The following steps helped me stop most spam.
install s2member and follow the security steps (verify that all keys are created)
Delete the Register folders in BP (make sure to save the files)
use WordPress register form, ( you can intergrate s2members to BP 
)
Have the passwords e-mailed to the user that is signing up.
in custom.php change the slug of the register and members.
These steps helped me lock down my BP site. It stopped activity spam and fake members.
Good luck.
@r-a-y, thank you for your help! By removing that define line from functions, account settings profile pages are now linked to: “domain.com/members/username”.
Thank you, really appreciate your help.
Another inquiry while we’re on the subject — I currently have Extended Profiles disabled, but I have Account Settings enabled. I’ve been testing different WordPress roles on my site and discovered that if a subscriber types in their browser: “domain.com/members/anothersubscriber” (where “anothersubscriber” = another member on the site that is also a subscriber), they receive an error (404) page. Obviously this happens because non-admins are not allowed to have this type of access. However, instead of throwing a 404 page, how can I have their (note: “their” meaning non-admins. in my case, subscribers) request redirect to the homepage or to their own profile page?
Thank you!
@mercime
As I indicated above, I have MySQL 5.1.6, so that shouldn’t be an issue, right? Which files should I re-upload exactly? I’m a bit confused as to why that would help exactly… WordPress itself seems to be working fine, but are you thinking my files are corrupted?
Try this plugin instead:
https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/buddypress-registration-groups-1/
It’s not as outdated as the one linked by karmatosed and should work. If it doesn’t, please inform the plugin developer.
BuddyPress is a WordPress plugin, so try looking for any WordPress Google Analytics plugin:
https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/tags/google-analytics
If you’re looking for customized, advanced, Google Analytics data for BuddyPress that use custom variables and event tracking, I don’t believe one exists at the moment and will have to be custom-developed.
Try:
Change the register slug to something else. Make sure BuddyPress or WordPress is not shown on any page of your site. Check footer and header via the browsers view source. Use a captcha. Only allow sign ups via Facebook connect. Don’t use multi site.
In my profile privacy plugin there is a button on user pages that lets admins mark user as spammer. This is for quickly blocking a user. It doesn’t delete account just puts account into a state that will not allow user to sign in.
I’m working my way through my plugins and adding updates. One update I may add to the profile privacy plugin is too block an account if they post without doing a certain thing first. Maybe they need to add a friend or join a group.
Search around, but no one should open a BP site without locking it down.
Hi EndlessRange, the short answer is there is but it would require custom coding. If you are happy with custom coding you can look at https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/auto-join-groups/ as a start. It’s out of date so won’t work as a solution now but it may shed some light on how to start with this. Beyond that it’s not something I think is out there as a plugin currently.
@maryefern strange situation, only encountered this way back BP 1.0. :
1. Check MySQL version. WP requires MySQL version 5.0 or greater. If you cannot find the version, ask your webhost.
2. If you have version 5.0 or greater, download zip files of WordPress and BuddyPress, then manually re-upload (via FTP/File Manager) WP and BP files to server in respective directories
I have not yet launched my BP site, but I too am concerned about this happening. If I use things like CAPTCHA on the registration page or https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/wangguard/, will it be sufficient enough to prevent spammers?
Your plugin was actually the first thing I tried when I noticed the problem. It’s still running on my site with the core links in the order I chose, however, it’s not seeming to put them in any order.
I was going to try and sleep on it then try to figure it out, but I can’t get to sleep knowing I have this problem. It’s my bit of OCD I suppose. 
I think the main problem is that the Gantry for BuddyPress and RocketTheme template framework removes a lot of the WordPress code and replaces it with standard html in their own files. Not sure if that makes any sense… lack of sleep and all.
I didn’t know if there was any way to use a bp-custom.php to manually make the changes to the core or the additional plugin links?
Thanks for the reply. Hopefully I can think better one I get some shut-eye.
It’s a standard WordPress question, rather than BuddyPress specific.
Have a look at some of the actions on new user registration in WordPress – you would simply need to hook a function onto the appropriate action, and write to your alternative database in that function.
If you are not familiar with ‘action’ programming in WordPress, take a look at Codex documentation, there is plenty of info in there.
Basically the purpose would be exactly what Roger is describing. The main site contains information about a non-profit organization. They would like to have an area for the members of the organization to discuss events and make connections. They want two very different experiences.
That is why I was inquiring about the WordPress Network/Multisite for this project.
Did this work well for you Roger? If so, I believe that this will be the approach I take for the project.
Thanks!
.. and here’s a write up on how to use hooks (or in this case filters), to add your dynamic menu item:
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/10644384/dynamic-url-in-wordpress-navigation
Obviously, you’ll have to adapt the code to add your BuddyPress profile links.
You can also ignore the comment about playing with the priority number for ordering (that’s nonsense). You’d have to take the item list (incoming parameter), and manipulate that – inserting your menu at the right point.
It’s not ‘cut and paste’ though, and you’ll need some reasonable PHP development skills to get it set up correctly.
The ‘dynamic’ links, e.g. to a members profile, require PHP (to work out the path to the current member). You can’t add links that include PHP using the built-in WordPress nav menu system.
You’ll either have to add those menu options in your template files, or perhaps find a way to hook in to the WordPress nav menu system (read up on WordPress action hooks) to extend its capabilities to support dynamic PHP based URLs.
@mercime On WP support I found a post by Otto, and he says the issue can be easily resolved.
https://wordpress.org/support/topic/using-an-extra-parameter-in-an-url?replies=11
To my regret, this solution was not working for my WP+BP stand, thus people say it works for them on WP 341. I found another solution in Codex, here’s the link https://codex.wordpress.org/Class_Reference/WP_Rewrite
And, with that, I’m closing this topic.
It’s a bbPress topic, you should be discussing this on your thread at bbpress.org, not here.
https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/codestyling-localization/ could be useful…
I haven’t tried it myself. It does claim buddypress compatibility…
I wonder how such a huge blunder passed on for years unnoticed
@andrea_r thank you. At the time I answered in my second post, @maryefern ‘s site had the Eleven40 theme and many plugins activated in the site as it is right now, hence reference to Genesis plugin and forums.
@maryefern
1. check if the seven xx_bb_xx tables for the group forums were created in your database when you installed Group Forums, as seen here
2. if the tables are there, then change to bp-default theme and deactivate ALL plugins except BuddyPress to check if issue is resolved.
@mercime, yup it’s pretty strange. Sprung out of no where! I tried your method but issue still unresolved…would you recommend me uninstalling WordPress all together and re-install a lower version to see if it works with BuddyPress?
@jishi and custom post types looks like the way to go for your project. BP is not involved at this juncture so at this point I suggest that you post this at https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting and do include the information you just posted so all’s clear with the volunteers.
== I am aware that I should copy and rename the former 3 pages in header-buddypress.php etc and match these with the following two theme pages: ==
@blixus Initial scan of the codes posted does support creating only two files to align structure rather than revising 16 files for your theme. What’s the name of your theme? Did you check if it was already “template-packed” per list near the bottom of this page? -> https://codex.buddypress.org/theme-development/wordpress-to-buddypress-theme/
There was an update and immediately updated, but the thing that I was looking for wasnt there
== I’d like to develop a directory, which uses my site category structure, ==
@jishi this is more of a WordPress issue rather than a BP one. Create a Page Template and replace the_content with wp_list_categories or just search for and use one of the list categories plugin to generate what you want in the Page https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/tags/categories
You can start off with this plugin https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/bp-group-reviews/ and build the few different tabs on your own or hire a developer to do so.
