Dealing with Unwanted Texts: My Experience with Number Spoofing

Recently, I found myself in a puzzling situation that I couldn’t ignore. After reconnecting with an old friend on a Zoom call, they informed me that they had been receiving peculiar messages from my number. Naturally, I was surprised and concerned. It turned out that these texts were not scams but rather benign “new phone, who dis?” inquiries. However, they also contained images that I recognized from notorious “troll” accounts on various platforms, leading me to suspect someone was spoofing my number just to see how people would respond.

To address the issue, I turned to the community on Reddit, specifically the r/Verizon forum, where I shared my experience seeking advice from others who might have faced a similar predicament. You can check out my post for a visual context of the messages involved.

If anyone has knowledge or suggestions on how I can put an end to this issue, I would greatly appreciate your input, especially as I rely on this phone for professional communications.

Update on the Situation

In response to the outpouring of support from the online community, I took immediate action by contacting Verizon. They confirmed that the messages were not originating from their network, which indicated that my Apple ID could potentially have been compromised—something I have since rectified by changing my password. Alternatively, it could simply be a case of someone spoofing my number without malicious intent.

I’ve since reached out to my friend to inform them of the situation and encouraged anyone else who might have received odd messages to contact me directly. This way, we can collectively address any concerns.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that this has only happened with one specific friend since September, and due to my current living situation in a remote area since the pandemic began, only a small number of individuals have had access to my phone. Most of these individuals are family members or older colleagues who wouldn’t have the technical know-how to engage in such activities.

To further safeguard my information, I decided to contact my bank and disassociate my phone number from my account to prevent any potential future risks.

In conclusion, while the situation has caused some anxiety, I feel relieved to have taken proactive steps to mitigate the effects of this strange occurrence. If you find yourself in a similar situation, don’t hesitate to reach out for support and advice—there’s a strong community out there eager to help.