# What should I do? Either my cell phone is possessed, or...
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-either-my-cell-phone-is-possessed-or/401980
**Category:** In My Humble Opinion
**Created:** [April 28, 2007, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-either-my-cell-phone-is-possessed-or/401980 "2007-04-28T19:35:13Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2007, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-either-my-cell-phone-is-possessed-or/401980/1 "2007-04-28T19:35:13Z")
…someone is trying to give me a subtle hint. Someone who is technologically savvy.
The story:
I went to a party last night, and left my phone in the car. I was at the party for a couple of hours, and then I went home. I didn’t really look at the phone, took it inside, and eventually went to bed.
In the morning (a rare Saturday without obligations) I checked email upon waking. One of the emails I’d received was…FROM MY OWN PHONE…SENT LAST NIGHT…AT THE TIME I WAS AT THE PARTY!
The email was only a picture, with a title ([“VIKING PRINCESS PIRATE”](http://www.flickr.com/photos/21711975@N00/475797449/)).
Could I have taken this picture myself, and my phone sent it to me by means of some kind of automation?
No. I checked my phone, and I’d never taken such a picuture on my phone. I certainly would’ve recalled taking it.
So I checked the phone, and indeed, while I was at the party, and while the phone was in my car, the phone received–among others–a message containing only this photo (with the title).
So I checked to see where this photo had come from. It was clearly sent from another phone, but the area code of the phone is an area where I don’t really know anybody…at least, so I thought at first.
This area code was [expanded](http://www.ringcentral.com/services/area-code-805.asp) to areas where people I know and have known live. I checked my MS Outlook database, but couldn’t find the number.
Was this simply a wrong number and a technological abnormality, or was it a subtle hint that I have sired an illegitimate child with an ex, sent by someone who really knows how to manipulate technology?
So two questions, for your advice:
1. Should I get a new phone, or reprogram it?
2. Should I call this phone number, and if I do, how do I start the conversation? Or was it just a “wrong number”?
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### Author:  [@brendon\_small](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brendon_small)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-either-my-cell-phone-is-possessed-or/401980/2 "2007-04-28T21:45:55Z")
The important thing is - do you have an ex that is extremely manipulative of technology?
Actually, I would call and see what’s up. I’m nosey though.
Brendon Small
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### Author:  [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2007, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-either-my-cell-phone-is-possessed-or/401980/3 "2007-04-28T22:08:55Z")
99% certain that a) this was a wrong number, and b) it was an [MMS](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multimedia_Messaging_Service) - perhaps you’re not familiar with them?
As for why it was emailed to you - perhaps you registered your email with the phone company, and your account automatically forwards MMS messages to your email? Have you received an MMS before?
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### Author:  [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)
#### Post date: [April 28, 2007, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-either-my-cell-phone-is-possessed-or/401980/4 "2007-04-28T22:48:26Z")
A lot of spam e-mail has your own e-mail address as the “sender” so it wouldn’t surprise me if it could be done with a phone too.
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### Author:  [@guizot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/guizot)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2007, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-either-my-cell-phone-is-possessed-or/401980/5 "2007-04-29T00:53:54Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm]
99% certain that a) this was a wrong number, and b) it was an [MMS](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multimedia_Messaging_Service) - perhaps you’re not familiar with them?
[/QUOTE]
Oh yes, I’m familiar with them. But I’m hoping that the answer is a). My given name is essentially nordic, so I have this lingering fear that the “nordic” cliche of the girl dressed as a viking is some kind of message. After all, Halloween was five months ago. Why is this girl, in the Three-County area, dressed like a viking and why did I receive her picture? Hollywood and Thousand Oaks are not that far apart.
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### Author:  [@Vimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Vimp)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2007, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-either-my-cell-phone-is-possessed-or/401980/6 "2007-04-29T20:17:37Z")
Any chance this was an advert by Flickr?
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### Author:  [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2007, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-either-my-cell-phone-is-possessed-or/401980/7 "2007-04-29T21:17:42Z")
Check your phone records to see what calls are being made.
My spouse once had her phone ‘cloned’.
I called her and a man speaking in spanish answered. I thought that maybe she left her phone in a restaurant so I called a friend that I knew was with her. She said that spouse was right there and I spoke to her on the friends phone and my wife had her phone with her. I tried calling again and still got Mr. Spainish.
Then later, we got the phone bill and there was about $400 worth of call to the Dominican Republic. You can call that by dialing an area code and a number, though you get international rates. It took more than six months of fighting with Sprint to get rid of the charges.
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### Author:  [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2007, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-should-i-do-either-my-cell-phone-is-possessed-or/401980/8 "2007-04-29T21:21:25Z")
I have seen that girl out of the corner of my eye in my house at night. I am glad I am not the only one she torments.