Just me...or is there an unusually large number of "new members" in the past few weeks?

[Nuje]

Like the title says, I've been fairly regularly on here for at least 15 years, and I don't recall seeing so many "new members" posting.
Someone postulated that ChatGPT had infiltrated the forums here - a notion that hadn't occurred to me, but putting that together with some obvious bot activity, and some other spammy happenings, I'm just curious if the new members are legit, or something less authentic.

 

[P2B]

I was thinking the same thing, but most of them seem to post legit questions so I wasn't suspecting bots or AI. One new member I clicked on yesterday actually joined in 2019 but had not posted until now.

 

[JDSwan87]

I've noticed it too. They may be sleeper scammer accounts... create an account, let it bake a few months, then scam away...

 

[CanadianALH]

I had also noticed the amount of new members not contributing much.

 

[MrCypherr]

Same here. Noticed a lot of these accounts being made and its usually just a thread here and there and dont see the account post again. Not sure if its just weird timing or if its actual ChatGPT just posting all these accounts.

 

[MrCypherr]

Found another member that just posted.

OzaetaFR

forums.tdiclub.com

 

[J_dude]

Found another member that just posted.

OzaetaFR

forums.tdiclub.com

Already reported

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

Found another member that just posted.

OzaetaFR

forums.tdiclub.com

Did you look at this post? Hahahahaha I would say a bot...

 

[MrCypherr]

LOL, I know. Dead giveaway too.

 

[MrCypherr]

Also, I found this one just liking alot of posts from last year with 0 posts and just joined Saturday. Now, I could be overlooking at this but wouldnt be surprised if this was another one.

aftersixcustoms

forums.tdiclub.com

 

[bashik]

Perhaps more and more cars are approaching the mileage when problems begin. and people go to the forum for answers and advice, because repairs in workshops are expensive. I am a new member too

 

[MrCypherr]

Theres a difference though because alot of these new members post a certain way, or copy and paste answers. You being a new member, we see that you are actually posting and engaging.

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

Perhaps more and more cars are approaching the mileage when problems begin. and people go to the forum for answers and advice, because repairs in workshops are expensive. I am a new member too

As Cypher said, many new members are very clearly bots/sam, posting about dating sites, or truly copy pasting other (real) members responses. I would say everyone here is happy to see and help new members that are actual people.

 

[pedroYUL]

All we need now is bots peddling Amsoil, or Royal Purple lol

 

[J_dude]

All we need now is bots peddling Amsoil, or Royal Purple lol

SHHH! Don't give them ideas!!

 

[MrCypherr]

LOL. I give it a couple months before the oil bots come along

 

[J_dude]

Yet another:

New Upgraded Battery Cables

Order placed this evening.

forums.tdiclub.com

 

[The Cream Dolphin]

Yet another:

New Upgraded Battery Cables

Order placed this evening.

forums.tdiclub.com

I dunno that could be real, it does say the dating is unsurpassed, sounds good! On a side note I am sad the cables in that thread are not available any more.

 

[J_dude]

More dating sites... they must think we're a bunch of single car nerds or something.

Tdi volksrod

https://photos.app.goo.gl/1L9iAK2RTWwP7hW26

forums.tdiclub.com

 

[MrCypherr]

Looks like that car battery thread got deleted pretty quick. Also, Looks like they are taking accounts from years passed so not even brand new account anymore.

 

[J_dude]

Looks like that car battery thread got deleted pretty quick. Also, Looks like they are taking accounts from years passed so not even brand new account anymore.

Yeah, last one joined in 2018, only posted today. Now that's some dedication!

 

[MrCypherr]

Heck, I think even I signed up in 2012 just to get some info and didnt return until 2021 when I got my wagon.

 

[AverageAndy]

they must think we're a bunch of single car nerds or something.

I think most of us are multiple car nerds.

 

[J_dude]

I think most of us are multiple car nerds.

You know what I meant!! Lol.
Good one though

 

[MrCypherr]

 

[MrCypherr]

Found two more members that have already been reported.

mazi201

forums.tdiclub.com

kenwood2@abv.bg

forums.tdiclub.com

Looks like older accounts for sure. I feel like this is going to be the route since I dont really see any "new" accounts posting this.

 

[J_dude]

Found two more members that have already been reported.

mazi201

forums.tdiclub.com

kenwood2@abv.bg

forums.tdiclub.com

Looks like older accounts for sure. I feel like this is going to be the route since I dont really see any "new" accounts posting this.

Yeah P2B pointed out in another thread that they're old inactive accounts that are being hacked. One of the posts I saw last night had more than one post so I checked the profile and it definitely used to be a real human's account, but the latest post was more dating crap.

 

[MrCypherr]

Yeah i've seen a couple of those too. Looks like either they were inactive accounts or accounts that were active and got compromised,

 

[lemoncurd]

Like the title says, I've been fairly regularly on here for at least 15 years, and I don't recall seeing so many "new members" posting.
Someone postulated that ChatGPT had infiltrated the forums here - a notion that hadn't occurred to me, but putting that together with some obvious bot activity, and some other spammy happenings, I'm just curious if the new members are legit, or something less authentic.

Same here. Noticed a lot of these accounts being made and its usually just a thread here and there and dont see the account post again. Not sure if its just weird timing or if its actual ChatGPT just posting all these accounts.

btw, if it is bot activity it isnt ChatGPT.

if it is AI related at all, it's more than likely some other locally ran AI using the recently leaked (now open sourced) llama LLM's. ChatGPT just doesnt have the facilities to do what we are seeing.

bot hacking, then spamming isnt new either. this has been happening since the beginning of the internet, and it always comes in waves. i wouldnt be surprised if the actual hacking then posting from accounts is just a generic botnet / script but the information posted is gathered from an AI with the purpose to construct posts which appear to belong on the site.

 

[MrCypherr]

Yeah I realized later that its just typical forum bot spamming like it always has been. I feel like its so random when it happens and usually comes with accounts that have weak passwords.