Random text messages to my cell phone

TangoWhiskey

Touchdown! Greaser!
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Feb 23, 2005
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Midlothian, TX
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3Green
Oddest thing. About three weeks ago, I got two SMS messages sent to my cell phone around midnight, from an area code nearby (214). Messages essentially said "i miss you. u should be here with me now", etc. (Wonder what Lady Red would think if SHE found my phone with messages like that on it!!)

Then, about a week later, two messages from 940 area code (also nearby) with likewise "personal" content. I wrote both off as somebody drunk mistyping the phone number they intended to text.

But then today, I get these three text messages in a row from a 561 (Palm Beach FL) number. Again, I did not reply. I'm blanking out part of the number.

I've been receiving odd text messages from random numbers over the past couple weeks. After receiving another today, I'm thinking they aren't random... but, at the same time, they're not "spam" (soliciting a service). I'm definitely NOT going to reply, for the same reason you don't reply to spam email--it might flag my number as "truly active" and start flooding me with real spam.

Any suggestions as to what this is all about / why somebody would do this / how to stop it? Have any of you heard of anything like this being used in the cell phone arena, or have it happening to you??

June 14, 1:17pm
From: 561-702-xxxx
561702xxxx i don't see anything good in you anymore

June 14, 1:34pm
From: 561-702-xxxx
561702xxxx i was the one person in this world that brought out the best in you
June 14, 1:38pm
From: 561-702-xxxx
561702xxxx do u think i should rush for a sorority
 
You can call them and ask them if they really meant to sms you. If it is spam then the number will not be a real return number. They very well could be escort service spam.
 
A couple of days ago I started getting spam text messages too. Got one today that says:

FRM:******@bankfranklin.com
SUBJ: ALERT
MSG: Your Franklin Bank account is closed due to unusual activity, to reactivate call us at 806***0087.


I don't have an account there. Did a quick google search on the number and found all kinds of report of spam/scams associated with similar messages.
 
Lisa,
That one is spam from the Internet. Most SMS can be sent via a simple address such as a phone number plus domain. For T-Mobile it is tmomail.net. So someone can send you an SMS from their email as your phone number @tmomail.net if you were a T-Mobile Subscriber. Verizon, US Cellular, AT&T, and Sprint all have this. Thus any spammer easily just start sending out spam to 10-digits at that domain and get lucky with getting a few to go through.
 
Found a lot of info on the net where it's been restricted to the 512 area code cell phones from various providers. I figured it'd been sent via the email txt message system because of the return ID on the message. Apparently the powers that be have already shut down the phone number and the various fraud units are working to ID the bozos. I feel for customer service unit from Franklin Bank (if it's a real bank..haven't looked).

Lisa,
That one is spam from the Internet. Most SMS can be sent via a simple address such as a phone number plus domain. For T-Mobile it is tmomail.net. So someone can send you an SMS from their email as your phone number @tmomail.net if you were a T-Mobile Subscriber. Verizon, US Cellular, AT&T, and Sprint all have this. Thus any spammer easily just start sending out spam to 10-digits at that domain and get lucky with getting a few to go through.
 
Found a lot of info on the net where it's been restricted to the 512 area code cell phones from various providers. I figured it'd been sent via the email txt message system because of the return ID on the message. Apparently the powers that be have already shut down the phone number and the various fraud units are working to ID the bozos. I feel for customer service unit from Franklin Bank (if it's a real bank..haven't looked).
I get spam, albeit not always on my phone, from many banks. Suffice to say it is all caught by the spam filters and never gets in my inbox. I respond to no email asking for information, EVER!

Since I am somewhat of a public figure I have to put up with a bit of hassles. Having my face, email, and sometimes even telephone number so well known is a problem. I do try to protect as much of my really personal info as possible.
 
...SNIP...Since I am somewhat of a public figure I have to put up with a bit of hassles. Having my face, email, and sometimes even telephone number so well known is a problem. I do try to protect as much of my really personal info as possible.
Not on the side of a milk carton is it??? Or the Post Office??? That would definitely affect your prestige points here.
 
If you do not use SMS, you can have the phone company disable that feature. It's an all or nothing thing. Also, be careful going to the "free" ringtone sites. They're notorious for not only spamming your phone but slamming you with a monthly subscription fee.
 
After getting another message from the same number about 4:07pm today, saying "im going to boston tmrw", I followed Scott's suggestion and CALLED (not text'd) the number back. Got "Carly's" voice mail. Let her know that if she sent those text messages (I'm not convinced she did), then they didn't reach the intended recipient. We'll see what happens... thanks for the replies, y'all.
 
Since I am somewhat of a public figure I have to put up with a bit of hassles. Having my face, email, and sometimes even telephone number so well known is a problem. I do try to protect as much of my really personal info as possible.

I hear ya. My name, signature and work contact info is on several hundred letters, email and other public communication that go out to the citizens of this state every week. Some aren't very happy to get those communications. I have to deal with reporters and angry "customers" enough during the work week, last thing I want is for them to have my personal contact info.
 
I hear ya. My name, signature and work contact info is on several hundred letters, email and other public communication that go out to the citizens of this state every week. Some aren't very happy to get those communications. I have to deal with reporters and angry "customers" enough during the work week, last thing I want is for them to have my personal contact info.
I almost responded to one I looked at. But, I didn't have the teeth I needed to bite into the issue.
 
If you log into your Verizon account on the Web, you can disable text messages sent to your phone number and select a "nickname" instead. You will receive sent to the nickname (formatted as an email address, eg. "nickname@vtext.com,") but messages to the phone number will be silently dropped.

Rich
 
If you do not use SMS, you can have the phone company disable that feature. It's an all or nothing thing. Also, be careful going to the "free" ringtone sites. They're notorious for not only spamming your phone but slamming you with a monthly subscription fee.

Not true, unfortunately. T-Mobile does not currently support the removal of SMS features, although you can set up spam filters at t-mobile.com.
 
Found out you can also block or filter email to text messages for any AT&T Customers here as well.

1 Log in to your account
2 Select Preferences
3 Select Message Options to set an alias.
4 Select Blocking Options to filter
 
Not true, unfortunately. T-Mobile does not currently support the removal of SMS features, although you can set up spam filters at t-mobile.com.
I might do that for my next China trip. When I walked into the Macua Venetian hotel they used a location based service to start sending me spam. All kinds of stuff on where to eat in the hotel, where to shop, where to gamble. It was really annoying.

Everyone's phones where getting it regardless of operator. But once you moved a mile a way you go no more spam.
 
I might do that for my next China trip. When I walked into the Macua Venetian hotel they used a location based service to start sending me spam. All kinds of stuff on where to eat in the hotel, where to shop, where to gamble. It was really annoying.

Everyone's phones where getting it regardless of operator. But once you moved a mile a way you go no more spam.

I just learned about this yesterday! Cell broadcast. Sounds irritating!
 
I just learned about this yesterday! Cell broadcast. Sounds irritating!
It is very annoying but the Asians love it.

The original requests came form big chain retailers in Hong Kong and Japan. What they wanted was that as you go close to their stores you would get SMS's that notified you of specials and sales.

I can say it is not going to get better but much worse. To pay for all the advanced push services and the like, cell operators, yours included, will be selling advertising.
 
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I can say it is not going to get better but much worse. To pay for all the advanced push services and the like cell operators, your included, will be selling advertising.

I think that's the day I'll cancel it and go back to calling in for my messages twice a day.

Rich
 
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