JimmyCMPIT

Q: Recent "gibberish" posts. What are they and how to (and why you should) report them

You've probably see many of these posts on the forums and wondered their purpose:

 

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These types of post are designed to drive position and validation to a scam site or scam in a web search engines results and leaving them alone or not responding does not prevent the scammer from obtaining the desired goal:

By posting this repeated garbage on legitimate sites someone looking for support may stumble on this scammer phone number in a higher ranked web search result and be inclined to think the result is more legitimate

 

The end result is someone who unknowingly contacts a phony support scam and is conned out of their money, or worse security.

 

The good news by using the tools on these forms anyone can report these threads using the "down caret" symbol next to the "Follow" button so the moderators know totake the posts down permanently.

 

With the post open click on the "down caret" icon.

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then select "Report Post"

report.png

 

 

Under the "What is the primary reason..." select "Spam", then click the "Report Post" button.

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you've lent a hand to help prevent the biggest threat computers users have to date.

Now lets get out there and take back the internet!

Posted on Sep 22, 2016 6:53 AM

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Q: Recent "gibberish" posts. What are they and how to (and why you should) report them

  • All replies
  • Helpful answers

  • by ChitlinsCC,Helpful

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Sep 22, 2016 7:35 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT
    Level 5 (7,919 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 22, 2016 7:35 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT

    Kill the Zombies (Oh! Wait! They are already dead!)

    Dismember them and gnaw on the limbs!

    Good dog, Scoobie!

  • by weztimonial,Helpful

    weztimonial weztimonial Sep 22, 2016 7:35 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT
    Level 1 (36 points)
    iCloud
    Sep 22, 2016 7:35 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT

    Let's take it back!!

  • by rccharles,

    rccharles rccharles Sep 22, 2016 10:35 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT
    Level 6 (8,506 points)
    Classic Mac OS
    Sep 22, 2016 10:35 AM in response to JimmyCMPIT

    + You need to be level # 2, 150 points,  to report a post.

     

    R

  • by JimmyCMPIT,

    JimmyCMPIT JimmyCMPIT Sep 22, 2016 11:38 AM in response to rccharles
    Level 6 (8,075 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 22, 2016 11:38 AM in response to rccharles

    yes thats apples policy but I've seen an increase in this spam and it's survival on these forums recently. I've responded to Apple feedback to see if they will consider a change.

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Sep 22, 2016 12:29 PM in response to JimmyCMPIT
    Level 5 (7,919 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 22, 2016 12:29 PM in response to JimmyCMPIT

    A human can "LOOK" at a post and quickly "decide"

    A computer "filter" routine must "read" the post - and then "compare" whether the post "contains" something that is unacceptable - as defined by a "list" of unacceptable strings.

    WHAT in your example could be put INTO the filter's list?
    By themselves, each "snippet" string is harmless - only when all together does it meet the criterion of being "bad".

    You cannot define the "all together" for a filter routine - ONE character difference does not "match"

    It will continue to take humans doing the dirty work = REPORT SPAM with Prejudice

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Sep 22, 2016 12:35 PM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 6 (14,441 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 22, 2016 12:35 PM in response to ChitlinsCC

    While that sounds responsible and the right thing to do,

    I've found it tempting to take advantage of offers of free

    coffee and donuts, in email messages, if I were to look

    the other way and choose to help the (un)civil rights of

    these persons bots? whose unfettered 'right' are subject

    to compromise. After all, while it may be 'a free country'

    we should get something out of it.

     

    And right now, free coffee w/ hart-attack donuts sound OK.

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Sep 22, 2016 1:13 PM in response to K Shaffer
    Level 5 (7,919 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 22, 2016 1:13 PM in response to K Shaffer

    As long as the coffee meets the standards of the French

    philippe_coffee.jpgs-l225.jpg

    and the donuts are

    krispykreme4.jpg

  • by K Shaffer,

    K Shaffer K Shaffer Sep 22, 2016 1:47 PM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 6 (14,441 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 22, 2016 1:47 PM in response to ChitlinsCC

    Would I be allowed to dunk them, and if satisfactory,

    slurp in approval? - With web cam turned off, where

    available. - These are questions of much importance!

     

    PS: those two quality standards may not be readily

    available to the local vicinity; perhaps by FedEx or

    in a DIY kit for microwave use at home.

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Sep 22, 2016 1:58 PM in response to K Shaffer
    Level 5 (7,919 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 22, 2016 1:58 PM in response to K Shaffer

    Alternates:

    Folger's "Black Silk" is "darkest" roast from Folgers (I drink it daily)

    I set the bar too high w/ KKs - any "local" donut shop made fresh daily is acceptable

    dunkin' is such a personal thing... but slurping seems necessary if dunkt properly (unless you wanna wear your coffee = also a personal pref)

  • by JimmyCMPIT,

    JimmyCMPIT JimmyCMPIT Sep 22, 2016 2:03 PM in response to ChitlinsCC
    Level 6 (8,075 points)
    Mac OS X
    Sep 22, 2016 2:03 PM in response to ChitlinsCC

    Hey Chit, I may have grown up in the North but they learned me down here getting those doughnuts when the light in the window is off is for tourists. Otherwise when the red light is on in that winder come get you some!

  • by ChitlinsCC,

    ChitlinsCC ChitlinsCC Sep 22, 2016 2:21 PM in response to JimmyCMPIT
    Level 5 (7,919 points)
    Notebooks
    Sep 22, 2016 2:21 PM in response to JimmyCMPIT

    shop down the street opens at 5AM - warm and gooey = YUM!