Suspicious text messages

[grant0s]

Hi not sure if this is something to worry about or not but twice this week I have received text messages from contacts in my phone book. The message appears to be a picture message and has a link saying download - my multimedia messages are set to auto download so I thought it was a bit suspicious so on both occasions I messaged the person who supposedly sent it to ask if they had sent me a message and the said they hadn't. Obviously I have no intention of clicking on the download link but I am curious as to whether this is a virus on my phone or the ppl sending the message have a virus? Has any one else had anything similar? I have attached a screenshot - showing how multimedia messages are normally displayed on my device with the suspicious message underneath

 

[GMJeff]

Could be a phishing scam. Downloading the file may put a malicious app on the phone that will send your data to a remote server/device.

I had a text message from someone that I didn't know and they even used my first name. I looked up the number and it was originated in illinois or someplace near, where I know no one.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Android Central Forums

 

[B. Diddy]

If you receive a message as part of a group text (ie, if someone sent a text to multiple people including you), for some reason it ends up being an MMS message that you have to download.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Android Central Forums

 

[srkmagnus]

So someone you know sent a picture message and when you asked them they said no? Seems like something wrong with their phone or possible even yours...Have you downloaded anything from the Play Store around the time this started to happen? Is it coming from the same person? To be safe, I'd suggest a factory reset of the device after backing up all important information.

Inform the person you received a message from them that was not intentional and suggest they get their phone looked at or reset it as well. It doesn't hurt to be safe...