'Hidden' Facebook message folder may store surprises

Facebook users are discovering long-lost messages, event invitations, even job offers — and a lot of spam — in what's being described as a "hidden" mail folder on the social media site.

Here's how to access yours:

If you're using Facebook on a desktop, click on the "Messages" icon. Once you're there, click on the Message Requests heading.

"See filtered requests" should appear next. Click on that and behold your "hidden" Facebook mailbox.

Mine has messages dating back to 2007 and was sort of like a time machine. It's a lot of old group messages, like an invite to a university party promising "cupcakes and booze". But I also found a message from a co-worker and another from a guy named Rooster who says he knows my family.

Nothing I'm sorry I missed (although I may reach out to Rooster). But at least one Facebook user posted about finding a message about a job offer. She received it during a period she was laid off several years ago, but saw it for the first time Thursday.

The hard-to-find folder was spotted by the website HelloGiggles earlier this week.

Finding it on your phone is a little more complicated. In Facebook Messenger, open Settings and then People.

Then it's Message Requests.

Then tap "See filtered requests."

By catching messages from users you're not Facebook friends with or others addressed to multiple recipients, the function essentially works as a spam folder. But one that, for some reason, was pretty hard to locate until now.