+T.D.M.22 Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Just received a message from a cachet witu no hides or finds and only just signed up. Hello my dear,My name is Miss Hazina Samuel, is my pleasure to contact you after viewing your profile today, I am looking for a partner and relationship if you are interested write me back thanks i will be expecting your mail, Your friend Hazina. Email address redacted Either spam or I'm more attractive than I thought. Quote Link to comment
+irisisleuk Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 We had this email as well, so I've reported it via a help center message to Groundspeak (although I was unsure how to categorize my request). Quote Link to comment
+Isonzo Karst Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 (although I was unsure how to categorize my request). Geocacher Disagreement surely? On account of you disagree with their use of the site's email function in contacting you? ;-) I expect that will get it to the staffer with the ability to disable an account. Quote Link to comment
+wmpastor Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 Just received a message from a cachet witu no hides or finds and only just signed up. Hello my dear,My name is Miss Hazina Samuel, is my pleasure to contact you after viewing your profile today, I am looking for a partner and relationship if you are interested write me back thanks i will be expecting your mail, Your friend Hazina. Email address redacted Either spam or I'm more attractive than I thought. Probably the latter. After all, Hazina isn't selling anything.....is she? Quote Link to comment
+on4bam Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 (edited) Probably the latter. After all, Hazina isn't selling anything.....is she? Not yet. Next step.. I'd like to visit you, send money for planeticket, a bit later, sorry, can't make it I'm in hospital, send money for doctor.. and on and on.... My guess: originating IP= W-Africa BTW Hazina = he Edited December 29, 2015 by on4bam Quote Link to comment
+Fugads Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I just got a spam in my message center as well. This one reminds me of the smap cache-logs that were plaguing the site a few months ago. Hey! Check out http://[redacted] if you want to view all the premium caches in your area for FREE!! User was CHAS7336. Trying to figure out now how to report this. Quote Link to comment
+OReviewer Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I just got a spam in my message center as well. This one reminds me of the smap cache-logs that were plaguing the site a few months ago. Hey! Check out http://[redacted] if you want to view all the premium caches in your area for FREE!! User was CHAS7336. Trying to figure out now how to report this. My player account just got the same one from Gavin6935. Quote Link to comment
+Fugads Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Looks like a new cyber attack for the new year. Oh goodie. Quote Link to comment
+st3phan Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 (edited) Me too. Just got this message via message center from user 'sexton8098' : Hey! Check out [redacted] if you want to view all the premium caches in your area for FREE!! Not very clever writing it that way with this username. The worst thing is, I can't delete it via the info-app on Android. So spam will stay in place for any time? Not a year since the message center started ... and just got spammed/hacked. I hope Seattle will fix this soon! Just another reason, to make the registration process more secure (i.e. activationlink via email,...) Thx a lot! Edited January 11, 2016 by Rock Chalk Removed link Quote Link to comment
+two bison Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 (edited) Check out [redacted] if you want to view all the premium caches in your area for FREE!! ... got two of this already today ... two different names ... please get them blocked soon or the message center will fill up since we can't delete them Edited January 11, 2016 by Rock Chalk Removed link reference Quote Link to comment
+bluesnote Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 (edited) Check out http_cacheprize_xyz if you want to view all the premium caches in your area for FREE!! ... got two of this already today ... two different names ... please get them blocked soon or the message center will fill up since we can't delete them I got that message too by a "fake" cacher named "Gilmore9527". I'm already a premium member so I know it's a hacker website. On another note, I get emails everytime someone messages me through the message center. This time, I didn't. Could this be related? I only knew about this messages since I got a notification in my message box when I logged into geocaching. Edited January 9, 2016 by bluesnote Quote Link to comment
+jimmyg7929 Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I've got two so far. Heres a good reason to be able to delete messages from the Message Center. Quote Link to comment
+apfelmaus Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Got the same message. I consider this a bug as the "geocacher" who contacted me isn't contactable as he did not verify his e-mail. Why on hell can a non-verified user contact all other geocacher? Quote Link to comment
Keystone Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 (edited) The staff at Geocaching HQ is aware of today's spam attack, and they're "on it." Hopefully a Lackey will stop by to post an update, but it's best to let them work on the problem now. [EDIT: It is no longer necessary to report account names. See the update below from a friendly Lackey.] You're welcome to continue posting account names so that they can be banned individually, unless and until a broader solution is found. Edited January 9, 2016 by Keystone Quote Link to comment
+prussel Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 You're welcome to continue posting account names so that they can be banned individually, unless and until a broader solution is found. Our spam-message is from Mcgee3338 Quote Link to comment
+Gillala Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Ellsworth6250 Nava8931 Donovan347 Quote Link to comment
+van der Decken Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Darnell5068 Quote Link to comment
+Damned Rodan Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 For me, the spam came from these accounts: Castaneda9015 Williamson7885 Quote Link to comment
+optimistene Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 (edited) Mel2084 Hooper2693 Edited January 9, 2016 by optimistene Quote Link to comment
+hallycat Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 (edited) Very annoying for a "feature" I would like to be able to turn off to have to deal with this Edited January 11, 2016 by Rock Chalk Removed image that shows links Quote Link to comment
+hallycat Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 (edited) Check out {redacted} if you want to view all the premium caches in your area for FREE!! ... got two of this already today ... two different names ... please get them blocked soon or the message center will fill up since we can't delete them I got that message too by a "fake" cacher named "Gilmore9527". I'm already a premium member so I know it's a hacker website. On another note, I get emails everytime someone messages me through the message center. This time, I didn't. Could this be related? I only knew about this messages since I got a notification in my message box when I logged into geocaching. Or have an option to only allow email no message center Edited January 11, 2016 by Rock Chalk Removed reference to link Quote Link to comment
+fuellbrats Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I got one from Oneal9050 Quote Link to comment
+oaknest Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 (edited) Getting several of these SPAM messages today. If Geocaching.com can't keep their messaging system from being hacked, I wish they provided a way to turn it off!! Or at least a way to delete Messages without opening them first. As it is now, I have to open up the SPAM message before I can do anything, than I can only "hide" it. That violates a cardinal rule of cyber security!! The only thing to do with a suspicious message/email is to immediately DELETE it. wiggins 8421 lucas6877 parker1711 Edited January 9, 2016 by oaknest Quote Link to comment
+st3phan Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Delete all users and their messages where username ends on four digits AND the emailadress is not authenticated ... Should work ... Quote Link to comment
+kunarion Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 (edited) Whitaker7701 These are being removed from the Message Center, right? That Spam does not need to be stored there. They also don't count as "New Geocachers". Don't just lock them, remove the account. Edited January 9, 2016 by kunarion Quote Link to comment
HITECHTEAM Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Childers7663 and Daniel5545 Quote Link to comment
Frau Potter Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Thanks for the early reports on this spammer. We have several engineers working today to resolve this issue. We are actively banning the accounts. But there is no longer a need for geocachers to post usernames in this thread anymore. Geocachers will receive email notifications resulting from these messages for a longer period of time. We will be discussing ways to prevent this sort of automatic messaging of geocachers. In the meantime, we recommend using the "Block User" feature in Message Center so that you don't have to see the messages from these users. Now it's time to head out and go geocaching! Quote Link to comment
+on4bam Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Now it's time to head out and go geocaching! No it isn't. It's almost midnight! Quote Link to comment
Frau Potter Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Now it's time to head out and go geocaching! No it isn't. It's almost midnight! Fair enough, I was aware of our users all over the world. I should say, "Now it's time for ME to go geocaching....I'm heading out to hide another cache in the sunny Seattle sunshine." Sleep well. Quote Link to comment
+msrubble Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 Sure, but it doesn't look as if we can "Block User" without opening their message. Will Groundspeak be deleting these spam messages, I hope? Not just instructing us to "hide" them? Quote Link to comment
+ecanderson Posted January 9, 2016 Share Posted January 9, 2016 I would still have been perfectly happy with decently verified email addresses, using email instead of this Message Center. But then, we've all talked about that before, and it's clear that Message Center isn't going away, as much as some of us felt we didn't want to deal with it. And yes, please delete all of the SPAM in the thousands of user accounts where it has been piling up (I have 3 so far). Any decent inbox would have a true "Delete" button, but this isn't a decent inbox... Quote Link to comment
+T.D.M.22 Posted January 10, 2016 Author Share Posted January 10, 2016 Now it's time to head out and go geocaching! No it isn't. It's almost midnight! Night caching. Quote Link to comment
Keystone Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 Pacheco4967 That account is already locked, as are all of the others created for spamming today. As noted above, there's no need to report additional account names. You can click on the "x" in Pacheco4967's message to you, in order to hide the conversation. You'll never see it again unless you try to send a message back to that account. Quote Link to comment
+Rustynails Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 I have seven on the Message Center I can't get rid of! When is GS going to delete this crap? You give us NO option to exterminate these cockroaches. Darren5690 Magana4931 Ward3369 Abel1126 Schroeder3473 Holden9498 Bailey4189 Quote Link to comment
+sh.wis Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 Trujillo2600 Hines3276 Nolan2479 Quote Link to comment
+niraD Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 As noted above, there's no need to report additional account names. Quote Link to comment
+dprovan Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 In the meantime, we recommend using the "Block User" feature in Message Center so that you don't have to see the messages from these users. Given the send limits, I assume they were opening accounts by the zillions in order to send so many of these, and that theory seems confirmed by the seemingly random number at the end of each name. So I shouldn't get a second one from the same account, right? Anyway, thanks for dealing with this, as it seems, from my point of view, that the problem has dried up. The volume didn't actually rise to the level that I found annoying, but I cringed at the thought of what the lackeys were going through to try to shut the problem down. Quote Link to comment
+JoenGPS Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 In the meantime, we recommend using the "Block User" feature in Message Center so that you don't have to see the messages from these users. Given the send limits, I assume they were opening accounts by the zillions in order to send so many of these, and that theory seems confirmed by the seemingly random number at the end of each name. So I shouldn't get a second one from the same account, right? Anyway, thanks for dealing with this, as it seems, from my point of view, that the problem has dried up. The volume didn't actually rise to the level that I found annoying, but I cringed at the thought of what the lackeys were going through to try to shut the problem down. Cudo's to the hamster(s) that worked fast to get rid of these rats. Curious however as to what the "payload" was if you clicked.... does anyone know? Quote Link to comment
+meoutdoors Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Delete all users and their messages where username ends on four digits AND the emailadress is not authenticated ... Should work ... How do I delete the users... All I can see is to hide the conversation and then I don't know where that goes. I would like to delete conversations that I no longer need to keep. Cannot find where I can do that. I consider myself tech savvy but not in this case with the message center. thanks for any help Quote Link to comment
Keystone Posted January 16, 2016 Share Posted January 16, 2016 Click on the "X" to hide the message center conversation from the spammer account. You'll never know it's still there on the servers somewhere, unless (1) you typed in that user's name to send them a new message (which you'd never need to do), or (2) that user contacted you again (which they can't, 'cuz they're banned). Quote Link to comment
+ecanderson Posted January 17, 2016 Share Posted January 17, 2016 This "hide" business has never made sense to me. What purpose does gc.com believe that it serves to maintain all Message Center content in perpetuity? Quote Link to comment
+Pond Bird Posted January 22, 2016 Share Posted January 22, 2016 Just received a message from a cachet witu no hides or finds and only just signed up. Hello my dear,My name is Miss Hazina Samuel, is my pleasure to contact you after viewing your profile today, I am looking for a partner and relationship if you are interested write me back thanks i will be expecting your mail, Your friend Hazina. Email address redacted Either spam or I'm more attractive than I thought. Looks like an ad for a dating site. I would ignore it since it's not geocaching related nor coming from an actual geocacher. Quote Link to comment
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