I received a strange text message - please help??

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I received a strange text message - please help??

Last night I received a text message on the iPhone but it appeared differently on screen - it took up the whole of the screen and had the telephone number at the top in large numbers - then the text message across the screen - and then a large 'DISCARD' red button at the bottom... I've never seen a message like this before and it didn't save to my inbox. I'm confused! any help is appreciated x

iPhone 3GS, iPhone OS 3.1.3

Posted on Mar 12, 2010 3:42 PM

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Answer 1

modular747

Level 6

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Mar 12, 2010 4:04 PM in response to SK!

Did you check the phone number to see if was from MI5?

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Answer 2

SK! Author

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Mar 12, 2010 4:06 PM in response to modular747

Lol - it was a normal UK mobile number... I doubt MI5 would have any interest in texting me! 🙂

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Answer 3

Mar 12, 2010 4:38 PM in response to SK!

It's a special type of SMS called a "Flash SMS" or "Class 0 SMS" (nothing to do with Adobe Flash), which doesn't get saved in your InBox and is deleted as soon as you Dismiss it. They're predominantly used for advertising or sending information from your network operator, but other types of phones can also send them.

See the thread below, which has a picture of one received on an iPhone and discusses them:

http://forums.macrumors.com/showthread.php?t=632985

There's even an App in the AppStore that allows you to send these type of SMS:

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flash-sms/id345539968?mt=8#

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