I’ve been taken hostage by the WordPress spam monster and, since Wednesday, all the comments I’ve been leaving on other blog posts seem to have gone straight into the spam folder.
Please check your spam folder and let me know if you find me in there. If you do, then please mark the comment as not spam. The spam monster will then release me and I’ll appear in the comments section of the post.
I first heard reports the WordPress spam monster had been taking hostages about a month ago. My understanding is that if it happens to you, you need to report it to WordPress. The problem at the moment is that all the WordPress engineers are at some conference and won’t be back until Monday 26th September. Therefore, whilst I will still be visiting and reading your blog posts, I won’t be leaving any comments until I know the problem has been sorted out.
If you do un-spam me, then I understand I can start leaving comments on your posts again. However, it’s probably best I don’t do that as I really have seen more than enough of the spam monster these past few days.
Has this problem affected your blog? What did you do to get it put right?
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It can be happen with anyone ☺
Indeed. It seems to have already done so with many bloggers here on WordPress.
I’ve set you out some tea and biscuits for if you get hungry in there.
Thanks, Richard. I got fished out of peoples’ WordPress spam folders weeks back, but those biscuits may come in handy for other bloggers who find themselves in there.
I’ve been in there myself.
Glad you were saved, Richard. Let’s hope the spam monster never recaptures us.
Reblogged this on K Y R O S M A G I C A and commented:
Unfortunately it looks like I’ve been taken hostage by the spam monster too. I have been replying to your comments – the one’s I’ve seen – good idea to check your spam folders. Thank you to the bloggers who alerted me to this issue. Thanks to Hugh for this post of what to do if the spam monster gets you, reblogging to spread the word.
Marje, I’m so sorry to hear that this is now happening to your comments.
Check out my other post which tells you what you need to do if your comments are ending up in the WordPress spam folder.
https://hughsviewsandnews.com/2016/09/25/what-to-do-if-all-your-comments-are-ending-up-in-the-wordpress-spam-folder/
I would never let them put you in my spam folder! How dare they!
Thank you. The spam monster is a mighty beast. I was very happy when the Happiness Engineers at WordPress came and saved me.
I just looked through my spam folder, Hugh. You weren’t there, but a bunch of others were. *Sigh*
Thanks for the heads up. 🙂
Glad I wasn’t there, Diana. but please do let the other bloggers know. They may be having the same problem as I had with comments being marked as spam.
Thanks for letting me know.
The odd thing was that they all looked familiar. I realized that they were in my spam AND in my regular email. Very weird.
I’m just very glad you found them, Diana. Many end up in the spam folder, never to be heard from again. 😱
Thanks for the heads-up, Hugh. That’s good to keep in mind when any reader seems to drop off the grid.
Mega hugs
You’re welcome, Teagan.
Have a great week.
Hugs.
Some of my comments land in the spam folder but I find that it’s usually related to certain words used in the comment. Words that are often used in real spam. I try to stay away from them as much as possible.
Occasionally it can happen, Sandra. However, when all your comments start being marked as spam then that is when you know you’ve got a problem.
I agree. It’s best to stay clear of ever leaving certain words in your comments. Given that not everybody checks their WordPress spam folder, your comment could remain in there forever.
Not you too Hugh.. I was held prisoner as you know a few months back, I also had to rescue a fair few WP friends and Debby only this week.. You were not there last time I looked but be sure to note I will rescue you should you be found in that dreaded dungeon .. xxx Sue
Hi Sue. Thank for checking. I’ve managed to leave a few comments on various blogs this morning without the comment disappearing and/or going to the spam folder. So, fingers crossed, WordPress may now have rescued me. 😀
Fingers and toes crossed Hugh, I am hoping Debby can soon find a solution to her WP problems also..
I’m in touch with Debby. We’re sort of in this together. I’m hoping that she’ll soon confirm that she’s able to leave comments again.
I hope so too Hugh..
I found you lurking in my spam box but I’ve released you!
JP
Thanks, JP. Another hero of mine.
Nope. You’re not in my spam anything. You’re right where you should be. 😀 😀 🙂
Thanks for checking Tess.
Hey, why wouldn’t I? No problemo. 🙂
I found 3 of your comments in my spam, but they haven’t all been going in so thats a bit weird. :S
It is. I’ve just heard from one of the Happiness Engineers who fished my cry for help out of the spam folder on the WordPress forum!!!! Anyway, she’s told me to contact Akismet about the problem, which I have done. I hope they operate their help desk over the weekend.
No , Hugh, you are not in my spam!
Thanks for checking, Daisy.
I had a quick look, but you’re not in my spam folder, Hugh. I have a lot of sympathy. The same thing has happened to me a couple of times. I contacted the, um, “happiness engineers” (I think that’s what they’re called!) at WordPress and eventually the problem seemed to get sorted out. I hope things get back to normal for you soon. 🙂
Thanks, Bun. The bad news is that I found your comment in my spam folder, so your comments could now also be affected. I think WordPress are going to have a lot of unhappy bloggers on their hands on Monday.
Oh dear. WordPress and Akismet up to their old tricks again. Incidentally, I might have been the Akismet people rather than the WordPress ones that helped me. I can contact either through my blog, so I’m not always very clear exactly who I’m talking to. 🙂
Yes, I’ve actually received an email this morning from one of the WordPress engineers who found my cry for help on their forum, marked as spam!!! They’ve told me to contact Akismet and to report the problem to them. I’ve now done this so hopefully, it won’t be long before I am released by the spam monster.
That’s good. I’ve always found everyone I contacted about the problem to be pretty helpful. With any luck, the spam monster will soon be driven back to the WordPress shadows. 🙂
I hope so, Bun. I’ll keep everyone posted.
I have been having the same problem. Let’s see if this goes through . . . ! Cross my fingers!
I’m afraid your comment ended up in my spam folder, Marian. I’ve just un-spammed it and approved it. However, once WordPress deems a comment as spam, when the blogger replies to it I’ve found out that they don’t get a WordPress email notification informing them that their comment has been replied to. The only way of finding the reply is by checking the notifications box in the top left corner of your blog.
Like me, you’ll need to report the problem to WordPress.
No,all your emails are arriving in my email box, no spam there, hope that makes you feel better. Have a nice weekend.
It’s not the spam folder of the email box that is the problem. The problem is the WordPress spam folder. That’s where any comments I leave on anyone else’s blog post seem to be ending up.
Thank you for checking, though. Have a lovely weekend.
You are safe from the spam monster on my blog! Coming through loud and clear! 😙
I’ve just left you a comment on your Special promotion post, Janice. The comment has disappeared, probably gone into your WordPress spam folder. Can you check and let me know if you find it there. Thank you so much.
xx
Did exactly what you said. My friends made my bail. 😀
So the problem has affected you as well? Did you contact the WordPress engineers about it?
So sorry to hear that, Hugh. Sounds so annoying. It used to happen to me too, and I contacted each blogger to unspam me. Then it still persisted and I had to ask for help on the WP and eventually it got resolved. A lot of comments do end up in my own Spam folder and I unspam them. Not ideal but you do what you have to do. Good luck.
Thanks, Mabel. Yes, it’s very frustrating when all your comments end up in the spam folder. And with the WordPress engineers all at a conference at the moment, there’s nobody there to help! I think they are going to come back to lots of unhappy bloggers.
Hi Hugh. You already know my problems, lol. At least you make it to spam. I, on the other hand can’t even get a comment to go through on many blogs. Why some and not others? I’m not sure. On those where I can’t comment, I can type a comment and when I try and post it, it disappears, no warnings, no comment, as though I didn’t comment. I emailed a few friends to ask if the comment went to spam, but not even there, just evaporated. This could be the makings of a new mystery story for you, lol. So frustrating! ❤
I love the idea of a new story, Debby. That’s certainly something to think about.
Thank you for reblogging this post. I think the problem is quite wide. Van, of Van By The River, just informed me that she found you in her WordPress spam folder, as well as some other bloggers. I think we need to encourage everybody to check their WordPress spam folder on a daily basis and to inform bloggers if one of their comments end up in there. However, if you don’t end up in there either, then unless you check the post to see if the comment has landed, then many will have no idea they have a problem with their comments.
As soon as I’ve spoken with WordPress and they’ve fixed the problem (which I hope they will instantly do) I’ll let you know.
xx
Hi Hugh. I just popped by to tell you I’m completely locked out of my website. 😦
I’m so sorry to hear about this, Debby. I can’t believe we can’t even get any help from WordPress until Monday! I’ve also just found two more bloggers in my spam folder, so I think this problem is spreading. Sally mentioned something about WordPress changing their security parameters. I bet it has something to do with that.
We will come up with something hopefully soon between all of us. In the meantime I’ve filled out the askimet, but not sure if they’ll help me because I’m self hosted. 😦
I hope they do, Debby. As it’s Askimet that is the problem and, like me, it has your comments down as spam, I can’t see why they won’t help you. After all, your are leaving comments on WordPress.com sites and they are disappearing or being marked as spam.
I’ve everything crossed for us. ⚒
Hi Hugh, they sent me a form! I tried a blog to comment where I couldn’t and it worked then I tried one where I had no trouble and had trouble, lol. Bad day! Still hoping! ❤
Hi Debby. I got that form as well. It asked me to name a site where my comment was being marked as spam. I’ve tried leaving three comments of various blogs this morning, and they’ve all worked! Fingers crossed that I may be out of the woods, but I’ll keep you posted.
xx
Will do the same. I will try later. I tried one bad one and it worked last night. We’ll compare notes and spread the word on Askimet! :)<3
I’ve had no problems leaving comments today, Debby. I hope things have improved for you, although I have heard there have been lots of problems with those that have self-hosted sights.
xx
Yup, just tried a few Hugh, can’t comment. I’ve made a point to recomment signing in with FB asking the blogger to check spam. I wonder if someone marks us as ‘not spam’ if that stops it or continues 😦 Just sent another form to Askimet. ❤
Yes, I believe that is what happens, Debby. Once a blogger marks your comment as not spam, you can then leave further comments without them ending up in the spam folder. That’s what was happening for me anyway.
Is that now three forms you’ve completed for Askimet?
Yes, lol! But the last guy last night was most helpful and emailed me back twice within half hour. Good service on their part! 🙂
No. No spam for you, Hugh. But thanks for the reminder. I did find a few others there. Debby Geis was one .
Hi Van. I’ve just left a comment on your Green Tomatoes post. It’s not appeared on the post, so can you check your WordPress spam folder and see if I’ve ended up in there? I think that’s where you will find me.
I know Debby has also been experiencing the same problem with her comments. I’ve been talking and working with her for most of the week trying to figure out how to fix the problem. However, we are defeated and have to wait for the WordPress engineers to return. I have a feeling they are going to be very busy.
I’d also recommend you inform the other bloggers whom you found in your spam folder, as they to may be affected by this problem and will need to report it to WordPress.
Thanks for the heads-up, Hugh, I did find the comment and restored it. Sorry that is happening to so many. I need to check more often. 💘
Once this is all sorted out, Van, I’ll be writing a post to remind people to check their WordPress spam folder. I’ll be checking mine every day from now on.
Thanks for fishing me out of your spam folder. 😀
My pleasure, Hugh. Hang in there. ☺
You are not in my Spam folder.
Thanks for checking, John. 👍
I havent posted since Tuesday, but I’ll check and let you know… how annoying! As for WP happiness engineers, fancy ALL of them going and leaving no one to man the phones and hold the fort… something was just bound to go wrong!
The problem only started for me on Wednesday, Ali. I left a comment on your most recent post on Tuesday and I know it was ok as I saw the comment on the post and you also responded to it.
I think the WordPress engineers have been away on some conference since last week. I imagine they are going to come back to lots of calls for help.
That’s odd; I hadn’t known it was a problem until reading your post. Thanks for the alert, Hugh. I hope you’re not in the spam folder! . . . Going to check.
I don’t think you’ll find me in there, Leigh. It only started happening on Wednesday and I’ve not left any comments on your blog. However, you may find other bloggers’ comments in there. If you do, then please let them know as they may be affected by this current problem.
Thankfully you were not in my spam folder, but I’m glad I checked because I found a few comments in there from another blogger that are definitely NOT spam either – grrrr!
Glad to hear I’m not in that spam folder, Norm, but I bet if I left a comment on one of your posts you’d find me in there.
I’d recommend you let that other blogger know. I was unaware that my comments were not appearing until another blogger told me that my comments had ended up in her spam folder. I then backtracked on all the blog post I had left comments on yesterday, and I discovered that none of them had shown up. I contacted a few of the bloggers and discovered that my comments had ended up in their WordPress spam folder.
Thanks for the tip – will do. And I’ll check the spam folder more often for the next little while.
I’ve just tried leaving a comment on your Thursday Doors post, Norm. It does not seem to have shown up. Can you check your spam folder and let me know if it has ended up in there.
Thanks very much.
I ended up in the spam folder at times too. But I never noticed a general ending up there. Just once here and once there. What you experience is really strange!
It happens every now and again to me as well, Erika. However, for me, it’s now happening all of the time. Any comment I leave on any blog post just seems to go straight to the bloggers WordPress spam folder. And, of course, it would happen when the WordPress Happiness Engineers are all on at a conference.
I just got an email from them! So not all seem to be on that conference. I am still dealing with two issues on my new theme….!
I’ve been trying to contact them since yesterday, Erika. Their help page says that help via email will return from tomorrow (Friday) and that live chat will be back on Monday. I’m guessing they are dealing with your requests as they were registered before they went off to their conference.
That could be of course. I am also not part of the live chat. So that could be an explanation.
As soon as I have sorted this all out, I’ll be letting everyone know, Erika. Let’s hope it doesn’t happen to too many other bloggers.
I think it happens to all of us sporadically!
This is the first time all my comments are ending up in spam or just disappearing. I hope it’s the last time it happens. Sally has just informed me that WordPress have been working on the sites security parameters, so that could be the reason behind it. 😡
Ah, yes, that may be an explanation. Thanks to you now we know that this could be the reason if all of a sudden our written voices disappear!
I don’t seem to have a Spam folder, or it doesn’t show because it is empty. So, we’ll see if notifications and replies to this comment get through.
Everyone should have a WordPress spam folder. It shows on the comments page of your blog’s dashboard. You can find it at the top of the page next to Pending, Approved, and Trash.
Pleased to say that your comment did not go to my spam folder.
You are not in spam – all comments and notifications coming through 5X5
I’m not sure what 5X5 is, but I’ve not left any comments on any of your own posts and that’s where the problems have been occurring. It only happens if I leave a comment on somebody else’s blog post (not my own).
Thanks for checking, though. I really appreciate it.
Oh, 5X5 is old radio short for all received clearly. I’ll keep an eye out for the problem.
Thanks, Bob.
You’re on my instant email notifications, so no spam on my end. But I will check my dashboard later to double check. Spam, spam, spam spamming spam…to quote Monty Python, lol!
The problem lays with the comments I am leaving on blog posts, Terri. They seem to instantly go to the bloggers WordPress spam folder. The email notifications don’t seem to be a problem.
I love that Monty Python sketch. 😀
The good news is I can read this comment!
But the bad news is that I’ve just left a comment on your Three Ways/Rightsized in Semi-retirement post and my comment has not appeared. Can you check your blog’s spam folder and let me know if the comment has ended up in there? This is the problem I’m experiencing. I have no problem leaving comments on my own blog. It’s when I leave them on other folk’s blogs that the problem occurs.
I will check!!
I just found this comment in my spam folder, Terri. I hope the spam monster has now not got you?
Eek! I’m still on mobile and can’t check yet!
No worries, Terri. This comment never went to spam. Let me know once you’ve looked in there, though.
You are not in my spam Hugh!
Thanks for checking, Willow. I did leave a comment on one of your posts today (it was the bridges one) and it never showed up. Can you check again for me?
Hi Hugh you are not in my spam , I have double checked. Did you like the bridge.
I did. I left a comment saying that I would not have liked to have looked over the edge. Strange that my comment just seems to have disappeared. Let’s hope WordPress can sort it out for me once they are back.
I can’t believe they can all go away at the same time ….where are their brains?????
Exactly, Willow. Never mind. Only three more days until Monday.
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog and commented:
Have YOU got HUGH (or any of your other readers) lurking in your Spam Folder?
If YES, please release them.
If NO, keep checking every so often.
Thanks, Chris. I just left a comment on the reblog you did and my comment has not shown up. Can you check and see if it is lurking in your spam folder and, if it is, release me…please? 😱
Found and unshackled you Hugh 👍
Thanks, Chris. I had a feeling I’d be in there. Thanks for saving me from the WordPress spam monster.
I’ll take a look and see – I can’t have you hanging with spam!
Thanks very much, Jan.
I am a frequent flyer in the spam folders of blogs I follow and visit. I wrote a little blues song about it on my blog a few weeks back and people found my clever, witty comments floundering away in there. I can be chatty, because odds are, I will go directly to your spam box.
The good news is that your comment did not end up in my spam folder, Vicki.
I’d recommend you let WordPress know that most of your comments are ending up in the spam folders of other bloggers. They’re back on Monday.
I will let them know 🙂 I figured I must write like a spammer.
I think they do pick out certain words. Everybody ends up in the spam folder from time to time, but it should only ever be an occasional occurrence.
Notifications by email are coming through to me for posts, but Ani just fished your birthday withes out of the Spam, disgusted that it wasn’t edible 😉
Oh dear. Tell her we’ll send her some cheese, Sue. Thanks for fishing me out. The post that Ani wrote was one that I knew there may be a problem when our comment did not show up on it. Roll on Monday when I talk to somebody at WordPress about this problem.
I generally check most days, as lots of friends seem to end up in there for no reason lately.
Ani says thank you 😉
I shall check Hugh!
Thanks, Ritu. I don’t think you’ll find me in there as I don’t think you published a post yesterday. This all started to happen to me yesterday. Thanks for checking, though.
Better safe than sorry!! Xx
Reblogged this on Smorgasbord – Variety is the spice of life and commented:
Has Hugh Roberts comments been lurking in your Spam folder.. check and see..and let him know…
Hi Hugh I check my spam folder every day and have found a few but not you.. All so far have been self-hosted. It terrifies me that the happiness engineers are at a conference all this week… Oh my no doubt they will come back full of enhancements! Not sure I can handle any more! Hope it is resolved soon..
Hi Sally. I started hearing about the problem early yesterday, so I stopped leaving comments after that. I’ve been working with Debby Gies on it as I know the problem is also affecting her. A few bloggers contacted me to say they found me in their spam folder. I’ve been fished out of a few, but I’ve decided to stop leaving comments until I have spoken with WordPress.
I only hope the WordPress engineers come back with some enhancements that actually work first time! Let’s hope so.
Thank you for reblogging this post.
xx
Let’s hope so Hugh.. xxx
Hi Sally. I just left a comment on the reblog you did and…it does not seem to have shown up. Can you check your WordPress spam folder for me and un-spam me if I’ve ended up in there , please.
Thank you.
xx
You are still being posted in my email so the answer is no from me. You are coming through just fine.
Thank you. This at least shows that WordPress notification emails are not going into spam. The problem seems to be when I leave a comment on somebodies blog. My comment goes straight to their WordPress spam folder where it stays unless they come and save me.