Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,145 
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Post by Just T on Feb 19, 2018 2:07:14 GMT
My 22 year old daughter is a senior in college. Kind of a naive girl, to be honest. She goes to a small private all women's college that is in a town that also has a major university. In fact, her campus is just a couple of blocks from the other campus. There tends to be a lot of crime in this town, and over the years, I have tried not to worry too much about it. She tends to be a homebody, plus she is super busy with school and she plays on the basketball team, so she doesn't leave her own campus very often. I've also always been comforted to know that campus security at her school is awesome, and will come get a girl any time anywhere.
So tonight, she called my husband and I upset because of something weird that happened to her.
It was MORE than weird!
She had gone to McDonalds, and she was sitting in her car in the parking lot eating and playing Pokemon Go. She said a man came up to her car and motioned for her to roll down her window. Without thinking, she did. First UGH. She said he seemed really upset, said he needed money because he had been arrested for DUI and he needed money. She told him she had no money. She said he started crying, but it seemed fake, which made her realize something was off. Then, he said to her, "Okay, can you at least text this number for me and say I love you?" She said yes, typed in his number and pretended she was doing what he asked, but didn't send it and instead took a screenshot. She said he then walked away, and she left and called us on her way back to campus.
She was pretty rattled. We asked her if it seemed as if anyone was following her, and she didn't think so, and we told her to drive around and call campus security, tell them what she told us, and ask them to meet her at her dorm. Within a few minutes, they did, and she is now safe back in her room, but really freaked out.
She sent my husband the screenshot she took; it a number from Texas. We are in Missouri. I feel like he was trying to get her phone number for some reason, but why?
Is this the MO of some scam I don't know about?
Thanks for reading!
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Post by AussieMeg on Feb 19, 2018 2:17:52 GMT
That does sound very weird and scary! I wonder why he wanted her to text the number? Was it just a way to get her number for some reason? But why would he ask for money first?
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MDscrapaholic
Drama Llama
Posts: 7,238
Location: Down by the bay....
Jun 25, 2014 20:49:07 GMT
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Post by MDscrapaholic on Feb 19, 2018 2:18:04 GMT
That's scary! I'm glad she had the sense not to send that text!
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Post by christine58 on Feb 19, 2018 2:19:11 GMT
She needs to call the non emergency police number...this guy is a scammer.
ETA: I wouldn't count on campus security to even check it out if it was off campus
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Post by mikklynn on Feb 19, 2018 2:19:18 GMT
Creepy! I'm glad she is safe.
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,145
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Post by Just T on Feb 19, 2018 2:22:52 GMT
That does sound very weird and scary! I wonder why he wanted her to text the number? Was it just a way to get her number for some reason? But why would he ask for money first? That was my thought...he wanted her number. But why??? He could have also easily gotten her license plate number. UGH. |
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Post by cindyupnorth on Feb 19, 2018 2:29:03 GMT
what in the world is he going to do with her license plate number??!! or even her cellphone? all she has to do is block callers she doesn't know. Unless I'm not getting something?
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Post by mom on Feb 19, 2018 2:31:31 GMT
That is scary! Thank goodness she is ok.
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:59:20 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2018 2:45:09 GMT
what in the world is he going to do with her license plate number??!! or even her cellphone? all she has to do is block callers she doesn't know. Unless I'm not getting something? If he knows how to hack a number and can talk several people into sending the text for him he gets a nearly endless list of numbers to call from so it becomes impossible to block them all. Also hackers with your number can then intercept your texts, calls and access bank/credit accounts easier since they are calling from the right number. |
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,145
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Post by Just T on Feb 19, 2018 2:50:04 GMT
what in the world is he going to do with her license plate number??!! or even her cellphone? all she has to do is block callers she doesn't know. Unless I'm not getting something? No idea. That is why I asked. It was something that frightened my daughter and me as well. But thanks for making me feel like an idiot for worrying. |
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Post by cindyupnorth on Feb 19, 2018 2:50:18 GMT
If he knows how to hack a number and can talk several people into sending the text for him he gets a nearly endless list of numbers to call from so it becomes impossible to block them all. Also hackers with your number can then intercept your texts, calls and access bank/credit accounts easier since they are calling from the right number. Have you heard of this happening? People hacking someone's phone from knowing their number? and getting that info? I never have. I would think giving the number out to spammers, yes. I get like numerous calls a day from unknown numbers lately. I just block, or don't answer. |
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Post by cindyupnorth on Feb 19, 2018 2:51:21 GMT
No idea. That is why I asked. It was something that frightened my daughter and me as well. But thanks for making me feel like an idiot for worrying. I didn't say you were an idiot. The whole license plate number thing was just odd to me. I mean. everyone can see your license plate? |
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,145
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Post by Just T on Feb 19, 2018 2:58:22 GMT
No idea. That is why I asked. It was something that frightened my daughter and me as well. But thanks for making me feel like an idiot for worrying. I didn't say you were an idiot. The whole license plate number thing was just odd to me. I mean. everyone can see your license plate? Sorry, but you can sometimes have such condescending posts. Yes, anyone can see your license plate at anytime. But when someone comes up to your daughter with a sob story, asks her to text a random I love you text to number with no other frame of reference like, "this is Bill, I love you..".how can you NOT worry/wonder what the hell is really happening? Knowing that this person, in Missouri, asked your daughter to just test I love you to random number in Texas... I didn't need your condescending "what am I not getting." I was asking if there was some scam going on that I wasn't aware of. |
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Deleted
Posts: 0
Aug 18, 2025 19:59:20 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2018 3:02:14 GMT
If he knows how to hack a number and can talk several people into sending the text for him he gets a nearly endless list of numbers to call from so it becomes impossible to block them all. Also hackers with your number can then intercept your texts, calls and access bank/credit accounts easier since they are calling from the right number. Have you heard of this happening? People hacking someone's phone from knowing their number? and getting that info? I never have. I would think giving the number out to spammers, yes. I get like numerous calls a day from unknown numbers lately. I just block, or don't answer. I don't need to know someone personally in order to know it can be done. Read. It is good for you: www.google.com/search?q=hacking+phone+numbers&oq=hacking+phone+numbers&aqs=chrome..69i57j0l5.6335j0j7&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8 |
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Post by cindyupnorth on Feb 19, 2018 3:02:26 GMT
I think you're reading what I wrote in the wrong tone. You know how things come across. I was honestly asking. What am I missing? like is there something new? Esp with the phone scams these days. Like what am I missing that they can do now?
I get tons of scam calls on my phone. I've never had it hacked. That's why I ask. I just delete them/block them.
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Post by cindyupnorth on Feb 19, 2018 3:06:54 GMT
don't need to know someone personally in order to know it can be done. Read. It is good for Didn't mean, if you knew someone personally. Just wondering what you had heard. thanks |
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scrapaddie
Drama Llama
Posts: 5,090
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Post by scrapaddie on Feb 19, 2018 3:08:28 GMT
I didn't say you were an idiot. The whole license plate number thing was just odd to me. I mean. everyone can see your license plate? Sorry, but you can sometimes have such condescending posts. Yes, anyone can see your license plate at anytime. But when someone comes up to your daughter with a sob story, asks her to text a random I love you text to number with no other frame of reference like, "this is Bill, I love you..".how can you NOT worry/wonder what the hell is really happening? Knowing that this person, in Missouri, asked your daughter to just test I love you to random number in Texas... I didn't need your condescending "what am I not getting." I was asking if there was some scam going on that I wasn't aware of. With cell phones, the number doesn't have to be in Texas... It could have been his own number... Very weird. She needs to be extra vigilant. Did she give the number to the police? I would worry, too. |
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Post by cawoman on Feb 19, 2018 3:15:21 GMT
I'm sorry this happened to your daughter. Our college town has a lot of people that approach cars too. I agree it's unnerving.
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Just T
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,145
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Post by Just T on Feb 19, 2018 3:16:20 GMT
I think you're reading what I wrote in the wrong tone. You know how things come across. I was honestly asking. What am I missing? like is there something new? Esp with the phone scams these days. Like what am I missing that they can do now? I get tons of scam calls on my phone. I've never had it hacked. That's why I ask. I just delete them/block them. I am sorry. I was posting to see if there was some scam I didn't know about. I wasn't worried about her getting scam calls on her phone. I was worried about some crazy person trying to get her phone number in a sneaky underhanded way and finding out where she lives on a small all women's college campus and doing something untoward. Why else would some random person asking for money say, "text this number and say I love you," with no other explanation? |
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Post by Lexica on Feb 19, 2018 3:18:58 GMT
There is a scam that they are calling "smishing" which is similar to phishing, except via text instead of email. The scammer will obtain a cell phone number and then send a text that appears to be real, and people are more trusting of text messages than they are emails since we have all been warned about phishing for so long. They make it sound legitimate or potentially expensive to you so that you immediately respond.
For example, they may send a text saying something like Welcome and thank you for signing up for xxxx service. You will be billed at $xx per month until you cancel. They would go into more detail to make it sound legitimate, of course. Since you didn't sign up for anything, you go to that website to immediately cancel your supposed account. They trick you into downloading a Trojan horse into your phone, then they can have full control of it, accessing personal information and possibly banking and credit card info. They can also look at your contacts and send a text to you that appears to be coming from one of your contacts so that you immediately trust it.
Since your daughter was smart enough not to give access to her phone number by sending this text, they don't have her phone number, so she shouldn't worry about any of this.
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Post by maryland on Feb 19, 2018 3:59:57 GMT
My two oldest are college students and there do seem to be a lot of scammers on campuses. I am on a parent facebook group for both schools, and one woman said her son was approached by a woman (claiming to be a member of a religious group he had never heard of). He was polite, said he needed to get to class. She followed him and he ended up calling campus police. They had received several calls about this woman and she had been banned from campus.
That's good that your daughter didn't send it (but pretended like she did to throw him off). Smart kid!
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Post by Crack-a-lackin on Feb 19, 2018 4:03:21 GMT
You’re right to worry. It’s weird. I have no idea why he would want her number, and although it’s probably nothing, I would call the non-emergency line and alert the police to the situation.
Hopefully she’s at least learned from this to never roll down her window.
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Post by alexa11 on Feb 19, 2018 4:11:06 GMT
I don't know about any scams- just wanted to say that I'm glad your DD is ok. That would scare me, too.
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Post by Delta Dawn on Feb 19, 2018 4:13:28 GMT
Yeah, if I were in your shoes I would have worried about this, too.
I am sending you a PM.
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Post by worrywart on Feb 19, 2018 4:14:15 GMT
How scary! Well, good for her for not sending the text. I would be worried too cause that is what I do but it's probably just a creep trying to scam off of something. Have her stay cautious and not answer any unknown numbers..including blocking if needed. (((hugs)))
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Post by cadoodlebug on Feb 19, 2018 4:36:04 GMT
If he knows how to hack a number and can talk several people into sending the text for him he gets a nearly endless list of numbers to call from so it becomes impossible to block them all. Also hackers with your number can then intercept your texts, calls and access bank/credit accounts easier since they are calling from the right number. and getting that info? I never have. I would think giving the number out to spammers, yes. I get like numerous calls a day from unknown numbers lately. I just block, or don't answer. When DH had his identity stolen, the person used the app that spoofs a phone number. The person called our credit card company, gave them all of DH's information and asked that a card be mailed to him. It all looked legit to the CC company because it LOOKED like the call came from our home phone. Scary. |
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Post by quinmm14 on Feb 19, 2018 5:23:08 GMT
I'd be unnerved because it was weird, but I wonder if the guy was drunk? That would make it make more sense to me since drunk people typically do weird things.
I'm glad she's okay.
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Post by mlynn on Feb 19, 2018 5:50:25 GMT
Sometimes I see ads asking you to text something to a number to make a donation to something. Perhaps he has a scam set up like that.
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Post by pattyraindrops on Feb 19, 2018 6:05:41 GMT
I don't know how it works, but somehow people will get your number, call the phone company and then somehow get your bank account number etc. T-mobile just warned us of this and had us call them and set up an extra code that people have to give before those changes can be made.
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Post by dewryce on Feb 19, 2018 6:16:58 GMT
what in the world is he going to do with her license plate number??!! or even her cellphone? all she has to do is block callers she doesn't know. Unless I'm not getting something? If he knows how to hack a number and can talk several people into sending the text for him he gets a nearly endless list of numbers to call from so it becomes impossible to block them all. Also hackers with your number can then intercept your texts, calls and access bank/credit accounts easier since they are calling from the right number. I had this happen in Houston, at an NFL game we think. My wallet has the scan proof interior, but we had to use clear bags to enter the stadium. So I took out the bank card and put it in an envelope, not thinking to buy one of those protective sleeves for it. My phone was in the bag as well. Got home, saw email from bank. The scammers were able to access my bank by spoofing my phone number (as this is one of their security checks), and tried transferring 5000 from a bank attached to this account. Then they tried to make a withdrawal in a Houston bank location. So, I think it would be a good idea for her to keep a very close eye on her bank accounts, at minimum. |
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