Fake WordPress User Registrations: What’s the big deal?
This is one of those spur of the moment articles that I have been producing recently. I find that these are the most satisfying, since they are usually triggered by a genuine concern. This blog is hosted by InterServer and it was produced using WordPress. Although WordPress is the most popular Content Management Systems (CMSes) that can be found out there, it does have its issues. The greatest of these is, as far as I have been able to find out, the issue of fake WordPress user registrations.
How it began
I first noticed the issue of fake WordPress User Registrations right off the bat. No sooner had I created my blog, than I started receiving emails to the effect that so and so from such and such a place had registered on my site. I have to admit that, at first, I was pretty excited. I mean, who doesn’t want to have a load of loyal subscribers?
It was only later that I realized that there was something fishy about the whole affair. Though I am good, I am not that good! On top of that, there was something suspiciously unheard of about the email clients that were being used by the fake registrants.
Take nereidalunceford@spambog.com as an example. Or hectorsurratt@hulapla.de. I mean, what in the name of everything is hulapla and spambog?
Why do the fake registrations take place?
Spam WordPress user registrations are, apparently, a big thing across the web. That is hardly surprising, considering that 58.9% of all the websites in the world were made using WordPress. So, what’s the reason for the creation of fake registrations on a WordPress website? The answer to this question is, as is the case with everything else in the world, centered around the issue of financial gain.
Fake Registration Bots
Fake WordPress User Registrations are created by bots that have been made by people who are looking to create links on as many sites as they can. Remember backlinks are one of the most important SEO elements. The people behind fake registrations are looking to leave spam comments on websites as a way of raising their sites’ visibility on Search Engines. Whether or not Google and other Search Engines fall for this trick is another matter.
Hunting for Solutions
I have been hunting around for solutions, and have, so far, not stumbled upon something that completely eliminates the problem. I have, however, been trying out this plugin and will update you on how well it fares against the blight of fake WordPress user registrations. If you wish to know how you can delete fake WordPress users from your site, take a look at my next article for a step by step guide.