You're right, I could do that, but honestly I find it more effective to just berate or shame merit farmers right in the thread itself. Or like the above-instance that persuaded me to reopen this thread, leaving them a neutral tag over the matter seems to be at least somewhat effective.

Also, and somewhat contradictory to my suggestion, I spend a decent number of merits in that thread, although I will seldom give them to new, new-ish accounts, or accounts I suspect are one of many in a farm.

Finally, there are some longtime WOers that I respect that don't have a problem with the whoring. They are unbothered and just choose to ignore them without even putting them on ignore. Mind over matter, or something.