'Claimed' ? Over cynical, I think.
Probably hopelessly lost and stabbing wildly at any likely-looking link. I think it might be like those phone menus - if none of the choices make any sense to me, I tend to either wait to the end and hold on, or on another try, just pick '#1' and ask whoever answers to redirect me. Maybe this forum sounds, maybe not right, but fairly general so not obviously wrong.
How about a specialised search link on the forum home page, that only returns links to possibly-correct forums for the incomer's needs? Have a list still, but maybe indented with headings like 'Photoshop', then a search function called - which forum do I need? If you put in 'Elements' it will return the various Elements forums.
Hmmm. Again. on another forum, the search has choices - return threads or return posts. Adapt that, with an extra choice for 'return forum headings' ?????