this post was submitted on 19 Mar 2025
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Hey peeps, the well-known spam problem in lemmy DMs is getting slightly worse, and the spammer in question is evolving their tactics to evade the very rudimentary options we have built-in to lemmy itself (or should I just call it,non-existent?). To get ahead of this, we deployed a DM-scanner directly in the DB, based off of this code but adjusted so that it's more difficult to pull off shenanigans.

At the moment we're only deleting messages based on the "fediverse chick" spam. However I want to point out that if for some reason you legitimately DM someone on dbzer0 with similar terms, you DM might get deleted, so do be aware about that. Them's the breaks.

Unfortunately I can't reveal the exact code I'm using atm, as this can lead to the spammer adjusting their tactics to evade it. However I plan to adjust threativore to also be able to manage your DB anti-DM-spam filters in the future, to make it much easier to handle this, even if you don't feel confident touching your DB. Stay tuned.

I do hope we get more robust anti-spam tech in lemmy and I did open two issues about this, but it seems this is not a prio atm.

If you realize that the anti-spam ate a DM. Do let us know. If you see spam getting through, also let us know.

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[–] borari@lemmy.dbzer0.com 14 points 11 months ago

Once again, you’re the goat. Thanks for all the work you put in to keeping this instance a pleasant one to use.

[–] hemko@lemmy.dbzer0.com 12 points 11 months ago

Good work again Db0!

Unfortunately I never got my Nicole DM and now I'll forever live my life without one 😭

[–] Hirom@beehaw.org 11 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

DM aren't end-to-end encrypted, so they aren't a good way to send private messages.

I'm using a different instances, but I'd rather admin just turn them off for the time being.

[–] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 11 months ago (2 children)
[–] db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 13 points 11 months ago (1 children)

when were you when spam legend dies?

[–] orbituary@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)
[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 2 points 11 months ago

We should now send each other exact Nicoles DMs ...

[–] Zedstrian@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Seems like the new spam technique is sending it as an image rather than text:

Spam screenshot.

[–] db0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 11 months ago

Yes, I need to find the time to adjust for this somehow.

[–] riccardo@lemmy.ml 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

I'm out of the loop: what happened with this Nicole?

[–] gazter@aussie.zone 5 points 11 months ago (2 children)

This template was going around a lot of instances, then when it got moderated out of existence, shifted to direct messages.

[–] riccardo@lemmy.ml 1 points 11 months ago

oh, yeah, I received the same message 6 dyas ago :D forgot about it already

[–] nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 11 months ago

does she ever suck your balls

[–] glowing_hans@sopuli.xyz 1 points 10 months ago

Spam-problems: The arch-nemesis of any social network. Thanks for keeping this alive.

[–] Emmie@lemm.ee 0 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago)

I aM NiCoLe bUt YoU CaN cAlL me FEDIVERSE MOST ANNOYING BITCH