How To Stop Yahoo Instant Messenger Spam

Yahoo Instant Messenger is notorious for sending unsolicited commercial instant messages and from questionable sources. The yahoo instant messenger client doesn’t provide an way, last I checked, to stop such spams. However there is a way.

I use Gaim / Pidgin cross-platform instant messaging client which allows you to stop messages from strangers.

1. Go to Tools (menu) -> Privacy
2. In “Set privacy for” select your Yahoo account and then select “Allow only the users on my buddy list”. Click close.
Now only your Yahoo buddies can contact you through your Yahoo instant messaging account.

The same facility is available for other accounts too. Unfortunately this nifty feature is not where I initially expected it to be - in Edit account settings.

BTW: Gaim / Pidgin is a full fledged instant messaging client which allows you to consolidate your Yahoo IM, MSN IM, ICQ, GTalk and many more instant messaging client in a single interface, highly recommended.