

65MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: maaliskuu 31, 2021, 6:05 am

Author spam or similar

https://www.librarything.com/topic/331017

(https://www.librarything.com/profile/Vlad4247)

66MarthaJeanne
huhtikuu 3, 2021, 2:13 am

Author spam
https://www.librarything.com/topic/331147
https://www.librarything.com/topic/331148

(https://www.librarything.com/profile/Sallymcllwainbooks)

68MarthaJeanne
huhtikuu 3, 2021, 3:20 am

712wonderY
huhtikuu 6, 2021, 7:05 am

76MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: huhtikuu 17, 2021, 3:39 am

>75 Nicole_VanK: We got rid of that one very quickly.

77gilroy
Muokkaaja: huhtikuu 17, 2021, 7:09 am

>74 lilithcat: Did anyone leave a note on her profile?

ETA: OMG, never mind. I found her tirade thread.

79MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: huhtikuu 19, 2021, 4:00 am

>78 2wonderY: also https://www.librarything.com/topic/331527

Both this one and the one in 78 are gone now.

80karenb
huhtikuu 20, 2021, 9:11 am

profile: https://www.librarything.com/profile/tina1sharma1
review: https://www.librarything.com/review/197844608 (to get flagged out of existence before marking the work as spam)

822wonderY
huhtikuu 23, 2021, 6:34 am

>81 MarthaJeanne: She seems to have paused; but she’s already removed my message to her. I came here to record her profile just in case...

83MarthaJeanne
huhtikuu 23, 2021, 6:41 am

I know there were more than those 6. Anyway, all the ones I know about are gone.

84MarthaJeanne
huhtikuu 23, 2021, 3:34 pm

>82 2wonderY: I guess she really gave up. It must be discouraging to delete a message about spamming just to have someone else add a similar message. Anyway, my message is still there.

852wonderY
huhtikuu 23, 2021, 3:40 pm

Teamwork!

86karenb
Muokkaaja: huhtikuu 23, 2021, 10:27 pm

88hailelib
huhtikuu 23, 2021, 10:42 pm

The Eric Arnold author page is mostly books for children.

90Taphophile13
Muokkaaja: huhtikuu 26, 2021, 9:49 pm

92MarthaJeanne
toukokuu 1, 2021, 8:51 am

Author spam
https://www.librarything.com/topic/331855

(https://www.librarything.com/profile/ESTHERCAMPOS)

93norabelle414
toukokuu 5, 2021, 10:48 am

https://www.librarything.com/profile/brandon_mercado

The account is adding spam published reviews. See: https://www.librarything.com/work/3102448
The account has a bronze medal for adding published reviews so there are at least 25 of them out there somewhere.

94lilithcat
toukokuu 5, 2021, 10:53 am

>93 norabelle414:

Looks like he and his reviews are now gone.

95norabelle414
toukokuu 5, 2021, 12:27 pm

>93 norabelle414:
This account is doing it too: https://www.librarything.com/profile/JewelBonney2888

Both are using the published reviews to promote something called novelstar (sometimes spelled "n0velstar" with a zero)

from https://www.librarything.com/work/8585029

afaik there's no way to search or see a list of recently added published reviews, right?

98gilroy
toukokuu 10, 2021, 3:35 pm

https://www.librarything.com/spam_works.php

We have plenty of items in the spam works section that need to be voted as No. Some users have chosen to catalogue their cell items with full description, but they aren't actively trying to sell these things, that I've seen (If I'm wrong, I'll change my stance on these.) If all they did was catalogue, then these are NOT spam and should not be marked as such.

99FAMeulstee
toukokuu 10, 2021, 3:56 pm

>98 gilroy: But then adding a cover of an existing book to cell items ...?

100gilroy
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 10, 2021, 4:06 pm

>99 FAMeulstee: I would say that they had a faulty upload with something.

If they aren't actively pushing things for sale, they are not violating the TOS and as such it is NOT spam.

101MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 10, 2021, 4:34 pm

An awful lot of them are ghost editions anyway.

Others are bad Amazon entries.

102karenb
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 10, 2021, 9:37 pm

>98 gilroy:
Yes, over forty were already passed as spam. There are over 100 left.

>100 gilroy: What gilroy said: possibly iffy, but not spam.

ETA: Dubious may be a better word than iffy.

103MarthaJeanne
toukokuu 11, 2021, 6:57 am

https://www.librarything.com/profile/zo_ey

Igit! In my topic! Advertising for schoolwork cheating site.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/328153#7503015

1042wonderY
toukokuu 11, 2021, 8:21 am

>103 MarthaJeanne: Hmm. Admin option to remove the post doesn’t work the way I thought it should.

1052wonderY
toukokuu 11, 2021, 8:25 am

Does joining a group protect a profile from being removed by flags?

106norabelle414
toukokuu 11, 2021, 9:27 am

>105 2wonderY: My guess, based on all the accounts I found above, is that *new* accounts can be suspended with just one or two flags but older accounts require at least many more flags if not site admin intervention.

1072wonderY
toukokuu 11, 2021, 9:56 am

There was a period of looking for old Spam accounts and they disappeared quite readily.

108norabelle414
toukokuu 11, 2021, 10:17 am

>107 2wonderY: I think that was before the site went fully free - previously, free accounts would be dispatched quickly and paid accounts took extra effort. But now all accounts are free (with all the privileges of a paid account).

110MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 12, 2021, 2:13 pm

https://www.librarything.com/topic/332138 Gone.

Author spam (https://www.librarything.com/profile/prashenjit22)

112MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 13, 2021, 4:45 am

Re >105 2wonderY: This one isn't going either, so I would guess that it is length of membership. Which is funny, because if this member had just joined, I would not have flagged. It was no activity in over a year since joining that convinced me that the whole purpose of joining was to post that ad in Vietnamese. And in fact it was to get that content and their website link counted. As spam goes it doesn't interfere with people using the site, so I guess it comes down to how Tim feels about LT being used to up people's counts.

113norabelle414
toukokuu 13, 2021, 3:56 pm

115karenb
toukokuu 17, 2021, 7:37 am

old, but still worth flagging?

review: https://www.librarything.com/work/3753235/reviews/20140810
user: https://www.librarything.com/profile/nisha_sharma03

(work is possibly fake but not spam)

118norabelle414
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 18, 2021, 8:52 am

author/publisher spam: https://www.librarything.com/topic/332291
do not flag (I left a message): https://www.librarything.com/profile/sarmik

1202wonderY
toukokuu 22, 2021, 5:39 am

I seem to have lost my flagging powers. Usually one flag will disappear profiles. Not today.

https://www.librarything.com/profile/CyberlabTechnologies

https://www.librarything.com/profile/alljobsgk

121lilithcat
toukokuu 22, 2021, 8:38 am

>120 2wonderY:

They're gone now.

122MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 24, 2021, 12:25 am

Author spam

https://www.librarything.com/topic/13910#7513831

And while you are there, message 37 could use another flag.

(https://www.librarything.com/profile/timi.ogunjobi)

126lilithcat
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 26, 2021, 9:12 am

127gilroy
toukokuu 26, 2021, 9:30 am

>126 lilithcat: But if they aren't advertising a cleaning service, they are allowed to catalog anything they want...

128karenb
Muokkaaja: toukokuu 27, 2021, 2:06 am

review: https://www.librarything.com/work/22718861/reviews/164243678

as >127 gilroy: notes, the related works are technically not spam, nor is the user. So close, though. The review definitely is spam.

(And yeah, it was possibly a bad call on my part for >125 karenb: . I'm trying to be more cautious these days.)

1292wonderY
toukokuu 27, 2021, 4:25 am

>127 gilroy:, >128 karenb:. I believe when the joining and adding spam links in places like reviews, the work and the profile should be flagged as Spam too.

130karenb
toukokuu 28, 2021, 12:56 am

user: https://www.librarything.com/profile/SolarLi
(work already marked as spam)

131karenb
toukokuu 28, 2021, 2:19 am

review: https://www.librarything.com/work/13900177/reviews/98641815
user: https://www.librarything.com/profile/perfectsolar264

Please let the review become flagged out. I'll mark the work as spam later.

134spiralsheep
toukokuu 28, 2021, 6:22 am

>130 karenb: Also author spam here:

https://www.librarything.com/author/httpwwwsolarlighting

I don't know how to deal with that.

135jasbro
toukokuu 28, 2021, 9:29 am

>134 spiralsheep: Take a look again. Does that work, at least until timspalding, et al. can address it otherwise?

136norabelle414
toukokuu 28, 2021, 9:34 am

>135 jasbro: As mentioned in the first post here (I know it's kind of hidden toward the bottom), Tim has asked us not to change CK to indicate spammers. Once a spam author page has no works on it, it vanishes into the ether (technically still exists but there's no way to find it). There's no need to add a canonical name, and that can make things confusing in the future.

139norabelle414
toukokuu 31, 2021, 2:14 pm

140karenb
toukokuu 31, 2021, 10:14 pm

user: https://www.librarything.com/profile/Roof-Installation
(work already flagged as spam)

142karenb
Muokkaaja: kesäkuu 1, 2021, 2:36 pm

143jasbro
kesäkuu 1, 2021, 9:05 pm

>136 norabelle414: Thanks - I had missed that.

145elkiedee
Muokkaaja: kesäkuu 9, 2021, 5:06 pm

user: https://www.librarything.com/profile/Mello.Marsh
on George Saunders, A Swim in the Pond on the Rain - Published Review
Suggesting using a site called novelstar.com

I see this has been reported on other accounts by others eg >96 norabelle414: and >97 norabelle414:

146MarthaJeanne
kesäkuu 9, 2021, 5:30 pm

>145 elkiedee: I have deleted the review.

147MarthaJeanne
kesäkuu 9, 2021, 11:49 pm

https://www.librarything.com/profile/PageTurn also entered a novelstar.com ad in published review.

148MarthaJeanne
kesäkuu 10, 2021, 5:22 am

Author spam
https://www.librarything.com/topic/332839

(https://www.librarything.com/profile/SujithSukumar)

149gilroy
kesäkuu 10, 2021, 5:29 am

150MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: kesäkuu 10, 2021, 5:35 am

>148 MarthaJeanne: >149 gilroy: Both gone. Sorry, I don't hang out at the Green Dragon.

Should we do anything about the caption to his author picture?
https://www.librarything.com/author/sujithsukumar

1512wonderY
kesäkuu 10, 2021, 6:18 am

>150 MarthaJeanne: I uploaded the picture again and flagged the original.

152lilithcat
Muokkaaja: kesäkuu 10, 2021, 8:12 am

>150 MarthaJeanne:

i generally drop a comment asking the uploader to remove the biographical/promotional material, and directing them to the information on the "Contributing Photos to LibraryThing" wiki page. If they don't do so within a day or two, then I'll re-upload it and flag the original.

I think it's appropriate to give the person time to fix the issue, and they often do. I've occasionally received very nice "Thank you for letting me know" responses.

153haydninvienna
Muokkaaja: kesäkuu 10, 2021, 9:09 am

https://www.librarything.com/profile/EwanStokes
and
https://www.librarything.com/topic/331097#7527133

Flagged the message, giving the profile the benefit of the doubt for now (but will be watching).

ETA Doubt resolved--same message popped up in a group I don't hang out in. Flagged.

154lilithcat
kesäkuu 10, 2021, 9:19 am

>153 haydninvienna:

What was the message?

155haydninvienna
kesäkuu 10, 2021, 9:57 am

It's gone now but something about Google paying, and what looked like bits of an ad for a gym. Plus a link.

157greeneyed_ives
kesäkuu 15, 2021, 8:41 pm

https://www.librarything.com/work/25901686/summary

Noticed what seems to be a lot of sock puppetry to promote this title, especially in lists.

158lilithcat
kesäkuu 15, 2021, 8:44 pm

>157 greeneyed_ives:

? Clearly not a spam work.

If there is a profile or review that you believe is spam, please provide the link.

159greeneyed_ives
kesäkuu 15, 2021, 9:42 pm

>158 lilithcat: Sorry, the work isn't spam. I think there is sock puppetry to promote the work.

User: https://www.librarything.com/profile/4206969420
User: https://www.librarything.com/profile/ushsira
User: https://www.librarything.com/profile/flicerr
User: https://www.librarything.com/profile/allah-allah2

I pulled all of these users from this list: https://www.librarything.com/list/42765/all/Top-Five-Books-of-2020

Each user has the work on their list as #1. They also thumbed down other works, I think to try to manipulate the overall list score.

There appear to be 11 accounts total on that list that might qualify as sock puppets. There may be more associated with that work, but I can't be sure. The 4 above are just a sample.

160lilithcat
kesäkuu 15, 2021, 9:57 pm

I don't know. I see a lot of other people thumbing down multiple works on that list, and who do not have that particular work listed.

161greeneyed_ives
Muokkaaja: kesäkuu 15, 2021, 10:28 pm

>160 lilithcat: I think thumbing down is fairly normal, but it was the pattern that struck me. 11 accounts, all with that work as #1. None of the 11 members have any other work listed in their personal top 5 list. A few of the members thumbed down works above the title in question. Many of the 11 just have the one title in their library period. No other works cataloged.

Edit: Also, looking at the 67 members who have the book cataloged, many just have the one title. A few members have more than the one book, but they all seem very similar. All titles about China, with 1 or 2 stars, except the title in question is 5 or 4 stars. There is a few members who do appear to have more active accounts, so I don't think the work itself is spam.

162yolana
kesäkuu 15, 2021, 10:30 pm

>159 greeneyed_ives: and most of them joined in a one week period in January and the only thing in most of their libraries is this book or two copies of it. Poor guy, I don’t think he’ll be able to brute force his way into better sales, it’s performing abysmally on Amazon.

163norabelle414
kesäkuu 15, 2021, 11:06 pm

Definitely sock puppets. All joined within the same couple weeks and have either just that one book rated 5 stars OR that one book rated 5 stars and a different book with the same title that they have rated 1 star

https://www.librarything.com/profile/slmundog
https://www.librarything.com/profile/fyunniy
https://www.librarything.com/profile/darren-wu
https://www.librarything.com/profile/drissmata
https://www.librarything.com/profile/gravityfalls01
https://www.librarything.com/profile/porsche-business
https://www.librarything.com/profile/flosky123
https://www.librarything.com/profile/hongren
https://www.librarything.com/profile/kimberly331
https://www.librarything.com/profile/yutittiese
https://www.librarything.com/profile/ramuppna
https://www.librarything.com/profile/5505500
https://www.librarything.com/profile/RAMSIS1221
https://www.librarything.com/profile/londonbridge00
https://www.librarything.com/profile/Peachy22-22
https://www.librarything.com/profile/murrattaa
https://www.librarything.com/profile/wormilli
https://www.librarything.com/profile/rosegarden-ww
https://www.librarything.com/profile/dippersandme
https://www.librarything.com/profile/frankling-wood
https://www.librarything.com/profile/imltt
https://www.librarything.com/profile/wonderboo
https://www.librarything.com/profile/wutanclan
https://www.librarything.com/profile/michelle-low
https://www.librarything.com/profile/dickky
https://www.librarything.com/profile/mrzhang
https://www.librarything.com/profile/hemminllgway
https://www.librarything.com/profile/ildinamurni
https://www.librarything.com/profile/acticeaction
https://www.librarything.com/profile/frenchkisses
https://www.librarything.com/profile/puppetmasterohio (does that mean this one is the leader?)
https://www.librarything.com/profile/snowfla8e
https://www.librarything.com/profile/populius
https://www.librarything.com/profile/timberlandman
https://www.librarything.com/profile/lemontreees
https://www.librarything.com/profile/theofficeuk
https://www.librarything.com/profile/packerus
https://www.librarything.com/profile/flunkers3
https://www.librarything.com/profile/tih78d
https://www.librarything.com/profile/drapostina
https://www.librarything.com/profile/AndrewAndrew
https://www.librarything.com/profile/cyyyc99
https://www.librarything.com/profile/Wunder1133
https://www.librarything.com/profile/emily-hongkong
https://www.librarything.com/profile/summer-lindsey
https://www.librarything.com/profile/booknerdreader
https://www.librarything.com/profile/slummter
https://www.librarything.com/profile/princesswonderbra
https://www.librarything.com/profile/tantantan
https://www.librarything.com/profile/draculasknight
https://www.librarything.com/profile/133wu133
https://www.librarything.com/profile/4206969420

More evidence:
This list - https://www.librarything.com/list/12006/all/All-Things-China - 2 established users listed ~5 books each and 8 new users with only this book listed this book
This topic from January where 3 sock puppets talk to each other - https://www.librarything.com/topic/328399
This review has 13 thumbs. We can't see who gives thumbs but its extremely unusual for even popular books to get that many thumbs on a review - https://www.librarything.com/work/25901686/reviews/194593093

164greeneyed_ives
kesäkuu 16, 2021, 8:21 am

>163 norabelle414: Thank you for more thoroughly documenting the issue! I don't really post to threads much, but I felt this was too weird not to post about it.

165lilithcat
kesäkuu 16, 2021, 8:22 am

>163 norabelle414:

Considering all that, I'd suggest you report it to Tim.

166kristilabrie
Muokkaaja: kesäkuu 16, 2021, 10:17 am

>157 greeneyed_ives: I'm looking at this now. Thanks!

ETA: fixed/removed. That was a large batch of sock puppets! Also recalculated the Understanding China: Learning from China's Past, Present, and Future work to reflect the appropriate number of (real) members. Thanks for the heads up.

169MarthaJeanne
kesäkuu 18, 2021, 2:47 am

Is there some reason why you are not marking those works as spam?

170karenb
Muokkaaja: kesäkuu 18, 2021, 4:18 pm

>169 MarthaJeanne: To flag the reviews away first. It's a lot easier to flag a review on a regular work than on a work that's already been marked as spam.

172karenb
kesäkuu 20, 2021, 4:48 am

173MarthaJeanne
kesäkuu 20, 2021, 5:00 am

Just a silly question, but does anybody really think that spam like that is going to get them contracts?

175norabelle414
Muokkaaja: kesäkuu 20, 2021, 3:12 pm

>173 MarthaJeanne: Having links on a popular website can boost their rankings in Google search, regardless of whether someone clicks on the link. They are not posting with the intention of getting any business here, just that someone might search for "roofing company {town}" and be directed here and then to their website

178MarthaJeanne
kesäkuu 24, 2021, 5:03 am

>177 karenb: That first one also has a review.

179Taphophile13
Muokkaaja: kesäkuu 24, 2021, 10:39 pm

new member pushing his books
https://www.librarything.com/topic/333200#n7538571
ETA: now gone

left message
https://www.librarything.com/profile/whatrocks (don't flag)

180karenb
kesäkuu 24, 2021, 11:02 pm

>178 MarthaJeanne: True, but it wasn't an egregious review full of links etc. It seems to be gone, as well.

182norabelle414
kesäkuu 26, 2021, 3:16 pm

Author spam: https://www.librarything.com/topic/327635#7539985 (plus another topic which is already gone)
Do not flag (I left a message): https://www.librarything.com/profile/jtkav27

184lilithcat
kesäkuu 28, 2021, 11:50 am

1872wonderY
Muokkaaja: heinäkuu 8, 2021, 9:27 am

188MarthaJeanne
heinäkuu 8, 2021, 9:34 am

190lilithcat
heinäkuu 9, 2021, 8:07 am

>189 FAMeulstee:

Member and posts are gone.

193gilroy
heinäkuu 10, 2021, 10:13 am

>191 2wonderY:, >192 2wonderY: Can you give a little more as to WHY these profiles are flagged? Please?

194MarthaJeanne
heinäkuu 10, 2021, 10:34 am

>193 gilroy: I suspect, as has happened to me recently, the posts were gone before she could copy the URLs over. In the case of >192 2wonderY:, see https://www.librarything.com/topic/333596 and https://www.librarything.com/topic/298184#7551506

195lilithcat
heinäkuu 10, 2021, 11:36 am

1962wonderY
heinäkuu 11, 2021, 7:21 am

>193 gilroy: Sorry; they were spamming threads wholesale.

https://www.librarything.com/profile/Johnsonobey

197MarthaJeanne
heinäkuu 12, 2021, 2:25 am

Author spam https://www.librarything.com/topic/333627#n7552773

(https://www.librarything.com/profile/russiniet)

198MarthaJeanne
heinäkuu 12, 2021, 4:32 am

https://www.librarything.com/topic/333628

I know the spammer is gone, but one more flag will get the URL topic out of talk.

199Nicole_VanK
heinäkuu 12, 2021, 4:44 am

2022wonderY
heinäkuu 12, 2021, 3:12 pm

203lilithcat
Muokkaaja: heinäkuu 12, 2021, 3:20 pm

>202 2wonderY:

The sad thing is that I'd really like to have his book, but it's $85.

https://www.librarything.com/profile/reidbyers

204MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: heinäkuu 13, 2021, 6:56 am

https://www.librarything.com/profile/gimdrtceLee

https://www.librarything.com/topic/333648#n7553646

Please continue to flag the post until it totally disappears. We don't want the spam URL showing ing the talk lists.

Gone. That was fast.

205booksaplenty1949
Muokkaaja: heinäkuu 15, 2021, 12:23 pm

Lloyd_Cruz a member since May 2021, has been using the “Published Review” box to push NovelStar, a self-publishing venture. He has done this 41 times. His own page shows no books.

206MarthaJeanne
heinäkuu 15, 2021, 12:26 pm

207booksaplenty1949
heinäkuu 15, 2021, 1:07 pm

>206 MarthaJeanne: Yes, I flagged him, and his link to the “published review” of the six volume Oxford illustrated Jane Austen is gone. No way to know what other books he posted his spam message on, however. He has a medal for linking published reviews. LOL

208norabelle414
heinäkuu 15, 2021, 1:30 pm

>207 booksaplenty1949: Published review spam is somewhat common and very hard to find. Thankfully when the account is removed all of their published reviews are also removed.

I recommended a site improvement to allow us to see all published reviews in one place so we can catch spam easier. Looks like it might actually happen (maybe) (eventually)
https://www.librarything.com/topic/333005

209gilroy
heinäkuu 18, 2021, 9:03 am

https://www.librarything.com/topic/333751
Author spam

(Do not flag, already left note)https://www.librarything.com/profile/susiehelme

210norabelle414
heinäkuu 19, 2021, 3:43 pm

Another account promoting NovelStar in the published reviews: https://www.librarything.com/profile/Paul.Molive

211MarthaJeanne
heinäkuu 24, 2021, 3:11 am

2122wonderY
heinäkuu 24, 2021, 7:30 am

I could have made this one disappear quietly this morning. But it struck me as too cute!

https://www.librarything.com/profile/startalaundromat

213lilithcat
heinäkuu 24, 2021, 9:21 am

>212 2wonderY:

It's gone. What was cute about it?

2142wonderY
heinäkuu 24, 2021, 9:38 am

It’s just such a narrow business niche, and their blurb was so matter of fact. Compared to all the other Spam accounts, it seemed quaint.

215gilroy
heinäkuu 24, 2021, 8:02 pm

Based on the way they're posting and the fact that they just joined today, I'm guessing this is the author:
https://www.librarything.com/profile/Kitano_Kakashi

Offending threads:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/328198#7562237
https://www.librarything.com/topic/333899
https://www.librarything.com/topic/333898

216lilithcat
heinäkuu 24, 2021, 8:18 pm

>215 gilroy:

I'm not convinced at this point. I'd need more evidence.

217Taphophile13
heinäkuu 24, 2021, 9:18 pm

>215 gilroy:, >216 lilithcat: It looks as if the book may have been published yesterday?

Shadow Shinjuku
Ryu Takeshi
Boris Martinovic, Jul 23, 2021 - 375 pages
https://books.google.com/books/about/Shadow_Shinjuku.html?id=r8w5EAAAQBAJ

2182wonderY
heinäkuu 24, 2021, 10:11 pm

And the poster is the only member listing the books. Does seem suspicious.

219MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: heinäkuu 25, 2021, 2:59 am

If this person is not the author, s/he is very probably being paid to put up promotional posts. This is also against the ToS.

These just don't read like someone really excited about a book so that they feel they have to join a website to tell the world about it.

At this point the three posts have visible flags.

220MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: heinäkuu 25, 2021, 10:46 am

https://www.librarything.com/topic/333906

Author spam
(https://www.librarything.com/profile/Shrinivas22)

Ah! She deleted her post. I think we could continue to flag it, to removed the title from talk.

Gone.

223gilroy
heinäkuu 31, 2021, 11:01 am

https://www.librarything.com/profile/MichaelDrakich
(Warned once before back in 2018. I posted the note again, but want to flag.)

Author spam:
https://www.librarything.com/topic/334034

224MarthaJeanne
heinäkuu 31, 2021, 11:44 am

I certainly think that if MichaelDrakich tries it again in a year or three we need to assume that he is not teachable.

226karenb
elokuu 2, 2021, 8:32 pm

228wcarter
elokuu 6, 2021, 6:24 am

https://www.librarything.com/topic/334193#n7571847
Bob__Reader has been blocked in another thread as a sock puppet under the name Bob_Reader.
Appears to be indirect promotion of a book sale and when this is questioned (see post 8 in same thread) multiple flags appear, possibly from fake accounts.

229amanda4242
Muokkaaja: elokuu 6, 2021, 1:00 pm

230MarthaJeanne
elokuu 6, 2021, 1:27 pm

>229 amanda4242: He's gone.

232rabbitprincess
elokuu 8, 2021, 1:24 pm

Haven't seen this type of spam before, hopefully never again. https://www.librarything.com/topic/334256#unread

234lilithcat
elokuu 8, 2021, 1:31 pm

>232 rabbitprincess:, >233 gilroy:

He has been silenced. (Pun very much intended.)

236lilithcat
elokuu 10, 2021, 8:31 am

2382wonderY
Muokkaaja: elokuu 11, 2021, 8:09 am

Had to save the verbiage on another spam account because it’s so expressive, yet dense:

As the demonstration we guarantee where you might want to get control on our official for pressing the nectar from profound inside they have been avoiding others of getting our exotic body to impact where tits to tits conflicting with you and a great deal more, They do know they best and where to touch and kiss play with some keeping in mind the end goal to make your targets driving as hard and delicate you would like or blended form of take strokes on your private ports by taking body to body massage in Delhi to, have all engaging assume that you scarcely stop yourself adoring with desire and beguiling and excellence that meet your certain high calibre in Delhi. Visit: https

https://www.librarything.com/profile/EpicSpa

Tell me if I offend here, and I will delete it.

239lilithcat
elokuu 11, 2021, 8:32 am

>238 2wonderY:

Oh, please don't delete it! That's too funny.

240SandraArdnas
elokuu 11, 2021, 9:18 am

It's safe to say google translate will not be replacing translators any time soon :)

2412wonderY
elokuu 11, 2021, 10:35 am

Repeat author spam post.

https://www.librarything.com/topic/334326

I’ve already messaged him. Someone else want to try?

https://www.librarything.com/profile/didipostman

244booksaplenty1949
elokuu 12, 2021, 8:50 am

I have a badge for flagging 250+ spam members and I imagine a lot of other people do too. If one clicks on the links on this reporting thread one almost invariably sees the message that the member has been reported for spam. My understanding was that this thread was for queries about dubious cases, not a reference to the obvious spammers one had already flagged.

245norabelle414
Muokkaaja: elokuu 12, 2021, 8:55 am

>244 booksaplenty1949: No, the topic for dubious cases is here: https://www.librarything.com/topic/322975#

This topic is for obvious cases. Although it does not take many experienced members flagging the accounts to suspend them, it does take more than one. I flagged the accounts in >242 2wonderY: and >243 2wonderY: earlier. Presumably I was at least the 2nd account to flag them but they were not yet suspended after I did. So it is still useful to post obvious cases here so other users can flag them and they can get suspended.

246MarthaJeanne
elokuu 12, 2021, 9:03 am

The ones in >243 2wonderY: are gone now.

A spam message takes four flags to delete or hide. I think accounts may vary depending on the status of the flaggers.

2472wonderY
elokuu 12, 2021, 9:52 am

I think sometimes the process is just slower than usual for no particular reason. I go to new profile pictures every morning to look for spam accounts. Usually, they disappear quickly. But only if they don’t, I post them here.

248Taphophile13
Muokkaaja: elokuu 12, 2021, 2:53 pm

https://www.librarything.com/profile/ranazeeshanahmad.com

started a group for his website design business
https://www.librarything.com/ngroups/23490/Zee4ITWorld

ETA: member has been removed
the group picture is also gone but the group is still there

ETA2: all gone now

249Marissa_Doyle
elokuu 13, 2021, 10:33 am

I'm guessing this is the author being disingenuous, based on the similarity between the user name on this brand new account with no other books listed and the author's name on Amazon:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/334369

250MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: elokuu 13, 2021, 10:42 am

>249 Marissa_Doyle: You'd think he would at least enter his book before trying to advertise it.

I don't recommend looking at the bit available on Amazon. The 'literary' bit means that it doesn't make sense.

"These journals are special - their meaningful."

251gilroy
elokuu 13, 2021, 10:42 am

>249 Marissa_Doyle: I left a message on the profile already

252lilithcat
elokuu 13, 2021, 10:46 am

>249 Marissa_Doyle:

It would be helpful if you would link to the profile.

253MarthaJeanne
elokuu 13, 2021, 10:54 am

256norabelle414
elokuu 18, 2021, 10:47 am

https://www.librarything.com/topic/334512
https://www.librarything.com/profile/tunglinh17492

Took me a minute, but according to google translate the links on their profile and words randomly inserted into the text of their Talk post are selling a water purifier

257karenb
elokuu 18, 2021, 4:37 pm

258Taphophile13
elokuu 18, 2021, 5:22 pm

"just published my debut novel on Amazon and six sample chapters are available to read on the Kindle version link"
https://www.librarything.com/topic/334530

Author was already advised not to advertise on Aug 7:
https://www.librarything.com/profile/KirstenBeckworth

259lilithcat
elokuu 18, 2021, 5:30 pm

>258 Taphophile13:

You mean that's not her first post? Color me shocked.

263gilroy
elokuu 18, 2021, 6:13 pm

>258 Taphophile13: >260 norabelle414: What does she think this is, GoodReads? I mean no need for sockpuppets here...

2642wonderY
elokuu 18, 2021, 6:26 pm

Do we flag the sock puppets or notify staff?

265lilithcat
elokuu 18, 2021, 6:28 pm

>264 2wonderY:

See >1 lilithcat::

"Suspected sock-puppetry to promote a book, write fake reviews, and/or stack ratings: do not flag the profile, but report to staff here or by message, so staff can investigate. "

267FAMeulstee
Muokkaaja: elokuu 20, 2021, 3:53 pm

269MarthaJeanne
Muokkaaja: elokuu 23, 2021, 5:33 pm

>268 Marissa_Doyle: I'm assuming that was author spam. Topic is gone.

270lilithcat
elokuu 23, 2021, 5:51 pm

About time for a new thread, I think.
Tämä viestiketju jatkuu täällä: Spam reporting thread #74.