Relationship and trust · Also called hi how are you text, wrong number text scam, accidental text scam
Wrong-number friendship lure
A wrong-number lure is a text or chat message that seems sent to you by mistake, such as a missed dinner plan or a greeting. When you reply, the sender apologises, keeps chatting, and builds a friendship that later turns into a crypto investment pitch, a romance scam, or a request for money.
How it works
- The victim receives a casual message from an unknown number, apparently meant for someone else.
- A polite reply is enough: the sender apologises, compliments the victim, and suggests staying in touch.
- Over days or weeks the chat becomes a friendship or romance, often with photos showing a wealthy lifestyle.
- The scammer introduces an investment they say has made them rich, or invents a crisis that needs money.
Red flags
- A message from an unknown number addresses you by the wrong name or refers to plans you never made.
- After you point out the mistake, the sender is keen to keep talking.
- The new contact shares photos of luxury, travel, or trading success.
- The conversation turns to crypto, trading, or a way to make money.
If you are targeted
- Stop contact, block the number, and do not send money or download any app they suggest.
- If you have already sent money or joined a platform, contact your bank or exchange straight away.
- Report the number: in the US, forward the text to 7726 and use your phone's report junk option.
- Report it. Our Report a scam page lists where to report in your country, such as ic3.gov and ReportFraud.ftc.gov in the US.
- Expect recovery scams: anyone who contacts you offering to get your money back for a fee, including people claiming to be lawyers, regulators, or the FBI, is running a second scam.
Prevention
For individuals
- Do not reply to texts from unknown numbers, even to say they have the wrong person. The FTC says it is not rude to ignore them.
- Delete and report unexpected messages using your phone's report junk option.
- Never take investment advice from someone you met through a stray message.
By the numbers
Figures are for the reporting category this scam falls under, not this scam alone.
| Crypto investment fraud losses reported to the FBI IC3 in 2025 (part of Investment fraud losses reported to the FBI IC3 in 2025) | $7.23B | US, 2025, FBI IC3 |
| Confidence and romance scam losses reported to the FBI IC3 in 2025 | $929.3M | US, 2025, FBI IC3 |
Real cases
No documented case in the atlas yet. New cases are added as they are sourced.
Delivered through: SMS phishing (smishing)
How official datasets classify it
- Scamwatch
- Relationship scams
Questions
- Is it safe to reply to a wrong-number text?
- It is best not to. Replying confirms your number is active and gives the scammer an opening to start a conversation.
- Why would a scammer text a random number?
- Scammers send huge numbers of casual messages and only need a few people to reply. Those who do are drawn into a friendship that usually ends in an investment or money request.