Not stopping spam comments

Can you provide more details (e.g. the plugin version you’re running, where/when this is happening, what plugin you use for your forms, etc.)?

The more details the better so I can reproduce & fix. Otherwise, it’s like taking your car to the shop saying there’s a weird sound, but when you get it there, nothing happens. Can’t fix what I can’t reproduce.

Feel free to submit bugs/feature requests here to track the progress: https://github.com/bmarshall511/wordpress-zero-spam/issues

I can vouch for this too. On many of my sites the plugin disabled itself, allowing spam comments to flow in. I believe they’re coming from bots because the IPs track back to the usual assortment of Russian server farms, Ukrainian ISPs, and Maltese mobile phone companies.

I’m not getting it on form submissions, just comment spam. My WP is up-to-date, and I’ve been successively installing each update to the WordPress Zero Spam plugin (3.1.1, to 4.1.1, 4.2.0, 4.3.3, 4.3.6, 4.3.9, 4.3.10, and 4.4.0 in the last week) as they come out.

Some of the offending IPs:
62.149.29.51
188.32.128.29
85.208.86.150
86.174.91.191
27.97.8.166
46.11.9.46
178.175.142.134

CC: github

My sites that are running this plugin are suddenly not filtering spam comments that used to be filtered. This is just since yesterday. Because they contain links, they are being held for moderation due to my settings, but they are no longer being marked as spam by the plugin. I’m not getting spam contact submissions, just comments.

Site 1:
WordPress 5.4.2
Genesis 3.3.2 with a custom child theme
WP Zero Spam Version 4.3.9
Default Genesis comment system

Site 2:
WordPress 5.4.2
Genesis 2.10.1
WP Zero Spam Version 4.3.9
Default Genesis comment system

Let me know if there is any additional information that would be helpful.

Genesis isn’t one of the supported frameworks and never has been. See the plugin info page for what’s supported. https://www.ads-software.com/plugins/zero-spam/

More than happy to look into it, however, feel free to submit any feature requests here: https://github.com/bmarshall511/wordpress-zero-spam/issues

Thanks, Ben. I didn’t realize that but it always worked like a charm with Genesis until this week.

Hi @bmarshall511,

The plugin stopped catching spam on michaelkummer.com a few days ago as well. Not sure what’s happening but I’m getting a ton of comment spam every day now.

I’m using the GeneratePress theme (not Genesis).
Cheers,
Michael

I’ll need more details in order to help (URL spam is getting through, the version of WordPress zero spam, what form plugin you’re using if any, etc.)

I’m using plugin version 4.9.0 and no dedicated form plugin. Instead, I rely on the standard comments feature built into WordPress 5.4.2.

And yes, it’s mostly comments that include injected URL’s that are getting through.

See https://www.dropbox.com/s/il49kdmyscwzq08/Screen%20Shot%202020-07-29%20at%2010.01.34.jpg?dl=0

• This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by mkummer.

Can you provide the URL the spam is getting through? Also, double-check your settings to ensure comment spam checks are turned on.

@bmarshall511 The URL in question in https://michaelkummer.com. I never changed any settings, but as of right now, this is what I have:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cbhsyijgflvhejz/Screen%20Shot%202020-07-30%20at%2010.53.58.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a8t88p6lqgfi1br/Screen%20Shot%202020-07-30%20at%2010.54.09.jpg?dl=0

@mkummer Your site has a ton of JS/resource errors on it (129+ errors, 71+ warnings), which is most likely why you’re experiencing what you are. If you look in the console, you’ll see what I’m talking about. Certain JS errors can kill all JS functionality on a page.

@bmarshall511 I see only three errors and one of them is related to your plugin – see https://www.dropbox.com/s/9cufmbudnf73ntl/Screen%20Shot%202020-07-31%20at%2012.41.17.jpg?dl=0

I get way more and they constantly increase the longer you’re on the page: https://pasteboard.co/JkdTAE7.png

WordPress Zero Spam is throwing an error bc your other errors are killing the JS for it.

Also, if you notice on my screenshot, WPZS is working. Shows how many forms it found in the console.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by Ben Marshall.

@bmarshall511 I disabled Cloudflare’s Rocketloader and now I’m only getting one 404 related to my ad platform. Let’s see if that fixed the issue.

Still a ton of errors: https://pasteboard.co/JkdYinx.png

WPZS is working as expected: https://pasteboard.co/JkdYP37.png