Blogs attract spam like Bugs to Honey.  Blocking automated spam bots is easy.  It’s those pesky human spammers polluting our Comments boxes, that give us so much grief.  It’s not easy for beginner bloggers to spot these pests – that’s my excuse, and I’m sticking to it.

Update: if anyone posts a genuine Comment anywhere on this blog that does not pass the Akismet spam filter test, or you are listed at Stop Forum Spam, your Comment will probably not get published. If we (Akismet and me) get this wrong, and a legitimate comment does not get published, please let me know by contacting me using the Contact form in the top Menu.  I love getting genuine Comments, but hate getting Spammed.  Thanks.

A few weeks ago I wrote an article that explained how to find, install, and set up the Akismet anti -spam software plugin from Akismet – For Free.  I had already installed a great Anti Spam plugin, the Spam Free for WordPress plugin which effectively blocks all automated spam by spam bots and other forms of low life. Akismet is designed to weed out the human spammers as well.

OK. Confession time: after I’d installed Akismet, I could see that Akismet was indeed, blocking spam Comments, but I could not see how I could check these blocked Comments to make sure they really were spam. I (incorrectly) concluded that I just had to trust Akismet to get it right, and trust they would not block genuine Comments.

This is not true….as I now know. In fact you can easily check the Comments that Akismet blocks, because Akismet automatically, (and very cunningly), puts them (hides them) in……..your Spam Folder!   I know, I know – I make the stupid mistakes so you don’t have to.  Again.

After a couple of weeks of using Akismet, I thought I would deactivate the Akismet plugin so I could see what all these blocked Comments were, and weed out Spammers myself.   I know….  Again!

Hey, I did it as an experiment, and so I could tell you lot, all about my experiences!   And now I’m bringing you the results of this little excursion into the dark side of Blogging: the evil world of Spam!  My Conclusion?

Every Blogger Needs the Akismet Anti- Spam Plugin!

Oh yes!  I learned the hard way!  Basically, it seems I’m just too nice (whistle…..) – I let through quite a few evil spammers.  I found this out because one of this world’s great Super Heroes came to my rescue.  Drum roll please, Gladys…….. 

Take a bow, Mr Mike Hlatky from the websites

• http://www.mikeshowtosite.com
• WPResources.Net – Premium WordPress Themes and Plugins

Mike sent me a message to tell me that a lot of the Comments I had approved were really just spam.  And I thought that they loved me….they said that they did!  You can’t trust anyone these days.   Thanks, Mike.

So I went through and purged My Second Million of these no-good vermin.  But alas, I still haven’t told you the worst thing that happened.

I got hit with about 300 spam Comments from Bangladesh – every day, for 3 days.  Aaaaah!   And…..as a result, I got listed as a spammer on the website Stop Forum Spam….I’m currently negotiating with them to remove my name from their database.  Fingers crossed.

Take Home Message: You Need to Install Akismet on Your Blog

The plugin Spam Free WordPress by Josh Lahman is great to block automated spam bots. Over 4 months, it has automatically blocked 4,644 Spam Comments here. That’s a lot of spam that didn’t even get inside the front door.  Thanks Josh.

But you need to install Akismet as well.  Not sure how to get Akismet for free?  Read Get Akismet Anti Spam Plugin for Free.

Since Re-activating my Akismet Plugin 3 days ago, it has already blocked 20 Spam Comments, and they really were all spam.  I know they were spam because i could review them all in my Spam Folder.

So, learn from my experiences – and have a chuckle at my expense if you want to – I often do – But! If you don’t already have the Akismet plugin protecting your blog, you must get it, and install it today.

……..Cue Alternative Motto today I think:

I Make the Stupid Mistakes So You Don’t Have To!