I have lot's of people I have never seen nor heard of send me a friend's request. Now, to me, friend's means like-minded, compatible people. We don't have to be a real good match, just like what each other have to say or like what we represent.
So, if someone I have never seen or read send's me a friend's request out of the blue, I email them and tell them I take friend's requests seriously and only add people I have gotten to know.
I have seen many people come in to MD and start requesting friends right off the bat. Or people I never met before and they request friends. Why? I can make some guesses. I can't claim to be right, just what occurs to me or is told to me. Here are some of my thoughts/beliefs and the reasons why I think them.
1) Security... they may feel threatened by this new place and want to make friends with people they have seen blog or in the forum threads. After all, look at some of the crazy stuff goes on here in MD.
So one man, when I asked why me as his first friend's request...he said...'I have read you. You look and feel safe.'  Wow, to me that was a wonderful compliment. He trusted me.  I had already gotten to know him tho, so don't try that on me if you are trying to con.
2) Camoflage... they are coming in here to make their way and so they gather as many people as they can, requesting everyone they see online that is the opposite sex so THEY look safe. I know this is true because I used to judge people for their honesty by who was on their friend's lists until I saw some people will put ANYONE THAT ASKS on their friend's list. Also reflect back to #1.
Now, if I see certain people on new people's friend's lists, I automatically refuse the new people because the new people requesting are usually camoflagers. Some of the new people also often turn out to be baddies. (See #2a)
2) a. Con Artist or Scammer... similar to #2, but here to take advantage. Many people will add you to their friend's list just in case they try a scam and someone 'checks them out' (camoflage, remember). (Well, So and So is on their friend's list so they must be real.)
Hey, I now ASK people about someone that is on their friend's list. I can't tell you how many times I have gotten this reply.... 'I don't know. They just sent me a friend's request and I added them.' RED FLAG! Or worse... 'I never heard of that person.' 'Uh, they are on your friend's list.' 'They are?' (Duh) Like I said, if they are on certain people's friend's lists now, they automatically get a red flag.
3) Convenience... they filter their comments on their blogs and pictures for friends automatically are approved. They trust and often like and or respect you. They add you because you will automatically be approved on their blogs, etc.
4) Collector... someone that adds everyone because it is a trophy thing for them. I think I have one person on my list that is a collector. I did have three. I deleted two of them and ignore their requests everytime they try to re add me. I don't really feel they could ever be actual friends so I just won't add them again. I'm not a trophy.
The other collector is a nice guy and I for some reason or other do not mind being his trophy.  Don't ask me why, I have no clue. Maybe because I feel he is harmless. Or maybe I just like his nick...  Or maybe because he does not act like he is into ego like the other two did.
5) Admiration... they read your threads, blogs or even your profile and like whatever so much they want to be around you in some way to keep track of you or your writing. Like the bulletins. I love the bulletins. I add people that I really like to my friend's list for several reasons. I wish to be aligned with people that think and write the way they do. (It tends to rub off on you, ya know. You are a reflection of your friends.)
Also so that I can be on their bulletin list and automatically approve filtered comments. What an awesome way to not miss out. People use the bulletin list to let us know of new writings and what is going on in their lives. I love that we can tell people we are ok or not ok without having to advertise it to the entire MD world. But of course, being a Leo like I am, sometimes I WANT to tell the world.   
What I love is when I ask someone to be on my friend's list and and if they don't know me well yet, they check ME out. I know I have a person there that tends towards honesty and awareness. Those are keepers. 
What worries me is the tendency to go thru life with your eyes closed. Come on people. You put a complete stranger on your friend's list? With the bulletins now, they know your life. They are inside your personal space. Like I said, if I see certain people on new people's friend's lists, I tend to red flag them. Ok, call me critical. See if I care. You KNOW who you are.
I have one friend I adore that puts me back on her list everytime she cleanses it. Boy, that makes me feel honored. To you, sweetheart. It never offends me.
So, those are my thoughts and some of them are beliefs due to what I have found to be true but maybe it is not true for you. Maybe others have other ideas. Maybe I just take all this too seriously, but hey! I am a serious person, even if I AM weird. 
SE 
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| Friend's List & Internet Scams |
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azgirl701
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Dec 14 @ 3:42PM
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i add people to friend list because there nice no pic no friend
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Sweetheart83446
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Dec 14 @ 3:52PM
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You're not weird. I am the same way.
Nice Blog
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Sheryll861
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Dec 14 @ 4:13PM
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I agree..... if you don't want to spend the time to write to me, I will not be part of a collection. I usually will not even answer them. Out of the blue? NO. My list of requests is about twice longer than my favorites list and my friends list put together. If they can not bother to get to know me and write to me, then I can not bother to approve or disapprove them. I just leave them in limbo.
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RVerwolf
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Dec 14 @ 4:20PM
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hmm...sure a lot of "words" there...makes me wonder if ya "talk that much" in real life...hee hee...
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misschoos
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Dec 14 @ 4:34PM
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I see the collectors! I would hate to be a trophy on their list.
There is one collector in particular, who has over a thousand trophies.
I don't know what it does for him.
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Philosopher8659
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Dec 14 @ 5:10PM
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I generally allow the request, wait a bit of time and see if they are trying to actually be friends, and then I delete them.
So, My friends list, is, as one would imagine, very huge. All of them pookas!
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LoveNature924
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Dec 14 @ 5:14PM
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I did the same thing, explaining that I first would like to get to know a person before becoming friends. Boy, did I get jumped on!!
He was 50, probably thought an "old hag" would fall down on her knees and thank him for his "friend request" LOL
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SpiritEnergy
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Dec 14 @ 6:04PM
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Kick his @ss, lady. Give him the high two.  And laugh. Great filter isn't it? You find out right off how NOT friend material they are.
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SpiritEnergy
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Dec 27 @ 2:24AM
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Oh, MissChoos, my collector has over 2000 on his friends list. Thong, ya know him? Love his nick. Thongbikinilover
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kattsmeow
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Jan 2 @ 11:11AM
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) Collector... someone that adds everyone because it is a trophy thing for them.
A lot of people here are like this.
Lol, I have mostly men that ask to be on my friends list. If I don't know them from the forums, or blogs, I don't approve them.
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