AIBU or does this look like a scam text message?

[CosmicDaisyChain]

So I got this unexpected text from someone claiming they had been asked by some professor to pick me up at the airport. Instantly I thought scam so I decided to play along for shits and giggles but now I am having second thoughts it might be a genuine mistake as it doesn’t look like a prerequisite to asking for money or anything. Unsurprisingly they went silent on me 😂

was I too quick off the mark?

But would many people then engage? It seems a very strange thing to do.
I just ignore any messages from people I don't know. I think that's the best way to deal with scam messages

Most likely a scam. If you had said 'sorry wrong number', they would have apologised, said how kind you were to tell them, and then said 'my name's xxxxx, what's yours?' and sent a photo of 'themselves' (for some reason usually a young attractive Asian woman!). They would then try to befriend you and then proceed with some sort of romance scam to get money out of you.

Why would people engage? Human nature. Someone gushing what a wonderful person you are, to let them know it's the wrong number - many people would feel flattered and respond at least something. I've gotten a number of those, always something where the person messaging would be in a bit of a pickle, if they really texted the wrong number - waiting to meet, to be picked up, asked to confirm something etc.

Yes. They then send a photo of a random 'hot babe' and bank on the recipient being some bloke who thinks with his dick.

I'm genuinely surprised people would engage and feel flattered by a total stranger texting them, but it takes all sorts I guess

Why on earth did you respond with that? 🙈

I've got second hand embarrassment for that response.

You won't have wasted any scammers time as the tech they use for their fishing expeditions is advanced. They aren't sat their like Saul Goodman surrounded by a hundred mobiles praying someone gets back to them.

Their methods are sophisticated, which is why people fall for them.

They won't have even read to the end of your message so your gender reassignment 'joke' wouldn't have bothered them.