I’m surprised that “delete user” comes up instead of “suspend”. If I delete them, since they aren’t suspended, they can just come back right? [image] Generally when I catch a spammer, I’d assume suspend/ban would make more sense :stuck_out_tongue: but I’m going to guess I’m missing something I’m not understanding.

Deleting an account puts the IP, email address and URLs they may have posted into the corresponding Screened Logs. AFAIK: pros - the IPs and email addresses in Screened are used to help stop new accounts from registering using the same IP or email address cons - the “paper trail” of evidence is gone The IPs can “roll up” to block IPs within ranges and email addresses have a levenshtein setting.

[image] dylanh724: I’d assume suspend/ban would make more sense Why? Then you would carry that account around forever in your site database. Why would you want a spammer in your user list, in any form?

[image] codinghorror: Why? Then you would carry that account around forever in your site database. Why would you want a spammer in your user list, in any form? Delete implies nothing else happens, while suspend implies blockage. That’s pretty much it. If it blocks them in the same sense from creating a dupe account, then perhaps “Delete & Blacklist” sounds more upfront of what it does. Or a tooltip.

To keep a record. Since IP is hardly any use in identifyining misbehaving individuals, our moderators have developed Sherlock Holmes quality skills in detecting them by usage/writing patterns. Reoccurring issues, themes, slang words, typos… They have caught a dozen offenders by comparing old and new posts. Having the user handle in the database helps one to remember the case. Some are so stupid that they use similar user handle compositioning with their new accounts. We always suspend for 9999 days and never delete.

The delete process for spammers blocks the ip and email, so those can be viewed in Admin, Logs. There is also a staff action logged as well with more info. That said, what you are describing is griefing, not spamming per se. different scenario.

[image] ljpp: Since IP is hardly any use in identifyining misbehaving individuals, our moderators have developed Sherlock Holmes quality skills in detecting them by usage/writing patterns. Reoccurring issues, themes, slang words, typos… They have caught a dozen offenders by comparing old and new posts. Having the user handle in the database helps one to remember the case. Some are so stupid that they use similar user handle compositioning with their new accounts. We always suspend for 9999 days and never delete. I’ve seen a few trolls in particular who aren’t that stupid (and are far from it). I’d be posting for ages if I were to explain their methods in-depth.

Deleting a user vs suspending?

Product Support

Justin_Vega (Justin Vega) February 13, 2020, 9:53pm 8

I’ve seen a few trolls in particular who aren’t that stupid (and are far from it). I’d be posting for ages if I were to explain their methods in-depth.

Topic		Replies	Views
Please add "spammer" as reason for user suspension UX moderation	15	1846	March 22, 2024
Questions about the 'Delete Spammer' feature Product Support moderation	5	618	May 1, 2023
Profile spam: Option to delete account and block email but not the IP address Feature completed , review-queue	17	1863	August 6, 2026
Dupe ban accts with same IP not being auto caught anymore Product Support	18	2091	September 12, 2018
Purge silenced users with no active posts after x days Feature	4	253	May 29, 2026

Deleting a user vs suspending?

Related topics