Skype spam

August 28th, 2005

Periodically, I get a message through Skype that someone or other I have never heard of wants to add my to his or her contact list. I refuse the connection on the basis that this unknown Skyper probably want to sell me something. Today this hit a new low. I got a Skype call, which I foolishly answered - instead of trusting my instincts and just blocking the other user. The disembodied voice of the caller checked that I could understand his English, then made a sexual suggestion.

Great, the automated phone spam on my regular telephone is bad enough, now this. It is so depressing when great technology like Skype is abused. What do these people hope to achieve?

Entry Filed under: Personal

5 Comments Add your own

  • 1. Phil Gerbyshak  |  August 29th, 2005 at 5:12 am

    Free phone sex? What could be better, I mean worse. Very disgusting. Trust your instincts, to be sure.

    What do these people hope to achieve? Same things spammers do: a sale. Sadly, as technology like Skype is free and easy, there’s nothing to stop them all..just have to keep being vigilant is all.

  • 2. Louise  |  August 30th, 2005 at 5:17 pm

    From Skype:
    People keep sending me spam messages or abusive calls, what can I do?
    If you are getting chat messages or calls that you consider to be spam or abusive we suggest you use Skype’s built in privacy settings to filter out any unwanted communications.

    You can force Skype to only allow calls or chats from people in your Contacts list that you’ve authorized.

    Select Tools -> Options -> Privacy

    Check the box next to the option “Only people whom I have authorized can call” and/or the box “Only people whom I have authorized can start chat” and then save the changes.

    Then random strangers and people not on your contact list cannot contact you anymore.

  • 3. Adrian  |  August 31st, 2005 at 6:03 pm

    Thanks for that. I had just left everything default.

    I have seen more posts on this elsewhere now - it even has a name all of it’s own: Skam.

  • 4. Fast Freddie  |  January 20th, 2006 at 6:57 pm

    I get abusive calls to my fixed phone I know someone makes using SkypeOut: is there some way to get ‘proof’ of these calls by getting info on who on Skype has been using Skypeout to dial my number?!
    (callerID doesn’t work with SkypeOut calls coming in)

  • 5. nkmp.net | felipe ovalle …  |  June 21st, 2007 at 3:09 pm

    […] Acerca de esto mismo… - Skype Forums - La señora fanática de Skype - Skype Spam […]

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