Another fake geocacher

[+on4bam]

Make all of your caches "Premium Member Only" caches, and that should reduce the fake log entries.

 

Spammers use automated scripts so they go straight to the log page and don't get stopped by PM.

 

Remember that these logs are not posted by people but by computers and GC codes are probably just random combinations. It wouldn't surprise me that a lot of the generated codes don't exist thus giving GC a way to easily catch a spammer if his username generates a lot of errors in a short time.

[+Ritakg]

Another fake cacher who posted yesterday:

 

Brock8408

 

Never used the forum but this seems to be the place to report these fake posts?

[Rock Chalk]

Another fake cacher who posted yesterday:

 

Brock8408

 

Never used the forum but this seems to be the place to report these fake posts?

 

If you see on user profile that the account is locked (such as is the case with this one), then there's no need to report it. "Locked" indicates we've addressed that one. But thanks!

[+biggles1024]

Please don't lock me. I can assure you that I'm a real person and a real geocacher.

[+jellis]

Please don't lock me. I can assure you that I'm a real person and a real geocacher.

Well as long as you don't have a link in your logs I am sure you are safe.

[+Gill & Tony]

Is there any reason to have a hyperlink in a log? If not, the simple solution would be for the developers to reject any log with a hyperlink. Don't strip the hyperlink, just post a message saying "please remove the hyperlink from your log".

 

A real person will be able to do this, a computer will just fail to get the log published.

[+irisisleuk]

Is there any reason to have a hyperlink in a log? If not, the simple solution would be for the developers to reject any log with a hyperlink. Don't strip the hyperlink, just post a message saying "please remove the hyperlink from your log".

 

A real person will be able to do this, a computer will just fail to get the log published.

 

I sometimes have hyperlinks, for instance when we make a little movie about a cache then we add a hyperlink to the youtube location in our log.

[+on4bam]

People sometimes use links to promote events. Eventhough links are not often used there might be legitimate use for them. We can't let spammers dictate us if we can use links or not.

[+Gill & Tony]

Ah, well - simple solutions don't always work.

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Is there any reason to have a hyperlink in a log? If not, the simple solution would be for the developers to reject any log with a hyperlink. Don't strip the hyperlink, just post a message saying "please remove the hyperlink from your log".

 

A real person will be able to do this, a computer will just fail to get the log published.

 

There is a somewhat infrequent poster in the forums that creates links in their logs to the previous and subsequent cache logs they write so one can followed their day from cache to cache.

[+niraD]

Is there any reason to have a hyperlink in a log?

When I discover trackables at events, I link to the event in the discover log.

 

When I go geocaching in a group that uses a team name, I explain the team name and list everyone involved in my first log, and then link to that log in all my other logs.

 

And I sometimes refer to something and link to the page for that something, in case anyone wonders what that something is.

[Pup Patrol]

Is there any reason to have a hyperlink in a log? If not, the simple solution would be for the developers to reject any log with a hyperlink. Don't strip the hyperlink, just post a message saying "please remove the hyperlink from your log".

 

A real person will be able to do this, a computer will just fail to get the log published.

 

I have posted links to other caches and to the Help Center in my logs.

 

Posting a link is not the problem. Spammers getting in the front door is the problem.

 

B.

[+K13]

Is there any reason to have a hyperlink in a log? If not, the simple solution would be for the developers to reject any log with a hyperlink. Don't strip the hyperlink, just post a message saying "please remove the hyperlink from your log".

 

A real person will be able to do this, a computer will just fail to get the log published.

 

I have posted links to other caches and to the Help Center in my logs.

 

Posting a link is not the problem. Spammers getting in the front door is the problem.

 

B.

 

Likely, a verified email address would virtually prevent it.

[+on4bam]

Likely, a verified email address would virtually prevent it.

 

It would catch most of them.

[+Curly_McWurly]

Clarke9414 Logged GC2MDV5

[Pup Patrol]

Clarke9414 Logged GC2MDV5

 

The account has already been locked, and I guess the finds will be deleted soon.

 

B.

[+jellis]

Best only post recent ones. Probably any on or after 9/6. Most of the ones between 9/2 and 9/5 have been taken care of or will soon be.

[+heike_hgw]

Here are three more and they are not locked yet:

 

Chambers9135

Sellers7830

Trujillo8931

 

Greetings from Germany

Heike

[+kiww]

Another one using the name Dewayne6482 just became a member today and has almost 100 finds already. I'm near Bloosmburg PA and he has finds logged all around the world already. Also puts a plug in the bottom for a website for hints.

[+Fugads]

Two more:

Yu4785

Marshall6048

 

Although I think the latter was already locked. Man these guys stink!

[+PlasmaWave]

Thought this had stopped a few weeks ago, but I had four new logs today in the UK from following fake cachers - I have deleted the logs:

 

Benny5466

Cummings7634

Reuben1106

Schroeder3485

Edited September 25, 2015 by PlasmaWave

[+Jffok]

The website seems to automatically log 100 random caches from all over the world.

 

One of mine was logged too, so I suspect it may be linked to the fourms here.

Nah! You're just special. I got hit twice today and some others more the then that.

 

Yeah, but most of us have visited the forum too. It's not just a random bot program.

[+Jffok]

I was hit with the ones that happened about three weeks ago and then got two yesterday and four today. It was after getting the four this morning that I logged into the forums. Just checking to see if ground speak was close to getting it shut down again.

 

I am now up to 9 bogus emails this morning. Four finders on one cache and then some other random caches. Last time I had to delete them from my caches but it appears they aren't actually getting posted to the cache page as a find. Just the email. Or else gs is on top of deleting them instantly.

Edited September 25, 2015 by Jffok

[Pontoffel Pock]

I just got 3 email notifications from three of them 'finding' my cache...but they don't show up on the caches page.

[+Dr.MORO]

Domo moderators,

 

Could you merge three (3) related treads?

 

Fake Geocacher (Posted 05 September 2015 - 10:32 AM)

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=334746

 

Another fake geocacher (Posted 05 September 2015 - 12:56 PM)

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=334750

 

and mine, "Bogus Found logs, many different user of ####.co.uk" (Posted Today, 01:12 PM)

http://forums.Groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?showtopic=335151

 

Sorry and Thanks!

 

Careful what you click!

 

~ Dr.MORO

 

(Edit: Typos...)

Edited September 25, 2015 by Dr.MORO

[+blackdogsMT]

I was hit by Mack1747 yesterday and reported to HQ. This account was locked thereafter.

 

http://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=1606cf99-edee-477e-bc40-6b7a8fbb3932

[+jellis]

I just got 3 email notifications from three of them 'finding' my cache...but they don't show up on the caches page.

Because HQ is on top of it.

[+Bingley3683]

Isnt it time GS tightened up on this - email reply certification for new accounts or even a captcha thingie for new logs? I am getting 7-10 fake finds every day.....

[+The Happy Hodag!]

Isnt it time GS tightened up on this - email reply certification for new accounts or even a captcha thingie for new logs? I am getting 7-10 fake finds every day.....

 

+1

 

I'm honestly suprised GC doesn't have some sort of system like this in place be now. However, I'm not sure how effective it would be as these bots have been able to get at PMO caches.

 

-The Happy Hodag!

[+on4bam]

Isnt it time GS tightened up on this - email reply certification for new accounts or even a captcha thingie for new logs?

 

Just about everyone knows that this would help a great deal but it seems that it can't be done (it would have been a lot less work than the mes(s)sy center).

[+Manville Possum]

Isnt it time GS tightened up on this - email reply certification for new accounts or even a captcha thingie for new logs? I am getting 7-10 fake finds every day.....

 

+1

 

I'm honestly suprised GC doesn't have some sort of system like this in place be now. However, I'm not sure how effective it would be as these bots have been able to get at PMO caches.

 

-The Happy Hodag!

 

Have PMO caches been effected too? One of our basic hides was spammed, but so far none of my PMO listings.