How to Respond to an Accidental Text

Your phone dings, and you excitedly pick it up only to be confused by the text you received. This was definitely not meant for you…or was it? Whether the accidental text is from a stranger or someone you know, there are two ways you can handle it: let the texter know they’ve got the wrong number, or have a little fun. We’ve put together a list of the best ways you can respond to an accidental text, so keep reading to see what your next move should be.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Responding to an Accidental Text from a Stranger

  1. Image titled Respond to an Accidental Text Step 5
    1
    “Sorry but you have the wrong number.” Be upfront with the sender to avoid more accidental texts. Let the sender know you’re not who they think you are immediately. This is a polite way to tell a stranger they’ve got the wrong number.[1]
    • Talking to strangers can be dangerous, especially when they’re hiding behind a screen. Be cautious when responding to a text from someone you don’t know.
    • If you text a stranger back, never tell them personal information. Keep your full name and where you live secret.[2]
  2. Image titled Respond to an Accidental Text Step 6
    2
    “I don’t think I’m the person you’re looking for.” This is an immediate way to tell the sender you’re not who they think you are. If you don’t want to play any trolling games, this is a great way to stop any more accidental texts. No need to go into details, just a simple “I’m not…” will suffice.[3]
    • Be aware of scam messages. If you’re offered a free prize from a stranger and all you have to do is give them information or click a link, delete the text! Scammers will promise you a number of things to try and hack into your accounts.[4]
    Advertisement
  3. Image titled Respond to an Accidental Text Step 7
    3
    “Who’s this?” Double check to make sure you didn’t lose a contact. It’s not likely, but you never know if you accidentally deleted a number or text thread. A simple question can let you know if you have received an accidental text from a stranger.[5]
    • If it’s definitely someone you don’t know, have a little fun by sending them a meme or responding with a song lyric that matches their name.
  4. Image titled Respond to an Accidental Text Step 8
    4
    “Hi.” If someone random sends you a “Hey,” wave back. You never know where the conversation could lead next, so this is a sure way to have a little fun. Start up a conversation, making sure to tell the stranger you’re not who they’re looking for. Who knows? Maybe you’ll make a new friend!
    • It may be tempting to try and pretend to be the person the stranger is looking for, but catfishing is never a good idea.[6]
    • Remember that your feelings aren’t the only thing at play. Be considerate of the sender’s feelings and tell them they’ve got the wrong number.
  5. Image titled Respond to an Accidental Text Step 9
    5
    “Nice to meet you.” Send this message if they’ve sent you a scandalous picture or a friendly introductory text. You may not be the person they’re looking for, but maybe you want in on some of the action! You can play this one of two ways: flirtatious or buddy-buddy. Before responding though, make sure you tell this stranger you’re not who they’re looking for.
    • Add a flirty emoji to your response like a simple “😉” or a more upfront “😏.”
    • Simply introduce yourself as you would when meeting someone new. Try something like, “Hey! It’s nice to meet you. My name is…”
  6. Image titled Respond to an Accidental Text Step 10
    6
    Send a picture. A picture can say a thousand words. Have some fun with this stranger and send them a picture they are definitely not expecting! Be silly or serious, the choice is yours.[7]
    • Are they looking for someone? Send them a random selfie to say “I’m not who you think I am!”
    • Did they send a pic of their latest 'fit? Replicate their pose and send it back to them, writing, “Wrong number.”
    • Did they just confess their love for you? Take a picture of you pointing to yourself with “Me?” to let them know they’ve got the wrong number.
    • Be careful when sending pictures to anyone online, especially if you’re underage. Before sending, think about if you would want the picture shown to your mother. Any and everything you post online, even through text, can come back to haunt you.[8]
  7. Image titled Respond to an Accidental Text Step 11
    7
    Send a meme. There’s no better way to troll than with a meme. Send whatever hilarious or viral meme pops into mind that fits the mood. There’s really no way you can be too silly![9]
  8. Image titled Respond to an Accidental Text Step 12
    8
    “What’s for dinner?” You’ve just got an invitation meant for someone else, so you might as well ask what’s cooking. Maybe they text you “Hey meet us at 6” or “Don’t forget the gravy.” Have a little fun and ask them what they’re eating!
    9. Advertisement
Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Responding to an Accidental Text from Someone You Know

  1. Image titled Respond to an Accidental Text Step 1
    1
    “LOL don’t think this was meant for me!” Have a good laugh with your friend about their mistake. Maybe they opened up the wrong text thread and sent you a flirty text meant for their partner. That’s embarrassing, but also hilarious!
    • Let your friend know everything’s chill with a “😂” or “🙈.”
  2. Image titled Respond to an Accidental Text Step 2
    2
    “What?” Answer a random question with a question. You might not realize you’ve received an accidental text until you're deep in conversation—and the sender might not know it either! Ask for more information if you're asked a question like, “How’s the new place?” or “What are you bringing tonight?”[10]
  3. Image titled Respond to an Accidental Text Step 3
    3
    “OMG what happened?” If your friend has left you out of the loop, you must know what’s up. Did you just get sent a long message full of drama you didn’t know was going down? Replying with true shock will help your friend realize they’ve got the wrong number, and maybe they’ll fill you in on the tea.
  4. Image titled Respond to an Accidental Text Step 4
    4
    “???” Give them the heads up that you have no idea what they’re talking about. Maybe you got sent a long text about how someone broke up, or a message about making sure to grab something from the store. They probably opened the wrong text thread. A few question marks can have them checking the contact and apologizing for the mistake.
    • If emojis are your thing, try “👀👀👀.”
  5. Image titled Respond to an Accidental Text Step 13
    5
    “You totally sent that on purpose!” If you think your friend’s “accidental” text was anything but, call them out on it. Maybe they sent a text about you to you instead of another friend. There’s a high chance this was no accident, and they meant for you to see the text so you’d know how they feel. Ask follow-up questions like, “Do you really think that?” or “What do you mean?” to get them talking.
    • Throw a few “😂” into your response to keep things playful.
    6. Advertisement

You Might Also Like

Respond to a "How Was Your Day?" Text
How to
Respond to a "How Was Your Day?" Text
Respond to a "How Are You" Text
How to
Respond to a "How Are You" Text
Flirt with a Girl over Text
How to
Flirt with a Girl over Text
What to Text when a Girl Doesn't Reply13 Things to Do When a Girl Doesn't Reply to Your Texts
Prank Someone over Text
How to
Prank Someone over Text
Ways to Tell a Girl She Is Beautiful over Text11 Texts to Tell a Girl She's Beautiful
Make Him Miss You Like Crazy over Text12 Ways to Make Him Miss You Like Crazy over Text (with Examples)
Truth or Dare Questions over TextVirtual Truth or Dare Questions to Keep Things Interesting
Respond to What Are You DoingHow to Reply to “What Are You Doing?” over Text: Creative Answers to Sound Fun & Flirty
Keep a Girl Interested over Text Examples10 Ways to Keep a Girl Interested over Text
Text a Girl for the First Time
How to
Text a Girl for the First Time
Respond to an "I Miss You" Text
How to
Respond to an "I Miss You" Text
Make a Guy Horny over Text
How to
Make a Guy Horny over Text
Respond to a Compliment Text
How to
Respond to a Compliment Text
Advertisement

References

  1. ↑ https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/dos-donts-handling-unknown-text-messages#slide-3
  2. ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/online-id.html
  3. ↑ https://www.dailyedge.ie/wrong-number-text-responses-1541115-Jun2014/
  4. ↑ https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-report-spam-text-messages
  5. ↑ https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-wrong-number-texts/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic
  6. ↑ https://mediaethicsinitiative.org/2018/11/15/to-catfish-or-not-to-catfish/
  7. ↑ https://www.awesomeinventions.com/funny-response-wrong-number-texts/
  8. ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/online-id.html
  9. ↑ https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/dos-donts-handling-unknown-text-messages#slide-6
  1. ↑ https://www.boredpanda.com/funny-wrong-number-texts/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=organic

About This Article

John Keegan
Co-authored by:
John Keegan
Dating Coach
This article was co-authored by John Keegan and by wikiHow staff writer, Aly Rusciano. John Keegan is a dating coach and motivational speaker based in New York City. He runs The Awakened Lifestyle, where he uses his expertise in dating, attraction, and social dynamics to help people find love. He teaches and holds dating workshops internationally, from Los Angeles to London and from Rio de Janeiro to Prague. His work has been featured in the New York Times, Humans of New York, and Men's Health. This article has been viewed 42,420 times.
How helpful is this?
Co-authors: 6
Updated: February 14, 2022
Views: 42,420
Categories: Texting
Advertisement