To think this is a scam

@BarcardiWithGadaffia I didn't advise the OP to report to the police, I advised not to reply to the message.

However given the update that OP had items stolen from her car, I think she did right to forward the message to be added to the crime details!

You don't need to send someone money to fall victim to fraud, you can be a victim of account takeover, it only takes the fraudster to obtain basic details and the next thing you know you either have no money in your bank or credit cards maxed out or even credit cards in your name!

It may be a simple reply, "who is this" but one of the steps has been completed that the mobile number is active!

Glad it's solved but given that so many posters absolutely know it was a scam text you might want to be a little circumspect before believing the policeman, maybe he's in on it 😁

I don't need to look phishing, I'm perfectly aware of how scams work and, surprisingly maybe, I know how to block a number if I find out it wasn't someone I know who sent the original message

I'll say again no one can make you send them money, there's no risk to a sensible person replying to this text and reacting based on the reply

I'm absolutely not saying it's a genuine message but to jump to reporting to the police is bonkers imo

ETA I got distracted while typing this and see that the OP now knows it was her friend

@CerealPonderer @frannygallops
Given the OP advised the police someone had stolen items from her car, I highly doubt they will be having a good old chuckle updating them with potential new information!

It’s very quick and simple to say, ‘who’s this?’ and see what their response is. If it’s no one you know then it’s fair to block/never respond to them. Bit of a reach to mention it to the police but I guess it’s understandable after being a victim of a crime

Or they've hacked someone she knows account and have sent the message to their contact list hoping for a few replies to exploit one way or another, even just getting her contact list to carry on the scam.

I've had my number spoofed and get random people ringing asking why I rang them and I explain it's a scam and I didn't ring them. But many seem to be old people who really don't understand some have rung me back multiple times. If the scammers have a load of people's numbers some of them will bite.

Yeah I’d be slightly embarrassed too tbf. Nothing about it suggested scam - the ones that do are “hi mum I’ve lost my phone this is my new number, please send me money” type ones where they don’t have your name. Not “hi Kate”. Nothing to stop you texting back as they already have your number so you wouldn’t be giving them anything.

Yes, almost certainly a scam, and especially if you don't know a Kate. I get this kind of thing probably a couple of times a month, but I get. 'hi mum. It's your favourite son here, this is my new number, I got water in my old phone!'

Well, I've just got one daughter - and NO sons, and my DD most definitely calls me mom, not mum. So I think 'nice try.'

I also have quite a few messages, - maybe two or three a month - trying to scam me into clicking on a link for a package that Amazon tried to deliver, and I need to pay 2 pounds to get it redelivered (and I have to put my bank details in obvs.) I also get the HMRC scam, usually in the form of a phone call. I just hang up.

I don't trust a soul in this world (apart from DH and DD,) and I am very, very suspicious of everybody. So I'm highly unlikely to ever fall for a scam. I mean, I can't say it would never happen, but I don't think it would.

No wonder the police were so busy. They must be pissing themselves that they had to ring on your behalf. Easiest solved "crime" ever.

I don't know how some people manage to make it through the day, honestly. Imagine calling the police about this and then finding out it was a friend texting you.

That (I suspect bored or they'd not have given you the time of day) police officer will be recounting this to his colleagues and at home - it will be one of their 'you'll never believe what this moron contacted us about' stories of the future.

I wouldn't be chuckling about it, I'd be mortified.

The hysteria on this thread was mental 😂

😂🤣

Imagine contacting the police before sending a reply to say, sorry who's this? Scarlet for ya OP.

Imagine if there had been an easier way to find out who it was without involving the police!

I wouldn't have blocked or messaged back - as this would encourage a scammer. Just waited to see what comes next. It's either a scam or someone who knows you and forgot to add their name.

Really not something I'd contact the police or anyone else about at this stage.

@BarcardiWithGadaffia
Fraudsters are chances and a simply reply who is this as oppose to, sorry wrong number, may make the fraudster assume that OP name is Kate. Look up phishing!

I work with fraud victims on a daily basis who have been caught by phishing emails/texts or phone spoofing.

Google is your friend here, apart from mumsnet any site will advise you not to respond to unknown text messages.

I would be more concerned about the stolen key if I hadn't had my lock changed

What will that achieve?

Most people won't answer an unknown number 🤷‍♀️

And why call from a phone box? Just withhold your number and call from your phone.

Are you speaking to someone about your level of anxiety?

I’d have just text back asking who it is, then messaged them using the number I already have for them to check or asked some mutual friends if they’ve got her new number. If it’s not the real person then block everywhere and forget about it. This really isn’t a big deal.

@KateMiddletonsExtensions if they've got your number they can see it anyway.

OP why not just reply ‘who is this’ and then block based on the reply if it seems it’s not genuine. What on earth are the police going to do? This is an absolute overreaction, this person has your phone number already I’m so baffled by the hysteria & not just asking a simple question!

If they’ve got your number already then yea, they can put it into WhatsApp and see your profile pic and name on there, if it’s set to anyone seeing your profile pic. Has nothing to do with you replying.

You also don’t need to save them as a contact to check their WhatsApp. Go into WhatsApp, go to create new contact, type the number in and see what comes up. You’ll see the name and profile pic. You don’t actually have to continue And save them as a contact.

Honestly, this really isn’t hard or complicated. Calm down.