Weird WhatsApp message

[OutlandishBird]

Not an AIBU but posting for traffic.

Some time ago (2-3 years maybe) I got a random message on WhatsApp for a guy named Steve.
Really weird message with very specific details that made it very memorable.
I replied saying I'm not Steve, they asked who I was and I replied with a vague "I'm "x" from "y" county".
They replied with a jokey, "oops, wrong gender wrong end of the country" and then sent a photo of themselves and I stopped replying at that point.

I've just received the exact same message again?! I'm certain it's as close to word for word as it could get.
Is this just some weird WhatsApp scam? 🤔

I'll add a screenshot of the message, anyone else received it, or similar?

Just block it. You’re not Steve, if Steve even exists; the sender isn’t someone you know; and it might be a scam. No need to think about it any further.

Someone posted this exact thing last week. I can't remember the thread title to search for it

Just block and ignore, clearly a wrong number. I don't see how it could possibly be a scam.

Yes someone else started panicky thread 2 weeks ago about a weird Whatsapp message that seemed to reference the town she lived in so she was worried it was someone who knew her. Then turned out that she used to be stalked by her father and not sure how the thread ended.

But many people posted saying it's a common scam. People might be able to get your number from all kinds of places (online shops, store directory, Facebook marketplace listing etc) and many of those contain hints to your location or other details if you're buying/selling something (eg dress size).

This one is clearly a scam since you're not a Steve. Your number has most likely been sold to some scammers who routinely send out these things.

It's probably an attempt at some kind of romance or investment type scam. They try to become friends with you then will have an amazing crypto opportunity for you to invest in. Block and ignore.

It’s a scam. I had a message earlier in the week from someone I didn’t know. Luckily I knew from a thread here last week that these kind of messages are some type of new scam so I didn’t answer. Thinking about it, it would be difficult for someone to not realise they were messaging the wrong person on WhatsApp due to the profile photos and that sending a message brings up the previous thread with that person.

Poor old Steve, someone has saved his number wrongly in their phone and he's going to miss out on what sounds like a hoot of a reunion 😂

Sounds like Steve’s missing a right old knees up

I don't have a profile photo on my WhatsApp, do some phones make you have one?

Out of interest I've had a look at my recent chats and it's about half and half on which friends have photos, I don't know which phones they all have, i have an android, it it iphones that all have photos?

I can't see what the scam could be, and obviously this time I'm going to just block the number without engaging with them.
I just find it odd how word for word the message is from the last time they sent it (so definitely not someone genuinely trying to contact Steve if you see what I mean, just a copy and paste they must send loads of people).

I do have some Gumtree adverts live at the moment so it must just be someone that got my number from there I guess 🙄

Very likely it’s a scammer who got your number from Gumtree. It’s a bait message to get you to reply saying oh sorry wrong number then they will try to engage with you, and however long down the line it will be oh no I’m stuck in hospital and need money etc etc

OMG this was 9th Jan 2021! How bizarre, can't see how this would lead to a scam, nothing came of it with me but I did have a brief conversation with them

I replied saying I'm not Steve, they asked who I was and I replied with a vague "I'm "x" from "y" county"

Why on earth did you do that? You told the you weren't Steve. Why say anything else? Why does it matter who you are? You're not Steve. That's all they needed to know. Just block and forget about it

Aha! Thank you!
This confirms that it is at least someone (or some people) trying lots of numbers and it's not just me getting the messages.
Maybe I'll hear from them again in a few years 😂

Why wouldn't I do that?
At the time I had no reason to believe it was anything other than someone genuinely looking for their friend.
They're not exactly going to be able to do anything dodgy with my very common first name and the county I live in.
As I said, as soon as they tried to engage beyond that point I stopped replying and didn't hear from them again until now.

How weird that 2 of you got exactly the same message, I wonder what the point of it is?

Because they didn't need to know your name or location....why even bother? You weren't who they were looking for....you told them that. Then you should have disengaged.

I can't understand the scam either if they back down and don't try to engage once you say you're not Steve.

The exchange went something like "So you're not Steve from...? (Somewhere in Scotland)" and I said " no, I'm "x" from "y" "
It's just the way the conversation flowed and I was careful not to give away anything they could use to gain any more of my identity.
Really not worth getting hung up on 🙄

I know, it's very odd and that's the reason I posted this thread 1) to gauge if it's just me getting these messages (mission accomplished, definitely not just me) and 2) because I'm stumped as to what they're trying to achieve lol.
Loving the posts from other posters scolding me and telling me how I should have dealt with it the first time though 😀😂

www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/wrong-number-text-scam-rcna39793

Yes that's the sort of scam I'd have assumed it was, but after the initial "wrong number"/"oops sorry" they didn't continue a conversation (with either myself or the other poster that's had the message).

If they're a scammer wanting us to invest in something they're going about it in a very strange way.

I honestly thought nothing of it other than it being quite funny! I can't believe you had the same message. I didn't engage after telling them I wasn't Steve either but they then invited me out. My Husband said that maybe they are looking for lonely people. They then invite them out with their "fun" sounding friendship group and ask for some kind of deposit for a hotel or something??? Here is the rest of our conversation......

Anyway, they're blocked now so can't contact me again from that number (which incidentally is different from the number in the other posters screenshot).
If they message me again in future I might string them along a bit and see if I can figure out what the scam is.

How weird! Would love to know how this becomes a scam. I want the message so I can string them along!