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Suggestion: Bot Invite Spammer prevention

Discussion in 'SteamRep General Discussion' started by SardiusKnight, Aug 31, 2017.

  1. SardiusKnight

    SardiusKnight New User

    Messages:
    4
    Steam:
    STEAM_0:1:45448887
    ((Dear admins I tried to use search on the following suggestion, can't find any - plz dont get mad at me if someone posted before))

    The purpose of this suggestion is =
    1)
    To have a specific "TAG" on Steamrep's profile to mark if an account is used for marketing purposes -- Therefore,
    enabling Steam users to check a particular random account who has added him/her to be a "bot" - regardless of Invite Spammer or Scammer Link
    Often, these accounts are private.
    We don't know if it is a real person or just a bot adding for unsolicited links.

    2A)
    To prevent and mark random group inviter's - especially for some CSGO bet / free gift groups - which most are scams.

    2B)
    if possible, Steamrep admins may try to get a programmer/coder to write a script to block all the known bot group inviter's account because Steam ain't doing anything about it.
    then we free users can just it and automatically block 1000s of these accounts.
    We get random invites regardless and we cannot set invites to friends only.

    ((I have more than a 100 blocked accounts, maybe 200))

    Also, my suggestion for this prevention is not going through a forum application procedure because there are 1000s if not, 100's of thousands of these fake/stolen accounts used for unsolicited links/group invites. it is not practical to send screenshot and admins check for approval, there will be a lot.

    So, this method, I hope, that steamrep admins can enable a "Vote" function on all steam accounts - for possible bots.
    Note that = it is recommended to show profile of those that voted for that bot account

    So whenever someone gets randomly group invited or given a link from these bots - he/she pastes the link into steamrep for a profile, and he or she can vote as a "possible bot" and hopefully there is a margin to include "Upload link" of a screenshot showing the fake account chat/window --
    so steamrep don't have to bear the imagehosting, just a link .

    ((additionally, only allow steam accounts with at least level 15 to post an imagehosting link to prevent abuse of this feature == higher steam account level or admins voting a particular account should have more attention))

    --Please do not immediately decline this idea, if whichever is not right, let's be constructive and discuss what may improve --let's work together to get a proper system against these abusers.
    --How many times have you reported an account for spamming group invite links and nothing is ever done?
    --My intention is to combat these fake accounts / rando group inviters -- all of us steam users are at war against them, at the same time, this would increase the frequency of steamrep's usage.

    Cheers!
  2. You Are The One

    You Are The One SteamRep Admin

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    Steam:
    STEAM_0:1:41038663
    Steamreps mission is to educate/warn users of others who are out to defraud them, what you proposed does not fit with that. gl tho.
  3. SardiusKnight

    SardiusKnight New User

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    4
    Steam:
    STEAM_0:1:45448887
    haha i don't even know how to quote and reply to your post @You Are The One
    thanks, well..
    True, that this is a new step -- but it is a very common problem, if steamrep could tackle this problem, it would also boost its usage here. many people retired from trading after the mobile system and even game in backpacks, but what is prevalent are these never ending fake accounts. not just the gaming/trading scene, even the screenshotting/art community is very careful about this -- they get added by many because others want to subscribe to their screenshot post so they are more vulnerable to spammer accounts.

    that's also why we see people posting like "private account dont add me, instant deny" or post why you added me or only certain level allowed, etc.
    if steamrep can show a vote feature , it would deny the effectiveness of these fake accounts and therefore, owners need to create more and more after those that have been voted frequently. gives them more hassle and we users get more satisfaction fighting against it.
  4. You Are The One

    You Are The One SteamRep Admin

    Messages:
    141
    Steam:
    STEAM_0:1:41038663
    Let me rephrase, its an issue, but Its outside SRs prerogative.
  5. Xxmarijnw

    Xxmarijnw New User

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    Steam:
    STEAM_0:1:109824459
    It also became somewhat unnecessary. Steam recently updated the way group invites work. You can now only be invited to groups by people in your friends list.
  6. SardiusKnight

    SardiusKnight New User

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    Steam:
    STEAM_0:1:45448887
    @Xxmarijnw
    are you serious? that's great news ! however, i still get added by random people, private accounts. probably it was a salesman

    [​IMG]
    Roudydogg1 likes this.
  7. Horse

    Horse Administrator SteamRep Admin

    Messages:
    76,857
    SteamRep Admin:
    STEAM_0:1:34690691
    Let me quote what was said
    Anything else we can help you with?
  8. SardiusKnight

    SardiusKnight New User

    Messages:
    4
    Steam:
    STEAM_0:1:45448887
    Since "You can now only be invited to groups by people in your friends list." It solves a lot of annoying group adds, but the idea is still there if Steamrep decides to take this direction because fake bot accounts are untrustworthy and that's the purpose of steamrep, to check the trustworthiness of an account.
    Sorry i saw your post late, thanks, good day.
  9. Lava

    Lava Public Relations SteamRep Admin

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    5,859
    SteamRep Admin:
    STEAM_0:1:46187366
    There are a number of red flags and suspicious factors you can run into when trading with someone. They aren't always a bad thing to have on their own though, and we're not going to call someone a scammer until they actually commit fraud. Even if we intended to do that, despite the innocent non-traders caught in the crossfire, there's no way we could keep up with all the new Steam accounts created. The community itself can identify these factors and make their own call, and at some point responsibility falls on the community to not trade expensive items to throwaway accounts.
    MeFigaYoma and Roudydogg1 like this.
  10. Z o o f i e

    Z o o f i e New User

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    Steam:
    STEAM_0:1:1679355
    Even if SR's prerogative involved such matters this suggestion to me seems tedious and unnecessary. Maybe suggest this to the heads of SteamID.eu, they love making useless flags, idler is a great example flag.