Google+ automatically sends invitations after addings contacts in Google+ Circles

Question

I've moved my 1000+ contacts into Google+ Circles which I thought of as contact categories. Prior to creating my Google+ Circles and assigning all my contacts to the appropriate circle I checked my profile privacy settings to ensure that all settings were set to private.

I thought this was done under My Profile -> People -> Edit -> Uncheck box for showing people in your Google+ Circles.

Yet I found out that Google+ is automatically sending out an invitation email to any non Gmail contact me, telling them that I want them to join Google+.

Horribly embarrassing, some of the contacts are business related and I'd never ask them to join a social group.

How do I stop that?

Answer 1

What happens when you add people & pages to a circle?

They may receive a notification that you've added them (but not the name of the circle you’ve added them to).

support.google.com/plus

Answer 2

We all understand your frustration about this awkward position you have put yourself but what done is done and cannot be undone.

Even if there was an option for Google+ not to automatically sending invitations to your newly imported contacts in Google+ Circles, there would be no way of recalling invitations that have been already sent or stop the rolling for those who have not yet received them.

Maybe now it is a good time to remove any unwanted contact from your Google+ Circles. Instructions at https://support.google.com/plus/answer/1047849?hl=en