I just tested on a clean install of IIP - It's not really possible.
No problem, I just was getting confused because I think 3 people asked about different things and I was thinking everyone was talking about the same.
The post count is stored in the w3t_Users table in the U_Totalposts field.
The script which adds shouts to the shout box only updates the w3t_Posts table.
If you are simply entering shouts into the shoutbox in the sidebar or on the home page (like here) the Users table does not get incrimented.
Likewise the script which displays top posters deals only with the w3t_Users table.
The only way that number gets incrimented is by entering a post like normal... as it's the addpost.php script which inciments this number.
The version we use here is a bit different. Instead of using the number in the user's profile... it counts entries today in the Posts table. So shouts do show up in my modified "Todays Top Posters". But that's a separate download.
But those scripts are playing in 2 completely different database tables, unless a modification somewhere has thrown something out of wack.
You can look for yourself.
/pals/shoutboxaddpal.php does no UPDATE to the w3t_Users table. And /pals/opposterspal.php does no SELECT to the w3t_Posts table.
Do all groups have "NO ACCESS" to the shoutboxpal forum per the instructions. Posts would count if this forum were accessible via the main index and posts were made through the normal channels.
A link, version number etc.... might help. Otherwise we're guessing.