How Can I block my yahoo messenger id?

How can I block random strangers from adding my Yahoo messenger ID? Please READ the details below?

• I have had my current yahoo ID for may be a year or more. I have not given my yahoo ID to anyone (that I don't know) or haven’t signed up at different commercial or websites with this Yahoo ID. Lately, every time I sign into my Yahoo ID I have many random ID from all over the world wanting to add me. I'm very frustrated and annoyed because I have to ignore each request one at a time and it is annoying. Is there any way I can stop this add requests from adding me? I don't want to lose or close this Yahoo ID of mine.

• Answer:

  There's so much of this going around now that it's sickening! I've even been getting spam emails from myself lately! What's actually going on is that spam bots are hijacking our contact lists and using them to send spam all over the world. There IS one thing you can do, however: and that is the "Ignore Anyone not on my Yahoo Contacts" option. This setting keeps ALL that crap from hitting your inbox and you never have to deal with it at all. Messenger>> Privacy>> Ignore List>> fill in the box next to Ignore Anyone not on my Yahoo Contacts. Click Apply, then OK and immediately restart your computer and those spammers will have to find somewhere else to go. Conversely, you may open Messenger and click Tools then Options, then Privacy. Open Privacy and at the very top you'll see, "Allow List", put a check mark in the square that reads, "only people on my Allow list can read and send me messages". You can click "View Now", if you'd like to see your Contact list. This can help you determine who contacts you and who doesn't. At the bottom of the page, click Apply, then OK. Now immediately restart your computer and when it reopens there won't be any problems with people not on your Contact list getting in touch. You can always go in and modify things as you see fit, too. *m*