Today, I got a spam text addressed to my ex. One of those "WE BUY REAL ESTATE FAST!" types with an address I don't recognize.

Ugh, how is my phone number even connected with their house?!

Ugh, how is my phone number even connected with their house?!

It probably isn't. More likely, she is tied to the house, you are still tied to her in some (out-dated) database

Maybe I'm missing something obvious here, but how do you know the ex's gender? I'm not saying you're wrong, I just don't get how you got to that conclusion.

If it weren't connected somehow, I wouldn't be getting the misdirected spams.

Your theory seems likely. We bought a house together back in the "bad old days" long before we split.

It's still a little jarring to see in my texts!

Yeah, everybody collects data, but verifying it, cleaning up, deleting old stuff costs more than a few "misplaced" text's. So many just keep going with it. And who knows? maybe not the property mentioned, but you might have another place to sell. Or pass the message on to a friend. Even misplaced texts might lead to a deal profit .....

Ugh, if I had my druthers, all text spams would trigger an electric shock on the sender. It's such an obnoxious waste.

There are a few possibilities.

1. An error in some outdated database
2. She put your number there on purpose to annoy you with spam calls
3. It's a pretext; this is her way of "reaching out" and she's hoping you'll call her to resolve the confusion

Either way, learn how the block button works, then use it.

If it's not your place, schedule a meeting to look it over, obviously don't show up.

I get offers to buy my house, my neighbors house, and some house out in the suburbs belonging to someone named Daisy.

I have had this phone number for decades.

It is sometimes phishing I think, just to see if you will respond at all.

Either way, learn how the block button works, then use it.

You do realize that spam texts use spoofed numbers, and blocking does no good because the next spam text will be from a different number?

It's a 50/50 choice really isn't it?

It blocks the first number. But yea, other numbers then come through.

I just block all numbers not in my contact list using SpamBlocker.

just to see if you will respond

Yeah, could also be this. You never know.

Ha, delightfully petty. When it comes to text spam, though, I just block. Engaging in any way just encourages the spammers.

Do either of you have a common last name? I get spam calls (and even more emails) all the time really meant for people with a similar name somewhere else.

Why would you think it touched a nerve? I'm just asking what I'm missing. And as it turns out what I was missing is that you were just guessing. Now I understand the situation.

I do, but it didn't show a last name.

I get these all the time. Do people send them their real address or something?

I was the victim of attempted title theft and like everyone I knew got texts about buying my condo.

I still get texts about it. I moved like 3 years ago.

The last time one of these folks wanted to buy my house, They were calling me, my wife, and my brother (which was particularly strange since he doesn't live near me and has nothing to do with my house).

I finally responded so they'd leave my brother alone. I told them I wouldn't entertain any offer less than $1 million.

My house is not worth $1 million. Maybe if it was in absolutely perfect shape. It's a Victorian house. It used to be the pastor's rectory for a church across the street. When the church wanted to tear it down to build an addition, they moved it instead.

However, it probably needs around $200k-$300k of work to get it to perfect shape.

They can pry my ~3% fixed rate mortgage out of my cold, dead hands. I'm not selling it unless I get enough to buy the next place without a mortgage.

My sister-in-law stayed with me for two months in 2007. We each moved to different states soon after that. I still get mailers at least twice a year addressed to her at my house offering to buy the time share neither of us ever owned.