Random friend requests?

[LDB415]

How often do you get random friend requests from complete strangers? Would it seem strange to get a friend request from someone basically one generation age difference and with about a 4 times greater daily step average or is that just overly skeptical? Are there any online security risks to accepting friend requests based on the standard information available through this site? Apologies if any of those seem dumb but I'm new to this and still exploring and learning as I go.

[Rjwoods500]

This is a 3 year old problem (at least).  I would like someone to explain why fitbit hasn't fixed the issue.  It's even mentioned in similar threads, with moderators comments of taking actions.

 We, the users, have to assume they, fitbit, lack the will to incorporate a simple opt out feature.  So it easy to assume fitbit profits from this is some way. 

Perhaps someone should look into how they may be using this in ways not clear at this time. 

Why hasn't this been addressed? 

How are they benefiting?  

How does this affect user privacy?

[Irreverent]

Register separately...

gunnmike
gunnmike2

and so on...

[Clemicus]

Over the past 5 months I've received about 8 (vast majority seemed to be female usernames).

I'm not sure when it started. It was around the time I stopped using my Fitbit -- at least a year. I thought it was just spam and I'd forgotten my Fitbit password so I couldn't be bothered to check it out. 

I haven't been active at all on here. I just had to create a username for my account to post this. So whoever (or whatever) is doing is, is probably going through the different combinations to find user profiles.

Edit: I just checked one of the accounts that sent a request. They had 1 friend listed so I clicked on it. The account I ended up on has 10 friends, at least 2 of them have sent me requests

[Speckles6370]

I have also received many friend requests. I have deleted all of them.
They don't seem to be legitimate since none of them have any activity on
their Fitbit accounts.

Concerning and annoying. 

I agree with others that if Fitbit cared about it's users, the problem would have been resolved by now.

[GerdBlanc]

Thanks for these replies... I would welcome a response from FitBit themselves... Receiving these requests is nothing more than annoying.. My original reason for posting on this topic was more out of intrigue! I am a bit of an old cynic and can only assume that these fake-friend requests are for some sort of material gain.. and I was interested to see if anyone knew what that may be - who was gaining and what!!!... 

... Also, I have another (unrelated) question re. my FitBit.. Something called 'Firmware'... how we force an update of that, how we know if we are on the latest version... and if we are not completely up to date... i.e. if we are a number of versions behind, will this cause problems in the effective working - mine is a Charge 3... and I tend to use it a lot... Many thanks to all of you out there in the 'Community'!

[kewl1]

I see a lot of this on other sites as well.  Take LinkedIn for example.  I am over 70 years old and I get these cute young chicky-babes (at least that's what the pictures show) who have nothing remotely to do with the type of business I was in, wanting to connect and be my friend.  I will get messages saying "How are you today?"  Next day... "What are you doing today?" Stuff like that.  Nothing at all to do with business.  I just delete and block them as obvious scams.  I was in the papermaking chemicals business. What possible business reason would a supposed 26-year-old "cocktail waitress" have for wanting to connect with me?   I'm waiting for the Princess from Nigeria who needs help with her $35 million.  I do watch Dr. Phil LOL

But it's sad that we have to be so on-guard these days with all the electronics.  My cell phone was SIM jacked and it enabled them to transfer money from our bank account on a Sunday night and even buy stuff on Amazon.  In the end, it didn't cost me anything but I had to shut down the bank accounts, credit cards, get a new SIM card of course and have my new one locked down.  Very stressful and time-consuming.

[Bike-SnowSki]

They are vultures.  They have fake profiles and very creepy.  But, I did mess with them a bit and got tired of it.  I would suggest you unfriend them.  

[Bethalyza]

I don’t friend them. I just don’t want the weird requests in the first place.

[GerdBlanc]

Sent from my iPad

[Kedicat]

I get too many friend request myself from men with Dr. in front of their names.   Don't have any interest in the reason I'm on here(getting in shape) just want to talk.  I would like to meet friends but I think the females are scare now because of these men hitting on them all the time.  Only interested in friends that are here for the right reason.   Seems to be getting worse.  

[Ajwico]

Your so right.

[Lisa3344]

Hi! I changed my name recently. I just got 2 friend requests in 1 day. I added one and asked where he got me, he said from a group chat on an add... I don't want to have my name displayed on ads. I just got another one and I'm curious if people are finding me somehow. I never posted anything with that account except for only my(real)friends. 

[Ajwico]

Guys like that seem to look for women to add, why i don't know, maybe to
groom us.

[Lisa3344]

Yea, they were both guys. 

They just need to find people in real life, not online.

[AineT]

I’m sorry to hear that- it’s so wrong to use your identity like that! I have moved away from fitbit because this intrusion isn’t monitored- I’m only able to reply to you as my membership is still active . It runs out at Christmas 😊💪😉 non hassle or unwanted attention/requests/comments on my new tracker - harder to get challenges but really we as re only competing with ourselves!

Sent from my iPhone

[Odyssey13]

Hi @AineT  I have friends who use the Fitbit to do challenges and only have friends they know in real life. They enjoy their Fitbit and our challenges, but they never post to the forums or use the community feed to interact. In fact, they don't even use the cheer or jeer options. They haven't had any unwanted requests because they aren't seen by anyone other than their existing real life Fitbit using friends. Might that work for you? Or if you had a few Fitbit friends you can trust?

[Speckles6370]

I have had my fitbit for a few years and only have two friends which I know
in real life. I don't go on any forums or interact with any other fitbit
users. Recently I have gotten some friend requests. I changed my privacy
settings and hopefully that will be the end of it.

[SuWu]

I very deliberately have just 3 real-life friends linked on my Fitbit, nobody else, but have still had creepy random "friend" requests.

[Speckles6370]

Most of my friend requests are from men, but not all of them.  What they do have in common is that these people have no Fitbit data...no steps, no friends, etc.  Very sketchy.

[Ajwico]

Mine was the same, all of a sudden I was getting loads if messages and 1
guy was very pushy with me because wasn't replying quick enough 🙃