Do you ever get e-mails from your website forms that look like the below?
From: Kaedon <[email protected]> To: [email protected] Sent: Wed, Aug 17, 2011 11:30:42 GMT+00:00 Subject: Your Website Name Form Submission Form Lead Submission Lead Details: KaedonKaedongkAtKZDgqmFlNIvkIDNjFrbUrLfHuclXvJnjxDmAxey TRgPIgoiPLoxzU82$105,001 – 110,000$260,001 – 270,[email protected] Shoot, who would have thuoght that it was that easy?I used to get weird formatted messages like this often, they are pure junk, and generated by a robot.
Why you get them is because spam is a rampant internet issue without any quick solution. %80 of all e-mails sent are spam, and an increasing number of website comments are spam. Simply put, internet low-lifes are trying to get lucky and trick you into clicking on some links by filling out your websites forms. They do this mostly through automated software.
The only way around them is to add a CAPTCHA (you know those fields where you need to type what is in the image box) … which is another barrier for your user but it will weed out %99 of this type of spam. Ultimately, you’re going to have to make a choice to deal with it, or ask a little bit more of your use by implementing a CAPTCHA.
How to implement a CAPTCHA is another question. Sometimes you can simply switch out whatever plugin (if you’re using WordPress try Contact Form 7) you are using for one that has the ability to show a CAPTCHA.
Other times, accomplishing this is going to take getting a web developer or manager involved to set this up for your specific situation. See www.odesk.com to hire someone or drop me a message if you’re having trouble.
I understand the need to have one, but personally it drives me crazy, so I don’t ask my users to do this on my website, if the day comes when I’m receiving hundreds of these, that may change.
