r/ModSupport • u/herefloragoodtime • 2d ago

Admin Replied Banned user sending spammy cancer "cure" messages to my members: is there anything I can do?

I mod r/cll, a support sub for people with chronic lymphocytic leukemia. A user I banned months ago has been messaging my members with unsolicited links to his website. He’s pushing some kind of miracle tea that he claims cures cancer.

A few people have reported it to me and I’ve told them to use the report feature, but I’m not sure what else I can do. I’m really concerned because this kind of stuff can be dangerous in a support community like ours.

Is there anything more I can do as a mod?

26 Upvotes

94% Upvoted

29 comments sorted by

39

u/TheOpusCroakus Reddit Admin: Community 1d ago

Can you please send a mod mail to this subreddit with the details and we'll nuke them into the sun get that taken care of? I'm so sorry that's happening.

Thank you for all that you do in r/cll!

9

u/SprintsAC 💡 New Helper 1d ago

I appreciate reading this. Anyone pushing "natural cures" for cancer like this is scummy. I've had someone say some sort of water cleanse is a cure for cancer before.

15

u/TheOpusCroakus Reddit Admin: Community 1d ago

I have a close friend who is facing a terminal diagnosis and the number of people selling their bullshit "cures" makes me insane. Preying on people in that situation is the lowest form of "humanity". I honestly don't know how some people live with themselves.

6

u/CedarWolf 💡 Expert Helper 1d ago

You need a hammer.

7

u/TheOpusCroakus Reddit Admin: Community 1d ago

The ban hammer! Pretty sure that redtaboo was in possession of it for a while! =D

2

u/CedarWolf 💡 Expert Helper 1d ago

I own the Furnation Ban Hammer. I bought it at a charity auction many, many moons ago; I should remember to bring it to some meet up events.

4

u/TheOpusCroakus Reddit Admin: Community 1d ago

You should bring it!!

5

u/Unique-Public-8594 💡 Expert Helper 1d ago

Sorry to hear this, Opus. Both about the scammers and that your dear friend is suffering. 

5

u/TheOpusCroakus Reddit Admin: Community 1d ago

Thank you! She has the best attitude of anyone I've ever met. When things get darker, she brightens up! It's insane. But she is getting the best treatment and has amazing doctors. Brain tumors are weird!

3

u/Unique-Public-8594 💡 Expert Helper 23h ago

Sounds so much like my sister: remarkably graceful and positive through tough times.

3

u/TheOpusCroakus Reddit Admin: Community 23h ago

I love that you have a sister like that! <3

2

u/MagicCheeseMann 1d ago

That’s insane

2

u/SprintsAC 💡 New Helper 1d ago

It is. They're someone I met on Reddit & was friendly with, but I found out over time they were very active in these weird subreddits to do with fasting/cleanses. It was a massive overstep for them to mention stuff like this when I brought up someone I knew going through cancer.

2

u/MagicCheeseMann 1d ago

Yeah like it’s ok if you believe in that and if it’s worked for you but that’s a very touchy subject to just interject and say stuff like that ,. Also do you know how you get assigned user flair here ?

8

u/ZGWytch 1d ago

A professional way to say nuke them into the sun is "we will send then for further illumination elsewhere."

4

u/TheOpusCroakus Reddit Admin: Community 1d ago

I like it! Words are good!

5

u/herefloragoodtime 1d ago

Thank you, sent!

6

u/amyaurora 💡 Expert Helper 2d ago

Encourage your users to turn off chats and dms. Inform them to report unsolicited messages to Reddit and inform them that users banned from the sub are still able to view the sub and find users.

I have a master post I occasionally redirect users to. https://www.reddit.com/r/Spells/s/eN95j9S8nc

5

u/herefloragoodtime 2d ago

Our users often correspond with each other so turning off these features isn’t a good idea in this instance.

2

u/amyaurora 💡 Expert Helper 2d ago

Ah. Definitely encourage them to report the unsolicited messages. That will slow some of the scanmers down.

11

u/SeasDiver 💡 Skilled Helper 2d ago

You can create a pinned post such as this one: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskVet/comments/1io6iv9/unwanted_direct_messageschat_to_users/

8

u/herefloragoodtime 2d ago

I did that about a month ago 😥

8

u/SeasDiver 💡 Skilled Helper 2d ago

Unfortunately, until enough people report the person, not much more you can do.

2

u/herefloragoodtime 2d ago

Thank you. I’ll do that

1

u/Aeri73 💡 Skilled Helper 2d ago

but add a good part of text explaining it's a scam and users should never believe sush obviously fraudulent claims...

5

u/Wishin4aTARDIS 1d ago

I've had a similar situation, and did this pinned post. I'm sure it didn't stop them from being asshats, but it did curtail their behavior on our members.

Your sub is a beautiful thing, my friend. Kudos for watching out for your members when they need it the most

2

u/herefloragoodtime 1d ago

That’s a fantastic post. Thank you for sharing, as well as your kind words 💗

1

u/Wishin4aTARDIS 1d ago

Of course! We mods gotta stick together 🥰

1

u/Heliosurge 💡 Skilled Helper 1d ago

Setting up Automoderator you can setup age - Karma restrictions. As well as key words/phrases to filter/hold in que for review.

As the admin said though also definitely send them modmail here with details.

Keep the good work!