ITunes automatically importing songs once they hit my computer

Wonder if you can help. iTunes is automatically importing any music file that hits my computer into iTunes when i dont want it to.
I try to keep my iTunes collection "clean" with just the things i really want to keep but i have lots of other music files around my computer (demo files i am listening to, mp3's sent by friends). I store them in my Sony/Users/Music directory. my iTunes media folder is set below that at Sony/Users/Music/Itunes/iIunes Music so it should be quite simple to keep them separate.
however, since i downloaded the latest version of iTunes last year, now for some reason it seems to look into the higher level "Music" directory (that includes all my other music files) and anytime anything appears in that directory, it automatically imports it and moves it into the iTunes permanent collection, which is making it a mightmare to try to keep my various files organised.
Has anyone else had this problem and/or can suggest remedies?
Much appreciated
Ian

Could you possibly have installed "itunes folder watch" or a similar program and forgotten about it?
http://download.cnet.com/iTunes-Folder-Watch/3000-2141_4-10524730.html
Because itunes doesn't do that (watch folders), hasn't done it since it was first released, and that's been one of the most asked-for feature over the years.

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