Innappropiate Text

[pugchaser]

I received a text message today stating that someone had puechased an item, and wanted to know how to proced.

There is no record of this purchase, and I have no idea how he got my cell phone number.  I do not release that to anyone.

This is highly suspect.  

What should I do?

I obviously have not answered the text yet.

[copper.boom]

@pugchaser Don't answer the text. Add number to your blocked list in phone settings.

[livadia]

@pugchaser, if there's no transaction or the funds in your PayPal account for this sale, the it's not legit.

The person is trying to trick you into thinking they have paid for the item so you will send it to them.

 As another poster recommended, don't respond to the text as that way the scammer has no idea whether they reached the right person or that your text address is correct.  Whe you don't fall fortheir trap that's no fun, so they likely will go away, but block their number in your phone so you don't have to be bothered again.

If they included their eBay ID in the message, add that to your eBay Blocked Bidder List so he/he will be unable to bid on any of your other items and cause you any more grief.

[pugchaser]

I am at a total loss to figure out how this person got my cell phone number.  I do not give that out to anyone.

Clearly it is a scam.  Even eBay doesnt have my cell phone number. 

[loveyourimagination49]

By chance are you on FB?

[a_c_green]

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@pugchaser wrote:

I am at a total loss to figure out how this person got my cell phone number.

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Random dialing, a/k/a "wardialing." A sizeable percentage of randomly-dialed recipients may have an eBay account, a certain percentage of those are sellers, and a certain percentage of those may fall for the scam.

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@pugchaser wrote:

Clearly it is a scam.  Even eBay doesnt have my cell phone number. 

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...which is your pretty-much-conclusive proof that the message was a scam. 

[pugchaser]

FB doesn't have my cell phone number either.  I just use it to keep up with old friends and the grandchildren.

I used to sell a lot on eBay.  I have cut way back, due the constant increased expense and scams.  But, as far as scams go, this is a first.

[18704d]

Yep,

a scammer's computer program that can go send text, one at a time, to every phone number in a series.

Hundreds, if not thousands a day.

All saying I bought (vague description follows) "an item".

It never says What exact item it is...

Hoping you bite.  Hoping for that response..

so the games can begin.

Lynn

[sockmonkeydave]

@pugchaser

I get robo calls every day, never anyone on the line.

If you or the answer thing picks up, that is all they need to know.

Your number gets tagged as a valid number, then they sell your number to others.

Same thing with cells and text.

[pugchaser]

They knew exactly what the item was.  My first temptation was to answer the text, but a millisecond later, I came to me senses.

I actually got one of those "can you hear me" calls on my land line a couple of days ago.

I still can't figure out how they got my cell phone number

[pinkrose442savings2018]

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@pugchaser wrote:

I am at a total loss to figure out how this person got my cell phone number.  I do not give that out to anyone.

Clearly it is a scam.  Even eBay doesnt have my cell phone number. 

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Maybe from a earlier sell...put a block on this so it end's here...no fun at all when you don't know who it is...I do all transactions through eBay no phone.  It seem to get more scary everyday with all the post lately of being scammed...

[loveyourimagination49]

Have you PMed on FB?

About 2 years ago?

Something strange like this happened to a friend of mine today, that's why I'm asking.
They are in the same time zone.