FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

What is FSpamList?
Fspamlist is a service that provides information about known forum spammers. We collect and distribute information about spammers to protect forum admins and users from spam.
Is it free?
Absolutely! All of our services are offered completely free, forever. Please also notice that we don't bombard you with a lot of ads. We do however accept donations if you feel the site has helped you and you would like to contribute in that way.
How does it work?
First, we collect data about forum spammers from our honeypots across the web. Then, we distribute spammer credentials through our export page and our API.
Why do this?
We are admins that are too troubled with spam on a daily basis. That's why we decided to start this service to help combat this large and ever persistent problem.
How do I use the export page?
Each forum system is different, that's why we built a customizable export page to fit your different needs. First, find out how your forum software expects the ban list to be formatted. Some forums expect spammers in a list to be separated by a comma, others with a space, and others with a new line character. After you've found that out (using your forum software's admin panel) you can export a file that works for you using the export page. After you've selected the appropriate options and exported the spammers, right-click the link the page gives you and save it to your desktop. After that, it is as easy as opening the file and copying the contents, and then going to the admin panel of your forum software and pasting the data in the appropriate place.
How often do I need to use the export page?
Use the page as often as you feel you need it or as long as your current list is serving you well. A good general rule would be once a month. If that is too often for you, we do offer an automated process in the form of our API.
How do I use the API?
First, you need to sign up to our site (it's totally free) and obtain an API key.
How many queries can my API key make?
Each key can make 7,500 queries a day. If you should require more, please contact us.
Can I make my own program using your API?
If your program is totally free (non profit), we have no problem with you making a custom application for it in the language of your choice. We currently offer API responses in XML, JSON, and Serial. If you would like your application featured on the API page, please contact us.
How can I get my e-mail address, ip address, or user name removed from your site?
If your name appears wrongfully in our database, please post here and we will happily remove it for you. If it continues to show up in our database, it could mean your computer is infected with malware and is being used to send spam. In that case, we suggest you use your anti-virus to rid yourself of the malware. After you're confident your malware is gone, we can attempt to remove your credentials again. We will not repeatedly attempt to remove your credentials from our list, however.
How can I contact you?
Please read our contact page or drop a line in the forum.
Why was my account deactivated?
We want to protect our resources so we fully research each and every user. If your account gets deactivated, it means you didn't supply a website with a valid/current forum, you supplied obvious bogus information, you are on our black list, your website offers links to or hosts copyrighted material, or any other reasons we deem.
I forgot my password, what can I do?
Please navigate to the Forgot Password page and reset your password there. A new password will be e-mailed to you shortly and you can change it via your user page.
What are the "threat score" numbers on the spammers profile pages?
The "threat scores" represent a way to estimate the current activity level of a particular spammer. It is based off of an algorithm that weighs factors such as when the spammer was first seen, last seen, and how many times seen in between. It works like this: the higher the number, the more prolific the spammer has been recently. The flags are based off of this threat score and estimate high (red) activity, and low activity (green), and with every thing in between being mid (orange). It was first introduced in April 2011 and tweaked a few times since.

Spammer
n.
Any person/machine who is involved in the transmission of unsolicited messages in any sector of the Internet.


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