Snapchat is where everyone is going to learn and have fun with expressions and conversations in a snap. Unfortunately, this very engaging platform, made popular all over the world is also a prime target for problems such as Snapchat spam. It takes the form of impulses to send random messages, unsolicited friend requests, and misleading links that, after being clicked, open your security to viruses, malware, etc.
With this in mind, if you’ve ever had problems because of these interruptions, or tensed up over your account safety and privacy concerns, then you are not alone.
In this ultimate guide, we’re taking a deep dive into what exactly snapchat spam is, and the features spammers abuse. We will also look at the different kinds of spam you might run into.
What is spamming on Snapchat?
Sending massive and irrelevant messages, snaps, or friend requests on Snapchat is spamming. These activities block user experiences and can either be a harmless nuisance or a criminal effort at phishing or viral linkage.
Many spammers take advantage of Snapchat’s interactive capabilities to blanket accounts with unnecessary content indiscriminately.
Is spamming allowed on Snapchat?
Snapchat doesn’t allow spamming. The community guidelines for the platform expressly prohibit spamming and many other disruptive activities. If a user is spamming, they will be charged penalties, such as temporary or permanent bans, or your account marked as abusive. To ensure that its users are always kept entertained and safe, Snapchat does regularly ban and remove spam accounts.
Does spam mean fake?
Not really. Sometimes, spam comes from fake or bot accounts but that doesn’t necessarily mean that something is fake. Whether the content is authentic or not, if it describes itself as unwanted or excessive, it is considered spam. For instance, a real user could do repetitive campaigns about promotions, which is still spam. However, spam is currently a huge problem on Snapchat, partly because fake accounts run lots of spam. Accounts people create just to trick and scam unsuspecting users.
Is spam on Snapchat safe?
Snapchat spam isn’t safe and comes with a handful of risks, especially for younger users. Spam messages can lure users into giving up sensitive information. This can be used for identity theft, and harmful links can install malware that steals data from, or damaged devices.
Another threat is privacy invasion, as spam accounts are usually asking for personal details or using inappropriate interactions. However, spam also fills account feeds with useless information. And it could be explicit or harmful, so it isn’t good for kids.
To protect against these risks, parents can use tools such as FlashGet Kids to increase the security of their children’s Snapchat use.
Use Snapchat parental controls to block spams for your loved ones.
With powerful features like screen mirroring, app monitoring, and keyword detection, FlashGet Kids lets parents keep their kid’s Snapchat feed under wraps and block risky interactions.
Families can, through such tools, create a safer and more pleasurable online environment.
Types of Snapchat Spam
While its fun and interactive features make it a hit, it also means that it’s become a target for spammers playing mind games to disrupt your user experience. Fortunately, by understanding all of the different types of Snapchat spam, you will be able to recognize yours and will know what to do to protect your account and privacy.
Phishing messages
Phishing on Snapchat is one of the most dangerous forms of spam on the application. While spammers can send messages with fake links, looking like they are from a legitimate source , they cannot access the destination link for these purposes. Their aim is to entice users to enter personal details such as usernames, passwords and payment information which can then be stolen and used to do harm.
Unsolicited friend requests
Random friend request accounts, whether bots or not, are another well known spam. These are often sent to learn more about you or to cause malicious interaction. Some can be harmless, but the bulk of them are linked to fake accounts attempting to spam your feed with unwanted content, or links.
Promotional spam
A few spammers are using Snapchat to send spam of some unsolicited promotional content or ads. These can be anything from repetitive messages or stories which promote products, services or even scams. Many times, the links to these ads will direct users to external websites, which are sometimes pointless and sometimes fraudulent or dangerous.
Inappropriate content
Snapchat spam isn’t always just about a link or a message — it can also be explicit, offensive, or disturbing content. Additionally, sexually explicit snaps or videos, or anything else inappropriate, are liable to be sent by spam accounts, which can be especially upsetting or harmful to younger users. Sending unsolicited adult content to your feed is another form of this type of spam; a real invasion of privacy.
Tagging in irrelevant stories
Snapchat stories allow some spammers to tag users in irrelevant or even risky content. Users redirect to lure more users to their spammy sites or to malicious sites. The stories from the feed could be anything from ads you don’t want to phishing links, which could introduce a certain security risk if you interact with them.
Why am I getting spam messages on Snapchat?
Spam messages on Snapchat are a pain in the butt. They are important to know why they happened so they don’t keep happening. Whether it be unsolicited friend requests, spammy ads, or phishing attempts, spam on Snapchat can be pretty frustrating if you don’t know how it even started.
There are a lot of reasons why you could be getting spam messages. And once you can determine what they are, then you know the right steps you can take to secure your account.
Public profile settings
Spam messages on Snapchat are one of the main reasons why people get them, which results from the public profile settings most of the time. If your privacy settings are set to ‘Everyone,’ anyone can message you on Snapchat, even if you don’t know them. Because this is open, spammers can find your account and send unwanted messages or friend requests to it.
They may also use your profile to make you click on a phishing link or interact with spam content.
Randomly generated bots
The use of bots is another reason you may pick up spam messages. Some are spammers that send bulk messages to as many Snapchat users. As a result, these bots can search for accounts by certain keywords, locations, or totally randomly making the spamming of unsuspecting users a whole lot easier.
Typically the messages contain bogus offers, fake promotions, irrelevant ads, or even phishing links.
Adding strangers or unknown accounts
Spam messages can easily get through if you add strangers or accept friend requests from people you don’t know. In fact, a lot of spammers send friend requests to many Snapchat users in a bid to hire out their networks.
Once you accept they can send you unsolicited messages, links — and even explicit content.
They may be fake, for spamming purposes only, or may even be real people with malicious intent.
Sharing your Snapchat info publicly
If your Snapchat username, snap code, or other account details were previously shared publicly on social media, websites, or forums, spammers have made it quite easy to find you.
Although sharing your Snapchat info in public will make you more likely to receive spam, spammers can easily search for your username and begin spamming you.
Engagement with spam content
Spam messages may occur sometimes when a user interacts with suspicious content.
If you have reacted to a fake link, messaged a shady profile or responded to a phishing message, you might have actually communicated to spammers that you’re the hot new thing.
Spammers know you’ve engaged with their spam, pushing links, scams, even fake giveaways your way.
How to get rid of Snapchat spam?
Although Snapchat is a pretty neat way to stay in touch with your friends, like most of the social media apps, you may be receiving its life quota of unwanted content spam. Snapchat spam can range from unsolicited messages to phishing attempts to irrelevant ads. And it can ruin your user experience and compromise your personal information. Luckily, there are a few easy ways to keep spam off your account.
Adjust your privacy settings
One of the steps to protect yourself from spam on Snapchat is to turn on your privacy settings. Luckily, you can set your account to “My Friends” under the “Who Can Contact Me” section to prevent strangers even sending you messages or viewing your stories.
You can also adjust “who can view my story” and other such settings. By adjusting these settings, you will feel like you have some kind of control over who has access to your account.
Block and report spam accounts
Blocking and reporting the sender is a good way to stop future spam if you’ve already gotten a spam message. It means you will block the spammer and they won’t be able to send you further messages or interact with your account.
Snapchat also allows you the option to report accounts that have engaged in suspicious activity.
Limit friend requests
One more important step in fighting spam is to restrict who can send you requests to be your friend. You change the “Who Can Add Me” setting to “My Friends,” so only those you have already accepted as a friend can send you a request. This will prevent random spammers from contacting you and adding you to their network.
On top of that, you can go through your friend list on a regular basis and remove anyone you don’t recognize to keep your circle clean and off the cloud.
Be careful with shared information
A popular way lots of people unknowingly invite spam is by sharing their Snapchat username or Snap code publicly on the internet or social media. Most spammers lookout for public profiles and forums in search of new targets. But, to avoid that, keep your info private on Snapchat. Do not share your username with anyone you don’t trust. And do not post it on public places, where spammers can get hold of it at ease.
Use Snapchat’s “clear conversations” feature
If your Snapchat inbox is already jammed with spam messages, you can click on the “Clear Conversations” feature to clean up your feed without blocking or delisting the user.
This helps you delete individual conversations from your chat history in an easy and manageable fashion.
Parent guide: Should you allow your teen use Snapchat?
Using Snapchat can be a double-edged sword for your teen. Although the app allows interesting ways of talking with your friends through photos, videos, and messaging, there’s also the question of privacy, and being exposed to inappropriate content.
Since messages tend to disappear, it’s hard for parents to keep tabs on activity. And teens could be exposed to things like cyberbullying and random friend requests.
To ensure a safe experience, parents should be using tools like FlashGet Kids which helps monitor in real time, know the usage pattern of your kid and also put screen time limits.
From app blocking to location tracking, FlashGet Kids offers parents a way to protect their teen from online risks, and help them Snap more responsibly.
