Hello everyone! Today, I bring yet another TSU update!
If you read that last TSU update from earlier this year: TSU update! Removing the Dead Numbers and License Key categories! + More, you would know that I am slowly reorganizing TSU to make it more understandable and user-friendly.
Today I have done some more in my quest to achieve this outcome! Let me tell you what has changed, and what I plan to change in the future.
Self Promotion
First off, the self-promotion category that included the sub-categories, TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, Other, etc. Has now been merged into General > Promotion. The new subcategory uses a tag system for choosing what you are promoting. You can see what tags are available here: TechScammersUnited - Scambait forum. Only these tags can be used in the category; like literally, you can not use any other tags because the site won’t let you.
This category was not used very much, and I think having all the sub-categories for the various platforms was a bit ridiculous, tbh. Merging everything like this makes it look very neat compared to what it was and less bloated. It also gives me a chance to see how people like using tags on posts, which I may use more and more in future updates for forum organization.
The General Category
Next up is the general category and its subcategories. I took Windows, Linux, memes, programming, and off-topic and merged them all into general. For the most part, all of these sub-categories were unused, with some of them only having their most recent post being from 2020.
So, if you have something that does not have any scammer information and it does not fit any of the remaining sub-categories under general, then it is probably best to just put it in general.
TSU Community
Ok, a NEW category… kinda? The TSU community is the HUB for all things TSU, and with that, I moved TSU Community > TSU Support and TSU Community > TSU Suggestions and put them under TSU Community. Along with this, I also moved TSU Community > Information and TSU Community > Announcements. These subcategories are all things that are TSU-specific, including the information category. That category is where I put posts that I think are important for the TSU community.
Posts like:
These posts were made by me, an old staff member, specifically for TSU, and that is why they fit here. But it does also encompass scambaiting in general.
What’s Next
For what I have planned next, you can probably guess. The majorly bloated Scammers category. This is a big pressure point for TSU, especially when new members join. I have to CONSTANTLY help people move posts into the right subcategory.
I am in the process of drafting a new system to condense all these sub-categories into bigger, more understandable ones.
Here is what I have so far:
| New Category | Description/Examples | Mapped From Current Categories |
|---|---|---|
| Impersonation Scams | Scammers pretend to be from trusted entities like government agencies, companies, or support services to gain access or money. | Tech support scams, Pop-up scams, IRS scams, Refund scams, SSA Scams, CRA scams, QuickBooks scams. |
| Financial and Investment Scams | Scams promising quick money, loans, or investments, often involving wire transfers, apps, or fake winnings. | Loan scams, Grant scams, Credit card scams, Cash App scams, Lottery Winnings, Crypto scams. |
| Communication and Phishing Scams | Scams delivered via digital messages aiming to steal info or trick clicks, including emails, texts, or links. | Email scams, SMS scams, Phishing scams, Social Media scams. |
| Romance and Personal Scams | Scams building emotional trust to exploit individuals, often involving relationships, health, or beliefs. | Romance scams, Religious scams, Medical scams. |
| Marketplace and Consumer Scams | Scams related to buying/selling goods, services, or travel through ads, sites, or deals. | Car scams, Craigslist scams, Travel scams. |
| Other Scams | For scams that don’t fit elsewhere—describe why in your post for potential recategorization. | Other. |
| Scammers Shamed | Posts exposing specific scammers, sharing evidence, or self-reporting experiences to warn others. | Self Report, Name and shame. |
Feel free to tell me what you think in a reply under this post. This will be a huge undertaking due to the scammers category having over 18k posts made in it. I will have to bulk move these posts and re-organize everything.
This is a major reason why I have been putting this off. But I want to have this done most likely before the end of this year.
Also, while we are here. I will be looking for additional staff members in the future. So, be on the lookout for a staff recruitment post!