Deadline checker and spam attack!
This morning, in a post about locating broken links, a bad or missing link-finder tool was offered and seconded by a few folks here. The tool is free- deadlink checker dot com.
I copied and pasted the link into a text that I sent via cell phone, to my email. A common occurrence when finding such trinkets.
With a fresh copy, I pasted the deadline checker website into my phone's Firefox browser search bar and opened the website.
In that website, I typed in a domain name, one of mine that is not here at WA, and discovered only 5 items that were amiss. A couple of 404 pages, one is in my footer, an FAQ, yet no page content...oops. A couple others that I'm not sure where I would find them to delete...Google fonts of all things...
ANYWAY....
About 3 hours later, I began to receive spam email, on an x-rated level. The typical 'come take a look at this' message with a link...NO, I DID NOT OPEN THE LINK...I simply deleted the message...
I was away from my computer and could not access my admin until I returned home around 7pm.
I am in the process of configuring my contact form, yet, they seem to have a hold of it.
I use contact7 and just now configured the honeypot settings. It was recommended to name the tag something clever for the bots, so I named it 'here, kitty, kitty, kitty...'
Maybe, unless they are doggedly and not feline in nature, then I would need a different approach...grin.
This too shall pass, I'm sure. In the meantime, has anyone been hit with spam after using the deadline checker dot com website?
Rudy
Recent Comments
22
I dont blame you, Jeff!
Two well known WA members use and recommended the use of said link checker tool.
I can't imagine if this was an issue for them, that they would continue using the product.
This happened on my phone. Who knows what triggered such response.
I have not tried to use this while on computer for fear of the same thing happening with any other site.
Rudy
Maybe it was a one time thing, Rudy, but I will remain wary until I hear more! Thanks for bringing this to everyone's attention!
Jeff
Hi Rudy
I don't know if this may help you How do I block a bot? Hope you get it resolved sooner.
Thanks, but I've done the research already...and so far, the solution was the honeypot spam kicker-outer plugin..grin.
I just checked before returning to add a note that the honeypot plugin works....No more spam...YAY!
Rudy
Yea, no more spam...bloody buggers were hitting ten at a time...now no more....
Definitely a save in the win column ..grin.
Rudy
It was weird tho, man. A few hours after running the dead link checker, I had streams I'd bot messages thru my contact form. It wasn't until I added the honeypot plugin that the emails stopped...
Rudy
On that site, there are about 20. It's an ecommerce site, using woo commerce.
Otherwise, my sites average about 10.
It's not so much the quantity, it is the quality of the plugin.
Just because there is one, doesn't mean you have to add it to the site.
For example, in Elementor, if you type in the name to add new plugin, you will see many add-on plugins available. There are free and premium versions of each.
I use elementor pro, and the free version of essential add-ons, and headers &footers;, which is a great way to customize a template, where you only have to update one, and it updates all of the headers/footers.
Rudy
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Have not done that-won't dare after your experience, no thanks. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Yeah,I'm curious about the folks who have used the deadlink checker, and if they suffered any such spam issue.
If so, what solution worked to resolve the issue?
Personally, I will contact the site and share my findings with them.
Rudy
Does the anti spam plugin that you now have work? I tried them all and none of them prevent spam for me. They keep coming through. I use contact form 7 too was thinking of removing it because too many spam and ads trying to weasel in. Its an annoying process to delete them all.
Do youmean the honeypot tool?
The honeypot tool works...!
First, add new plugin and type in honeypot...the honeypot plugin will indicate it is for contact7. And its free, too.
Once I set it up, after downloading honeypot plugin, it works perfectly...
Go to your contact settings and click on honeypot.
It will open up like the other script pages do when creating a mail form.
Title it with a catchy name, a morsel for the bots. They will use the form, but what happens is the bots will flag their own appearance, which flushes them down the drain...
I may consider promoting this for contact7 users.
Rudy
Hi Rudy,
Yes, I did that, just now on my site. I have Anti-Spam Bee, should I deactivate that as well? Ok I will follow the rest of your instructions and see if that works.
FYI, to check for broken links I like to use site checker. I used that and so far so good. No spam coming through from that. Try using that free version.
Yeah, I didn't think about checking sites for broken links but I knew I had some on the site I checked with the deadlink tool...
I will try out the site checker tool.
Thanks..
Rudy
In regards to your other anti-spam tool. Once you set up honeypot, deactivate the other one. Then you can compare the two in how well they work. You only need one, tho...up to you to decide which works best for you.
Rudy
Thank you Rudy, I followed the instructions for the honeypot after that I got one spam ad email come through but thats just one rather than many per day. I deleted it. Next, I need see if anymore weasels in.
Awesome!!
I've set it up with all of my contact7 contact forms...