Addressing Phone Number Spoofing: My Experience with Unwanted Texts

I recently encountered a perplexing situation that I believe many others might find relatable. During a group Zoom call with an old friend, I was informed that they had been receiving strange text messages apparently from me—messages that I had absolutely no part in sending.

Upon further investigation, it became clear that this was not some run-of-the-mill prank. Instead of the typical scam messages that often accompany number spoofing, these texts were casual inquiries like “New phone, who’s this?” accompanied by images commonly utilized by troll accounts across various online platforms. This made me think that someone might be engaging in spoofing just to see how many responses they could elicit.

To gather more insight, I shared the details of my situation in a post on the r/Verizon subreddit, complete with screenshots of the messages. I was hoping the community could offer advice on how to resolve this unsettling issue, especially since my phone is a critical tool for my professional communications.

Update and Insights

After reaching out to Verizon directly, I learned that the texts in question were not originating from their network. This revelation raised a couple of possibilities: either my Apple ID was compromised (which I have since changed) or someone was indeed spoofing my number. In an effort to prevent any further confusion, I contacted my friend to inform them about what had transpired and encouraged anyone else who might be affected to reach out to me via phone or email.

It’s worth noting that this alarming incident only seemed to affect this specific friend back in September. As I currently reside in a remote area and have been largely isolated since the pandemic, it is unlikely that anyone who could disrupt my phone’s integrity has had close physical access—primarily, my family and a few older coworkers who are not tech-savvy and unlikely to engage in such activities.

In conclusion, while it doesn’t appear that this situation was a targeted effort to hack my personal information, it has compelled me to take precautionary measures. I am in the process of notifying my bank and removing my phone number from any associated accounts.

If you’ve experienced a similar situation or have any tips on dealing with phone number spoofing, I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments! Your insights could prove invaluable to those facing the same bewildering issue.