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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Text message at 1.15 am saying ‘Hello’

41 replies

Donttalksboutpumpkinspiceyet · 02/09/2023 23:39

Went to bed late ish last night, after midnight.
Dd had crawled into our bed, so all a bit squashed and found it hard to drop off. Finally did and was woken by my phone, a text message. Sometimes the mums group WhatsApp goes off through the night, but not texts. Was so tired and didn’t want to get up, but it was annoying me. The text message said ‘Hello’ just that. I didn’t recognise the number, although it’s the same country (live overseas)
Was too tired to respond to it and didn’t want to wake the others in bed next to me, but it freaked me out a bit and felt a bit anxious.
This morning I replied ‘Who is it please?’ no reply, so I asked again later in the day and asked why they texted me at 1 in the morning, no reply. Tried ringing, won’t answer.
Aibu to feel anxious about this or would it not bother you and you’d let it go?

OP posts:
AtrociousCircumstance · 02/09/2023 23:42

Have you googled the number? Could be a scam.

In fact probably is. Don’t worry about it, it’s probably just phishing.

Humidititties · 02/09/2023 23:42

I wouldn't have replied and would have forgotten about it. Why are you anxious about it?

Blinkingmarvellous · 02/09/2023 23:42

I would put your phone on do not disturb at night and also block any random texters

Thisisthedawningoftheageofaquarius · 02/09/2023 23:42

I’ve gotten just hello from a few different numbers by WhatsApp over the last few months. I assume it’s scammers and immediately block. If it was someone you knew they would say more that hello! Block and don’t give it another thought!

LittleFroglets · 02/09/2023 23:45

It's a computer generated text so ignore. If it had been a genuine mistake they would have made several texts/calls. Block the number and/or report it as spam to your provider.

Lorelielee · 02/09/2023 23:45

Maybe it was Lionel Richie?

Original poster
Donttalksboutpumpkinspiceyet · 02/09/2023 23:50

Quite relieved to hear it’s possibly a scam, but to just say Hello? How is that scamming?
It just felt quite creepy at that time in the morning, in the dark coming up on my phone. My thoughts went from creepy stalker type to someone texting telling me Dh was having an affair to scam 🙈
I was okay in the morning, probably just a night anxiety thing

OP posts:
AlltheFs · 02/09/2023 23:50

Why would this bother you?

I used to give out my number on nights out when I was young but reverse the last 2 numbers (if I didn’t want them to contact me). I still do it now on forms
and things when a number is compulsory but I don’t want to give it. Some poor sod will have been getting my stuff for years….

Is either spam/scammers or a wrong number. You aren’t exactly being hounded.

Original poster
Donttalksboutpumpkinspiceyet · 02/09/2023 23:50

@Lorelielee 😂

OP posts:
Ella31 · 02/09/2023 23:52

Quick trick, save the number in your contacts, check WhatsApp to see if a picture is on their number. Quite often there isn't but a good way to see if it's anyone you know?

Original poster
Donttalksboutpumpkinspiceyet · 02/09/2023 23:52

@Ella31 Did this, they weren’t on WhatsApp

OP posts:
Georgeandzippyzoo · 02/09/2023 23:53

Could be the same where once you reply, saying who is this? they say
its 'name' lost my phone, calling on afriends ...can you get cash/card ...
The fact you didn't reply means it went no further.

Or as a woman on our radio said.she text her friend who she could see across a crowded bar ' I can see uou' no response. Sent it again. Still no response. Started speaking to her friend later who hadn't received the messages and the caller said she was mortified that she had sent a stranger 'I can see you !' messages!

CurlyhairedAssassin · 02/09/2023 23:53

Lorelielee · 02/09/2023 23:45

Maybe it was Lionel Richie?

🤣🤣🤣

MaybeanothertimeNotReally · 02/09/2023 23:54

Block and delete the number.

eandz13 · 02/09/2023 23:55

Lorelielee · 02/09/2023 23:45

Maybe it was Lionel Richie?

😂😂😂

Original poster
Donttalksboutpumpkinspiceyet · 02/09/2023 23:57

How do I turn off messages and calls on my phone at night (iPhone) is it just onto silent? waking me up pissed me off too!

OP posts:
Ella31 · 03/09/2023 00:12

Donttalksboutpumpkinspiceyet · 02/09/2023 23:52

@Ella31 Did this, they weren’t on WhatsApp

That's annoying. Don't be worrying though. It could be a scam so ignore and move on. And definitely don't ring it.

KrisAkabusi · 03/09/2023 00:24

Wouldn't give it a second thought.

CallieQ · 03/09/2023 00:27

Let it go and turn your phone off at night

CurlyhairedAssassin · 03/09/2023 00:35

Georgeandzippyzoo · 02/09/2023 23:53

Could be the same where once you reply, saying who is this? they say
its 'name' lost my phone, calling on afriends ...can you get cash/card ...
The fact you didn't reply means it went no further.

Or as a woman on our radio said.she text her friend who she could see across a crowded bar ' I can see uou' no response. Sent it again. Still no response. Started speaking to her friend later who hadn't received the messages and the caller said she was mortified that she had sent a stranger 'I can see you !' messages!

Ooh I had similar once but there could have been repercussions.

I inadvertently inputted my sister‘s new phone number into my contacts with one wrong digit so unbeknown to me was texting some stranger in the train station while waiting for a train to visit her for the weekend.

I thought it was strange when I got there and she look puzzled when I said I’d sent her some chatty texts but we just got on with our weekend and forgot all about it.

a few weeks later back at home with DH (then DF) It was late at night and we were both watching TV on the sofa and my mobile went. And this bloke whose voice I didn’t recognise said “hi, how are you? What are you up to? How was your trip up north? sounds like the station was extra busy. Did you enjoy the weekend? Did you have a hangover on the Saturday, sounded you had a big night out planned at <> club. Were your mum and dad ok?”

Oh I got a fright, I can tell you. This guy knew all the details from that weekend and I just couldn’t figure out how. In that split second I thought I had a stalker who had followed me to the train station the night I went to visit my sister and even followed me to my home town as he seemed to know everything I did there! I was racking my brains thinking of who I knew who could be a weirdo stalker obsessed with me, and just spluttered “who is this?”

he said “it’s your boyfriend of course.” I got all weirded out as it was starting to feel like a scene from The Scream or as if I was in a parallel universe and DH, seeing my horrified and confused face, grabbed the phone off me and shouted “who the fuck is this? Who are you?”

The bloke on the phone insisted to DH that he was my boyfriend apparently. Luckily for me, DH didn’t believe him and just shouted “well, that’s funny because I’m her fiancé and I’m sat next to her right now” and slammed the phone down.

i guess I’m just lucky that DH wasn’t a paranoid type and thought I was having an affair! But I suppose he saw my confused face and was listening to me instead of going off one one all accusatory. And I just kept saying “but how does he know all those details?!”

DH is a sensible person who works in IT so we talked through the possibilities of how he might have got the details and next day when I talked to my sister it transpired that I’d put her number in wrong and a simple mistake like that had been what caused it all.

of course now that’s unlikely to happen with the “share contact” facility etc. but back then I bet situations like that happened fairly often with just one wrong digit . I’m just happy that DH believed me and not some shit-stirring random thinking it was funny to try and make out he was having an affair with me!

saltinesandcoffeecups · 03/09/2023 00:49

Good lord. Lots of angst over nothing. If it’s a number you don’t know just ignore. If you get another text, then block.

Maybe it’s the dinosaur in me coming out, but people used to answer the phone without knowing who was on the other end… it could have been a family member or a serial killer. No way of knowing until you answered the phone!

GrumpyPanda · 03/09/2023 00:54

Donttalksboutpumpkinspiceyet · 02/09/2023 23:57

How do I turn off messages and calls on my phone at night (iPhone) is it just onto silent? waking me up pissed me off too!

Don't know IPhone settings but I bet principles are similar to Android, you'll be looking to switch off notifications and/or calls, possibly excluding certain VIP numbers such as immediate family.

Or the low tech solution, just turn the whole thing off 😁

EBearhug · 03/09/2023 00:57

Maybe it’s the dinosaur in me coming out, but people used to answer the phone without knowing who was on the other end… it could have been a family member or a serial killer. No way of knowing until you answered the phone!

You didn't just answer the phone, you said, "Hello, Mytown 12345, Bearhug speaking," just in case your serial killer didn't already know exactly who you were.

NeedTheSeaside · 03/09/2023 01:05

Donttalksboutpumpkinspiceyet · 02/09/2023 23:57

How do I turn off messages and calls on my phone at night (iPhone) is it just onto silent? waking me up pissed me off too!

@Donttalksboutpumpkinspiceyet

in general/settings there's a thing called focus, you can set it whenever you like or set a default 9f going to Do Not Disturb and taking it off at set times.

zusje · 03/09/2023 15:19

At that time on a weekend I'd just assume it's a bloke who was given a wrong number by a girl who wanted him gone or a genuine mistake from somebody pissed 😂