CAPTCHA or Robot Page Encountered While Scraping Certain Websites

Overview

When scraping certain websites using proxy servers, customers may sometimes encounter CAPTCHA pages or robot checks (e.g., "Unusual traffic from your computer network" or "Are you a robot?"). This article explains what causes these interruptions and provides practical solutions to bypass or avoid them using best practices.

What Is a CAPTCHA or Robot Check Page?

A CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart) or robot check is a form of bot protection used by websites to detect and block automated traffic.

These pages are typically triggered when the website suspects non-human behavior, such as:

"Unusual traffic from your IP address"
"To continue, please verify you're not a robot"

Why Does This Happen When Using Proxies?

There are a few common reasons why certain websites show CAPTCHA or robot check pages when you're using proxy servers:

1. High-Frequency Requests

Rapid or bulk requests from a single IP, especially without human-like behavior, are flagged as bot activity.

2. Non-Rotating or Overused IPs

If many users or bots are using the same IP, especially on public or shared proxies, it’s likely that the IP has been flagged.

3. Missing or Suspicious Headers

Requests without proper browser headers (like User-Agent, Accept-Language, etc.) can appear suspicious and trigger CAPTCHA challenges.

4. Improper or Incorrect Scraping Settings

Some scraping tools or browser automation frameworks, when not configured correctly, expose patterns that trigger bot protection systems.

5. Lack of Cookie or Session Management

Some websites require session cookies or consistent navigation patterns. Skipping steps or not maintaining cookies can raise red flags.

How to Avoid CAPTCHA or Robot Pages

To minimize or eliminate CAPTCHA challenges, follow these best practices:

✅ 1. Rotate IPs and User-Agents

Avoid reusing the same IP and headers for too long. Using IP rotation and varied User-Agent strings helps simulate real browsing behavior.

✅ 2. Throttle Request Rate

Introduce random delays between requests to mimic human behavior and avoid overwhelming the target server.

✅ 3. Use Headless Browsers with Stealth Techniques

If using browser automation tools, configure them with stealth plugins (e.g., puppeteer-extra-plugin-stealth) to minimize detection.

✅ 4. Start from Landing/Home Pages

Avoid deep-linking directly to search or product results. Instead, navigate like a human would—from the home page to search to result pages.