Perhaps I've missed something on this, but it looks live several thousand new members have joined the website in just the last few days.
I noticed Happy Camper's comment here that stipulated that these new members are all using some sort of standard pattern for their usernames.
Additionally, the troll that Happy was responding too - although listed with an UID of 411359 - seemed very familiar with common usage of this site.
This troll - hifly15 - joined three days ago.
If you follow the search function suggestion in Happy's comment you can see that we are currently at UID 415881 - that's a growth of over 4,000 new members in less than 3 days
Weird, no?
Could be a standard bot attack I suppose - but it might be difficult to separate the thousands of spammers or bots from the few legitimate baby kossacks.
Suggestions? Or to quote somebody else's childish fairy tale: "Constant Vigilance!"
11:35 AM PT: I imagine that the Powers that Be(Hallowed be their cyber footprints) probably already know about this - and might have for some time.
I just wanted to post something that would alert people to the fact that there is a definite pattern to the bots - as pointed out by happy camper - it's a name, either first and last or both, followed by numbers.
Keep an eye out.
11:47 AM PT: Also - as Lgmcp points out in the comments - the pattern mentioned above seems to be the modus operandi - However - it will also be attached to a UID that is probably higher than 385000 or so. Don't want legitimate Kossaks with a similar set up to their UID to be wrongly pointed out
11:53 AM PT: It's been going on for some time - some of us are just slow apparently.
From Land of Enchantment in the comments:
It's been going on at this level since mebbe a coupla weeks before NN12, starting at about 1700/day. CT calls it profile spamming. It's something that's been around a long time, but apparently the spammers found a way around the firewalls the site had erected. Over time, when this happens, the users don't tend to be active in any way
.
12:01 PM PT: Management well aware of issue via Meteor Blades.
And now my updates have more info than the original diary! Score! Internet meta fuzzies achieved! Also, Wreck List!
Seriously though, props to the Front Pager's for their response. Part of me is sad I won't be able to go on a massive troll killing spree though... sob.
2:32 PM PT: Final Update: Glad to see that people are having a good time in the comments - I should have posted an invitation to post good spam recipes - but then I' d have no more comments... huh. huh. huh.....anyway,thanks for all the recs and the first time ride on the great and glorious list of wreckage.
7:59 PM PT: Final, final Update after too much single malt:
I wanted to thank Bruinkid and all the others that do the yeoman's work on this site tracking the new arrivals and late departures. A lot of us, including me, don't have the time or energy to track the vast workings of this community.
Slainte!