Stop receiving unwanted chats and calls
If you are getting chat messages or calls from people you don’t know you may need to change your Skype privacy setting.
You can change your privacy settings in Skype to only allow calls or chats from people in your Contacts list who you have authorized.
Go to: Skype -> Preferences -> Privacy. Check the box next to the option “Only people whom I have authorized can start chat”.
Then random strangers and people who are not on your contact list cannot contact you anymore.
I never understood why the third option “Only people whom I have authorized can start” is not the default setting…
Privacy is pretty much made useless by the fact that the Skype Me status overrides the Privacy settings (which is absurd), and it’s while in Skype Me that most unwanted calls are received.
Check boxes should be added to the Privacy preferences so that users can decide whether they want the Skype Me status to override or not.
BTW, unwanted calls are way more annoying than unwanted chats.
Difficult not to call somebody with such a user name la-jolie-parisienne
is it new ?
no !
is it specific to the mac version ?
no !
then why post this in the mac blog ?
post about video, that’s the only feature mac user wants for the moment !
In answer to irishferly, you’re not entirely right about whether it’s specific to the Mac version.
Don’t forget that OS X has a different menu structure to Windows, or even Linux. So the location of these settings probably are specific to the Mac.
As to video being the only feature Mac users are after then even I have to say you’re exaggerating. It’s the main thing I, and others, wait for, true. But anything new, obscure or unknown is good to hear about.
I’d love to hear that Video chat is officially out, I’d even love to hear actual information about why it’s not out yet, but any news that tells me something different I can do with Skype (and without paying for third-party apps…) is still of interest. Less interest, maybe. But to say that they’re of no interest isn’t right at all.
Sub-title of this blog.
Skype on Mac OS X. Tips, tricks, news.
Enough said
Hmm… I didn’t know “Skype Me” could override privacy settings.
Hopefully we will get SMS feature with the new OS X version.
irishferley – what’s your estimate on windows users who make video calls? 5%? More? Less? I’m the last one to say that we don’t need video calling but I’m trying to put some perspective to it. More people want better quality calling, more easy dialling, Skype that takes less screen real estate, Skype that sends SMS messages. Video is nice to have but a lot of people won’t really use it for one or another reason.
It only makes sense that “Skype Me” overrides the privacy settings, as you want strangers to call you and start up conversation – otherwise, what’s the point of “Skype Me” mode?
As for video, sure it would be nice, but it’s also nice to have some tips and ideas about using Skype as it is now. Nicola’s posts about chat are thousands of times more useful and relevant than the blinking keyboard post made by some intern.
It would be nice to see some tips and tricks about conference calling, now that we’ve covered chat!
stevellano : The point of “Skype Me” is that I want strangers to IM me and start up conversation, IM only, not call me.
Because, I say it again : unwanted calls are way more annoying than unwanted chats.
The other point of “Skype Me” is that it’s addressed to my buddies.
I always took “Skype Me” as being an open invitation for anyone to talk to you. In a way being a mode to temporarily override privacy settings.
It’s why I don’t use it as the non-”Skype Me” mode is pretty much the “only those who I know can contact me” mode that I favour.
And as for people on your buddy list, surely that’s what being in normal “not away” mode means. As if you don’t even want your buddies to contact you, offline or away is the way to go.
Thanks la-jolie-parisienne for posting the fact that SkypeMe overrides the privacy settings. I was wondering why I was getting calls and chats from people who were not in my address book. Thought I had a major bug in my version of Skype.
This picture doesn’t look like the choice I get when I visit the privacy menu in my Skype for Mac – I have the first two, but not the third option. I would like to know how to prevent people from contacting me – it’s getting more than a little annoying. Thanks
my question is the reverse-why is it my friend is not able to add me as a contact? i gave him my signin name and i have the privacy setting on ‘anyone can’ but i dont appear on the list. i appear on the list to myself…i am on windows (UGH) and he is on a mac, his account is probably a different version of skype because it was added at a different time in a different country. (i cant find him because i dont know the name he uses.)
Try right-clicking on their name in the contact list and choosing ‘Send Contact Request’ – that should do the trick
How can I delete unwanted and uninvited skype users from my contact list, theres about 30 that have been added?? Can anyone help? I have adjusted the privacy setting now, find it annoying,
I click on the privacy settings – I have everything set to only accept from my contacts and I still get crap from other people, chatting mainly. and they aren’t friendly (or a little too friendly for online sex). I have skype for only one reason and I hate being bothered by others that aren’t on my contact list.!!! privacy settings aren’t too reliable
@theresa.dobry if you’re running Skype on more than one computer, please check that you have your privacy settings set appropriately on all of them – and let me know if that isn’t the case.
This does not work for me! I have already changed my privacy settings AND I STILL RECEIVE UNWANTED CHATS AND CALLS FROM PEOPLE I DON’T EVEN KNOW!!
I agree with you theresa.dobry!
@yazuls check that those people aren’t already on your contact list – if they are, you should remove them.
My settings are also set to contacts only and I am not on “Skype me” either and the last few days I got a lot of abbusive sexual hallo’s!! Maybe we should try the “Report abuse” option and see what happens?
I constantly change he privacy settings to allow only people in my contact list, but it changes back to anyone. Why?????????????????????? It seems to happen when a new version of skype is installed. This should automatically default to the current user settings, not Skype’s generic setting. Please fix this annoying bug.
I have also been bothered by a shower of contact requests that invite me to look at their webcam. They usually have sexy somewhere in their name. I have set my privacy settings to allow IM from my contact list only. These users are not on it!
I have blocked and reported these messages but they still keep coming. I have just upgraded to 2.8.0.659 and I am now getting these messages on my Mac whereas they were just on my PC before. Yes, my privacy settings are the same on both computers.
Today I woke up to 14 messages from girls wanting me to contact them or look at their webcam, this in spite of my settings being “only people on my contact list”. Why does Skype not take this seriously? If the Skype management team does not have the ability to honour the setting “only people on my contact list” they should say so.
I am still receiving unwanted IMs – from dubious sources with suggestive comments – and I too have my privacy setting to block unknown contacts. Why is this so and why can’t be fixed!
I am still receiving unwanted IMs – from dubious sources with suggestive comments – and I too have my privacy setting to block unknown contacts. Why is this so and why can’t it be fixed!
I too have my security settings set to block unwanted contacts … yet i continue to receive unwanted contacts … c’mon Skype, what’s the problem?
This seems to have gotten worse over the last few weeks. I’m now blocking 3-4 contacts a day, it used to be 1 a week. I’m surprised that preferences are not saved across profiles, like your contacts, just in case you’ve installed Skype on another machine somewhere and not blocked all the unwanted stuff. Why is it machine dependant? Cummon Skype, get something happening here to block these spammers…..
Still experiencing this problem… it is constantly changing my settings! if this possibly because i use Fring on the iphone?
I am still getting calls and chats from random people who are trying to have web sex or something like that. I have changed all my settings and it keeps happening. I am so frustrated. SKYPE FIX THIS NOW!!!!
I am still getting calls and chats from random people who are trying to have web sex or something like that. I have changed all my settings and it keeps happening. I am so frustrated. SKYPE FIX THIS NOW!!!!
This problem is not specific to macs, and its a pain. I have to change my privacy settings daily and it still flips back again.
i haveee randommmm hello’s and all my settings are ‘only my contacts’
and i still manage to get randome chats and webcam requests……
Is it just me?
When I go into: Skype -> Preferences -> Privacy. There is no option “Only people whom I have authorized can start chat”.
Im on the latest version of Mac OS X and Skype.
Seems like skype will render itself unattractive to people like me and another competitor will take its place if it cannot make a better privacy protocol?
I do not recommend it to people anymore due to this silliness.
i have the lastest macbook pro, i have done all the tightest security and am still getting unwanted and unknow ppl calling and testing me, i have sent several emails to sykpe and get the same answer go to prvacy etc etc
it is not working and this is so upsetting I am considering getting rid of it
anyone know what is the problem with the mac and this software app??
i have the lastest macbook pro, i have done all the tightest security and am still getting unwanted and unknow ppl calling and testing me, i have sent several emails to sykpe and get the same answer go to prvacy etc etc
it is not working and this is so upsetting I am considering getting rid of it
anyone know what is the problem with the mac and this software app??
It sounds like BOTH the privacy settings and status need to be adjusted to private levels. The status needs to be changed from the default “skype me” mode which allows anyone to contact you. And privacy settings to “only contacts”. I will be doing this a.s.a.p. Thanks for the info.
My version doesn’t even have that option. My version only has People from my contacts and anyone, and that’s all. I have not received a call from an unwanted creeper yet, but I am not sure if it’s working or not. It may have been because I had set my status to skype me that one time. UGH please skype this is pissing me off!
We have been receiving both unwanted calls and text messages. Today, I unchecked the “Skype me” box and I hope that ends this irritation. But I agree with other posters that the privacy settings should apply regardless of my status.
I have done everything including uninstalling and reinstalling Skype to stop unwanted callers. I still get calls or requests for chats (mostly sexual) about every 5 to 10 seconds from random callers while I’m trying to conduct business. Has anyone found a solution to this problem?
Where is the “Skype me” box that needs to be unchecked?
@pfmccormack head to Skype > Preferences > Privacy and make sure you have settings adjusted to the strictest level. Hope that helps
@pfmccormack I had the same problem, but I realized the “SkypeMe!” box was checked. It’s right next to your name above your picture. Make sure it’s just a green check mark and it doesn’t have the smiley face next to it. Took me 30 minutes to realize that was why the privacy settings weren’t working.