If you run a blog or forum you need to keep a sharp eye on comments and contributions. Unfortunately spammers are out there, often using scripts to fill your public online spaces with their rubbish.

Some spams are totally obvious, easy to block and filter so they never make it to public view. But even very experienced bloggers sometimes wonder about comments: Is this a spam, or is it genuine?.

Lorelle VanFossen has some clues to help you sort them out:

… Examples include:

• I read similar article also named <Post Title Here>, and it was completely different. Personally, I agree with you more, because this article makes a little bit more sense for me
• This is exactly what I expected to find out after reading the title <Post Title Here>. Thanks for informative article.
• Hey! Nice blog posting about <Post Title Here>. I would have to agree with you on this one. I am going to look more into it. This Thursday I have time.
• Superb write up talking about <Post Title Here>. Thoroughly love your blog.
• [many examples snipped]

Yes, these are all blog comment spam trying to fool you.

… If you find you have a comment that is suspicious, you have the right to delete it or edit it. By editing the blog comment, you can delete any links within it, even from within the comment form’s URL/address. You can change the commenter’s name, too, if the name words are too spammy. Blogs are content and you have the right to edit your blog comments and the information that appears on your blog.

[Via Lorelle on WordPress: Comment Spam Alert: I Read a Similar Article.]

Lorelle has a great deal more extremely useful information, both in this post, and in the many others she lists at the end of her post.

If you run a blog or forum for your organisation, or in fact any site where the public are able to leave comments or add material, visit Lorelle’s post and study what she has to say.

Or, go one better, and add Lorelle’s RSS feed to your feed reader.

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