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Why is Snapchat adding people I didn’t add?

Why is Snapchat adding people I didn’t add?

Snapchat adding people you didn’t approve can be annoying and concerning. There are a few potential reasons this happens. In this article, we’ll explore the main causes and what you can do about it.

You May Have Added Them Accidentally

One possibility is that you added the person by accident. Here are some ways this could occur:

  • Tapping the “Add” button too quickly when scrolling through Snapchat suggestions
  • Accidentally selecting “Add” from someone’s profile or quick add screen
  • Clicking an invite link the person sent you
  • Your friends added the person to a group chat or story without your knowledge

Snapchat’s user interface makes it easy to add people unintentionally. The app suggests new friends and displays their profiles alongside your other friends’ stories. One wrong tap is all it takes!

If you suspect this is why someone was added, simply delete them from your friends list. Open your friends list, tap the person’s name, and select “Delete Friend.”

You Have Mutual Friends

Snapchat may automatically add people you have a lot of mutual friends with. The app looks through your contacts and friend networks to find connections.

For example, if you have 10 friends that also have Mike added, Snapchat may add Mike to your friends as well. The app thinks you likely know this person in real life if you share so many connections.

This auto-adding tends to happen more when you first join Snapchat and start building up your friends list. But it can occur at any time you and another user gain mutual friends.

If someone gets added for this reason that you don’t know or want to connect with, you can simply delete them from your list.

You Have Their Contact Info

Similarly, Snapchat may add people if they are already in your phone’s contact list. For example, if you have “John Smith” saved in your phone’s contacts, Snapchat could automatically add any user named John Smith that it finds.

This is the app’s way of trying to connect you with people you know in real life but don’t yet follow on Snapchat. But occasionally it will make incorrect matches and add strangers with the same name.

As before, you can just delete these mistakenly added contacts.

You Have Interacted Outside Snapchat

If you interact with someone on another social media platform, they may find and add you on Snapchat without your permission. For instance:

  • You commented on someone’s Instagram post
  • You joined someone’s Facebook group
  • You followed or messaged someone on Twitter
  • You exchanged texts/calls with a phone number

From there, it’s easy for them to look up your other social media profiles and submit a Snapchat friend request. Snapchat will notify you that they added you, but it may be easy to miss.

They Found You via Quick Add

Snapchat’s Quick Add feature allows people to find and add others very quickly using just their phone number or username. All someone needs is your info to submit a request.

People can get your phone/username from various places, like your Instagram bio or messaging another app. You may not realize they’re able to find and add you so easily.

You Have a Public Profile

Snapchat has a feature called Snap Map that lets you share your location publicly. If you have this enabled, anyone can see your profile and submit a friend request.

Similarly, having a recognizable Bitmoji or custom Snapcode makes it easier for strangers to find and add you. Having a unique, public-facing avatar or username increases your risk of unwanted friend requests.

They Found You via Search

Snapchat has a Search feature that allows people to browse public profiles and content even if they don’t know someone’s exact username. You can search by name, interest, location, etc.

So someone may have found you through browsing Snapchat and sent a friend request, even if you don’t know them.

You Have a Business Profile

If you have a public Snapchat profile for a business, brand, or as a social media influencer, it’s normal to receive friend requests from fans, potential customers, and spam accounts.

Having a public profile means anyone can find and follow you. As your follower count grows, random adds will likely increase too.

What to Do About Unexpectedly Added Contacts

Here are your options if these kinds of unwanted Snapchat friends are cluttering up your account:

  • Delete them – This prevents them from viewing your Stories or interacting with you.
  • Block them – This also deletes them while preventing them from finding and re-adding you in the future.
  • Limit Quick Add – Turn off the Quick Add feature in your settings to prevent random phone/username adds.
  • Disable public profile – In Settings, you can limit who can see your profile, location, etc.

You may also want to review your Snapchat privacy settings to lock down who can interact with you. Here are some useful settings to check:

Setting What it Does
Who Can… Control who can contact you, view stories, see your location, etc.
Blocked Accounts View and manage all accounts you’ve blocked
Quick Add Enable/disable ability for people to quickly add you by username/number
Snap Map Choose who can view your location on the Snap Map
Manage Preferences Personalize suggestions for who to add as a friend
Contact Syncing Turn on/off syncing contacts from your phone’s address book

Tightening these settings makes it harder for strangers to find and interact with you on Snapchat without your approval.

Is Snapchat Sending Bots or Fake Accounts?

Some people suspect Snapchat adds fake accounts or bots to pad their user numbers. While possible, there is no clear evidence this is happening.

The more likely explanation is the various ways strangers can organically find and add you mentioned previously. Snapchat has millions of real users who can submit friend requests without your invitation.

That being said, Snapchat does have an issue with fake accounts and spam bots on the platform. But these typically send snaps or message users rather than request to friend them. Snapchat is constantly combating these fake accounts like any social media network.

Was My Account Hacked?

While less likely, another possibility is that your Snapchat account was hacked. A hacked account could allow someone to add friends without your knowledge.

Signs your Snapchat was hacked include:

  • Random friends added without your doing
  • Suspicious snap messages being sent
  • Your profile information changing
  • Password no longer working

If you suspect foul play, change your password immediately and look for any other suspicious activity. Enable two-factor authentication for added security.

Conclusion

Snapchat adding people without your approval is an annoyance but rarely indicates anything sinister. In most cases, it’s just other users finding your profile and submitting public friend requests.

Comb through your unwanted friends list and remove any fishy or unrecognized people. Adjust your privacy settings to limit who can interact with you. And take security precautions if you suspect your account was compromised.

With a few tweaks, you can ensure Snapchat suggestions and adds are people you actually know and want to connect with.

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