Spam patrol - where to go

I thought it might be useful to keep a running list of methods of and places for spam checking. Here are some I use or have used in the past. What about others?

Talk posts
This one's not systematic, but probably one of the ways people most often spot spam. If you notice spam posts in Talk, flag the post and then, *if* it's commercial spam, not just overzealous book promotion, click through to the person's profile to flag the member.

Checking recent reviews: for spam works, and/or flaggable reviews on non-spam works
Sometimes can find these by looking at recent reviews in Reviews Zeitgeist, More Review Fun:
http://www.librarything.com/zeitgeist/reviewsmore (see middle column)
If you spot a spammy sounding title, click through to the work page to check it out and see if it's really spam. If so, either propose it as spam (flag on editions page) or vote on it if it's already een proposed.
If you spot a promotional, fake, spammy, or otherwise against-TOS review on an legitimate work, click through to the review and flag it.

I think there's a member who runs some kind of automatic program to catch spam works this way, so I've stopped checking this page much myself.

Checking recent groups: for spam groups and spam members
http://www.librarything.com/groups/new
see also http://www.librarything.com/groups/all and click on Recent.
Regularly picks up spammers.

Checking Local for spam venues, events, and members
Check Local Helper's page for things added in last 24 hours: http://www.librarything.com/local/helpers

Checking the wiki: for spam edits/pages and members
Check "recent changes" by new members:
http://www.librarything.com/wiki/index.php?limit=50&title=Special%3AContribu...
Most are legit, but sometimes you see spammers who've added a page or added a link on some other legitimate page. If they've just added a link, and no one else has edited the page since, you can revert the spammer's edits. If they've added a page, you can edit the page to delete all the text, at least. Look at the page history, and copy and paste the spammer's username at the end of http://www.librarything.com/profile/ and then flag the member.

Checking quick links for spam links
Check recently changed or added quick links:
http://www.librarything.com/log_helpers.php?view=misc&span=168
Spammers sometimes change an existing quick link to make it a spam link (including changing the quick link's name) or else change the URL to point to a spam link. More often, however, members or authors who don't understand quick links edit them in ways that break them. Care is needed here in fixing them, and some familiarity with what quick links were already there, since changes aren't reversible and affect anyone using that quick link. It's especially difficult when someone changes the name of an existing quick link (e.g. changes something like the B&N book link to something completely different). Rare, but does occasionally happen.

Searching for member names with certain words
This used to be a good way to find spam profiles, back when we had a lot more spam. I haven't found much this way more recently. See this thread for some keywords to try:
http://www.librarything.com/topic/93201
Note that the old member search linked in that thread may no longer work, so here is the current link for member searches:
http://www.librarything.com/search.php?search=&searchtype=members&search...

Scanning through recent profile pictures
http://www.librarything.com/gallery/recent
I used to find spam profiles regularly this way, by clicking on images that looked too polished, like magazine/promotional photos. Spammers often use stock photos of young women. I haven't seen much like that lately, though.

Searching for work titles with spam keywords
This too used to be a key way to find spam, back when we had a lot more of it built up in the system. Still useful, but unlikely to catch as much as it used to, since works are caught and flagged quicker these days.
Searching book titles:
http://www.librarything.com/search.php?search=&searchtype=other&searchty...

Any others?

Monitoring recent book lists for spam
This is the latest target for a lot of spam: http://www.librarything.com/home#lists
Look under recently added lists, then click through to any spam lists to find out who created them, and flag the spammer's profile.

Very helpful!

Talk posts.
Now and again I go into all posts and look for any topics that only have one or two posts. Obviously, most such are just normal new posts, but sometimes...

Excellent thread! One of those 'Why didn't I think of that' things (so is at least one of the above methods for me, too). I'm starring this.

Important thread. I'm commenting partly to move it up in the world, and also to add a trifle.

I found that by subscribing to Book talk, I saw 95% of the spam generated, since it's the default group for posts. Spam happens more at some times than others, and seems to show up most often late at night (in the Pacific time zone), when most folks (in the USA and Canada) are off sleeping.

Adding the links here to use in leaving notes for authors

Terms of Use page:
http://www.librarything.com/privacy

How Authors Can Use LibraryThing
http://www.librarything.com/about_authors.php

If the administrator could add these at the Group heading, that would be nice.
I have to go hunting for them each time.

>7 2wonderY: Thank you for the links.
If they aren't added to the heading I would suggest marking it with "add to favorites" to make it easier to find.

Thank you 2wonderY, I added your post to my favorites.

I just use the links at the bottom of each page.

Bringing this to the top.

Lyndatrue does such a good job with posting a comment to author profiles. I thought I'd reproduce it here for easy grabbing.

Welcome to LT.

Please be aware that author / publisher self-promotion is not permitted except in specific places. Promotional posts made in other threads will quickly be flagged as spam and disappear.

How authors can use LibraryThing:
http://www.librarything.com/about/authors

and the terms of service prohibit advertising and promotion:
http://www.librarything.com/privacy

Also try these groups where authors hang out:
http://www.librarything.com/groups/hobnobwithauthors

http://www.librarything.com/groups/writersbragandragbag

>12 2wonderY: I'd forgotten about this thread, and am happy you reminded me. (Thank you for the compliment, btw) I actually have two basic comments. The one above is where I mostly think it's a drive by author, and that they'll probably not even read it. Here's the one I prefer when I think it's just an honest matter of education:

*****
Hello, and welcome to LibraryThing! I have been a member for a number of years. I hope you find LT an enjoyable place to discuss books with others.

Please note that author and publisher self-promotion is not permitted on LibraryThing except in the places specifically set aside for that purpose. This is to keep the site and particularly the "talk" threads from being overwhelmed by authors and publishers promoting their own work. You'll find that promotional posts made in most threads will quickly be flagged as spam and disappear from the talk thread listings. But there are a few designated areas in which self-promotion specifically *is* permitted:

http://www.librarything.com/groups/hobnobwithauthors

http://www.librarything.com/groups/writersbragandragbag

Here is a page that explains how authors can use LibraryThing:
http://www.librarything.com/about/authors

And here are the terms of service, which prohibit advertising and promotion:
http://www.librarything.com/privacy

Thanks, and again welcome! We hope you'll stick around and engage in conversation about books you like to read!
*****

I hope those who are newer to all this take a second to look at the useful information in >1 rsterling: as well.

Bumping this to the top of the page.

Don’t you think we should get medals for our work? I shot 13 new profiles this morning, almost as they were being created. 5am eastern time is prime time. I know some of you patrol other parts of the site, and probably bag more game than me. I’m curious where people are patrolling nowadays. I’ve narrowed mine down to new profile pictures.

And it occurred to me to look in the possible Spam folder. I hardly ever think of it anymore, though last time, I found one of my own postings.
Anyway, the icons at the far right have changed. Instead of a life preserver ring, there is an X and something that looks like a car. Which one rescues the post? I tried the X on this post:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/341168#7811765
But I’m not sure I’ve restored it. It doesn’t yet appear in its proper place in Book Talk.

>15 2wonderY: Might want to check your profile to see if you already have gold on all the spam related badges. I discovered I do.

>16 2wonderY: the life preserver ring has been changed to an ambulance. It has a little cross on the side. That rescues the topic.

ETA: I let that particular topic stay in spam because it's just trying to get more followers for their Instagram. I guess it could be a teachable moment though.

>18 norabelle414: Ah! Thanks for that info. There are a bunch of non-spam items by one particular member; there because he/she includes a link in the post. Some similar posts have gotten through. What’s going on there?

>19 2wonderY: I think those got sent to the potential spam list because the user created dozens of new topics in a few minutes. I was waiting to see if the user continued posting in the group or noticed they were missing or anything but the user hasn't posted since creating those topics and no one else has joined the group they created.