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Discord security glossary

What is Discord spam?

In brief

Discord spam is the sending of unsolicited, repetitive messages on a server or in a direct message: ads, scam links, fake Nitro, mass mentions. It can come from a single account as well as an entire wave.

The most common forms of spam

  • Rampant self-promotion: links and invites to other servers, posted on a loop.
  • Scam and phishing links: fake "free Nitro", wallet drainers, fake promotions.
  • Flood: @everyone mentions, emojis, or messages repeated very fast to saturate the chat.
  • Direct message spam: your members receive ads or scams in DMs.

Spam, flood, raid: where does spam fit?

Spam refers to the content (unwanted, repetitive messages). Flood is one form of it, focused on volume and speed, while a raid is an invasion of accounts that often uses spam as a weapon. A single account can spam without there being a raid.

Why it's a problem

  • The chat gets drowned out and real conversations become unreadable.
  • Scam links reach your members and expose your community.
  • Members get tired and leave, and your moderation burns out.

How to stop spam on your server?

The right approach combines several protections that complement each other.

  • Automatic anti-spam. The anti-spam spots repetitive messages, abnormal rates, and mass mentions, then punishes on its own.
  • Entry verification. A captcha blocks spam bot farms before they reach the server.
  • Closing off direct messages. The DM closing stops spammers from contacting your members privately.

This is what RaidProtect automates: the bot protects over 380,000 servers and has already blocked millions of spam messages.

Frequently asked questions

Is spam forbidden on Discord?

Yes: spam violates Discord's Terms of Service. Servers can punish the culprits, and accounts that spam massively can be banned by Discord.

Can a single account spam?

Yes. Unlike a raid, spam doesn't require a wave of accounts: a single account, or a self-bot, is enough to spam.

How do you block spam automatically?

An anti-spam spots repetitive messages, overly fast sends, and mass mentions, and applies a punishment without any action on your part.

Are spam and flood the same thing?

Flood is a form of spam focused on volume and speed (saturating a channel). All flood is spam, but not all spam is necessarily flood.