Stop strangers from contacting you on Facebook

Eager to stop people you don't know from sending messages or friend requests on Facebook? Follow these three easy steps so it won't happen again.

To avoid receiving messages or friend requests from people you don't know, you just need to tweak a few of the privacy settings on Facebook. Doing so will save people who get a lot of these requests some hassle, and will ensure that you don't inadvertently accept friend requests from strangers.Facebook offers a gateway for sharing your thoughts, memories, and pictures with friends and family. Unfortunately, spammers are hard at work trying to take advantage of all that information, sending messages and friend requests to people they want to market to or scam. Even worse, creepy people might befriend you based on looks alone.

Step 1: Log in to Facebook and tap on the menu arrow in the top right-hand corner, then choose Privacy Settings.

(Credit: Screenshot by Nicole Cozma/CNET)

Step 2: Click on the Edit Settings link next to How You Connect.

Step 3: Adjust the drop-down boxes to reflect the privacy level you desire.

Tip: You'll want to pay special attention that none of the drop-downs say "Everyone," keeping spammers and strangers at bay.

Now you will no longer receive friend requests or messages from people you don't know. If you change your mind later and want to make yourself easier to reach on Facebook, you can always adjust the settings to allow everyone to contact you.

Have any other Facebook privacy tips to share? Post them in the comments.