Random text conversation

mgfvvc

I got to a text today addressed to a "Johnny", which is not my name. I politely pointed out that they had a wrong number. After exchanging a few texts they said "it's kind of fate to meet in this way. I think we can become friends". I'm immediately wondering if this will lead into some kind of scam, but I went with it. 

It has become quite an extended conversation but I feel like I'm talking to an Eliza/ChatGPT program, not a real person. If I am, I'm not sure what the point would be. 

The only thing I can think of is that a scammer is using ChatGPT to generate a conversation to lure me in to an "investment" or maybe persuade me to help with "hospital fees"? It's really unconvincing, which makes me doubt whether that's the situation. Is my instinct that this is leading into a scam sound?

Cloth_of_Gold

Almost certainly a scam. If it were me I would cease all communication and blocker the number.

MikeJXE

Romance scam ?

Cloth_of_Gold

It's very hard to imagine someone who had genuinely texted someone by mistake would quickly get into a conversation that led to "it's kind of fate to meet in this way. I think we can become friends". Even disregarding that, it sounds somehow unnatural, like it's been AI generated, as the OP suggests. 

oldernonethewiser

This type of scam has been going on for some time.  Don't know who a text is from, delete it and ignore.

Just one report on this: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-avoid-misdirected-text-scams

mgfvvc

oldernonethewiser said:

This type of scam has been going on for some time.  Don't know who a text is from, delete it and ignore.

Just one report on this: https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/how-to-avoid-misdirected-text-scams

Thanks for that. I can't say I'm surprised that it's a lead in to a scam, but I am a little surprised at how poor the "conversation" was. I shall take the advice to block it.

sammyjammy

Its probably from a non native English speaker

DullGreyGuy

The only real risk is ending up on a list of people that fall for scams and so then being bombarded with other opportunistic folk. Having already responded to it then you'll already be a candidate for being on the list. 

Personally have had a few texts recently addressed to "Daddy" and "Mommy" saying they'd lost their phone and could I call them on a number starting 070 as they had a new number... obv 070 is not a mobile number and can be pricy to call. As don't have kids (nor have anyone else call me either of those things) obviously just ignored. 

Did however have a very interesting few months from an accidental wrong communication, right name but still the wrong person. Being wary of scams I tend to be a bit more willing to engage for a laugh.