Suddenly got lots of new followers but with strange sounding emails. A scam?

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  robinthefog · Member · Feb 15, 2015 at 11:28 pm

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  Hello. Without doing anything in particular to merit the extra attention, my blog has gone from getting the odd follower every now and again to getting a sudden (relative) surge in the past couple of weeks. But they all seem to have very strange sounding email addresses and no profile to speak of. For example, ‘(email visible only to moderators and staff)’, ‘(email visible only to moderators and staff)’ and ‘(email visible only to moderators and staff)’ are the three that have signed up today. It all looks rather odd to me. Could it be a scam? If so, why, and what do they get out of it ?
  Any help always appreciated!
  Robin

  The blog I need help with is: (visible only to logged in users)

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  robinthefog · Member · Feb 15, 2015 at 11:29 pm

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  PS Hmm, WordPress has censored my message. But I can’t imagine that
  ‘alinakostorisubqtxw’ at yahoo dot com is any kind of serious email address? Is it?

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  timethief · Member · Feb 15, 2015 at 11:34 pm

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  The software here redacts email addresses so only Staff can see them. This is by design an necessary because there are many who post their email addressees and the email addresses of other here and this is a public forum available to everyone with internet access including the legions of spammers and phishers out there.

  Use google search and see what you find on that email address.

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  timethief · Member · Feb 15, 2015 at 11:35 pm

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  I apologize for the on sentence, lack of punctuation and typos. I’m tired. :(

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  robinthefog · Member · Feb 15, 2015 at 11:53 pm

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  No need to apologise! Very much appreciate you helping me out instead of sleeping! ;-) And a good suggestion too. Thanks!

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  timethief · Member · Feb 15, 2015 at 11:56 pm

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  You’re welcome. :)

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  ivalleria · Member · Feb 26, 2015 at 1:14 am

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  This is happening to me too. Anyone know what’s up with it?

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  johnbrennanlive · Member · Feb 26, 2015 at 1:17 am

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  And me to.

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  johnbrennanlive · Member · Feb 26, 2015 at 1:20 am

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  I replied to a forum question without asking for the persons link.
  When I eventually clicked on their name I was re-directed to a blank page.

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  robinthefog · Member · Feb 27, 2015 at 11:49 am

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  It seems to be increasing, as well. It started with one or two extra a day, but at worst it’s four an hour. None of them seem like actual people who would be interested in my work! What do they get out of following my blog, I wonder? If it’s the chance to place spam messages in the comments section, there would be no point as they have to be approved by me first and I’d just delete them. Any ideas, WordPress?

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  robinthefog · Member · Feb 28, 2015 at 1:07 pm

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  Just realised I started February with around 60 followers and ended it with 191 – and all of them have highly suspicious email addresses. What is going on?

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  tjford3 · Member · Mar 18, 2015 at 6:01 pm

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  This is happening to me, too. WP does not seem able to do anything about it. Wish they could because it is very annoying. I wonder if other resources like godaddy have the same problem?