Operational changes for spam

[Undertoad]

In recent weeks the spam problem has been getting worse and worse. At this point, more accounts are started for spamming than for legitimate purposes. Most of these accounts are started from third-world or near, using every single free email domain they can find. They are almost certainly paid some tiny amount per post.

I have been quietly fighting them by deleting the really obvious ones, such as those coming from Russia or China with usernames like "viagraseller" or "freexbox".

Unfortunately we can't prevent people from using BB codes to create links on a per-user basis.

So, I'd like to put in the following changes:

1) Prevent all new registered users from creating their own new threads. Whatever set of instructions the paid spammers are using, tells them to create a new thread when they manage to get in. At the very least, this would stop this set.

2) All current users are promoted to a new usergroup "Confirmed". This group is allowed to post new threads.

3) When a new user writes 5 posts of any kind, they are automatically promoted to "Confirmed" by the forum software.

4) Merely-registered users can also be prevented from using Private Messaging, just for safety's sake.

what say you