Strava users plagued by follow requests from spam accounts

Strava says that it is doing all it can to combat the issue of spam bots

strava spam
By Henry Robertshaw
published

If you've been followed by a Chloe Hunter or Charlotte Hope on Strava over the last few days, then you're not alone, as many users have found themselves bombarded with follow requests from spam accounts.

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The accounts appear to be based in either London or Preston, saying that they are "looking for a cycling training partner", and encouraging other users to click through to what looks like a very dodgy website.

Users of the site have taken to Twitter and Facebook (ironically two social networks where spam accounts are a persistent problem) to complain about the issue.

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In response Gareth Nettleton, Strava's VP for marketing, said that the company was doing all it could to deal with the issue.

"We’re aware of some of our members receiving follow requests from non-human accounts and are really sorry for the inconvenience this is causing," he said.

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"Like any social network, unfortunately we are not immune to this type of activity. However, our team is working around the clock both to solve the immediate issue of the accounts and also minimise the impact that the follow notifications have on members’ notification feeds."

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Henry Robertshaw

Henry Robertshaw began his time at Cycling Weekly working with the tech team, writing reviews, buying guides and appearing in videos advising on how to dress for the seasons. He later moved over to the news team, where his work focused on the professional peloton as well as legislation and provision for cycling. He's since moved his career in a new direction, with a role at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

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