Error 97: SMS origination denied

[KRIKLI68]

My wife receives "Error 97: SMS origination denied" whenever she tries to text me.  I don't receive them. It started a few weeks back. She can call me fine. I can send texts to her, and she can text other people fine. According to the My Verison page, neither of us have any call/text blocking turned on.  If I'm on a group chat with her and other people (MMS), I receive her messages, but not SMS.

We've both restarted our phones.  Based on a forum post, I removed the SIM and powered down, then inserted it and started it.  No effect.  The messages also do not appear on my text messages list in the online msg viewer, so I don't believe it is a messaging app problem.  She has a LG K 20 V and I have a Moto G2, both Verizon and both fully updated.

[vzw_customer_support]

I depend on my messaging service to work right to stay in touch with my wife as well. Let's get this figured out. What messaging app is she using on her device? When did this problem start? Any changes made to her phone recently (software updates new apps)?

Alberto_VZW
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[samej71 · Accepted solution]

I was experiencing the same, or nearly identical, issue. When I tried to send my wife a SMS to her Verizon number from my Verizon number, I got the 97 origin error. I could send SMS and MMS messages to everybody else regardless of carrier without an issue. I've rebooted my phone and it didn't resolve the issue. I could still text her via my Google Voice number using the Google Voice app, so I didn't think it is an issue with her phone receiving texts. She could receive SMS messages from everybody else and didn't get any errors. The errors were only on my phone and only when she was the recipient from my native Verizon number.

I was using the (Google) Android Messages app, but when I switched to Verizon Messages I was able to send a test message to her successfully. I then went to Settings -> Apps -> Android Messages and cleared/wiped the app data. Once I restarted the Android Messages app and switched SMS back to it, I was able to send her SMS messages again.

Maybe wiping your SMS app data might clear out your issue, too.

[KRIKLI68]

Hi!  Based on your post, I fixed it!  I was using the standard android messages app, so I switched to the Verizon Messages app (made it default), sent a message, which worked! Then when I switched back to android messages and made it default, it worked there too!

I didn't need to clear any data.  Switching and sending worked.

Thanks!

[Kst7571]

Clearing the data worked.

[Jlsbeth]

I haven't been able to text my brother in what feels like forever! It had never given me an error until today, and thanks to your fix I can now text him. Thank you! 

[Shelia24]

If I clear or wipe out the data will that remove all messages I had that I can't lose yet. 

[vzw_customer_support]

We know how important the information stored on your messages is, Sheila24. We don't want you to worry, as deleting the app data will not delete any of your personal messages. DavidR_VZW

[jmac1013]

I'm using a pixel 3 and the Google messages app. I am getting the error 97 when I try to text certain contacts. 

I went to settings>appdata>messages, but couldn't find where to clear the cache. 

[jmac1013]

I found it.  For pixel owners go to: settings>storage>other apps>messages

Clear the storage and cache.  

This fixed the error 97 that was getting.