To think this is a scam

Save the number to contacts then see if they have a WhatsApp profile

Who. Not you.

If they know your name I'd just say thanks. It's not saying you sent it though? Who are you?

There is no need to send out "this is my new number" messages on WhatsApp. You can just change the phone number on your WhatsApp account and continue as normal.

of course it's a scam. All these kind of messages are. They're designed to get you to engage. I'm surprised how many people aren't wise to this.

Is your name Kate? Just reply saying “who is this?” and see if it’s someone you know. If you’re not Kate then just ignore or block.

on whatsapp (and other chat apps) you can enter a user name.
scammers use that to lure you in.

I get many of those. usually from profiles with pleasant looking profile photos.
I just block them.

Jesus Christ, are you all mental? I'd send a "who is it" text like any normal person would. If the reply is a scam then block. If further scam texts come through then block those too.

MN can be a strange place indeed.
Don't reply to a fairly innocuous text and block the number immediately incase it's a scam.
Never answer your phone because that could also be a scam.
Hear a knock at the door when you're definitely not expecting anyone? Do not answer! That will also be someone trying to scam you.
You must be suspicious of people at all times as everyone is out to con you.
Then they post threads on MN about how lonely they are and how they don't have any friends.

Could be. I received a text recently saying “Hi, just to let you know I’ve transferred the money.” It was a couple of days after I was expecting someone to reimburse some money I’d accidentally sent them so I replied saying “is this Matt? If so, money received thank you”.
got another reply saying “no it’s Paul, letting you know I’ve transferred the money.”

seems fishy so I ignored it. Not heard anything since and no unexpected deposits arrived.

Well that’s the crucial bit of info isn’t it? Did they actually use your name?

She’s used Kate in her OP because of her username. If they’ve used your name it’s likely someone you know.

Give her a call from your work phone.

As has been mentioned, a reply confirms to a scammer that the number is active - cue endless scam calls and texts because OP will go onto a 'potential suckers' list.

If A in your example has an iota of common sense, he/she will realise their mistake and phone, from a different number if needed, rather than assume they have been ghosted.

Exactly! Some people's lives may be so exhausting😀

Scam, scam, scam

They aren't but why would someone who doesn't know that their friend has blocked their number decide to email them or knock on the door for their next attempt at communicating?

We dont need to be so paranoid that the world is full of scammers that we don't do the obvious thing and ask who it is

@LongSinceGotUpAndGone

A accidentally forgets to say it's her when texting OP her new number
OP blocks number
A texts OP to offer a spare ticket to a concert but OP doesn't get it obviously as she's blocked A's number so A doesn't get a reply.
A texts OP to say happy birthday but gets no reply to that either.
A doesn't follow up texts with phone call as she is unsure if OP is trying to ghost her.
Meanwhile OP has been texting A (on her old number as she didn't know the 'new number' text was from A) so obviously OP's texts haven't been received or replied to.
OP considers calling A but is unsure if she's being ghosted so doesn't bother.
Friendship over

All just to avoid sending one text to ask who it is? Really?

Text messages are not the only means of communication in life!

If it's a friend any further messages aren't going to be seen as the OP has blocked the number.

Sometimes people do daft things like forgetting to say who they are, @KateMiddletonsExtensions clearly isn't going to be sending anyone any money so why not check who it is?

I work in fraud and would not recommend replying to the message. Although it may be legitimate it could also be a scam and likely is. Most genuine people would let you know who the sender is.

Scammers are chances and could be trying to see if your mobile number is active. Replying will confirm your mobile number is in fact active and then you could and likely will be bombarded with more messages.

Ignore or ask who it is, if they ask for money, ignore

This is known as a scam tactic - the scammer pretends to be someone you know and leads the text conversation round to asking for money. A genuine person would obviously include their own name when texting people to let them know of a number change. I would ignore it. If by any small chance it is genuine, the person will follow it up in a less opaque way.

Whatever happens, never send money to someone who has contacted you by text message/social media etc. even if it's apparently from a known number/account - it might be spoofed/hacked.

My friend did this, texted everyone with her new number without saying who it was! She was a bit ditsy. Not always a scam but it’s sensible to be wary.

It probably is someone you know . I'd just ask?

How would a scammer know your name and even if it was one nothings going to happen if you reply and ask who it is

You ask who it is, they contact that person via other means to make sure it’s them.

I got the ‘Hi Mum, I broke my phone this is my new number’ texts. I just contact the kids and made sure it wasn’t them. Then strung the scammer along for a bit.