To think this is a scam

[KateMiddletonsExtensions]

Received a text saying

"Hi Kate, just to let you know my new mobile number, speak soon xx"

No sign off. How am I expected to know who it is? Am I bloody psychic? Or is it a scam? I put the number in whocalledme.com but nothing came up.

Has anyone else received a message like this? I've blocked it but screenshotted the text and number for future reference.

Scam, scam, scam

Exactly! Some people's lives may be so exhausting😀

As has been mentioned, a reply confirms to a scammer that the number is active - cue endless scam calls and texts because OP will go onto a 'potential suckers' list.

If A in your example has an iota of common sense, he/she will realise their mistake and phone, from a different number if needed, rather than assume they have been ghosted.

Give her a call from your work phone.

She’s used Kate in her OP because of her username. If they’ve used your name it’s likely someone you know.

Well that’s the crucial bit of info isn’t it? Did they actually use your name?

Could be. I received a text recently saying “Hi, just to let you know I’ve transferred the money.” It was a couple of days after I was expecting someone to reimburse some money I’d accidentally sent them so I replied saying “is this Matt? If so, money received thank you”.
got another reply saying “no it’s Paul, letting you know I’ve transferred the money.”

seems fishy so I ignored it. Not heard anything since and no unexpected deposits arrived.

Jesus Christ, are you all mental? I'd send a "who is it" text like any normal person would. If the reply is a scam then block. If further scam texts come through then block those too.

MN can be a strange place indeed.
Don't reply to a fairly innocuous text and block the number immediately incase it's a scam.
Never answer your phone because that could also be a scam.
Hear a knock at the door when you're definitely not expecting anyone? Do not answer! That will also be someone trying to scam you.
You must be suspicious of people at all times as everyone is out to con you.
Then they post threads on MN about how lonely they are and how they don't have any friends.

on whatsapp (and other chat apps) you can enter a user name.
scammers use that to lure you in.

I get many of those. usually from profiles with pleasant looking profile photos.
I just block them.

Is your name Kate? Just reply saying “who is this?” and see if it’s someone you know. If you’re not Kate then just ignore or block.

There is no need to send out "this is my new number" messages on WhatsApp. You can just change the phone number on your WhatsApp account and continue as normal.

of course it's a scam. All these kind of messages are. They're designed to get you to engage. I'm surprised how many people aren't wise to this.

If they know your name I'd just say thanks. It's not saying you sent it though? Who are you?

Who. Not you.

Save the number to contacts then see if they have a WhatsApp profile

Just text them back and say they haven’t put their own name in the message and ask who it is if it’s not someone you know, either block them or tell them they’ve got the wrong number. Why all the hand-wringing?!

It was a text, not a WhatsApp.

It’s a scam. Do not respond!!

If it's a scammer then when you ask who is this they will have to provide details of being a person you actually know which is extremely unlikely.

Just ask who it is.

The responses on here are why we have numerous customers being a victim of fraud.

Of course you should deal with any unsolicited phone numbers as potential fraud, should you have to, absolutely NOT! Do you need to, ABSOLUTELY!

Replying to the potential scammer in this scenario, confirms the mobile number is active. Assuming OP name is Kate it also confirms the mobile users name is correct. If you have social media, a little more digging and hey presto they may be able to find more information about you and either set up bank accounts/credit cards in your name or try and do an account takeover by being able to pass security!

FFS…. Why on earth do people not realise it’s a scam and how these work…. Do not respond and read up on what scams are and how they work.

Do scammers normally address you by name though? Perhaps they do.

Because as other posters have noted, they have ditzy friends and relatives who would do this. They know who they are, so assume their recipients will too!

A simple reply ‘who are you?’ should suffice. It does confirm the number is active but doesn’t really even confirm the recipient is Kate or what Kate is short for.

Save the number in your phone then have a look at WhatsApp and see if you recognise the profile picture

It's a text not WhatsApp and in sure I'm not the only person who didn't know that the number automatically changes as I've only ever had one phone number

Even if it is someone you know I doubt it is anyone important and if it is you will soon find out, I generally ignore most things on my phone.