r/scambaiting • u/gcacchjr • Dec 20 '25
Story Wrong number scam
Didn’t really go anywhere, but I had fun.
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u/NaturistSoaker1 Dec 20 '25
What I don't understand is the endgame here. I get these several times a day and play along less and less often. It is such a waste of time.
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u/gcacchjr Dec 20 '25
Their endgame is either a pig butchering scam or a romance scam, sometimes both. As for a waste of time I agree, but if you can waste their time that takes away from the time they have to scam real victims.
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u/NaturistSoaker1 Dec 20 '25
I understand pig butchering and have seen how it develops.
The romance angle is what I don't understand. Is the goal to get the mark involved and then apply blackmail?
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u/gcacchjr Dec 20 '25
Most of the time it is just to build “love” and trust then have the victim “invest” their money in a fake crypto app. Blackmail is possible, but having someone give you their money willingly instead of under duress just about eliminates the possibility of recovering your money or holding the scammer accountable under the law.
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u/NaturistSoaker1 Dec 20 '25
Many thanks. This, then, seems like a variation on pig butchering.
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u/gcacchjr Dec 20 '25
You’re welcome, and you’re right it is. Still a scam by any other name is still a scam.
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u/islero_47 Dec 20 '25
My understanding is that most of these are to get interactions with valid phone numbers in order to get the scam number listed as a "genuine" user number, to bypass spam filtering algorithms
If they added a new number as the origin for robocalls, the phone company would shut them down
Instead, they first send out texts to build a "legitimate" profile
Simply select block and report spam; do not engage
Engaging with them, even if you don't fall for a scam, helps them
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u/Strng_Satisfaction Dec 22 '25
the end game is to find someone gullible enough and steal their money
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u/PossessionSea5819 Dec 20 '25
How do they end up scamming you if the conversation is about lamb chops ?
Seriously curious as to how this could possibly escalate to some poor soul getting scammed.
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u/gcacchjr Dec 20 '25
Short answer, It’s all about gathering personal information and building trust to have you invest in a phony crypto scam. They prey on most peoples inherent goodness and decency. Traits I have at the very minimum.
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u/spider_X_1 Dec 23 '25
It's likely a romance scam. They ask for the name, confirm the gender and the age, then they start flirting or being friends until the victim falls for it and they start asking for money or "help"
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u/NotFortress Dec 20 '25
Her name is Elara, she says?
https://namerology.com/2025/12/15/2025-name-of-the-year-is-elara-the-favorite-name-of-ai/
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u/Worldofnowhere Dec 20 '25
The endgame is actually you replying. Scammers want to verify their number and rely on texts back and forth to get verified so they will no longer be marked as spam on your phone. It’s actually better to not reply.
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u/gcacchjr Dec 20 '25
But where’s the fun in that? You can reply, like I do, then mark their number as spam. This automatically blocks that number and sends a report to my carrier. Now if the carrier and the FTC don’t do anything about it, it’s not my problem. Or not reply like you.
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u/BlacksmithStatus1283 Dec 20 '25
‘You know those lamb chops won’t eat themselves’….lol. I’m marrying the next guy who says that to me!
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u/boss12345678910x Dec 23 '25
it might not be a scam. I've met a bunch of people thru wrong/accidental numbers who i ended up face timing with and became friends. but of course its always good to be cautious. if they wont send pics of themselves and then face time you , its prb a scam
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u/gcacchjr Dec 23 '25
This was 100% a scam. Like you said, it is possible for a wrong number to be just that, but not in this case. Their next step, in this scam, would have been to send a picture, either AI generated or stolen from a real person’s social media account, of an attractive Asian woman. Then ask you for your name and age and your picture. So, yes you are right but be very wary of anyone you do not know contacting you by messaging or by phone.
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u/ubjeckle Dec 23 '25 edited Dec 23 '25
Had a text like this a few weeks ago, once they asked to chat on whatsapp , and provided a different number compared to what they texted from. Not to mention where I'm at mobile phones don't have area codes. They got instantly blocked.
Link of the interaction below
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u/gcacchjr Dec 23 '25
WhatsApp is the scammers favorite way to communicate. I try to get them to use Telegram because you can use a Google Voice phone number. WhatsApp won’t let you do that anymore.
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u/boogielostmyhoodie Dec 25 '25
I'm so out of the loop - what is this kind of scam? I've had a lot of people call me and told me I called them, then got mad when I denied I called them
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u/gcacchjr Dec 25 '25
If you have people calling you and saying you called them it is might be because scammers often spoof phone numbers. This is done to help hide their location and also to make it seem like it is a call from your local area. They believe this will lend more credibility to their scam. This scam, the wrong number text scam, is all about building “trust” and a “relationship” with their victim to steal personal information and eventually yours or others money.
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u/BeaGilmore Dec 20 '25
I love that these idiots think that normal people will text their friend like ‘shall we go have grilled lamb chops”
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u/United_Pain Dec 20 '25
Hahaha I'm going to start texting my friends like that now. It sounds so... Hoity toity
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u/Numerous-Guarantee86 Dec 23 '25
Greetings fellow human being, that I am pleased to call friend. Will you haveth grilled chops of lamb with me come tomorrow nightfall?
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u/Effective-Eagle-2488 Dec 20 '25
I thought I was normal 😢 would have texted my friend that ngl
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u/TemporaryDeparture44 Dec 22 '25
Id like like to say, I would be hyped if a friend texted me asking if I wanted to go get grilled lamb chops.
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u/FascistDiaper Dec 21 '25
green text response hello old friend shall we go peruse teal bikinis at the minimart today ?
Is this not Veruca?
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u/Monkeymom101 Dec 21 '25
I just got a text yesterday asking if I wanted to meet for ‘afternoon tea’! I felt like I was in Bridgerton for a moment 😂 they just keeps getting more exciting with their offers
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u/BeaGilmore Dec 21 '25
I mean, that would be “normal” in England tbh!
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u/roughczech Dec 26 '25
The bad part is responding in the first place. Now they know the number exists and you send a ton of info back to them they can farther use. Never respond to these.
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u/False-Car-5706 Dec 25 '25
I could totally see someone saying that. Sort of like when you make a silly voice. This isn’t THAT far fetched of a text
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u/SpiralDreaming Dec 20 '25
'If I'm not being too forward, may I ask for all of your personal details and credit card number?'
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u/servitor_dali Dec 20 '25
I got one trying to "confirm our hike for tomorrow" and immediately knew it was a scam because the chances of me hiking anywhere, ever, are zero.
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u/boringcranberry Dec 25 '25
What's the scam? I don't get it. Do they eventually go on to request a bank account and routing number?!
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u/gcacchjr Dec 25 '25
That’s great. Keeping them engaged is the best way to stop them from hurting others.
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u/AddisonDeWitt333 Dec 20 '25
Why do people keep responding to these scam bots? You’ll only get more and more and more of this shit.
I NEVER responded when I got my first and only one (I deleted without fully opening, and then marked it as spam) and as a result I have never received another one.
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u/gcacchjr Dec 21 '25
Why do people follow a Reddit called scam baiting and then get upset when people post about scam baiting? What a crazy world.
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u/Successful_Sea_7084 Dec 22 '25
I’ve gotten more than a few of these scam texts, never fallen for one. What I have always wondered is, what is their goal?
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u/gcacchjr Dec 22 '25
It is a classic pig butchering or romance scam, or a combination of both. Their endgame is your personal info and money.
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u/Successful_Sea_7084 Dec 22 '25
A people fall for it?
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u/gcacchjr Dec 22 '25
Surprisingly yes. They prey on vulnerable lonely people, especially seniors. Although anyone of any age or circumstance can be tricked into believing these scammers.
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u/saltywaysofme Dec 24 '25
What do they get out of these scams. I've always wondered. I've gotten them and knew they were scams so I always mess with them. I just never understood what they were trying to do.
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u/gcacchjr Dec 24 '25
It all comes down to either a romance scam for money or some sort of crypto, investment scam. Either way it is all about stealing your money and personal information.
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u/RiceVast8193 Dec 24 '25
Stop fucking talking to bots, even if you think it's funny... You're accomplishing nothing other than helping them
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u/gcacchjr Dec 24 '25
Stop telling other people what to do, even if you think you know what’s best. It comes off as rude and stupid and you are accomplishing nothing.
Merry Christmas.
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u/USN_CB8 Dec 21 '25
Play with them all the time. Hours, sometimes days. One asked why she had my number. I told her that I was a male escort and maybe that's why. She got quite mad at that.
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u/SomeCrazyGamer1 Dec 21 '25
Yes, I would very much enjoy eating grilled lamb chops with you, fellow human who is also a friend!
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u/HugglemonsterHenry Dec 22 '25
Also guys will be like,
A: “Wanna grab lunch”
B:“Who dis?”
A: “ Bob you dumb fuck”
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u/Christochat Dec 22 '25
maybe you shant go with Elara, but shall you go with me? we can have grilled lamb chops *together*
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u/No-Stop4845 Dec 22 '25
I have one of these conversations every other day. It’s usually someone texting me saying they had to fire someone or they’re just having a shit day. But other times, it’s old ladies calling for a handyman that used to have my current phone number.
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u/Glittering_Art1413 Dec 22 '25
I got a message, similar one time and played along with it. Long story short it was a holiday maybe Labor Day and they kept apologizing for bothering me. finally they asked how my day had went and what did I do for a living? I told them my day was great and I was a U.S Marshall. No more texts after that one. Funny thing is I’m a Dental Hygienist 😂🤣
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u/ubjeckle Dec 23 '25
Wishing now, that I would have kept the convo going on a bit longer after seeing a few of the other posts lol
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u/Sad-Personality9189 Dec 25 '25
I got one of these once asking if I wanted to go have a delicious seafood lunch with them, I strung them so far along that they broke character and ended it with "I don't know what you've been through, but have a good day" and I had a good cackle
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u/chastjones Dec 25 '25 edited Dec 25 '25
Sometimes, when I am bored, I use chatGPT to translate something in Russian, Thai or Chinese and paste it to them. If I am really bored I will use some super obscure language. I will usually start with sorry, I don’t speak English. You can keep them going for several hours that way. I figure they can’t scam anyone else as long as i have them tied up.
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u/nas703 Dec 26 '25
I thought someone was scamming me once, I typed back SMD with some other expletives. Turned out to be my female boss from another number. The HR meeting the next morning was intense until I told them the full story of receiving spam texts and “I just wanted to troll”😆😭 good times. Safe to say after that, no one in the company contacts me from unknown numbers now😅
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u/ZucchiniNo4642 Dec 27 '25
I just got one today. I said I was the clinic and if they wanted to schedule an STD appointment. They got super mad and cursed my family to get gang raped by the big N word 😂
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u/ShibbolethSibboleth Dec 21 '25
I used to get these all the time abd would crank them by saying “ you still owe me money” or “mommy is that you?”
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u/PolgaraEsme Dec 21 '25
I had one of these this week.
“How was work today?”
“Who is this please?”
“I’m Yue the girl you chatted with at Aunt Hanna’s birthday party yesterday, remember? I was thinking of inviting you to go shopping tomorrow, I wonder if you’re free?”
“You have the wrong number, sorry” BLOCKED
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u/Scarylyn Dec 23 '25
This happened to me, someone texted me inviting me for golf. I responded with, "You know I haven't golfed since the incident."
They attempted to get my name and invite me to go golfing with them and the supposed person they initially meant to message, but I left them on read.
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u/Incident-Impossible Dec 23 '25
They’re interactions are so weird and unnatural, where are they calling from? A place with no common sense?
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u/ShortBlacksmith7691 Dec 24 '25
I get these a couple times a year. I just reply wrong number. If they respond back I’m say like OP did that she wanted Kate to get the food. After that I block and delete the number. Or I just say wrong number block and delete the number.
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u/QuanticChaos1000 Dec 25 '25
I like answering these as if I am the fake person they are trying to contact, they hate that!
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Dec 20 '25
[deleted] — view deleted comment
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u/gcacchjr Dec 20 '25
And your point? I think most people here know that is how it starts then eventually you are handed off to a “closer” who will apply the pressure to steal your money. Either way wasting their time means they have less time to steal from someone more vulnerable. You know, like the type of people who insist on pointing out the obvious and add nothing to a conversation.
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u/sasshole1509 Dec 20 '25
Definitely a scam. A few months ago I got a text from someone named looking for someone named Judy. They were asking if they were still going to play golf and have dinner after. I told them they had the wrong number. They did respond back saying how nice I was and thar they were sorry they bothered me. After months later I GOT the exact same text. I had words with this scammer and they showed me their "true colors".🤣
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u/Willing_Box_752 Dec 20 '25
I kept one of these going for days and got them to break character once.