If you're tired of receiving unwanted messages on Facebook, you're not alone. According to Facebook's own guidelines, you can block or report anyone who's sending you unwanted messages.
To start, go to the message from the person you want to stop messaging you. Click on the three dots on the top right corner of the message and select "Report Message". This will alert Facebook's moderators to the issue.
Blocking someone on Facebook is a more permanent solution. To do this, go to the person's profile, click on the three dots on the top right corner, and select "Block".
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Understanding Messenger Spam
Facebook Messenger has a default setting that hides spam messages from your main inbox, but it's not foolproof.
Spam messages are often diverted to a separate folder called Message Requests, which you might not visit often.
Facebook does its best to sort messages for you, but some messages in the You may know tab might be spam, and not all messages in the Spam tab are always spam.
Here are the biggest red flags to identify Facebook Messenger spam:
- The message has terrible grammar, which is a common trait of spammers.
- The message is trying to sell you something, which is a classic spam tactic.
- The message includes external links, which could be malicious or lead to unsavory content.
Where Messenger Spam Appears
By default, Facebook Messenger hides spam messages from you so you are generally shielded from unwanted messages. Instead of arriving in your main messaging inbox, Facebook diverts spam to a separate folder called Message Requests.
Facebook does its best to sort your messages for you, but some of the messages in the You may know tab might be spam. To see your message requests on the desktop, start Facebook in a browser and click the Chats icon at the top of the page.
You can tap the square See all in Messenger button at the top of the Chats pane, then tap the three-dot menu and choose Message requests. At the top of the chat list, tap the You may know and Spam tabs to see all the message requests waiting for you.
In the Messenger mobile app, tap your account icon at the top left and then choose Message requests in the menu. Just like on the desktop, you can switch between the You may know and Spam tabs to see all the message requests waiting for you.
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Identifying Spam
If you've never changed your Facebook Messenger default privacy settings, many of your message requests are likely to be spam.
Spammers often put little effort into the content of their messages, resulting in terrible grammar, typos, and fractured English.
A message with poor grammar is a good indication that it's spam.
If you have trouble following the content of a message, consider it spam.
Most spammers want to sell you a product or service, so if the message includes a sales pitch, it's almost certainly spam.
Be cautious of messages that include external links, as they could be driving traffic to adult or explicit websites.
Opening a link from someone you don't know can be a bad idea, as the destination could be dangerous, toxic, or not safe for work.
Here are some red flags to watch out for:
- Terrible grammar and poor spelling
- Sales pitches or attempts to sell you something
- External links that could lead to inappropriate content
Stopping Messenger Spam
To stop Messenger spam, you can tap each entry on the page to specify the privacy you want. You can set how Messenger treats people with your phone number, friends or friends of friends, others on Facebook, and people on Instagram.
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For example, you can configure Others on Facebook and People On Instagram to Don't receive requests, which will discard incoming requests and you'll never see them. This can help eliminate virtually all spam.
You can also restrict contacts by adding them to the Message Requests section without blocking them, limiting unwanted contact.
Broaden your view: Fb Messenger Requests
Stopping App Spam
Facebook Messenger does its best to sort your messages for you, but some spam might still slip through.
To see your spam messages, go to the Message Requests folder on the desktop or mobile app.
On the desktop, click the Chats icon, tap the See all in Messenger button, and then choose Message requests from the menu.
On the mobile app, tap your account icon and choose Message requests from the menu.
You can switch between the You may know and Spam tabs to see all the message requests waiting for you.
To stop virtually all spam, configure Others on Facebook and People On Instagram to Don't receive requests in the Messenger app.
This will discard incoming requests from these sources and prevent you from seeing them.
For another approach, see: Can People See You Unsent a Message on Instagram
Messenger Spam on Website
To stop Facebook Messenger spam on the Facebook website, you can configure the privacy settings on the Privacy & safety page. Tap Message delivery to access these settings.
By default, messages from friends who have your phone number go directly to Chats. However, people on Facebook who aren't friends or friends of friends get sent to the Message requests folder.
You can set how Messenger treats people with your phone number, friends or friends, others on Facebook, and people on Instagram. For example, you can configure Others on Facebook and Accounts on Instagram to Don't receive requests, which will discard incoming requests and prevent you from seeing them.
To make these changes, click Edit on each entry in the section to configure the desired privacy settings.
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Creating a Safe Online Space
Facebook is one of the most widely used applications of all time.
You can limit post interaction to create a safe space for yourself. This means you won't receive notifications or be tagged in posts from certain users.
To restrict users, you can use Facebook's safety options. This will limit the types of interactions they can have with you.
Unfriending someone is another way to create distance. This removes them from your friend list and limits their ability to contact you.
Blocking someone is the most extreme measure, but it's sometimes necessary. This completely cuts off their ability to contact you on Facebook.
If you experience any harmful or abusive activity, report it immediately. This helps keep you safe and ensures that Facebook policies are enforced.
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