For website owners, it’s frustrating when they see their form submissions spammed by bots. But why do bots fill out forms in the first place?
Bots are often used to fill out online forms for a variety of reasons. For instance, bots can be used to automatically generate leads for businesses or to gather information from a large number of people.
Additionally, bots can be used to help with data entry or to perform other repetitive tasks. In some cases, bots may even be able to provide answers to questions on particular topics. Ultimately, the use of bots to fill out forms can save time and increase efficiency.
Why Do Bots Fill Out Forms?
Bots are used to fill out forms for a variety of reasons.
Sometimes bots are used to spam the website with junk information, but other times they may be used to provide legitimate information.
Here are some of the most common reasons why bots fill out forms:
Generate Leads
Bots can be used to fill out forms with fake information in order to generate leads for businesses. This is often done by scrapers, which are programs that collect data from websites. The data collected can then be sold to marketing companies or used to create targeted ads.
Test The Form
Bots can also be used to test the functionality of a form. This is often done by developers who are working on the form to make sure that it works correctly.
Submit False Information
Bots can also be used to submit false information to forms. This can be done for a variety of reasons, such as to test the security of the form or to try and get access to restricted information.
Collect Data
Bots can also be used to collect data from forms. This data can then be used for a variety of purposes, such as marketing or research.
Fill Out Surveys
Bots can also be used to fill out surveys. This is often done by companies that want to collect data from a large number of people. The data collected can then be used for marketing or research purposes.
Register For Services
Bots can also be used to register for services. This is often done by businesses that want to offer a service to a large number of people. The data collected can then be used to provide the service or to market the business.
Sign Up For Newsletters
Bots can also be used to sign up for newsletters. This is often done by businesses that want to send out a large number of emails. The data collected can then be used to send emails or to market the business.
Enter Contests
Bots can also be used to enter contests. This is often done by businesses that want to increase their chances of winning. The data collected can then be used to select the winner or to market the business.
Post Comments
Bots can also be used to post comments. This is often done by businesses that want to increase the number of comments on their website or blog. The data collected can then be used to market the business.
Vote In Polls
Bots can also be used to vote in polls. This is often done by businesses that want to increase their chances of winning the poll. The data collected can then be used to select the winner or to market the business.
Bots Filling Out Form- Why It’s A Problem?
As the name suggests, bots are automated scripts that can execute various tasks on your website.
One of the most common ways in which bots are used to exploit websites is by filling out forms on your website.
This can be a problem for a number of reasons. For one, it can result in your website’s data being collected and stored by the bot’s creator.
Additionally, it can cause your website’s form submission process to slow down or even grind to a halt, as the bots can flood your website with requests.
How To Identify That Bots Are Filling Out Forms?
If you’re noticing an unusual amount of activity on your website’s forms, it’s possible that bots are to blame. Bots can be used for a variety of purposes, both good and bad. While some bots are helpful, such as those that help users fill out forms or add products to their shopping carts, others can be malicious, designed to spam your website or collect personal information.
Fortunately, there are a few ways you can tell if bots are filling out your forms. Here are a few steps to help you identify bots:
- Check the IP addresses of form submissions. If you’re seeing a lot of submissions from the same IP address, particularly if it’s an IP address that’s not associated with a country or region where your target audience is located, it’s likely that a bot is responsible.
- Look for patterns in the data. Bots often fill out forms using randomized data, so you may see patterns emerge if you look closely at the submissions.
For example, you may notice that all of the submissions have the same email address domain (e.g., “@gmail.com” or “@yahoo.com”), or that all of the phone numbers are 10 digits long and start with the same three digits.
- Compare the data to your website’s analytics. If you’re seeing a sharp increase in form submissions that don’t seem to be matched by an increase in website traffic, it’s possible that bots are responsible.
- Use a CAPTCHA. CAPTCHAs (short for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart”) are designed to foil bots by requiring users to enter a code or answer a question before they can submit a form.
If you start using a CAPTCHA and your form submissions drop sharply, it’s likely that bots were responsible for the majority of the submissions.
How To Stop Bots From Filling Out Forms On Your Website?
Bots are increasingly becoming a nuisance for website owners as they fill out forms and sign up for services without the owner’s permission. This can lead to a lot of wasted time and resources spent on managing these bot submissions.
There are a few ways to stop bots from filling out forms on your website:
Use a CAPTCHA
CAPTCHAs are a type of challenge-response test used to ensure that only humans can submit forms on your website. This is usually done by asking the user to enter a code that is displayed on an image or audio file.
Use a Honeypot
A honeypot is a hidden field in a form that is only visible to bots. When a bot fills out the form, it will see the honeypot field and fill it out, which allows you to identify and block the bot.
Use a Script
You can use a script to check the user’s IP address or browser information and block submissions from known bot IP addresses.
Use a Plugin
There are plugins available for WordPress and other content management systems that can help stop bots from filling out forms on your website.
Ask For Human Verification
You can add a question to your form that only humans can answer, such as “What is the capital of France?” If a bot fills out the form, it will not be able to answer the question and the submission will be rejected.
Which Spam Filtering Tools Can Prevent Bots From Filling Out Forms?
There are a lot of spam filtering tools available that can help prevent bots from filling out forms. Some of these tools are free, while others are paid.
SpamBurner is a paid spam filtering tool that can help prevent bots from filling out forms. It uses a combination of algorithms and heuristics to identify and block spam.
It also has a blacklist feature that can be used to block known spammer IP addresses.
Another paid spam filtering tool is SpamTitan. SpamTitan uses a combination of blacklisting, greylisting, and heuristics to identify and block spam.
- SpamTitan also has a quarantining feature that can be used to isolate suspected spam messages.
- SpamAssassin is a free spam filtering tool that uses a combination of rule-based and heuristic filtering to identify and block spam.
It also has a blacklisting feature that can be used to block known spammer IP addresses. - Barracuda Spam & Virus Firewall is another free spam filtering tool. It uses a combination of pattern matching, heuristics, and blacklisting to identify and block spam.
It also has a quarantine feature that can be used to isolate suspected spam messages.
These are just some of the spam filtering tools that are available. There are many others, both free and paid. It is important to find a tool that works well for your specific needs.
Tips To Prevent Bots From Entering Your Website
There are many ways to prevent bots from entering your website. Here are some tips:
- Use a CAPTCHA on your website’s forms. This will ensure that only humans can enter your website.
- Use a honeypot on your website. This is a hidden form field that will trap bots when they try to fill it out.
- Use a web application firewall (WAF). This will block malicious requests from reaching your website.
- Keep your website and its plugins up to date. This will reduce the chances of bots exploiting vulnerabilities in your website.
- Monitor your website’s traffic for unusual activity. This will help you detect and block bot traffic.
Following these tips will help you prevent bots from entering your website. Implementing these measures will help keep your website safe from malicious bots.
Final Thoughts
While it’s impossible to stop bots from filling out forms altogether.
There are some steps you can take to make it more difficult for them and minimize the amount of spam your website receives.
Implementing spam filtering tools and using strong passwords are two essential steps in preventing bots from wreaking havoc on your website.
By following these tips, you can help keep your website safe and secure, and free from unwanted spam!
