Is there a way to lock an user OUT of their own account? I want to keep their account as evidence..

[Nelson Freytes]

I recently discovered that a very well blended profile on my site was not a real person but in fact a marketing company adding hidden links back to their client's websites.

The posts are very well blended and you'll have to hover your mouse arrow over the first few words on both posts to see the hidden links in the text.

Here's the first one: http://transplantcafe.com/profiles/blogs/trip-to-asia

'mouse over' the words 'medical travel insurance' in the first sentence and then again over 'health insurance' on the second sentence.

Second post:
http://transplantcafe.com/profiles/blogs/transpant-finances

Again, mouse over 'health insurance' in the first sentence and 'international medical insurance' in the second sentence.

They're hidden links which is what made this impossible for me to find and delete early on. Now they've had almost 3 years of free back linking from my site.

The way I discovered these was when one of the companies the spammers were promoting contacted me directly to point out the spam and take it down.

But, I didn't leave it at that. I feel my site my member's trust have been violated. So, I've now been dealing with the company that prompted me for the past 2 months to hold them accountable for this as well. In the least I need them to reveal who they used for advertising that used my site for spam.

They have now contacted that ad agency and they've lawyered up.. not necessarily to fight, but to get advice as I am threatening everyone involved with legal action, even the other company they hid a link for.

That group has said they would be in touch soon.

Ideally I can lock up the account and not allow them to log in and take it down so I can have it as evidence moving forward. I've already taken screen captures of all of it, but due to the hidden links, it's hard to show that they're there.

If not, do you think that saving the source code will have the information in it?

Also I just want to ask what other creators think of this approach and any thoughts or feedback on all this. Would you do the same, or just delete the post and move on? Or, what other actions could I take and is there a better way to approach all of this?

Thanks,
Nelson

[Rev. O.M. Bastet]

Right-click in the empty space on ANY webpage. Select "save as" "webpage." You will get a file which can later display the entire page as if it were real. Even if the actual page is no longer available.

BTW I do not regard hyperlinks as "hidden," but that doesn't change the situation that your site was used for marketing.

[Nelson Freytes]

Perfect. Thanks so much!