Robotext Blast / 'Wrong Number' Openers
Scammers blast out friendly 'wrong number' or vague texts to thousands of people; replying flags you as a target for romance/investment (pig-butchering) or other scams.
Think a message like this reached you? You can check it right now.
What this scam is
Automated systems send huge volumes of texts — a friendly 'wrong number,' 'Hi, how are you?', or a vague 'we met at the conference' — to random numbers. The message isn't really misdirected; it's an opener. Anyone who replies is engaged in conversation and gradually steered toward a long-con romance or crypto-investment scam (pig-butchering), or profiled for other fraud. Not replying to unknown-number texts, and recognizing these openers, keeps you out of the funnel.
What it usually looks like
- A friendly 'wrong number' or vague text from an unknown number.
- An opener that invites you to keep chatting.
- Warmth and small talk if you reply.
- A gradual pivot toward relationship or investing.
Common warning signs
- 'Wrong number' texts that keep the conversation going.
- Strangers eager to chat after a 'mistake.'
- A drift toward money, romance, or crypto.
- Model-like photos and reluctance to meet.
Example wording scammers use
“Hi! Are we still on for lunch? — Oh sorry, wrong number! But how's your day going? 😊”
“Long time no see! Is this still your number?”
These are illustrative examples written by ScamSplain, not real messages.
What the scammers want
- To engage you as a scam target.
- To funnel you toward romance/investment fraud.
- To profile responders.
What to do
- Don't reply to texts from unknown numbers, even friendly 'wrong number' ones.
- Recognize these as openers, not mistakes.
- Never take investment or romance cues from a stranger who texted you.
- Delete, block, and report.
What to do if you already responded
- Stop replying; don't send money or download any app.
- If it progressed to investment, preserve records and report to ic3.gov.
- Report at reportfraud.ftc.gov.