UBB.threads PHP Forum Software Community Forums UBB.threads 7 Version 7 Support Anti Spam idea - how to implement

OK so I have the stopforumspam mod installed and it seems to be getting about 3 a day. EXCELLENT!

However I am still getting spammed big time due to the travel nature of my site. Seems we attract "fake passport" spam and it is posted at 2am my time (or 3 or 4am - whatever it is when I am asleep meaning a big cleanup in the mornings).

Now I have had an idea but I can't implement it because of a setting in UBB and wondering if there is a work around.

I want to set all new users to a specific group, that group has limited abilities - ie can't post links etc. On top of that - and this is the key - I want to set it up that users in that group need to have their posts moderated.

I then set up a new group of "global mods" who have the ability to approve posts but no other mod abilities. These are long term users of my site who I trust and their instruction is "if it isn't spam approve it, I don't care if you don't agree with it". They will do this so all sweet.

Problem is this.

If I set that group to be promoted after say 2 posts or 5 posts or whatever to a "regular" user that doesn't require moderation then they just spam their first 5 to be moderated and then they start appearing.

The guy last night hit me with 35 posts! So the first 5 got sent to moderation, and while they are waiting to be moderated he hits the 5 post limit and gets automatic approval and goes bananas on my forum.

Is there any way to set it so that posts that are awaiting moderation (or have been declined) DON'T count in their post count? This way none of their posts would ever make it live.

Running UBB.thread 7.5.6p2

Thanks.

I feel your pain.
This is not in stock code
You may try:
Minimum time between posts
In the permissions and set it high for new registered groups
It may slow them down a bit

Already done that. Thanks.

I just don't understand how a post waiting for moderation can be counted by the system as a valid post to promote them to a new group.

Basically if someone could tell me which file the promotion between groups is calculated.

ie if a user reaches 10 posts they move from "New User" group to "User" group (defined in the admin/groupmanage.php section)

It should be fairly easy to edit the sql call that does a post count to not include posts that are awaiting moderation or have been denied. By simply changing that the OP idea can work.

You could raise the auto count to 100, or 500. That essentially STOPS them from advancing automatically.

Then if your mod/admin assistants see a valid new user - they can just "bump" them to the second (approved) level.

I had considered that but would like to automate it if possible.