Good morning, neighbor! Lovely day we’re having. Hope this weather holds. When’s the last time you said hello to the people living next door to you? I do it every day if I happen to meet them in my building, but beyond that, I don’t really know my neighbors all that well. As do plenty of people, I bet.
The era of friendly chatterbox neighbors is long past, but the age of ‘number neighbors’ has finally come. Twitter users gladly jumped on the new trend spreading through the internet and started sending text messages to their ‘number neighbors’ — those people whose phone number’s last digit is off from theirs by one. Either up or down. So if my phone number were 123, I'd send a neighborly funny message to numbers 122 and 124.
However, not all of the texting with ‘number neighbors’ went as planned. Plenty of people got unexpected, weird, or even downright creepy replies to the unknown number texts. To keep you entertained, Bored Panda collected the most interesting text messages from the Twitter thread. Kick off your shoes, get comfortable, and start scrolling. Upvote your favorite funny tweets and let everyone know which ‘number neighbor’ texts you think are the best.
This post may include affiliate links.
My Number Neighbor Fried The Hell Out Of Me
The sad reality is that the fabric of society is changing: fewer and fewer people know their neighbors — who they are and what they do. Take the United States as an example. In 2018, Pew Research conducted a study with shocking conclusions. The findings show that less than a third — only 31% — of Americans know who their neighbors are. Unbelievable, I know. This number changes quite a bit if you go to the countryside (where 40% know who all or most of their neighbors are) and to urban neighborhoods (a mere 24% know the people living next to them). Ironically, it looks like the closer your neighbors live to you, the less well you know them.
Yalllll, Look At My Number Neighbor
Meanwhile, the New York Post writes that two out of every three millennials feel as though they don’t belong to the local community in which they live. Fortunately, around 69% stated that they wish things would be different, so perhaps there’s some hope for youngsters yet.
Odd Request By My Number Neighbor
This Number Neighbor Game Is Dangerous
If you’re scared of getting to know your real neighbors, why not send your ‘number neighbor’ a friendly greeting, and let us know what kind of unexpected reply you get? Only remember to stay safe and not give out any important personal information. And if you want to read about wholesome neighborhood goodness, check out Bored Panda’s post about the teachings of everyone’s beloved Mr. Rogers.
My Number Neighbor Was Pretty Cool And Gave Me A Potato Casserole
Not Sure How To Feel About My Number Neighbor...
Im [friggin] Scared
![Im [friggin] Scared](https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/EBAKtfeXUAEyKgc-5d4ab84c8d0a2__700.jpg "Im [friggin] Scared")
My Number Neighbor Pranked Me And It Has To Be The Best Thing To Happen All Day
Never Doing This Number Neighbor [crap] Again
![Never Doing This Number Neighbor [crap] Again](https://static.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/1157346065034690560-1.png "Never Doing This Number Neighbor [crap] Again")
Omg
Someone doesn't respect privacy of other people's phones, I see... also, jealous and obsessive much?
Mine No Nice :((
Text Your Number Neighbor They Said... It’ll Be Fun They Said...
I Got Played
I’m Going To Jail
I don't understand.... I'm the the FBI and FTC have nothing better to do than follow up on stupid memes.....
I’m Going To Invite Mine To A Bbq
Well They Sent Me A Link To Some Demon So I’m Afraid
Note: this post originally had 38 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.
!["Karen Complains To HR About My Body, I Uno-Reverse Her Complaint, [And Now] Everyone Hates Her"](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2022/12/coworker-complains-to-hr-about-womans-body-revenge-latest.jpg "\"Karen Complains To HR About My Body, I Uno-Reverse Her Complaint, [And Now] Everyone Hates Her\"")
Wow. I understand not wanting to be contacted, but some people are taking it a bit far with the replies. Who remembers doing this before texting? Anyone? Corded phones? No? Kay.
Yeah, I did this when I was a kid in the early 90s, 1 up from our number is Walmart pharmacy. 1 down didn't speak English...
Meeee! Except the last person we called ended up being creepy and we never did it again lol
I don't see anything wrong with reaching out to a random stranger in a friendly way. You should introduce yourself and explain what a number neighbor is. If the person isn't interested apologize for the inconvenience and never contact them again. Otherwise it's a nice way of saying hello.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
It's about as funny as ringing a doorbell and running away. If anything most here hold back & take it as a joke --- the majority just blocks & you don't get a post here.
It is as fun as ringing a doorbell and stay to meet the person that lives their. I did that already afte I moved to meet my new neighbors. Whats wrong about that? They want to talk, they don't insult them and then block the number.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
A phone is a very private space. You also don't just walk into the Home of a stranger saying Hello. This stupid trend is rude and annoying.
And yet, we have public numbers, public profiles, and public addresses. If someone new moves into my neighborhood, knocks on my door and says, "Hi, I'm your neighbor. Just wanted to introduce myself. We can chat anytime." I would accept their introduction and behave in a civilized manner toward them. Current computer technology has made us all neighbors. Right now we are on a website with global access, sharing our stories and experiences with complete strangers from all over the world. We are all neighbors here. Texting your number neighbor is NOT the same as walking into a strangers house. It is like knocking on your neighbors door. If you do not want to socialize, don't let them in. That's you're choice. You can also choose to be rude, or polite. It's up to you.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Most people don't want to be contacted by some random stranger. I get enough unsolicited calls & texts, thank you very much. No, it's not cute - it's f*****g stupid. Get a life already.
Well, then. If your number neighbor texts you, just text back "No, thanks. I don't want to talk to you." No harm done. I get wrong number texts all the time. I just say, "You've got the wrong person." They say, "Oh, c**p. Sorry about that." I say, "Np. Have a nice day." See, no need to be rude.
Why u here then? You’re out here talking about “get a life” but obviously you don’t have a life if you just basically said that this is not cute but you’re here anyway....
Just one more of stupid trends in line, it'll go away soon, only to be replaced by something similarly stupid.
At least it's safer than the Tide Pod Challenge...
Had to google tide pod challenge..... what people wouldn't do for couple of likes.
Or the Bird Box challenge....
Or smoking
Beginning to think we should have let the Tide Pod Challenge ride...
existed before internet, people called with corded telephone to random people.
Yep. When I was a kid, we would call a random number in a different area and chat with total strangers. Some people were rude, but most people were nice. Also, people used to be nicer to wrong numbers. I made a few friends chatting with wrong numbers. One time, an old lady called our house by accident and my mom chatted with her for an hour. Turns out she lived just a few blocks away, so we invited her over for Sunday lunch. We later hung out with her grandkids when they came to visit her. None of that would have happened if my mom had been rude, or hung up on her.
I think it's a nice way of getting to know people.
Wow. I understand not wanting to be contacted, but some people are taking it a bit far with the replies. Who remembers doing this before texting? Anyone? Corded phones? No? Kay.
Yeah, I did this when I was a kid in the early 90s, 1 up from our number is Walmart pharmacy. 1 down didn't speak English...
Meeee! Except the last person we called ended up being creepy and we never did it again lol
I don't see anything wrong with reaching out to a random stranger in a friendly way. You should introduce yourself and explain what a number neighbor is. If the person isn't interested apologize for the inconvenience and never contact them again. Otherwise it's a nice way of saying hello.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
It's about as funny as ringing a doorbell and running away. If anything most here hold back & take it as a joke --- the majority just blocks & you don't get a post here.
It is as fun as ringing a doorbell and stay to meet the person that lives their. I did that already afte I moved to meet my new neighbors. Whats wrong about that? They want to talk, they don't insult them and then block the number.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
A phone is a very private space. You also don't just walk into the Home of a stranger saying Hello. This stupid trend is rude and annoying.
And yet, we have public numbers, public profiles, and public addresses. If someone new moves into my neighborhood, knocks on my door and says, "Hi, I'm your neighbor. Just wanted to introduce myself. We can chat anytime." I would accept their introduction and behave in a civilized manner toward them. Current computer technology has made us all neighbors. Right now we are on a website with global access, sharing our stories and experiences with complete strangers from all over the world. We are all neighbors here. Texting your number neighbor is NOT the same as walking into a strangers house. It is like knocking on your neighbors door. If you do not want to socialize, don't let them in. That's you're choice. You can also choose to be rude, or polite. It's up to you.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Most people don't want to be contacted by some random stranger. I get enough unsolicited calls & texts, thank you very much. No, it's not cute - it's f*****g stupid. Get a life already.
Well, then. If your number neighbor texts you, just text back "No, thanks. I don't want to talk to you." No harm done. I get wrong number texts all the time. I just say, "You've got the wrong person." They say, "Oh, c**p. Sorry about that." I say, "Np. Have a nice day." See, no need to be rude.
Why u here then? You’re out here talking about “get a life” but obviously you don’t have a life if you just basically said that this is not cute but you’re here anyway....
Just one more of stupid trends in line, it'll go away soon, only to be replaced by something similarly stupid.
At least it's safer than the Tide Pod Challenge...
Had to google tide pod challenge..... what people wouldn't do for couple of likes.
Or the Bird Box challenge....
Or smoking
Beginning to think we should have let the Tide Pod Challenge ride...
existed before internet, people called with corded telephone to random people.
Yep. When I was a kid, we would call a random number in a different area and chat with total strangers. Some people were rude, but most people were nice. Also, people used to be nicer to wrong numbers. I made a few friends chatting with wrong numbers. One time, an old lady called our house by accident and my mom chatted with her for an hour. Turns out she lived just a few blocks away, so we invited her over for Sunday lunch. We later hung out with her grandkids when they came to visit her. None of that would have happened if my mom had been rude, or hung up on her.
I think it's a nice way of getting to know people.