How did they find it?

Well, this was unexpected.

I had a copy of vB4 on one my domains buried several folders deep. The URL link has never been posted anywhere (and nobody even knew it was there except for me). There are no Google ads or any other external data provider being used.

Today I get a notice that a new user registered on the site!

So how the heck did the find it?

Are they real or a bot?

*goes off to hire a domain detective to find url*

Ooooh.... I didn't think about checking that, good thought. I just checked StopFormSpam.com and the IP comes up as a reported bot.

Here's the registration info they used...

Code:

There is a new user, MargaretAnderson at vBulletin

To view their profile, go here:
http://{not as well hidden as I thought}/member.php?u=7858

Email Address : margaretandersonsn@gmail.com
Birthday : November 8, 1988
Referrer: N/A
IP Address: 91.212.226.143

I'm still scratching my head about how they found it. For now I moved the folder above /public_html since it was soon to be on the chopping block anyway (was just being used to experiment some vB stuff).

No idea, I used to have a domain (arcadejunkies.co.uk) which was only used about 2 or 3 times as a test site, it only had one forum and no posts and one day I came out from beneath the admin bonnet, refreshed the forum page and I had two spam bots registered - no idea how spambots find sites.

Just now I have referrals from two site fashionjewelryshoponline.com and fashionjewelrystoreonline.com, for some reason who/whatever is visiting my site from those domains about 30 times a day - yet I see no reference or links to my site on either and no links from them on my site - I know I get easily confused at times but I don't understand any of this lol