If there’s anything that pisses me off while on Snapchat, it’s spam bots that bug me to connect with them out-of-the-blue. As these don’t let up and swarm you instead, I decided to take matters into my own hands and research head-on.
In this post, I’ll be as thorough as possible and show you how I successfully handled Snapchat bots adding me using 8 proven hacks. By the end, you should know how to protect yourself and flourish on the social media platform, so read on!
Why do Snapchat bots keep adding me?
If you want to explore and feel adventurous, a Snapchat spam bot may look like a friend falling from the sky. But, far too often, they’re wolves in sheep’s clothing and would devour your treasures when you’re not looking.
Well, some Snapchat bots are benign. They can be a marketing tool to open up the market and create more sales, but a slew of these bots carry malicious intent to the core, and, needless to say, you should avoid them like the plague.
At the end of the day, it’s what these bots are after that should scare you. Here’s a comprehensive list of malicious reasons why they entice you to connect:
They want to rip you off using NSFW pictures
Using one of the oldest tricks known to man, these spam bots show you explicit pictures to befriend you and offer you companionship. Indeed, it’s social engineering at its lowest, as these bots are programmed to rip you off your hard-earned cash.
It’s possible in the digital age as banking can be done online or via your favorite digital purse. You’ll be vulnerable to this scam if you long for comfort or go through divorce or heartbreak, as these bots can please you like a true human would.
They trumpet fake news
The more you repeat something untrue, the faster people will be less resistant to accept it. And that’s why Snapchat spambots that trumpet fake news are proliferating – they’re there to spread it to as wide an audience as possible.
In the long run, this can be very damaging. Such misleading propaganda could have an ulterior motive, distributed via automated advertising to send users to the doors of fake news websites that are hell-bent on promoting an agenda.
They’re crypto scammers
This Snapchat bot appeals to everyone’s desire to gain material wealth. They do this by showing you how lucrative investing into one of the most hyped digital currencies these days, the cryptocurrency.
You could easily fall prey to this scam if you want to earn a crazy huge amount of money in a flick of a finger. They urge you to follow a link to a crypto-based trading site that promises to give you massive gains quickly, only to scam you big time.
They’re after your credentials
Well, this one’s rather subtle. The spam bot will often tell you that you’re getting a giveaway (especially for Christmas) and that you’ll have to give out your Snapchat credentials to avail of it.
What they’re after is personal data. Once they gain access to your personal information, such as bank data, they can use it to steal from you, a crime called cybertheft.
They want your online footprint
In a digital world, websites thrive because people visit, and this can be a considerable reason spam bots on Snapchat are introduced on the social media platform. Indeed, these automated marketing tools could increase web traffic.
The good news is these kind of bots are more annoying than dangerous. As they’re solely for advertising purposes, the worst thing that could happen to you when you engage with them is you’re redirected to their website and lose precious time.
How To Stop Snapchat Bots From Adding You
Knowing what spambots are after is one thing; keeping them at bay is another. Note that it could be near impossible for you to avoid them, but the measures below should help you minimize them to keep your sanity and wallet intact.
FIX 1. Disable the “Quick Add” feature
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 4 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 15 to 30 seconds |
| Things Needed | Any smartphone A working internet connection |
Snapchat (as other leading platforms do) and its algorithm will give you a curated list of people that you would most likely add as a friend. It’s a marketing ploy to widen your circle, but it’s also a big come-on that can make you a target of spam bots.
When you turn on “Show Me On Quick Add,” your profile will be available to many people, including spambots. It’s like a beacon of sorts; therefore, if you’re serious about not entertaining spam bots, turning this feature off is wise.
Step 1: Go to Snapchat. Note: Sign in using your login information if you haven’t already. |
Step 2: Tap Profile icon. |
Step 3: Tap Settings (gear icon). |
Step 4: Scroll down and toggle “See Me in Quick Add”  |
FIX 2. Disable “Add by Email” and “Add by Phone Number”
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 4 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 15 to 30 seconds |
| Things Needed | Any smartphone A working internet connection |
The trick here is to disable those avenues where you can easily be found when on Snapchat. Two of the most prominent features are “Add by Email” and “Add by Phone Number”.
If you’re wondering how they could find you using your number, note that these Snapchat bots could employ software tasked to generate random emails and numbers. You can then be tracked if your number or email is a match.
Turning off these features is easy. Let’s get started with disabling being found via your phone number.
Step 1: Click on your Snapchat Settings icon.  Note: Sign in using your login information if you haven’t already. |
Step 2: Scroll down and tap Contact Syncing |
Step 3: Tick the Sync Contacts box |
Step 4: Tap Confirm |
Naturally, Snapchat would discourage you from disabling contact syncing. But it’s a must to minimize spam bots from making the most of the feature and contacting you.
To disable Add by Email is easy. Go to Snapchat Settings (click the gear icon), then scroll down to the Email option and tick off the box that says, “Let others find me using my email address.”
FIX 3. Use another Snapcode on the Snapchat website
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 3 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 10 to 15 seconds |
| Things Needed | Any smartphone A working internet connection |
Snapcodes are another brilliant Snapchat feature that, at the onset, looks like a welcome feature to expand your network. But they can work to your disadvantage when dealing with Snapchat bots.
When you post your Snapcode publicly, they can help spambots track you. With the right software, Snapchat bots can detect your Snapcode, know your Snapchat details (user name) and out of the blue message you.
Changing them regularly keeps you out of the radar of spambots, as they won’t be able to track you using the Snapcode they’ve stored. Here’s how:
Step 1: Go to Snapchat settings (gear icon) Note: Sign in using your login information if you haven’t already. |
Step 2: Scroll down; tap the Snapcodes option |
Step 3: Tap Create Snapcode |
FIX 4. Be selective on who you add back
Easy networking is one of the biggest come-ons of Snapchat, and the best social media sites today. But, if you’re not selective on who to add up and buddy up on these sites, chances are spambots are bound to be part of your company.
So be choosy. If someone you don’t know adds you, make a rule not to add them back. Knowing the person, even through another Snapchat friend, can go a long way to save you the trouble.
FIX 5. Just block them
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 6 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 30 to 40 seconds |
| Things Needed | Any smartphone A working internet connection |
There’s one practical and easy trick when Snapbots pester you and add you. Just simply block them to get them out of the way.
Doing so will take them out of your system and prevent the bot from messaging you any longer. In short, your account is as safe as you want it to be.
Here’s how to get it done:
| Step 1: Log in to Snapchat |
| Step 2: Swipe right to bring up chat messages  |
| Step 3: Tap on the chat message you want to block  |
Step 4: Tap Manage Friendship |
Step 5: Click “Block” |
Step 6: Click Block to confirm |
Note that you can’t interact with an account when it is blocked. So ensure you’re cutting those spam bots off, not someone you may know, or you’ll miss those people on Snapchat forever.
FIX 6. Ignore them by clicking X
Another simple way to deal with Snapchat bots adding you is to click the X when they send an add request from said spammy account. It’s easy and very effective as they no longer can contact you.
FIX 7. Change your Snapchat username
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 6 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 30 to 45 seconds |
| Things Needed | Any smartphone A working internet connection |
Another way that spam bots can easily track you down is via your Snapchat username, so you might want to change it if you want to minimize these pesky programs.
Here’s how:
| Step 1: Open Snapchat Note: Sign in using your login information if you haven’t already. |
| Step 2: Click the Profile icon |
| Step 3: Go to Settings (gear) |
Step 4: Click Username |
Step 5: Click Change Username |
| Step 6: Type your new user name when prompted |
FIX 8. Report them to Snapchat
| Difficulty | Very Easy ●○○○○ |
| Number of Steps | 4 |
| Time to Perform Fix | 30 to 45 seconds |
| Things Needed | Any smartphone A working internet connection |
If you feel overwhelmed and more and Snapchat bots keep adding you, you may have to take the issue to the authorities, which in this case are the Snapchat admin. Good thing you can do this via the app itself, like this:
| Step 1: Open Snapchat Note: Sign in using your login information if you haven’t already. |
| Step 2: Click the Profile icon |
| Step 3: Go to Settings (gear) |
Step 4: Scroll down and Tap Support Note: From there, you can report the issue of a spam bot hounding you. |
Who can add you on Snapchat?
Everyone can add you to the platform if you publicize your Snapchat account. To change to a Private Profile, go to Settings >, scroll down to Privacy Controls, and choose your privacy settings.
If you don’t accept someone who added you as a friend, that person will not be able to interact with you on the platform. That means he can’t send you snaps or chat with you.
Someone who has added you can be blocked to keep them out of your way. You can also report them if they keep bothering you or are spammy.
Why are people adding me on Snapchat randomly?
There are a host of ways people can find you on Snapchat. In the digital age where a digital footprint is highly likely, it’s hard not to leave a trail; some of the most common ways you can be found on Snapchat are:
- Via your phone number
- Via your email
- Via the Snap map
- Via a Snapchat story
- Someone shared your snap code
- Via Quick Add
- A friend shared your Snapchat username
- Your account is public
Check the eight ways detailed above to keep Snapchat bots from adding you to the platform. You may not be able to eradicate spam bots, but you can limit them.
Is it safe to add strangers on Snapchat?
Adding strangers on Snapchat is risky. If you want to stay safe, it’s best to avoid adding people you don’t know who are not on your friend’s list.
