auto clicking a link

Sniping?

[Lovejoy]

Hi All,
I recently started working for a online business that lists jobs, much like a Google Answers situation, but the questions are listed for anyone to grab ( you get paid for providing the reference material). The problem is that it's almost impossible to grab any of these assignments before they are gone. It appears someone is using some kind of software similar to sniping programs for ebay bidding that clicks the " Accept this Assignment" link as soon as they appear. I've watched the page on a second monitor and seen assignments listed and picked up quicker than I can click the link. Anyone know what these programs are called and how they work?

[inbound]

I'm not sure what they are called but it should be simple to trace what IP addresses the offending software is run from, then you can deal with it as you wish.

This sounds like a real problem as any other people interested in answering the questions will have given up on trying (or at least will soon).

I'd ban the IP addresses or put in an authenticaton system (such as the 'enter the code in the picture').

Good luck.

[Lovejoy]

I don't think the company really cares who gets the assignment, I've contacted them and they don't see it as a problem. I suppose they will when everyone else writes off the site as a waste of time. I've seen webpage monitoring software, but nothing that monitors it and then clicks links.