Just received a text message soliciting from a provider that I had NEVER seen. Lucky I was at work and was able to delete it before it was seen by my significant other. I know, get a hobby phone and you won't have this problem, but it would be hard to explain an extra phone if that was found. I'm pissed someone would do that and potentially cause irreparable damage to ones life. I checked out the provider and she is new on TER with several reviews. Anyone have any ideas how this happens? Providers sharing info? Some hobbyist list? I just don't want this to happen again. I am datecheck and whitelisted and never give out my full name... thanks

Why ask us...LOL...we can only guess...

Did you text her back asking her how she got your number? I'd love to know who it was, I'm sure everyone would like to know who it was.

But if anyone is responsible for causing irreparable damage, it is you. Yes, get a hobby phone and find a damn good place to hide it. Make sure your current phone is locked so no one can simply open it and see your contact list and messages. Also after you get that hobby phone make sure it's locked too. If someone was to find it you could simply say you found it in the parking lot someplace and thought of trying to find the owners information in it but couldn't because it was locked. So at this point you can either trash it or say your going to send it to one of those shelters for battered women, or bring it to the post office for safe disposal.

Somehow your shit has gotten around, I'd be more concerned about that. Oh, and I'm guessing your current cell phone isn't one of those pay as you go hobby phones and you have an account with your name and address on it right? Well it's not hard to get the full record for just a few $.

Maybe the provider has an assistant who helped someone else you have seen and they thought you would be interested in seeing this new one.

OK, so please tell us who it is. It's not like you have anything to loose now since you posted as an alias.

Make sure you get a new number, instead of using existing number. Once you start using it you'll get the hang of it very quickly.

I almost always exclusively use it from my browser or my smartphone... right upuntil the moment of appointment where I leave the smart phone in the car and instead carry my hobby phone.

(google voice is linked to my hobby phone)

I usually write/receive hobby-related text messages from my browser or from the email-client in my smartphone. Yes it is possible to send text messages to/from hobby number within your personal non-hobby phone. HOpe this isn't confusing.  

In other words, I send/receive SMS/text messages using my google voice hobby number on a smartphone device that has nothing to do with this hobby number, since my smartphone has a number of its own.

The hobby phone is just there as a "proxy" when I'm in the hotel or if I need to place calls.
Phone calls get routed to the hobbyphone but I usually answer googlevoice calls from my browser. Yes it's possible to send/receive hobby related calls from your browser.

I registered at the National Do Not Call Registry donotcall.gov

Hey, apparently it really works!!!  LMAO

I emailed provider and of yet received no reply. I won't reveal her name as I don't want to initiate a battle where both sides have something to lose. As for a hobby phone and an explanation when it is found deep in an office desk or car trunk wheelwell won't fly. Anyone comfortable with google voice?I looked at it but it seemed complicated with so many options I thought it would be too easy to mess up. Yes, we all have to look at ourselves when it comes to causing harm in our lives from hobbying. I have been careful in other regards~using whitelist and date ck crdentials rather than revealing personal info with every provider.

Do you never get wrong number calls? Treat the unwelcome SMS as a wrong number call. Don't get upset about it, ignore it. The more attention you pay to it, the more it seems as something real.

Humorous, true story. A couple years ago, I got a text and a photo from a girl who clearly had the wrong number. I got these during a meeting and my facial expression obviously changed, and a few other attendees noticed and asked me about it. My face turned bright red, and I said I had received a wrong number SMS. "Yeah, right" was the general response. After the meeting, one colleague asked to see the phone, so I showed it to him. He looked at the pic, then at me, then said "Yeah, clearly a wrong number."

Ignore it and it goes away. Pay attention to it and somebody notices.

I HIGHLY recommend using google voice if you are unwilling to have that extra "emergency" phone. Then you can choose when and where texts messages are routed. HIGHLY effective!

had the same problem last year was from XXX XXXX, she would text me 2 to 3 times a day.Had to change my cell number and now only use a hobby phone.

She had told me to wait as there was an issue with the room and so I waited about 20 minutes and texted her back and she admitted to texting the wrong guy.

I have a pretty good idea what the text says too.

I am at work when my phone vibrates. Her name is still on my contact list so when I see it I'm like, "Shit, she's gonna chew me out for the poor review." Yes, I gave her a very poor review.

It turns out that the three-part text message is an ad for her friend. She also says that if I respond she'd remove my name from her list. Yea, right. It's kinda late now.

1.  Your SO could, at any time, grab your phone and see texts/calls that are incriminating beyond explanation.  You will, at some point, fail to delete one, or get a message/call from a provider you weren't expecting.

2.  If a provider is busted, LE doesn't have your real number, and can't come knocking on your door as easily.

3.  Your SO could see the bill, and inquire about calls on it.


Sure, having a hobby phone found is dangerous as well, but not nearly as much as the above.  Keep it in your car, or at work if you have a desk or locker.  If it's found in the car, the simple excuse you can use (once) is that you found it, and you are hoping the owner will call eventually to ask about it.  You'd try to call them, but it's locked (because you keep it locked, natch).

So even if she finds it, she can't read the texts or see the recent calls.  You can then keep numbers in the contact list for easy reference when on the road.