Identifying Forum Bots:
Spam & Scraper Bots:
These accounts usually lack profile pictures, have generic or empty bios, and post generic style advice. These accounts are often new as well.
Generative AI Bots:
Advanced bots often converse logically but may post in highly formulaic, overly generic language. In forums where they are active, they might be deployed for automated data collection or engaging in natural-language threads.
Best Practices for Users:
Don’t Engage: If a user account looks suspicious or posts links to off-site products, avoid clicking the links as they can be malicious.
Report: The most effective action is simply hitting the Report button. Moderators can then clean up the threads in bulk.
Another huge red flag for me: Em dashes (—). When there’s multiple em dashes (—) which are long dashes and not regular dashes (-) that’s an instant giveaway. People typically use commas or parentheses rather than em dashes.