Facebook sending you unsolicited friend requests

[nellypope]

Is this true? I have received a number of requests from people I don't know or I'm surprised they want to be FB friends. Then I read that Facebook data mines and sends actual friend requests for you and to you. Any clarification on this (and this is not the same as friend suggestions these are actual requests) and how do they get around your privacy settings?

[woofgang]

I have never had a friend request from anyone I didn't know...I think when some people get friends suggestions, they just go oh okay and send a request which is how you get these spurious ones.

[RATTER15]

Ive never had any unsolicited friends requests, I think you have a problem with your account security.

You could reply to one of these requests and ask if they actually sent the request, I dont think Facebook is doing it.

[ChuckFickens]

"Then I read that Facebook data mines and sends actual friend requests for you and to you"

What data would this be mining, they already store all the data for you and for any people you might receive any requests from, so what possible benefit would they get from this?

[boxtops]

I've never received requests from people I don't know (if I don't want to be friends on FB with them, I just decline the request)

[rockyracoon]

I've recieved about 4 requests from people I don't know, 2 on my personal account and 2 on my RR account. I think some people get hacked and random friends requests are sent from their accounts.

[Gizmonster]

I've had a few friend requests from people I don't know - no mutual friends as well, etc.
I've never accepted any of the friend requests, but I've messaged the people and asked them if they knew me - never received a reply from any of them, so I've no idea what's going on !!!!

[rockyracoon]

A while ago a couple of friends were contacted by Facebook, telling them tha their acounts would be suspended as they had sent too any frends requests, the both said they hadn't sent any recently. I think those aps have a lot to answer for.

[rockyracoon]

Doh, apps!

[rockyracoon]

Jeez, sorry for the typos.

[cazzz1975]

I have never heard of facebook sending friend requests on behalf of users? I have seen friend suggestions based on the amount of mutual friends, which of course is not the same thing.

[woofgang]

are they sure they were real emails? I get loads of spoofs that look real.

[ChuckFickens]

Emails???

[woofgang]

rocky's "contacted by facebook" post.

[zebo]

I've had "requests" from people I know, and I've never had any sort of social networking account ever.

[rockyracoon]

Woof, I don't know if it was by email, they just said contacted by FB, could have been via inbox, I don't know, but you're right, if it was email it could have been a hoax.

[nellypope]

Thanks peeps! Reckon the rumour may be a hoax. I can't work out how it would work anyway, surely the unsolicited friend request would have to be a mutual request sent to both parties and I'm not quite sure what the benefit would be to Facebook. It was all a but odd as my security settings changed without my consent. Attack of paranoia on my part I think ;-)

[rockyracoon]

Nelly, I think FB deliberately change the security settings now and then, a couple of times I've found mine changed to public, which is one thing I'm very careful to avoid. I regularly check now.