I've voiced my thoughts in the past, but I don't mind doing it again. I'm really hoping theymos might consider some long-term solution to the issue. The workload put on mods is just over the top at the moment and reporting everything isn't easy and also doesn't solve the issue in the long run.

AN option to consider:
Disabling bump ability of new accounts.
Why should accounts lower than the member rank, that haven't earned any merits, be able to push a thread to the top? Especially in most of the Altcoin boards where such promotion with sock accounts is rampant, this is much needed. This would work without disturbing any legitimate user's ability to ask questions or post in the forum, but would instantly render useless the value of a response from new accounts bringing a thread to the front page. It's a small limitation that would likely discourage many of those altcoin marketers from engaging in the practice, without having to put all users in the same bag by enstating a much more strict newbie jail.