Spam still gets through Gravity Forms — unless you stop it at the source
Even with honeypots, CAPTCHAs, or IP blacklists in place, many sites still see a steady stream of:
- Fake names
- Disposable email addresses
- Gibberish messages
- Link-stuffed submissions
- Nonsensical contact inquiries with no real intent
- Form abuse from overseas lead-scraping services
At aztandc.com, we’ve developed a content-based spam prevention system that evaluates form input in real time. It doesn’t rely on challenges, scripts, or hidden fields. Instead, it uses pattern analysis and smart validation to block spam before the form can even be submitted.
Why Traditional Spam Filters Fall Short
- Honeypots: Invisible fields that bots might fill. Modern spam scripts often skip them entirely.
- IP Blacklists: Static and quickly outdated. Spammers rotate IPs or use VPNs to get around them.
- CAPTCHAs: Add friction for users, hurt conversions, and don’t stop manual spam.
- Post-Submission Filters: Detect spam only after it’s submitted — leaving you to clean up your inbox or CRM.
Our Approach: Validate Input Before Submission
We take a proactive approach by analyzing the content of each submission before the form is accepted.
Our system doesn’t just check that fields are filled in — it checks how they’re filled in. Using real-time pattern recognition, it detects spam signals as the form is submitted. If the submission fails validation, it is blocked before any email is sent or data is saved.
Core Detection Features
- Gibberish Detection: Flags strings like “asdfasdf” or excessive repeated characters.
- Name Pattern Checks: Blocks identical first/last names, all-uppercase names, or low-vowel combinations.
- Disposable Email Filtering: Rejects addresses from services like Mailinator or 10MinuteMail.
- URL Limits: Restricts how many links can appear in the message field.
- IP Rate Limiting: Blocks repeated submissions from the same IP address in a short timeframe.
Advanced Safeguards
- Single Vowel Name Detection: Catches fake names with minimal vowel use.
- All-Caps Low-Diversity Filtering: Stops entries like “ASDFGH.”
- Gibberish Ratio Tuning: Customize sensitivity to character patterns.
- URL Stripping Before Validation: Improves gibberish detection accuracy.
- MX Record Validation: Blocks emails from domains that don’t actually receive mail.
- Dual Logging: Records blocked attempts to a file and the WordPress admin.
- Per-Form Scoping: Apply rules globally or to specific Gravity Forms.
It Even Stops Human Spammers
Many spam entries come from real people — not bots — using fake names, vague messages, or made-up domains. These submissions often bypass traditional anti-spam tools.
Our system detects patterns in what’s being typed — not just how it’s submitted — and blocks form entries with low-quality or suspicious content. Combined with MX checks, even fabricated email domains get rejected.
Blocking Is Immediate — and Effective
- No email is sent
- No CRM or workflow is triggered
Spammers know they’ve been blocked — and that’s the point. Once they realize they can’t waste your time, they move on.
Summary: Stop Spam at the Source
Even with tools like reCAPTCHA and honeypots, spam still gets through. Our content-first validation system is different:
- Works in real time
- Stops both automated and human-submitted spam
- Protects your inbox, workflows, and CRM
- Doesn’t frustrate your real users
Need a Smarter Way to Stop Gravity Forms Spam?
Contact us today to learn how we can help you stop spam before it ever reaches your site’s inbox.