Hello, are you andrew?

I’ve gotten a number of these texts lately. Perhaps you have as well. 

Therese, sorry for the last minute notice but I can't join you for lunch today. My apologies! 

Jim, I haven’t heard back from you about the family reunion. We will miss you if you are not there. 

This attempt to engage us is, sigh, another scam. These texts are not honest mistakes. They are intentional — to play on us as good people who wouldn’t want someone else left out in the cold due to a wrong number.

In all likelihood, the sender wants to know if someone receives texts at that number. Then they sell the number to marketers, who might text you more unsolicited political, fund-raising, and advertisement texts, or even call you with pre-recorded messages. Just what you need.

So, despite the impulse to let the sender know you are not Therese or Jim, I suggest you don't reply.

On the flip side, if you need to text someone with whom you don’t usually text, include specifics so they are sure you are you: your name, the restaurant or plan, etc. 

My favorite text of this sort reminded me I hadn’t replied to the bar-b-que on the yacht. Scam or no scam, that just doesn’t sound like a good idea.