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Original poster

Emergency SOS text received, from a person I knew 15 yrs ago but not met since 2011

183 replies

piddocktrumperiness · 27/03/2023 22:21

I received an SOS text from Apple, with a location of someone I knew 15 yrs ago. We worked together in a call centre but have not been in touch since 2011 and I didn't have her number stored on my phone. I looked up the number on WhatsApp- the photo matches the person. Location matches where she lives.

I initially thought it was a scam but thought best be safe- called her number, no answer, left a message on her voicemail. I sent her a WhatsApp too.

Have I been scammed? I've never heard or seen of this type of message before but what flagged up my doubt is that it said I was contacted as I'm listed as an emergency contact- which I know can't be true. I do wonder if my name was accessible from contact list due to my surname or first name.

Have I done something stupid here? anyone else experience this?

OP posts:
Thread gallery
6
Waitingroompurplecup · 28/03/2023 21:17

Glad it turned out okay. This reminds me of when my brother went out running and ran into a massive spider web and got a spider on his face. It scared the shit out of him so much that we all got messages that he was in danger as his watch thought he was having a heart attack.

missyounot · 28/03/2023 21:25

BailOutChapsGingersGornSquiffy · 28/03/2023 15:44

We had this exact thing last weekend from DSD (31) who lives alone.
Obviously very concerned we called her immediately = she’d heard the news story regarding the government testing the new emergency alert system on 23rd April and had gone into her phone’s setting to try & switch this off and she somehow managed to send an emergency SOS text to all those contacts she’d marked las emergency contacts.

😂that's the kind of thing I'd do

Where I live, we receive government and regional emergency alerts, have done for a few years now. OMG they arrive as a high-pitched alarm and ALWAYS give me a heart attack

Pinkflipflop85 · 28/03/2023 21:48

Waitingroompurplecup · 28/03/2023 21:17

Glad it turned out okay. This reminds me of when my brother went out running and ran into a massive spider web and got a spider on his face. It scared the shit out of him so much that we all got messages that he was in danger as his watch thought he was having a heart attack.

This made me proper chuckle!

poundshoptealights · 28/03/2023 21:59

You're a good friend OP. Lots of people wouldn't take all that trouble to follow up on a random message from someone they hadn't seen in years. You are a good sort!

Silvers11 · 28/03/2023 22:21

Thanks @piddocktrumperiness for updating. Really glad she is ok!

Glitterblue · 28/03/2023 22:22

I switched to an iPhone from Android a few weeks ago and in the first few days of having it, somehow managed to set off some sort of emergency contact thing by bumping the phone as I got out of the car. I have no idea what it did or how I did it. Could it have been something like that?

Elderflower14 · 28/03/2023 22:31

My late DPs daughter was out with her toddler daughter at a country fair. She gave DD her phone to watch something on.. DD pressed something on the phone which sent an alert to the Mum's sister and brother. They apparently ignored it!! 🤣 🤣 🤣

Tigerlilz · 28/03/2023 22:37

Glad you got it sorted !

I joined the thread to say it's probably not a scam or an SOS situation. About 6 months ago I must have accidentally knocked something on my android phone in Asda and sent SOS messages to a few of my family and friends ! They disclosed my location and random photos of the floor and my trolley. Friends and family started calling me checking I was okay and I was a bit confused by it all - until I looked through my call history and saw what had happened ! I still don't know how I activated the SOS message !

Blondeshavemorefun · 29/03/2023 10:16

piddocktrumperiness · 28/03/2023 21:00

Just got off the phone with 101 after an hour long wait. They did send officers out. All in order- her phone was broken and sent messages to random contacts.

Glad she's ok. Obvs not heard back but this all makes sense now.

pheeewwww

Thanks everyone for being here and supportive

Glad she's ok. Weird she didn't reply to your message

Tho guess if phone was Broken

twolilacs · 29/03/2023 17:41

All's well that ends well. 🙂

NerrSnerr · 29/03/2023 19:26

McWoman · 29/03/2023 19:21

https://www.ourwatchmember.org.uk/Alerts/A/77105
It most prob is a scam. Be careful.

Read the thread (or at least the OP's posts)

angelfacecuti75 · 29/03/2023 19:42

Hi they are a "real" thing i have done it by mistake by sitting on my phone r u sure that isn't what has happened ?

TheBiologyStupid · 29/03/2023 19:56

Glad it had a happy ending, OP! And it has been quite educational for those of us who didn't know about this type of automated SOS.

Twentyfirstcenturymumma · 29/03/2023 20:18

Hope all's well OP

thelionthewitchtheaudacityofTHISbitch · 29/03/2023 20:19

Pleased you have a updated status, which was not awful news. And the education about these alerts has been really interesting.

Lilywc · 29/03/2023 20:21

Yep definitely a scam x

wohmum · 29/03/2023 20:25

Lilywc · 29/03/2023 20:21

Yep definitely a scam x

Did you read anything after the initial post ???

purplebunny2012 · 29/03/2023 20:29

Waitingroompurplecup · 28/03/2023 21:17

Glad it turned out okay. This reminds me of when my brother went out running and ran into a massive spider web and got a spider on his face. It scared the shit out of him so much that we all got messages that he was in danger as his watch thought he was having a heart attack.

TBF, that probably would give me a heart attack!

mommatoone · 29/03/2023 21:22

Glad all turned out ok OP. Good to see these alerts work and the Police (in this case) took it seriously.

Newuser82 · 29/03/2023 21:24

Waitingroompurplecup · 28/03/2023 21:17

Glad it turned out okay. This reminds me of when my brother went out running and ran into a massive spider web and got a spider on his face. It scared the shit out of him so much that we all got messages that he was in danger as his watch thought he was having a heart attack.

I'm sorry but that's so funny!! To be fair I'd be the same 🙈

MarvellousMonsters · 29/03/2023 22:26

piddocktrumperiness · 28/03/2023 21:00

Just got off the phone with 101 after an hour long wait. They did send officers out. All in order- her phone was broken and sent messages to random contacts.

Glad she's ok. Obvs not heard back but this all makes sense now.

pheeewwww

Thanks everyone for being here and supportive

I think it's really good that you acted on the alert and followed it up. Big relief that it was a false alarm.

Toastoftoasties · 29/03/2023 22:32

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Josh12 · 29/03/2023 22:43

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Bushra385 · 29/03/2023 23:23

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