September 14, 20196 yr Ok, so some of you that know iOS better can maybe answer this. I mainly use an Android phone, but I have a second phone using a free line we had that is an iPhone. I used it to access email at my old firm that I was still consulting firm. They had all this security stuff required and I didn't want that stuff messing with my main business. Anyway, I have NEVER given that phone number out. I don't even know what it is. I do have an Apple ID that has all my info. So a couple weeks ago, a friend I haven't heard from in years texted me and it went to the iPhone. I asked him how he got that number and he never responded. He worked at Apple at one point, so I figured maybe he still does and was able to find it via the data they collect or something. Well a couple days ago, a guy I know from my daughter's cub scout pack texted me on that phone. I've checked the pack roster, the only numbers there are my regular cell phone and home phone. I only just noticed it because I basically never use that phone anymore (I still use it for tethering if my main line runs out of high speed data). He's out of town now, so I'll ask him when he gets back, but I'm freaked out. How the fuck did these guys find this number? I've now gone and deleted all my personal info out of my AppleID and turned Siri off for everything, but will that do it?
September 14, 20196 yr Have you ever used an iPhone on your main line? my guess, these folks are on iOS, texting your main number, but since they are sending an iMessage, their contact info for you still has the iMessage info you once had, so that is why it is only going to your iPhone. They will probably have no idea what you are talking when you ask them what number they sent to, as they think they are sending a message to your main number. Apple released some tools to unassociate your number with iMessage. that is my guess.
September 14, 20196 yr He said he never gave the number out, but, I bet the email associated with the work phone is associated with the apple id and phone number. So his contact in friends' phones, if they had his work email, probably have the number of the iphone.
September 14, 20196 yr 1 minute ago, TwiceHorn said: He said he never gave the number out, but, I bet the email associated with the work phone is associated with the apple id and phone number. So his contact in friends' phones, if they had his work email, probably have the number of the iphone. He never had to give the number out, I have 5 email addresses associated with my iMessage, so if folks send me a message in iMessage to one of those email addresses, it will appear like it came in to the number. It is very easy to send a text and think you are sending it to a persons number, but it actually goes to an email, especially if they have switched platforms.
September 14, 20196 yr Gotcha. Same difference, but no number involved. Any email associated with the apple id = message to imessage.
September 14, 20196 yr Author Thanks guys. That makes some sense. I used an iPhone as my main phone years ago until it died. And looking at my profile on the current iPhone, it still had my email, full name, etc. I've deleted all that stuff now.
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