Don't allow users to create Fitbit accounts unless they have Fitbit devices

[nit3ghadge]

Fitbit should allow profile creation only for those users who has FitBit device. I'm seeing lot of fake profiles which send request and ask for things like cam chat, marriage, trading, binary and all other unnecessary things which are out of this platform. This annoys a lot as you need to keep on marking them as bad profile.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @nit3ghadge, and thanks for taking the time to share this suggestion about having an option to avoid users to create Fitbit accounts unless they have Fitbit devices. We rely on feedback like yours to help us develop products and features that we know our community wants to see. If this suggestion receives votes from other customers and gains popularity, it will be shared internally with various teams at Fitbit. To learn more about how Fitbit decides which suggestions get developed, visit our FAQs.

You can also check this other suggestion: Make Community Profile Private/unsearchable

Watch this space for status updates. In the meantime, try visiting Health & Wellness to talk with other members about all things health and fitness.

[Rich_Laue]

Many people have the ability to add their phone as a tracker, this gives them the option to try the Fitbit interface, challenges, etc before buying a device from fitbit. 

Keep reporting these messages

[nit3ghadge]

I'm not sure. But fitbit app can't be used as tracker. As they have device which can be carried with you to track your steps. As we are seeing numerous people making fake profile and trying exploit the healthy community. If fitbit can block such activity or profile will help us to have real people around. Just my cents.

[BahamasGirl365]

I think this is a good idea too, especially considering 90% of the people friend requesting me is often men looking to befriend women only, its disgusting

[nit3ghadge]

@BahamasGirl365 Thanks for liking my idea. Fitbit is not the platform for dating or finding your match. There are so many other sites outside of fitbit for the same. I don't want users to take any extra efforts in terms handling request or their profile. I want fitbit to come up with solution and block them on first level

[Spamber]

I totally agree with this. I keep getting added by people who have no activity at all and are trying to scam me. It all leads up to the same story. They are widows and lonely. They want to chat on KiK and other platforms. It is so annoying because you have no way of knowing who is legit and who is not anymore. 

They use other peoples pictures and pretend to be someone else. I block them but it seems like fit bit is not doing anything to stop the issue. Its made me seriously want to move to another device. 

[nit3ghadge]

@Spamber : I completely agree with you as i had similar issues with it. This particular idea is getting votes from fitbit community folks and they will consider once the given thought reaches to required votes. Thanks for casting your valuable vote.

[scarlettheathen]

Or at least give the option to turn off private messaging. These messages are extremely annoying. I would gladly do away with private messages if I could get these guys to quit bothering me. I have even tried setting my about me to say that I'm not looking for a boyfriend and not going to other sites, to no avail.

[nit3ghadge]

@scarlettheathen i'm agree to your view for turning off private messaging. But that will not help us to get rid of those people. So better to block them on the first place.

[Rich_Laue]

@nit3ghadge do you also report them?

[nit3ghadge]

@Rich_Laue Yes I do. I don't leave the opportunity to block them and report them. Nowadays I'm not seeing any new requests hitting to my profile.

[swallowaspider]

Remember the good old Fitbit app days of 4 years ago when none of this happened and people only added you for the health and fitness side of things, not because they wanted to date or flirt, or try getting your social media account details to stalk you? Good times...

[nit3ghadge]

@swallowaspider Yes. But in last few years things started changing. As we are seeing fake profilers on the platform they are trying to exploit it. We need to stop this by raising voice. We need safe and secure environment where we can talk and meet like minded people. For other than health there are plenty of other apps. I don't know whether it's same situation on samsung, iphone or any other platform.

[Pmsy4]

I am tired of being harassed by men who thinks Fitbit is a dating community.  This must stop! There has to be a way to opt-out of being solicited for anything other than fitness and health.  

[MrsToady]

I'm sick of getting requests/messages from fake profiles asking me to add them on other platforms 'so we can get to know each other better'

It's a fitness app, not a dating site

[nit3ghadge]

@Pmsy4 @MrsToady  - Thanks for casting your valuable. I'm waiting for fitbit to consider my idea and do necessary changes to ease everyone's life.

[Pmsy4]

Thanks you! It would be nice not to be unnecessarily harassed. 😊

Sent from my iPhone

[QueenOHearts]

Are you aware that your website is too easy for folks to create a free anonymous profile and reach out to absolutely anyone on the platform?  If so, what are you doing about it?

I just joined this community on June 5 when I got my very first FitBit Charge 4.  I didn't start receiving random requests until I joined the groups and made a post and immediately got friend requests from men only who have nothing on their profile, have no average steps and are messaging me through your app asking questions about where I live and if I'm married.  I would respond that I don't give out personal information, and they got persistent.  Now when I see a profile who has sent me a friend request, I look to see if they have anything on their profile and have been reporting and blocking them.  I've done this for dozens in this past week now, and it's frankly annoying.

I came to the community threads to see how I could voice a request about this issue and found this thread which is about a month old now and it's still happening.

As a test and just to see how easy it would be to start a fake profile, I did so and it was very easy.  I didn't have to connect a device and was free to put in whatever info I wanted to.  Then I deleted that profile as it was just a test.  If I can do this without intentions, ANYONE can!

I think you should have to show a proof of purchase or connect a FitBit device in order to create an account here or at the very least to be allowed able to befriend and message members.  The fact that it's too easy just to create a free account and message whomever you want is stupid in this day and age.  There at least needs to be some kind of check to verify that you are using this platform for its intended purpose - to connect with other FitBit users period.  Not to reach out to folks for dating or friendship. There are other apps for that purpose, and the FitBit Community should NOT be one of them.

Please make this a priority in your programming of the website and the app in membership signups.  No one should be harassed or contacted for any other reason but for things about their FitBit or to cheer each other on or offer or ask for fitness or nutrition advice.

No one should have to fend off or have to constantly sort through friend requests to wonder if the person who contacted them is legit or if they have other motives.

[olivia010]

To my knowledge, MobileTrack users are able to access Community Groups without actually having a Fibit device connected to their account, resulting in a lot of scammers/predators. If Communities were removed from accounts that only use MobileTrack, it might cut down on the amount of scammers/predators that plague the app.

[Sweetestmoonuk]

I agree 

[nit3ghadge]

@QueenOHearts Very well said. I started small initiative to stop this and want fitibit to consider this change. Thanks for all folks till now for their valuable votes.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @olivia010, thanks for explaining why you would like to have the option to avoid MobileTrack users to have a Fitbit account. Thanks for sharing your feedback. I've moved it into a similar request.  A lot of users are asking for this option, I hope we receive updates soon.

[JFK123]

(1) For years users asked Fitbit to upgrade from messaging created with crayons & coloring books to real messaging so users could delete messages. Women being stalked by idiots in the Fitbit app had to keep seeing their harassers’ messages for months (or indefinitely, since Fitbit “auto-delete” rarely worked). Fitbit cheerfully/breezily declined. (2) Google acquired Fitbit — and soon, users could delete messages. (3) Now Fitbit (Google) finds itself enmeshed in another privacy/online safety issue as a result of careless app planning and administration.

Fitbit needs to implement to block Mobile Track users from creating Fitbit accounts — UNLESS they connect a verified Fitbit device to the account. Not “post it to the queue” or “consider it.” NOW.

[LDPye]

Yes, totally agree with this. I have recently had two men add me as a friend. One I believe doesn't have a fitbit/doesn't use it and I don't know about the other guy. 

[Sickofthis1]

• The sheer number of these fake accounts is simply appalling. I have been a fitbit user for 18 months, in January this year I kept track of the fake requests (sad I know) which was in excess of 200. Recycled pictures to include well known celebrities and British royalty. I am not part of any of the open forums, refuse pint blank to cheer friends posts that are public and not set to friends only yet they still find me. Not only are these scammers here for financial scams it's "bit" coin (cyber currency) and I've actually seen messages posted that amounted to paedophilia so no way on these earth will my children have a fitbit account. Fitbit should be ashamed of their lack of interest and ability to resol e this ongoing longstanding issue.