I belong to a site called "allexperts.com." People write in with questions, and we answer them - somewhat like AP, but I deal in writing questions.

Recently someone has begun sending duplicate /nonsensical questions that are clearly harassment; yesterday I received 11 of them. This person keeps changing their name and email address, so the site has no luck bocking them.

Can anything be done about this kind of harassment? And how can a person change their email address just like that? Do they just keep adding them - how does that work?

Thanks for any information.

You could try tracking their IP addy... & just not allow that addy to register... assuming that you're a mod or admin.

Thank you, cswchan, do you mind telling me how I can do that?

Depending on what board software you use... for example, I mod @ a tech site... I can see everyone's IP addy... just make a note of the IP addy of the offender with the various aliases... you can ban an IP addy as a board admin... I have yet had to ban anyone... yet...

I agree with cswchan that the only way to ban someone who keeps changing their name and e-mail address is to ban their IP. However. you have to be careful that their Internet Service Provider (ISP) doesn't use rolling IPs for their customers. If you check the IP on all the names registered by that person, you'll soon see whether or not they have the same one or a slightly varying (rolling) IP. If they have a rolling IP and you ban one or more of the ones used by the spammer, you will also run the risk of preventing a genuine member with the same ISP from registering. This is a very real risk when you consider large ISPs such as AOL and Yahoo use rolling IPs.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Karrow,

Thank you two very much for that information, most of which is waaaaay over my head. Guess I'd better go back to "beginners."

I do understand the dangers of blocking other users.

Thanks again to both of you.

The site where all this crap is coming from thinks it's a robot. ??? Why would a robot want to send me questions to answer? They say this stuff is coming in at 150 posts a day. They are taking it up with yahoo - GOOD LUCK!