Phantom Incoming Text Messages

[vicw926a4]

I primarily use Google Voice for texting, rather than Verizon, and only occasionally get a text via Verizon on my DX. Checking my account status today, I found 4 text messages supposedly sent to me between 10/31 & 11/2 - all from area code 415, and the same prefix 689, but four different numbers.  None of the messages appeared on my DX, and none of those numbers are known to me. I tried a reverse lookup on all four on Verizon, but it didn't show anything.

Verizon couldn't explain it, and suggested I just wait for the billing cycle to see if I am billed for them, but I'm really troubled by what the heck they might be, and to see if anyone else has had a similar experience.

[crb79]

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vicw926a4 wrote:

I primarily use Google Voice for texting, rather than Verizon, and only occasionally get a text via Verizon on my DX. Checking my account status today, I found 4 text messages supposedly sent to me between 10/31 & 11/2 - all from area code 415, and the same prefix 689, but four different numbers.  None of the messages appeared on my DX, and none of those numbers are known to me. I tried a reverse lookup on all four on Verizon, but it didn't show anything.

Verizon couldn't explain it, and suggested I just wait for the billing cycle to see if I am billed for them, but I'm really troubled by what the heck they might be, and to see if anyone else has had a similar experience.

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Make sure you have premium texting disabled.  I have used Google Voice in the past and noticed that it sent text messages to my phone to notify me of pending messages.  In the past VZW did have a text block, but I've had unlimited texting for the last 6 years so I don't know if it is still available.

[Android10]

When you send a text message through Google Voice, the text message appears to be sent from your Google number. When someone sends a text message to your Google number, and it's forwarded to your mobile phone, it won't appear as from the sender's actual number (e.g., the SMS may appear from 1-406-xxx-xxxx or 1-972-xxx-xxxx). This is so that when you reply to the 1-406-xxx-xxxx number or 1-972-xxx-xxxx number from your phone, the text message you send appears to be sent from your Google number and will be saved in your Google Voice inbox.

Taken from:

http://www.google.com/support/voice/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=117605

Sending text messages from a website like Skype or Facebook to your Google number currently won't be received. This is because these websites treat text messages as though they are sending a text message to an email address, which Google Voice doesn’t support.  Also spam messages and certain message types that may not be supported by the mobile phone may not be forwarded using Google Voice.

<script type="text/javascript">// if(document.getElementById('kb_ie6') != null) showLayer('kb_ie6'); if(document.getElementById('kb_ie6_win') != null) showLayer('kb_ie6_win'); if(document.getElementById('z_ie6') != null) toggleZippy('z_ie6'); if(document.getElementById('z_ie6_win') != null) toggleZippy('z_ie6_win'); if(document.getElementById('kb_ie') != null) showLayer('kb_ie'); if(document.getElementById('kb_ie_win') != null) showLayer('kb_ie_win'); if(document.getElementById('z_ie') != null) toggleZippy('z_ie'); if(document.getElementById('z_ie_win') != null) toggleZippy('z_ie_win'); if(document.getElementById('kb_win')) showLayer('kb_win'); if(document.getElementById('z_win')) toggleZippy('z_win'); if(document.getElementById('kb_winxp')) showLayer('kb_winxp'); if(document.getElementById('z_winxp')) toggleZippy('z_winxp'); if(document.getElementById('kb_US')) showLayer('kb_US'); if(document.getElementById('z_US')) toggleZippy('z_US'); // </script>

[ronze]

I found this on another forum and it worked

The message is in the VZW mailbox. Dial *73 and hit send. This will disable the call forwarding for Google voice. Now dial *86. Enter your PIN and I bet the message is there. Delete it. Now dial *71 and your Google voice number. Hit send and you are back to Google voice. The voice mail setting in the settings menu doesn't do anything. You have to disable the call forwarding on VZWs network to get to the normal voice mail.

good luck