--- title: Stop spam registrations description: "The ways Ultimate Membership Pro keeps bots and fake accounts out of your registration form: reCAPTCHA, email verification, blocked usernames and addresses, approval and invitation codes." url: "https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/prevent-spam-registrations/" updated: "2026-10-18" category: "Registration & Login" --- # Stop spam registrations 5 minBeginnerUltimate Membership Pro 14.2+ Ultimate Membership Pro has several ways to stop spam registrations on its registration form, and most sites need only the first two. A public registration form attracts bots: fake accounts clutter your member list, skew your reports and can hurt your email reputation. Start at the top of the list and add more only if spam keeps coming. Before you start - Your registration form is set up. See [Set up the registration form](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/set-up-the-registration-form/). ## Pick your protections Google reCAPTCHA **Stops** : Automated bots **Effort** : Get two keys from Google **Guide** : [Add Google reCAPTCHA](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/how-to-enable-recaptha/) Email verification **Stops** : Fake and mistyped addresses **Effort** : One switch, two pages **Guide** : [Verify members' email addresses](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/how-to-activate-double-email-verification/) Blocked usernames and emails **Stops** : Known names and addresses **Effort** : Lists you keep up to date **Guide** : Below Approval or invitation **Stops** : Anyone you didn't approve or invite **Effort** : Manual work per member **Guide** : [Set up the registration form](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/set-up-the-registration-form/), [Invite-only registration](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/invitation-code/) ## 1. Add a captcha A captcha on the registration form stops most bots. Save your [Google keys](https://developers.google.com/recaptcha/intro) in Ultimate Membership Pro*›*Settings*›*reCaptcha Setup, then switch on the **Capcha** field in the Custom Fields list. See [Add Google reCAPTCHA](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/how-to-enable-recaptha/). ## 2. Make members confirm their email With **Double Email Verification**, new accounts only work after the member clicks a link sent to their address. Fake addresses never confirm. Set **Delete Member Account if is not Verified** so those accounts are removed automatically after 1 to 30 days. See [Verify members' email addresses](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/how-to-activate-double-email-verification/). ## 3. Block usernames and email addresses In Ultimate Membership Pro*›*Settings*›*Security, two lists stop registrations you recognize as spam. [![Security settings with Block Username on SignUp set to admin,support,coachclub, a Warning Message and an Email Address Black List with two addresses](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-spam-01-security-blocking.png)](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/ump-spam-01-security-blocking.png) Blocked username words and email addresses. 1Block Username on SignUp Words that may not appear in a username, separated by commas. A word blocks every username that contains it: `admin` also blocks admin123. Capital letters count, so add each spelling you want to block. Default: **Empty** 2Warning Message The message shown under the Username field when a word matches. Fill it in, otherwise the visitor sees no explanation. Default: **Empty** 3Email Address Black List Full email addresses that may not register, separated by commas. Only an exact match is blocked: a domain such as `@example.net` or part of an address does nothing. A blocked visitor sees the “Email address has already been taken” message. Default: **Empty** Click Save Changes. Block whole groups of addresses To block disposable email services, or registrations from certain IP addresses, use the paid add-ons [**Blacklist Disposable Emails**](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/addon/blacklist-disposable-emails/) and [**IP Registration**](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/addon/ip-registration/). ## 4. Approve or invite members For closed communities, check people before they get in. Set the register role to **Pending** and [approve each account in Members](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/how-to-change-member-status/) ([Set up the registration form](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/set-up-the-registration-form/)), or ask for an invitation code at sign-up ([Invite-only registration](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/invitation-code/)). ## 5. Protect the login form too Bots that get an account often try passwords next. The Security Login module locks the login form after too many failed attempts. It protects logging in, not registration. See [Block brute-force login attempts](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/security-login/). ## Example: Coaching Club **Coaching Club**A public form with light checks, plus cleanup of accounts that never confirm. **reCAPTCHA** : On the registration and login forms **Double Email Verification** : On **Delete Member Account if is not Verified** : After 7 days **Block Username on SignUp** : admin,support,coachclub **Email Address Black List** : Addresses that registered spam before ## Troubleshooting Why do spam accounts still register on my site? If spam accounts still appear, check that the Capcha field is switched on in Custom Fields and that your reCAPTCHA keys are saved, then add email verification. Also check WordPress's own sign-up: in [Settings › General](https://wordpress.org/documentation/article/settings-general-screen/), “Anyone can register” lets people register through [the WordPress login page](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/customize-wp-login-style/), outside the plugin's form. Why can people still register with an email domain I blocked? The Email Address Black List only blocks complete addresses. Use the Blacklist Disposable Emails add-on to block whole domains. Why do visitors see an empty error under Username? Visitors see an empty error under Username when a blocked word matched and the Warning Message is empty. Fill in the Warning Message in Settings › Security. How do I find and delete accounts that never confirmed? To find accounts that never confirmed their email, go to Members, open More filters and pick Pending Email Verification under Manager Requests. Remove them from the row menu, or let Delete Member Account if is not Verified do it. ## What's next [**Add Google reCAPTCHA**Stop bots on your forms.](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/how-to-enable-recaptha/)[**Verify members' email addresses**Confirm every address.](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/how-to-activate-double-email-verification/)[**Invite-only registration**Require an invitation code.](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/invitation-code/)[**Block brute-force login attempts**Lock the login form after failed tries.](https://ultimatemembershippro.com/docs/security-login/)