How to Avoid Unknown Users from adding You to WhatsApp Groups

WhatsApp groups are a fantastic way to remain in touch with family, friends, and even coworkers. Still, many individuals abuse the function to create massive groups to sell items or advertise services.

These organizations are frequently formed without the consent of individuals, which can be aggravating for some. Most of us despise being a member of pointless organizations, and we often wonder if it’s impolite just to leave one. The simplest method to avoid this is to set up a filter that prevents strangers from adding you to groups.

Why is it important to avoid unknown groups?

There are a few reasons why it is important to avoid unknown WhatsApp groups:

Privacy: Unknown groups could contain people that you don’t know or trust. By joining an unknown group, you are giving these people access to your phone number and personal information.

Security: Unknown groups could be used to spread malware or viruses. By joining an unknown group, you could accidentally install malware on your phone or computer.

Spam: Unknown groups could be used to send you spam messages or advertisements.

Harassment: Unknown groups could be used to harass or bully you. By joining an unknown group, you are putting yourself at risk of being harassed or bullied.

How to prevent unknown users from adding you to WhatsApp groups

Fortunately, there is a setting in your WhatsApp account’s privacy area that prevents you from joining random groups. This feature allows you to control who may add you to groups. It is set to “Everyone” by default, which means that anybody with your phone number can add you to a group. Even after you make changes to the settings, group managers can send you invite links and encourage you to join groups. Follow the procedures below to avoid being added to groups by unknown strangers:

• Open WhatsApp, click on the three dots on the top right corner of the screen.
• Tap on the Settings option and then tap Account. Click on Privacy > Groups.
• The default setting is likely to be set to ‘Everyone‘. One can select from three options — ‘Everyone’, ‘My Contacts’, and ‘My Contacts Except’.
• Anyone with your phone number can add you to a group without your consent if you select the ‘Everyone’ option.
• Only users whose phone numbers you’ve stored in your contact list can add you to groups using the ‘My Contact’ option.
• The last option, ‘My Contacts Except,’ allows you to determine who can add you to groups by filtering and delisting the contacts you don’t want to be joined to a group by.

Conclusion

By following the tips above, you can help to avoid being added to unknown WhatsApp groups. If you are added to an unknown group, you can report it to WhatsApp. It is important to avoid unknown groups to protect your privacy, security, and well-being.