Wrong Number Text Scams: Why Strangers Are Texting 'I've Been Thinking About You'

If you've ever received a text from a stranger that starts with something like "I've been thinking about you and hope you're doing well" — you're not alone. These messages are flooding phones across the country.

A Reddit post shared a perfect example of this scam in action. The conversation goes like this:

Scammer: "I've been thinking about you and hope you're doing well."

Victim: "Thanks! But who is this? You have a Canadian area code, I think you got the wrong number."

Scammer: "I'm Janet. This is the number I left behind when I went to Canada on business. You don't remember?"

Victim: "Who do you think this is?"

Scammer: "I'm a little confused. Wasn't I talking to Melinda?"

This isn't a wrong number. It's the carefully scripted opening move of one of the most devastating scams operating today — the pig butchering scam.

Why It's Called "Pig Butchering"

The term comes from the Chinese phrase "sha zhu pan," which translates to "pig butchering." The scammer "fattens up" the victim with attention, friendship, and trust over weeks or months before "slaughtering" them financially. It's a brutal name for a brutal scam.

These operations are often run by organized crime syndicates in Southeast Asia, with some of the texters themselves being trafficking victims forced to scam people.

How the Wrong Number Scam Unfolds

Phase 1: The Opening (Days 1-3)

The first message is always warm and vague — designed to get you to respond. Common openers include "Hey, it's been a while! How are you?", "I've been thinking about you," "Is this still David's number?", "Hi! We met at the conference last month, remember?", and "Sorry, wrong person! But since we're here, how's your day going?"

When you point out it's a wrong number, the scammer acts surprised but friendly. "Oh, I'm so sorry! But you seem nice — maybe it was fate that brought us together!" They pivot from wrong number to friendly conversation seamlessly.

The goal of Phase 1 is simply to get you talking.

Phase 2: The Friendship (Weeks 1-4)

If you continue responding, the scammer invests heavily in building a relationship. They text you daily, ask about your life, share details about their own fabricated life, send photos of an attractive person that are stolen from someone's social media, and remember details you share and bring them up later.

They present themselves as successful, interesting, and relatable. Common personas include a businesswoman working abroad in finance or tech, an entrepreneur traveling internationally, an investor who recently moved to a new city, or a recently divorced professional starting fresh.

They never ask for money during this phase. They're building trust and emotional investment.

Phase 3: The Opportunity (Weeks 4-8)

Once the emotional bond is established, the scammer casually mentions their financial success. They share screenshots of their "investment portfolio" showing huge gains. They mention how a trading platform or cryptocurrency investment changed their life. They say something like "My uncle taught me to invest in crypto — I've made so much money."

They don't push you to invest. Instead, they let curiosity build naturally. When you ask about it, they seem reluctant at first — "I don't know, investing isn't for everyone." This makes you want it more.

Phase 4: The Slaughter (Weeks 8+)

Eventually, you decide to try investing on the platform they recommend. The first small investment "grows" because the platform is completely fake — they control the numbers. You invest more. Your "portfolio" shows incredible returns. You invest even more, potentially draining savings, retirement accounts, or taking out loans.

When you try to withdraw your money, suddenly there are "tax fees," "verification charges," or "processing holds." The more you pay to try to get your money out, the more you lose.

Eventually, the scammer disappears. The fake platform shuts down. Your money is gone.

Average losses in pig butchering scams range from $50,000 to $500,000. Some victims have lost millions.

Red Flags of a Wrong Number Text Scam

The Initial Message

• An overly warm message from an unknown number
• They claim to know you but can't provide specific details
• They quickly pivot from "wrong number" to wanting to chat
• They have an explanation for the unfamiliar area code
• They use a name that could be any ethnicity or background

The Conversation

• They text at consistent times every day like it's a job — because it is
• Their photos look like a model or professional headshots
• They claim to be in finance, crypto, or tech
• They mention business travel frequently
• They avoid video calls or make excuses when asked
• Their English is occasionally awkward in ways that don't match their claimed background
• They're overly interested in your financial situation

The Investment Pitch

• They casually mention making money through trading or crypto
• They share screenshots of investment gains
• They recommend a specific platform you've never heard of
• The platform isn't available on major app stores
• They offer to "teach you" or "show you how"
• Early investments show immediate and unrealistic returns
• You can't withdraw money without paying additional fees

What the Scammer Actually Knows About You

The answer is almost nothing. They don't know your name, who you are, or anything about your life. They got your phone number from random number generation — they text thousands of numbers, purchased phone number databases from data brokers, numbers leaked in data breaches, or numbers scraped from social media and websites.

The "wrong number" script works regardless of who answers. If you say "this isn't Melinda," the scammer just says "oh, sorry!" and pivots to friendly conversation. It works on anyone.

Why People Engage

It's easy to wonder why anyone would keep texting a stranger. But the reality is more nuanced than "people are gullible."

Loneliness. Many victims are isolated, recently divorced, widowed, or going through a difficult time. A friendly stranger showing genuine interest fills an emotional void.

Politeness. Many people feel rude ignoring a message, especially one that seems friendly and harmless. Saying "wrong number" and then engaging briefly feels like basic courtesy.

Curiosity. "Who is this person? Maybe I do know them?" The mystery is engaging.

Flattery. Someone attractive and successful is interested in you. That feels good.

Gradual escalation. Nobody goes from "wrong number" to "invest $50,000" in one conversation. The scam unfolds over weeks or months, with each step feeling natural.

How to Respond (Or Not)

The Best Response: Nothing

Don't reply at all. Block the number and delete the message. Every response — even "wrong number" — confirms your number is active and you're willing to engage.

If You've Already Responded

If you've been chatting with someone who started as a wrong number, ask yourself honestly: have they mentioned investing, crypto, or trading? Do they avoid video calls? Have they asked about your financial situation? Is their story almost too perfect?

If any of those apply, stop communicating immediately. Block the number. Don't feel guilty — the "person" you've been talking to is either a professional scammer or a trafficking victim forced to scam you.

If You've Already Invested

If you've put money into a platform recommended by a "wrong number" contact, stop investing immediately. Do not pay any "fees" to withdraw your money — this is how they extract even more. Document everything — screenshots of conversations, platform transactions, and payment records. Contact your bank or credit card company to dispute charges. Report to the FBI's IC3 at ic3.gov. Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. Contact the Secret Service if cryptocurrency was involved. Consider contacting the Global Anti-Scam Organization (GASO) at globalantiscam.org for victim support.

The Human Tragedy Behind the Scam

Many of the people sending these messages are themselves victims. Organized crime operations in Southeast Asia, particularly in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos, traffic people from across Asia into scam compounds. These workers are forced to run scam operations under threat of violence, their passports are confiscated, and they work 16+ hour days.

When you receive a wrong number text, the person typing may be a trafficking victim who wants out as desperately as you want them to stop texting. Reporting these scams to the FBI and FTC helps build cases against the criminal organizations behind them.

Protect Yourself and Your Family

Set a Personal Rule

Decide now: you will never engage with unknown numbers who claim to have the wrong number. Block and delete. No exceptions.

Warn Your Family

Share this article with parents, grandparents, and anyone who might be lonely or isolated. The people most vulnerable to this scam are often the last to hear about it.

Use Your Phone's Built-In Protections

Enable spam filtering on your phone. Both iPhone and Android have built-in features to silence unknown callers and filter spam messages.

Remember the Timeline

No one who accidentally texts you wants to become your friend, your financial advisor, and your romantic interest. If a stranger's relationship with you follows this trajectory, it's a scam — no matter how real it feels.

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Check Suspicious Messages Instantly

Getting texts from someone you don't know? Paste their messages into our Scam Scanner to check for pig butchering patterns, romance scam indicators, and investment scam red flags.

The most dangerous scams don't feel like scams. They feel like friendships. Check first.