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FAQ About CleanTalk Anti-Spam

Features

Getting prepared

Payment

Working with Anti-Spam

 

Should I change anything in the plugin's settings or in my CleanTalk Control Panel when I switch from HTTP to HTTPS or vice versa?

No. You don't need to change anything in the plugin's settings or in your CleanTalk Control Panel. The plugin will work regardless of the protocol.

 

I receive messages "... Service disabled ..."

Please check your license status in your CleanTalk Dashboard. If access to the service is disabled and your license has expired, then you need to renew the license.


If access is enabled, then check your access key in the plugin settings. Access key in your CleanTalk Dashboard and in plugin settings must be the same.

All questions can be asked via our support ticket system.

 

How do I test the anti-spam on the website?

To do the test, use email s@cleantalk.org. Comment/feedback/signup with this email address should not be allowed on the website.

 

My website status is "Not connected"!

It takes 1-5 minutes to move the website to "Active". If it takes longer, please use the email stop_email@example.com at the comment/signup form or contact the technical support.

Please look at our guide if you need help with testing of Anti-Spam protection.

 

I Don't Want to Store the Content of Messages in the Logs

You can disable storing all information in the log except the IP. Go to Control Panel

Enter your website settings

 

CleanTalk Dashboard website settings

 

Mark the option "Do not save approved requests" and click "Save". If you have several services you can also apply this option to all services by choosing the checkbox "Apply for all services" before saving settings.

 

CleanTalk Dashboard website options

Now only date/time and IP will be kept in the logs.

Note: In WordPress, you can exclude your personal data from spam checking and sending to CleanTalk servers. Add this string to your "wp-config.php" file before defining database constants:

$cleantalk_key_exclusions = Array('key1', 'key2', 'key3');

Now, all fields in your submissions with the keys named ‘key1’, ‘key2’, or ‘key3’ will be excluded from spam checking.

 

I Want to Block IP/Email

If you want to block any IP/email and block access to comments/register, just go to CleanTalk Dashboard->Log, find the necessary request, and mark it as "Spam". This IP/email will be added to your personal BlackList. CleanTalk Personal Blacklists manuals are here.

You can find more information about how it works here: FAQ - Abilities - Block IP/Email.

 

I Can't Find the Message in the Control Panel of the Website

Please, see the details here:
https://cleantalk.org/help/i-cant-find-message

 

The difference between the number of accepted requests in the reports and the number of real user requests

If you have noticed the difference in the number of real requests and the number of requests in the report letters, don't worry. The fact that CleanTalk catches requests before a form completes data validation, so if the visitor entered the data incorrectly and sent the form, we will receive the request before the form gives an error.

As an example, a visitor enters an invalid email (without @), like as "email#example.com and sends a post comment. So, CleanTalk checked this request, and after it, a form will generate an error "ERROR: Please enter a valid email address." You will see this request in the CleanTalk logs, but the form itself will not process it and will not send you this message.

If you use a captcha, then every time the user enters a captcha incorrectly, this request gets into the CleanTalk logs.

You can find more information about validation here.

 

What's going on with the plugin version in the CleanTalk Dashboard?

Information about the version of the plugin/app in the Control Panel CleanTalk is taken from its last request to the servers.
So after the updates on your website, you can just wait for the next registration or comment on the website. The test request can be done by the plugin when you click Save Settings. It works on the following CMS's:

  • Bitrix
  • IPBoard
  • IPS
  • Joomla
  • WordPress
  • Drupal

The version in the Control Panel will be updated within 3 minutes after receipt of the request from your site.

 

My IP Blacklisted

CleanTalk logs all requests on your website, including ones when you test the service, so your IP is shown in your anti-spam log, but your IP is not blacklisted. You can always check IP here: https://cleantalk.org/blacklists

 

I See in the Logs a Lot of Blocked Messages with the Reason "Forbidden. Please enable JavaScript. Spam Sender Name."

A lot of spam bots can't perform JavaScript code, so it is one of the important checks, and most of the spam bots will be blocked with the reason "Forbidden. Please enable JavaScript. Spam sender name." All browsers can run JS code, so real visitors won't be blocked.

If you think that message was blocked incorrectly, let us know about it.

If you or someone of your visitors has the error "Forbidden. Enable JavaScript," please check JavaScript support in your browser and do a JavaScript test on this page. Check out JavaScript support. If it is necessary, use the link How to enable JavaScript in a web browser. 

 

Test s@cleantalk.org and stop_email@example.com passed protection. What should I do?

Please check your access key in the plugin settings. Make sure that you aren't making a test while you are logged in as an administrator. You should log out, use incognito mode, or another browser before testing.

Please use this guide to test the Anti-Spam protection.

 

My SpamFireWall IP database is not updated. Why?

We use remote calls to the plugins to quickly update the plugin's firewall base. Calls come from CleanTalk servers netserv2.cleantalk.org and netserv3.cleantalk.org. Calls look like:

 

SpamFireWall

/?spbc_remote_call_token=SOME_TOKEN&spbc_remote_call_action=sfw_update&plugin_name=antispam

requested the following types of files:

bl_list_SOME_KEY.csv.gz

Please ensure that these calls are not being blocked by any security software, such as ModSecurity, or by any restrictions in the .htaccess file on your server.

If you need to update the IP database immediately, you can do so manually by clicking the "Synchronize with cloud" button in the Anti-Spam plugin settings.

Please note that the database is also updated automatically every 24 hours by a CRON job.

 

 

Where can I find the list of the Anti-Spam plugin cookies?

You can find a list of the cookies the plugin uses on this page.

 

Protection is not working, or spam is increasing

  1. Check if the plugin is installed and activated.
  2. Verify that you have entered the correct access key and check your protection options (such as exclusions and protection for different form types).

 

I recently renewed the license, but I'm still receiving renewal notifications.

  1. CleanTalk provides two services: Anti-Spam and WordPress Security & FireWall. Please check which specific service is sending these notifications and follow this guide to renew the correct license.
  2. Please check if you have more than one CleanTalk account. To merge accounts, please contact us.

 

Users' submissions are blocked when using a VPN.

CleanTalk Anti-Spam will block submissions from VPN services if our system detects spam activity from IP addresses within that VPN subnet. For more details, you can read this article.

 

False positives on WordPress contact forms using cache plugins.

To fix the issue, you will need to change your cache plugin settings. Please refer to this guide for detailed instructions.

 

ERROR: Array - the plugin didn't receive the correct data. The error occurs while automatically getting the access key.

Set the "Use WordPress HTTP API" option to "ON" (WordPress Admin Panel → Settings → Anti-Spam by CleanTalk → Advanced settings).

Then synchronize the plugin with the CleanTalk Cloud: WordPress Admin Page → Settings → Anti-Spam by CleanTalk → click the button "Synchronize with Cloud"

 

ERROR: CONNECTION_ERROR: "Operation timed out after 5001 milliseconds with 0 bytes received_FAILED_TO_USE_FILE_GET_CONTENTS" - the plugin can't receive data from the CleanTalk servers. The error occurs while checking account status.

Set the "Use WordPress HTTP API" option to "ON" (WordPress Admin Panel → Settings → Anti-Spam by CleanTalk → Advanced settings).
Then synchronize the plugin with the CleanTalk Cloud: WordPress Admin Page → Settings → Anti-Spam by CleanTalk → click the button "Synchronize with Cloud"

 

ERROR: Testing is failed. Please check the Access key. - the plugin can't check the access key.  The error occurs while the Access key us being validated.

  1. Set the "Use WordPress HTTP API" option to "ON" (WordPress Admin Panel → Settings → Anti-Spam by CleanTalk → Advanced settings).
  2. Enable CURL support and allow_url_fopen in your file "php.ini" — these options are required for our plugin operation. You can read more here: System Requirements for the CleanTalk Plugins

Then synchronize the plugin with the CleanTalk Cloud: WordPress Admin Page → Settings → Anti-Spam by CleanTalk → click the button "Synchronize with Cloud"

 

ERROR: CONNECTION_ERROR: Resolving timed out after 5515 milliseconds_AND_ALLOW_URL_FOPEN_IS_DISABLED - the plugin can't connect to the CleanTalk servers. Such an error occurs while checking the account status.

Enable CURL support and allow_url_fopen in your file "php.ini" — these options are required for our plugin operation. You can read more here: System Requirements for the CleanTalk Plugins

 

SERVER_ERROR NO: 11 MSG: Service disabled, please go to Dashboard

Check your license status in your CleanTalk Dashboard.

 

Is it paid?

Yes, the service is paid, please see the price. You have a 7-day trial to test the anti-spam on your website.

 

I want to connect two resources to the service. Do I have to register two accounts, or can I use the same key?

Both sites can be connected to one account, with a separate Access Key for each website.

 

Description of the payment process for the CleanTalk Anti-Spam license

You can read a detailed payment guide here.

 

What if I can't find a price list for a suitable package?

More efficient packages are available after registration in your Control Panel.

  

Difference between hosting packages

For 5$/month you will get only one IP address with an unlimited number of websites. Any request from this IP will be processed.

For 15$/month you will get an unlimited number of IPs and websites.

 

Is there any auto-payment or auto-extension service?

Yes, the auto-payment is available for the Anti-Spam by CleanTalk annual subscription [https://cleantalk.org/price-anti-spam].

You can enable auto-payment at the moment of purchasing/renewing subscriptions only on the Checkout page.

Autopayments photo


You can disable auto-payments anytime with the appropriate link on the Licenses & Billing page. 

 Aoutpaymenst bill photo

 

Keep in mind that you can change your preferred method of payment in your PayPal account. Do the following:

 • Go to the Summary page of your PayPal account. Click the three vertical dots next to your "PayPal balance" title and choose "Manage currencies".

 • Then choose a payment method you want and click "Set as preferred". See the screenshots below for clarification.

PayPal manage currencies balance summary

PayPal payment methods preferred

More details are here:

 • What payment methods can I use with PayPal?

 • How do I change my payment method during checkout?

 

Cases of refunds, getting invoices, correcting the wrong payments, and stopping the CleanTalk service

Please, use these short guides:

• Payment Refund

• Getting Invoices

• Wrong Payments

• Stopping the Service

 

The premium notice is still being displayed in the WordPress backend after the payment.

Re-save the plugin settings by following this guide.

 

My website status is "Waiting for first comment, registration or contact"!

Usually, it takes 10-15 minutes for the website status to change after the plugin is set up.

To test the plugin and force a status update, please use the email address stop_email@example.com in a comment, registration, or contact form.

 

How do IP/Email blacklists work?

CleanTalk modules and plugins utilize shared blacklisting services. These lists are created automatically based on our analysis of spam activity from any IP or email addresses.

For example, if a server approves a user's registration, but an administrator later deletes the account, we receive this information via a feedback loop. When three or more negative feedback items (such as an account removal or a message deletion) are received from a particular IP address or email, it is automatically added to the blacklist.

Conversely, if a message is blocked by the automoderator but is then manually approved, this positive feedback is recorded in our database, and the corresponding entry is removed from the blacklist. Because more than 1,200 sites are connected to this service, spammers are typically added to the blacklist within 1-2 hours based on this algorithm.

 

 

Is CleanTalk Compatible with CloudFlare?

CleanTalk is fully compatible with CloudFlare. The service does not filter CloudFlare's IP addresses (AS13335) using its blacklist database. Instead, the plugin and service rely on other anti-spam tests to filter spam bots.

If you have any issues, please contact us via our support ticket system.

 

Is CleanTalk Compatible with a website proxy?

CleanTalk is fully compatible with all standard proxy solutions. You can read the details here.

 

Does the anti-spam plugin work with Accelerated Mobile Pages (AMP)?

Yes, it does. But you have to turn off the option ‘Use AJAX for JavaScript check’ in the Advanced settings of the plugin for it to be fully compatible with Accelerated Mobile Pages.

 

After the installation, I noticed in the statistics that the number of spam attacks has increased

It's common to see an increase in the number of spam attacks reported in your statistics after installation. This can happen for a few reasons.

  • As your website gains visibility from search engine indexing and better search results, it naturally attracts more spambots.
  • Protection systems without detailed statistics, like CAPTCHA or question/answer forms, don't give you a complete picture of all the spam attacks your site faces. Our system aims to provide a more comprehensive view.
  • Counting methods for spam attacks and spambots differ across various systems, which can explain the discrepancy. We work to provide the most detailed statistics possible.

 

How do I report a missed spam bot or incorrect filter?

If you think the service has missed a spam bot or improperly filtered a visitor to the website, you may notify us via the Anti-Spam Dashboard. To do so,

  1. Log in to your Anti-Spam Dashboard.
  2. Click the line "Settings" under the name of your website.

 CleanTalk Anti-Spam website settings

  1. Click the link "Logs" on the left of the page.

Anti-Spam webite's log

      4. Click on the "SPAM/Not SPAM" for the appropriate registration or comment on the website.

CleanTalk Anti-Spam feedback

When you mark a record as SPAM, its email and IP address will be added to your personal blacklist for your website for 30 days.

When you mark a record as Not SPAM, its email and IP address will be added to your personal whitelist for your website for 30 days.

 

 

We will resolve the issue within a few days of receiving the report or contact you for further details.

 

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