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Original poster

Mistakenly messaging someone else...

19 replies

Queenofscones · 19/12/2022 17:54

Someone who should have messaged me some weeks ago and didn't has claimed that they mistakenly messaged someone else several times, thinking it was me. They say that person didn't reply so they assumed I was ignoring them. I'm pretty sure they just couldn't be bothered to contact me, but before I make a thing of it, is this something that has ever happened to you? Have you messaged someone in error and not had a response telling you that they have no idea what you're talking about?

OP posts:

Cleanthatup · 19/12/2022 17:55

Emm, I’ve personally never done it but my mum does it quite frequently. She has mental health problems though so that’s why she can’t keep track of things like this sometimes.

HelsyQ · 19/12/2022 17:56

I would make a joke and be like, omg show me and see what they say

Original poster

Queenofscones · 19/12/2022 17:57

Do the people who she contacts by mistake let her know she's not communicating with the right person?

OP posts:

Sparklingbrook · 19/12/2022 18:02

If I got a text from someone on an unknown number or from someone I did know that that clearly wasn’t for me I’d text back ‘you have the wrong person’. But I’ve never sent one without realising it, and immediately saying ‘oops that was meant for my sister’ or whatever.

I got one on Christmas Day one year(unknown number) asking if I was ok and did I want to ‘ go round for sex’. What a lovely offer. I texted back thanks but my husband probably wouldn’t be keen.

I think it’s quite difficult to do so not sure what’s going on for you OP.

glamourousindierockandroll · 19/12/2022 18:07

How were they messaging?

Last year, the parent of a close friend was trying to contact me via facebook messenger for a couple of weeks to invite me to a surprise party. I don't have the app installed so didn't see the messages. I was mortified that they would think I was ignoring them.

IrritableVowel · 19/12/2022 18:07

By text or email?

They might be sending messages to a number/email that doesn't exist, so nobody to tell them they have been mistaken

dudsville · 19/12/2022 18:09

I get an annual email from one couple, and an annual phone call from another lady. Neither message is for me. I never reply to the email.

LonginesPrime · 19/12/2022 18:09

It could happen - I once didn't reply to what I thought was a very forward message from one of teen DD's friends from an unknown number (because I didn't want to encourage her with this overly friendly tone which came across as weird and inappropriate), and it was only weeks late that I realised it was an old friend of mine from years ago with the same name. I was mortified as I genuinely had the other person in my head and it never even once occurred to me it could be another person.

I also got the same person texting someone else to invite them to nights out over several years on my old work phone. I would sometimes reply to let them know their message had come to me instead but it was a pain so I didn't always respond.

If they have messaged you now and explained what happened, it doesn't sound like they were being malicious (and even if the excuse is made up, perhaps they just didn't want to explain the truth for another reason, like a family member having been arrested or having a MH crisis or something personal), so I'd give them the benefit of the doubt if things are otherwise ok between you.

Original poster

Queenofscones · 19/12/2022 18:37

I was presuming it's Whats App. Looking through my contacts I suppose it could happen. I have five Sarahs and two Saras and I suppose I could quite easily get them muddled. Four different Phils and Philips and a Phillip and I only know which is which by going into the messages to see what we were talking about. One of them was a plasterer I used a couple of years ago so I've now properly labelled him as Plasterer Phil. Maybe I'm being unduly sceptical.

OP posts:

LonginesPrime · 19/12/2022 18:39

Yes, or their profile photo could be similar to yours - some people are more visual thinkers and might not even think to check the name if they've seen what they think is the right photo.

HaggisWurst · 19/12/2022 18:54

Could be an excuse. Could be correct. The other night I was talking to my friend and my mum on whatsapp. Conversation with my friend stopped and not long after I messaged my mum a few messages about something in the news. I got no reply which I found weird cause I knew she was up. The next morning, I had some messages from the friend I'd been messaging and I didn't understand what she was talking about. I had messaged her the messages to my mum instead and hadn't even noticed 🤦🏼‍♀️
I've never done it before but just goes to show you, it can happen.

Original poster

Queenofscones · 19/12/2022 19:53

Yes. Thinking about this a bit more carefully it occurs to me that if you message the wrong person, their name will be in your 'recents' or chat lists and so you probably just go to that rather than going back to the full contents list. So possibly he has been messaging the wrong Queenofscones all this time.

I don't have a photo on my What's App ID and I have quite a popular first name. Maybe I'll cut him some slack.

OP posts:

asblindasabat · 19/12/2022 20:01

Maybe one message, but I’d quickly realise I was messaging the wrong person! Sounds like a load of nonsense and a cop out to me @Queenofscones !

HelsyQ · 19/12/2022 20:13

Queenofscones · 19/12/2022 19:53

I don't have a photo on my What's App ID and I have quite a popular first name. Maybe I'll cut him some slack.

Did a man ghost you and was this his excuse?

I wouldn’t believe him.

Leakingtoilet · 19/12/2022 20:15

I've never done it but had it done to me several times. I've also had a lady ringing me on and off for the past 2.5 years who thinks my number is her daughters number. I've spoken to her and explained, but she can't seem to grasp it's the wrong number. I've now blocked her but still get regular voicemails.

So if your name is Joanna and your parents lives in the Hastings area please give your mum your correct number!

Laiste · 19/12/2022 20:19

Personally if i've ever received a message not for me i respond to say ''wrong person''. But that proves nothing OP. Some people don't. So he could be telling the truth ...

What do your spidey senses tell you?

Mehmeh22 · 19/12/2022 20:34

My mil once said she'd upset my mum via text. I asked my mum and she had no idea what I was talking about. When i looked at the conversation, my mil was texting herself in a pissed state, not realising she was texting herself 🤣🤣🤣

Canyousewcushions · 19/12/2022 20:42

I had a totally weird experience about 17 or 18 years ago where I replied to someone saying they had the wrong number and they didn't stop texting me. It was some guy who was then pushing and pushing to meet up (I guess for sex) when I had said and done nothing they could give him any idea that I could be interested. I just ignored and he kept on sending text after text as he knew it was a real number.

Ended up going to the police who rang him up. Cheeky bugger said it was me harassing him but he did leave me alone after that. It was back in the day where phones only stored 10 messages so unfortunately I didn't have any evidence to push further with the police.

I now never reply to wrong number messages- too many wierdos and spammers/fishing scams out there

FrangipaniBlue · 19/12/2022 22:32

I never reply to texts or WhatsApp messages from unknown numbers that are clearly not intended for me.

You never know if it's a genuine error or some kind of scam.

If anything I block them so that I don't get repeatedly hassled!

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