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  1. #1
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    Has anyone else noticed this

    In the shared hosting section, there appears to be an automated robot timed to make periodical replies to users posting in that section.

    The username is "tonygol". Even though from what I've seen, this "ghost" user has made hundreds, if not thousands of posts in reply to offers in that section, his posting record still reads "0".

    The same response is generated over and over again:

    Interested in your shared hosting deal.

    Can you please list the geographical location of the server, which data center and the c-class ip ?


    This leads me to my question:

    Why is WebHostingTalk conducting such practices?

    Is this a way to mislead people into thinking a lot more people look for offers in that section than actually do, thus enticing them towards purchasing a premium membership?

    Your thoughts please.

  2. #2
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    Can you provide a link? Have you reported any of these posts with the mods? Strange to think this would come from WHT itself, what makes you think it were?
    Last edited by Michaelz; 09-10-2012 at 11:14 AM. Reason: typo

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Macam View Post
    The username is "tonygol". Even though from what I've seen, this "ghost" user has made hundreds, if not thousands of posts in reply to offers in that section, his posting record still reads "0".
    Interesting indeed.. though from a standard search of "tonygol," only 13 posts surface. I'm not sure where the "hundreds, if not thousands of posts" are hiding then.

  4. #4
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    Here's the first link posted on 09/06/12 at: 7.47pm.

    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1189234

    Here's another one posted on 09/05/12 at: 11.41pm.

    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1189162

    Here's another one posted on 09/05/12 at: 12.23am

    http://www.webhostingtalk.com/showthread.php?t=1188604

    Each post is the exact same question and the users posts remain at 0.

    This automated "tonygol" profile literally goes back thousands of posts.

  5. #5
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    Had him reply to at least one of our threads. Answered him. Weird to see someone replying to a lot of threads like that.

  6. #6
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    Quote Originally Posted by WebHostingMogul View Post
    Interesting indeed.. though from a standard search of "tonygol," only 13 posts surface. I'm not sure where the "hundreds, if not thousands of posts" are hiding then.
    Please check manually. There are waaay more than 13. I discovered this 1 week ago. Showed only 13 posts then too, but 'it' has posted several times in the past 7 days.

    Seems like the post records are being limited to only 13.

  7. #7
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    Just search the first line of his replies and you will get many results. I think it's SPAM personally.

    - Daniel

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by SolidShellSecurity View Post
    Had him reply to at least one of our threads. Answered him. Weird to see someone replying to a lot of threads like that.
    Your missing the fact that his post record remains at "0" and his post records are being deleted past a certain time frame.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by Macam View Post
    In the shared hosting section, there appears to be an automated robot timed to make periodical replies to users posting in that section.

    The username is "tonygol". Even though from what I've seen, this "ghost" user has made hundreds, if not thousands of posts in reply to offers in that section, his posting record still reads "0".

    The same response is generated over and over again:

    Interested in your shared hosting deal.

    Can you please list the geographical location of the server, which data center and the c-class ip ?


    This leads me to my question:

    Why is WebHostingTalk conducting such practices?

    Is this a way to mislead people into thinking a lot more people look for offers in that section than actually do, thus enticing them towards purchasing a premium membership?

    Your thoughts please.
    Hello,
    I highly doubt it is a robot, there is only 1 bot on this forum (and it is clearly identified as the WHT welcome bot).

    As far as the post count, there are sections where posts do not count towards your post count, the offers section is one of them.

    I also fail to see how this would somehow pertains to a ploy to get people to buy a premium membership.
    Keith I Myers
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  10. #10
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    Is it WHT? No. Is it a bot? Possibly - but not one owned/operated by iNet. Should you report it? Sure.
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  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by KMyers View Post
    Hello,
    I highly doubt it is a robot, there is only 1 bot on this forum (and it is clearly identified as the WHT welcome bot).

    As far as the post count, there are sections where posts do not count towards your post count, the offers section is one of them.

    I also fail to see how this would somehow pertains to a ploy to get people to buy a premium membership.
    Thanks for clarifying the rules regarding posts in the offers section. This provides a possible explanation. However, if this is not a bot, who is posting the same question over and over again asking for such information?

    Possibly a scammer/spammer?

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Macam View Post
    Why is WebHostingTalk conducting such practices?

    Is this a way to mislead people into thinking a lot more people look for offers in that section than actually do, thus enticing them towards purchasing a premium membership?

    Your thoughts please.
    I think that's a bit of a crazy assumption

    I'm pretty sure it's not a bot. It appears to be somebody looking for perhaps a number of different accounts across varying IP ranges and locations, or just pinging a number of IP's before making a choice on a host.

    Neither is anything new, it's just a little odd to reply to so many offer threads.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Loon View Post
    I think that's a bit of a crazy assumption

    I'm pretty sure it's not a bot. It appears to be somebody looking for perhaps a number of different accounts across varying IP ranges and locations, or just pinging a number of IP's before making a choice on a host.

    Neither is anything new, it's just a little odd to reply to so many offer threads.
    WHT comment made tongue in cheek

    Curious to know what his game is though?

  14. #14
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    This type of posting reminds me of those hundreds of "looking for a new host" OPs that have the same style username and content.
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  15. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by Macam View Post
    This automated "tonygol" profile literally goes back thousands of posts.
    And you claim that based on what?

    The member has 22 posts and registered a month ago. His post count is 0 because he is replying only in advertisement forums. Posts don't count in ad forums.

    And before accusing WHT of "conducting such practices" maybe you should provide some more proof of your accusations?
    Fraud Record - Stop Fraud Clients, Report Abusive Customers.
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  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Macam View Post
    WHT comment made tongue in cheek

    Curious to know what his game is though?
    It could be another provider farming WHT for prospective customers. It would not shock me if any of those hosts got a message in their ticketing system about "SEO Services" or "Online Marketing"
    Keith I Myers
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  17. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Collabora View Post
    This type of posting reminds me of those hundreds of "looking for a new host" OPs that have the same style username and content.
    What is the endgame in this scam?

    Looking to purchase then chargeback? Gain access to the server?

  18. #18
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    It's actually not uncommon for forum administrators/owners to create "staged" usernames and posts to encourage discussion (or pay for another individual to do so..), and I've had owners of large communities admit this to me and sniffed out a few instances myself on other boards. Usually, this is done at a forum community's birth to help it grow.. though, of course, it can certainly be done during maturity as well.

    That said, based on this situation alone, there isn't really any solid evidence that WHT is involved in such practices. Yes, "tonygol" is an odd one, but robot posters do some pretty crazy things.. check that - robot AND regular, human posters do some pretty crazy things.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by WebHostingMogul View Post
    That said, based on this situation alone, there isn't really any solid evidence that WHT is involved in such practices.
    Because we're not.

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by Macam View Post
    ...This automated "tonygol" profile literally goes back thousands of posts.
    Weird. I can't get it to go back further than 22 posts. Can you link me to say the 580th post?
    There is no best host. There is only the host that's best for you.

  21. #21
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    But, to answer your questions ---

    Why is WebHostingTalk conducting such practices?
    We're not.

    Is this a way to mislead people into thinking a lot more people look for offers in that section than actually do, thus enticing them towards purchasing a premium membership?
    Nope.
    There is no best host. There is only the host that's best for you.

  22. #22
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    Quote Originally Posted by SoftWareRevue View Post
    Weird. I can't get it to go back further than 22 posts. Can you link me to say the 580th post?
    Its right under his tin-foil hat, you cant miss it
    Keith I Myers
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  23. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by Orien View Post
    Because we're not.
    I'd certainly be very surprised if you were. I'd think there would be much more to lose than gain in spoofing accounts, especially within that section.

  24. #24
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    I'm highly confused at why someone would immediately leap to the conclusion that any poster is a bot and that the forum you're posting on is trying to scam and then post on that same forum said theory. Isn't that a little self-defeating?
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  25. #25
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    It is difficult to say, I do suspect there are some bots operating on WHT, or those with intelligence of a bot, and this could possibly be one. Summarizing algorithms and code to emulate chat are freely available.

    However, on that same argument, a lot of hosts that reply to reviews with "Thanks for the review", reply to "i need hosting at [non-US] location]" with "will [US location] work?", or *any* request for host recommendation with a further clarification could be mistaken for bots, but clearly not bots and at least this posters pollution is limited to the ad forums.

    I think WHT just needs to knock pointless fluff on the head and bots (if we ever confirm existence) will be taken care (warned/banned), although I have feeling the powers that be (investors) still judge total posts (whilst individual users post count isnt affected by ad-forum I believe the code doesnt touch total posts) and so forth as metric for valuating the site so there is a conflict there.
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