I know I messed up by replying, but now I’m worried. They know my name and where I live, which I guess isn’t hard to find. I’ve blocked them, but they keep texting. Should I be concerned?
Here’s how it started:
Them: Hey [name], still in [location]?
Me: Hi! Sorry, new phone. Who is this?
Them: An old friend! Found some pics of you.
Me: Wtf.
Them: Want to know how you look in the pics?
Them: No? 
That’s odd.
Me: Fuck off.
Them: Why? I’m your friend!
Welcome to this forum. If you’re new, watch out for scammers pretending to help in private messages. Always ask for advice openly in the thread so others can help and verify suggestions. Don’t share personal details like phone numbers or full names. Block, report, and ignore these scams. Stay safe!
Block the number and move on. This is either a wrong-number scam or someone trying to mess with you. Don’t stress.
Ann said:
Block the number and move on. This is either a wrong-number scam or someone trying to mess with you. Don’t stress.
Yeah, it’s just a scam. They’re fishing for info or trying to pull you into something like crypto fraud. Don’t engage.
Sounds like it could be a sextortion scam. They might claim to have fake or edited photos to scare you into paying. Don’t fall for it. Just block and move on.
Lydia said:
Sounds like it could be a sextortion scam. They might claim to have fake or edited photos to scare you into paying. Don’t fall for it. Just block and move on.
That’s what I figured. I don’t think they actually have anything, but it’s still unsettling.
@jacobcatley
They send this to loads of people, hoping someone will panic and pay. They probably don’t have anything. Blocking them is the best move.
Now they know your number is active, so you might get more spam for a while. Just keep ignoring and it’ll stop.
monicazah said:
Now they know your number is active, so you might get more spam for a while. Just keep ignoring and it’ll stop.
I blocked them. I shouldn’t have replied at all, but I thought it might’ve been someone I lost touch with.
@jacobcatley
It’s an easy mistake to make. They rely on people being polite to start their scams. Blocking was the right call.
If they won’t say who they are, just block them. It’s likely some blackmail or sextortion scam. Even if they send fake pictures, just ignore it and move on.
MichaelAiden3 said:
If they won’t say who they are, just block them. It’s likely some blackmail or sextortion scam. Even if they send fake pictures, just ignore it and move on.
I thought it might be sextortion too. They probably don’t have anything, but it’s still messing with my head.
@jacobcatley
Even if they tried to fake something, people know AI tools exist now. Just blame it on that and don’t engage. They won’t waste time on someone who ignores them.
They don’t really have private info. Back in the day, phone books listed everyone’s name, number, and address. This stuff isn’t as private as we like to think.
If they had anything real, wouldn’t they have sent it right away to make their scam more believable?
What else did they text after that? Someone who’s actually your friend wouldn’t string you along like this. Block and forget about it.
Lucy said:
What else did they text after that? Someone who’s actually your friend wouldn’t string you along like this. Block and forget about it.
They sent a couple more texts like, “Strange way to treat your friends” and “You’re not even a little curious about these pics?” I blocked them after that. I know it’s not a real friend, but it’s still creepy they knew my name and location.
@jacobcatley
That info is easy to get these days. They’re just trying to scare you into replying. Don’t worry about it.
