Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Lying about a WhatsApp message

104 replies

MurphysColeslaw · 15/09/2026 20:12

If you sent a WhatsApp message which started off ‘Read this carefully, and to the end but then deleted it 8 hours later.
If the recipient then replied ‘I can’t read it if you’ve deleted it’ AIBU to presume they did actually read it and are lying?

OP posts:
TheSunIsAlwaysThere · 15/09/2026 20:15

They could have seen the beginning on their locked screen.

Ralstan · 15/09/2026 20:16

More context required

TheSunIsAlwaysThere · 15/09/2026 20:16

Ralstan · 15/09/2026 20:16

More context required

Not really. The text content is irrelevant with the question as it is.

Original poster
MurphysColeslaw · 15/09/2026 20:17

Really?

OP posts:
wontsomeonethinkofthechimdren · 15/09/2026 20:18

You mean if they'd just seen the deleted message they wouldn't have replied in that way as it seems like a reply to the actual message? I agree. I suppose maybe they just read the first line/skim read and thought they'd read it properly and absorb it later if it was v long...

wontsomeonethinkofthechimdren · 15/09/2026 20:18

TheSunIsAlwaysThere · 15/09/2026 20:15

They could have seen the beginning on their locked screen.

Oh that's true

Fieldday26 · 15/09/2026 20:19

TheSunIsAlwaysThere · 15/09/2026 20:15

They could have seen the beginning on their locked screen.

Yes this. If I saw something like that pop up in my Home Screen, I would want to make sure I was somewhere quiet and private to fully read and digest the message so would leave the rest until later.

Or I often listen to messages on hands free. If that was the start of the message in the car, I’d stop it so no one else heard it and read it in private later.

Original poster
MurphysColeslaw · 15/09/2026 20:19

wontsomeonethinkofthechimdren · 15/09/2026 20:18

You mean if they'd just seen the deleted message they wouldn't have replied in that way as it seems like a reply to the actual message? I agree. I suppose maybe they just read the first line/skim read and thought they'd read it properly and absorb it later if it was v long...

Yes, I think if they hadn’t read it, they wouldn’t have replied that way.

OP posts:
Lmnop22 · 15/09/2026 20:20

What are you on about? Why would you need to text anyone saying read this carefully and then delete it? And why, having been told to read carefully would someone lie about not having been able to read it? And why, if someone wanted them to read it so carefully and to the end would they then think they must have read it and be mad about that?!

Can’t even fathom why sending a cryptic 8 hour time limited WhatsApp message would ever be the most effective way to communicate with anyone….

Raghnaid · 15/09/2026 20:27

@MurphysColeslaw if you'd deleted before they saw it, there would be a message, (on their Whatsapp screen), replacing your original message, along the lines of "message deleted"

edited for clarity

Original poster
MurphysColeslaw · 15/09/2026 20:30

I’m not asking for your preferred method of communication.
I’m asking if you think their reply might be indicative of the fact they did actually read it before it waxed deleted.
(It would have been a convenient ‘out’ for them)

OP posts:
WaryCyanStork · 15/09/2026 20:31

When I receive a WhatsApp, I can read the first line or two in my notification bar, but not the rest of the message. They probably read the beginning in the notification, and then saw message deleted when they tried to read the rest.

TY78910 · 15/09/2026 20:31

If I received that kind of message I would have seen it on the lock screen and then waited until I had the space to open and read it (if I was at work for instance). But if the message came from someone random / not credible I would have thought it was a scam / chain message and not bothered.

Original poster
MurphysColeslaw · 15/09/2026 20:32

@Raghnaid I’m not sure I follow?

OP posts:
Franxi · 15/09/2026 20:33

I would assume they hadn’t read it. I would see the first line or two in my locked screen and then when I opened it 10hrs later to read it I would have seen a deleted message and not been able to read it.

ChaChaChaChanges · 15/09/2026 20:33

MurphysColeslaw · 15/09/2026 20:30

I’m not asking for your preferred method of communication.
I’m asking if you think their reply might be indicative of the fact they did actually read it before it waxed deleted.
(It would have been a convenient ‘out’ for them)

No, not necessarily. Quite possible to have read the preview but not the whole message.

Ablondiebutagoody · 15/09/2026 20:33

Who deleted it?

Boreded · 15/09/2026 20:34

MurphysColeslaw · 15/09/2026 20:19

Yes, I think if they hadn’t read it, they wouldn’t have replied that way.

Show quote history

Did it show the blue ticks before you deleted it?

swapsicles · 15/09/2026 20:34

Probably only read the bit that shows on the notification.
If I received something like that I'd probably roll my eyes and think it was a scam or someone had been hacked so wouldn't rush to read the whole thing if at all.

TautouRose · 15/09/2026 20:34

Did you not look at the message info to see if it had been read before deleting it?
The preview doesn't mark it as read.

TY78910 · 15/09/2026 20:35

Ablondiebutagoody · 15/09/2026 20:33

Who deleted it?

I’m going to assume the OP wanted to confront someone with an essay and when the person didn’t reply, they now want to find reasons to kick off about it.

Boreded · 15/09/2026 20:36

Also, if I’m being completely honest, depending on whether you are hard work or not, I may just read the first line through the notifications, say to myself ‘oh not boreded’s friend again’ and leave it until I could be bothered with the inevitable back and forth that would be required.

Have you been a bit of a pain recently, or talking about the same topic over and over?

Original poster
MurphysColeslaw · 15/09/2026 20:36

Read receipts are disabled.
I deleted it .
It would have come up as a known contact.

OP posts:
Original poster
MurphysColeslaw · 15/09/2026 20:37

Boreded · 15/09/2026 20:36

Also, if I’m being completely honest, depending on whether you are hard work or not, I may just read the first line through the notifications, say to myself ‘oh not boreded’s friend again’ and leave it until I could be bothered with the inevitable back and forth that would be required.

Have you been a bit of a pain recently, or talking about the same topic over and over?

Ffs
never mind 🙄😂

OP posts:
Skibididoo · 15/09/2026 20:38

Fieldday26 · 15/09/2026 20:19

Yes this. If I saw something like that pop up in my Home Screen, I would want to make sure I was somewhere quiet and private to fully read and digest the message so would leave the rest until later.

Or I often listen to messages on hands free. If that was the start of the message in the car, I’d stop it so no one else heard it and read it in private later.

Show quote history

Missing the point completely but you can listen to messages hands free?

Swipe left for the next trending thread