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Texts are being received in Chinese

Capybopy

Capybopy

Newbie
Hi..This just started three days ago, quite suddenly. When I text my mom, who is on an iphone5, she receives some of my texts in Chinese. Not all of them, just some. It seems like it's the longer messages that it happens to.. It also happened once when I texted my daughter who is on an iphone 6. I scanned my phone using two different apps and it's clean. I haven't added any new programs for ages....but I went through anyway and checked that nothing was added without me knowing it. I removed the two recipients in question from my phone completely, emptied the cache on the texting app and then rebooted. Still in Chinese. I texted the same messages to other iphone users to test it, and they were fine. It seems like it's just certain people, and it's unfortunate that it's my mom because she is older and relies on my texts... I see references to this problem here and there online but no solutions. Any help would be greatly appreciated....
 
I assume you're not in China, and your family and friends are not Chinese.

Perhaps you could post a couple of them, and I might be able to tell you what they say, or if they're scrambled gibberish.
 
We are all in the US...Here is a sample:

䁐䁡䁵䁬䀠䁩䁳䀠䁤䁥䁳䁰䁥䁲䁡䁴䁥䀠䁡䁢䁯䁵䁴䀠䁨䁩䁳䀠䁭䁯䁮䁥䁹䀠䁳䁩䁴䁵䁡䁴䁩䁯䁮…䀠䁨䁥䀠䁪䁵䁳䁴䀠䁳䁩䁴䁳䀠䁨䁥䁲䁥䀠䁡䁮䁤䀠䁧䁯䁥䁳䀠䁯䁮䀠䁡䁮䁤䀠䁯䁮䀠䁡䁮䁤䀠䁯䁮䀮䀠䀠䁈䁥䀠䁺䁯䁮䁥䁤䀠䁩䁮䀠䁯䁮䀠䁣䁡䁢䁬䁥䀠䁴䁨䁩䁳䀠䁴䁩䁭䁥䀮䀮䀠䁉䁴䁳䀠䁡䁬䁷䁡䁹䁳䀠䁥䁩䁴䁨䁥䁲䀠䁣䁡䁢䁬䁥䀠䁯䁲䀠䁴䁨䁥䀠䁰䁨䁯䁮䁥䁳䀮䀠䁈䁥䀠䁳䁡䁩䁤䀠䀢䁩䁴䁳䀠䁧䁯䁮䁥䀮䀠䀠䀠䁗䁥䀠䁤䁯䁮䀧䁴䀠䁮䁥䁥䁤䀠䁴䁶…䀠䁦䁩䁦䁴䁹䀠䁢䁵䁣䁫䁳䀠䁡䀠䁭䁯䁮䁴䁨䀠䁦䁯䁲䀠䁉䁮䁴䁥䁲䁮䁥䁴䀠䁉䀧䁬䁬䀠䁫䁥䁥䁰䀠䁰䁡䁹䁩䁮䁧䀠䁢䁵䁴䀠䁴䁨䁡䁴䀠䁩䁳䀠䁩䁴䀮䀠䀢䀠䀠䁉䀠䁴䁯䁬䁤䀠䁨䁩䁭䀠䁨䁥䀠䁩䁳䀠䁮䁯䁴䀠䁴䁡䁫䁩䁮䁧䀠䁴䁨䁥䀠䁔䁖䀠䁡䁮䁤䀠䁴䁨䁡䁴䀧䁳䀠䁴䁨䁡䁴䀮䀠䁂䁵䁴䀠䁡䁷䁨䁩䁬䁥䀠䁬䁡䁴䁥䁲䀠䁩䁮䀠䁴䁨䁥䀠䁣䁯䁮䁶䁥䁲䁳䁡䁴䁩䁯䁮䀠䁨䁥䀠䁭䁥䁮䁴䁩䁯䁮䁳䀠䁨䁩䁳䀠䁲䁯䁴䁡䁲䁹䀠䁤䁵䁥䁳䀠䁮䁥䁥䁤䀠䁰䁬䁡䁹䁥䁤䀮䀠䀠䁉䀠䁳䁡䁩䁤䀠䁉䀧䁭䀠䁳䁵䁲䁥䀠䁴䁨䁥䁹䀠䁡䁲䁥䁮䀧䁴䀠䁴䁯䁯䀠䁭䁵䁣䁨…䀠䁡䁮䁤䀠䁨䁥䀠䁳䁡䁩䁤䀠䁴䁨䁥䁹䀠䁡䁲䁥䀠䀲䀵䀰䀮䀰䀰䀠䁱䁵䁡䁲䁴䁥䁲䁬䁹䀡䀠䀠䁉䁴䀠䁤䁲䁯䁶䁥䀠䁨䁯䁭䁥䀠䁡䁧䁡䁩䁮䀠䁴䁯䀠䁭䁥䀠䁴䁨䁡䁴䀠䁩䁴䁳䀠䁨䁩䁳䀠䁭䁯䁮䁥䁹䀠䁴䁯䀠䁵䁳䁥䀠䁡䁳䀠䁨䁥䀠䁳䁥䁥䁳䀠䁦䁩䁴䀠䁡䁮䁤䀠䁮䁥䁥䁤䁳䀠䁉䀠䁨䁡䁶䁥䀠䁯䁲䀠

䁴䁨䁡䁴䀠䁭䁡䁲䁧䁥䁥䀠䁨䁡䁳䀠䁡䁲䁥䀠䁡䀠䁢䁩䁧䀠䁰䁲䁯䁢䁬䁥䁭䀮䀠䀠䀠
 
mikedt said:
I assume you're not in China, and your family and friends are not Chinese.

Perhaps you could post a couple of them, and I might be able to tell you what they say, or if they're scrambled gibberish.
Click to expand...

We are all in the US...Here is a sample:

䁐䁡䁵䁬䀠䁩䁳䀠䁤䁥䁳䁰䁥䁲䁡䁴䁥䀠䁡䁢䁯䁵䁴䀠䁨䁩䁳䀠䁭䁯䁮䁥䁹䀠䁳䁩䁴䁵䁡䁴䁩䁯䁮…䀠䁨䁥䀠䁪䁵䁳䁴䀠䁳䁩䁴䁳䀠䁨䁥䁲䁥䀠䁡䁮䁤䀠䁧䁯䁥䁳䀠䁯䁮䀠䁡䁮䁤䀠䁯䁮䀠䁡䁮䁤䀠䁯䁮䀮䀠䀠䁈䁥䀠䁺䁯䁮䁥䁤䀠䁩䁮䀠䁯䁮䀠䁣䁡䁢䁬䁥䀠䁴䁨䁩䁳䀠䁴䁩䁭䁥䀮䀮䀠䁉䁴䁳䀠䁡䁬䁷䁡䁹䁳䀠䁥䁩䁴䁨䁥䁲䀠䁣䁡䁢䁬䁥䀠䁯䁲䀠䁴䁨䁥䀠䁰䁨䁯䁮䁥䁳䀮䀠䁈䁥䀠䁳䁡䁩䁤䀠䀢䁩䁴䁳䀠䁧䁯䁮䁥䀮䀠䀠䀠䁗䁥䀠䁤䁯䁮䀧䁴䀠䁮䁥䁥䁤䀠䁴䁶…䀠䁦䁩䁦䁴䁹䀠䁢䁵䁣䁫䁳䀠䁡䀠䁭䁯䁮䁴䁨䀠䁦䁯䁲䀠䁉䁮䁴䁥䁲䁮䁥䁴䀠䁉䀧䁬䁬䀠䁫䁥䁥䁰䀠䁰䁡䁹䁩䁮䁧䀠䁢䁵䁴䀠䁴䁨䁡䁴䀠䁩䁳䀠䁩䁴䀮䀠䀢䀠䀠䁉䀠䁴䁯䁬䁤䀠䁨䁩䁭䀠䁨䁥䀠䁩䁳䀠䁮䁯䁴䀠䁴䁡䁫䁩䁮䁧䀠䁴䁨䁥䀠䁔䁖䀠䁡䁮䁤䀠䁴䁨䁡䁴䀧䁳䀠䁴䁨䁡䁴䀮䀠䁂䁵䁴䀠䁡䁷䁨䁩䁬䁥䀠䁬䁡䁴䁥䁲䀠䁩䁮䀠䁴䁨䁥䀠䁣䁯䁮䁶䁥䁲䁳䁡䁴䁩䁯䁮䀠䁨䁥䀠䁭䁥䁮䁴䁩䁯䁮䁳䀠䁨䁩䁳䀠䁲䁯䁴䁡䁲䁹䀠䁤䁵䁥䁳䀠䁮䁥䁥䁤䀠䁰䁬䁡䁹䁥䁤䀮䀠䀠䁉䀠䁳䁡䁩䁤䀠䁉䀧䁭䀠䁳䁵䁲䁥䀠䁴䁨䁥䁹䀠䁡䁲䁥䁮䀧䁴䀠䁴䁯䁯䀠䁭䁵䁣䁨…䀠䁡䁮䁤䀠䁨䁥䀠䁳䁡䁩䁤䀠䁴䁨䁥䁹䀠䁡䁲䁥䀠䀲䀵䀰䀮䀰䀰䀠䁱䁵䁡䁲䁴䁥䁲䁬䁹䀡䀠䀠䁉䁴䀠䁤䁲䁯䁶䁥䀠䁨䁯䁭䁥䀠䁡䁧䁡䁩䁮䀠䁴䁯䀠䁭䁥䀠䁴䁨䁡䁴䀠䁩䁴䁳䀠䁨䁩䁳䀠䁭䁯䁮䁥䁹䀠䁴䁯䀠䁵䁳䁥䀠䁡䁳䀠䁨䁥䀠䁳䁥䁥䁳䀠䁦䁩䁴䀠䁡䁮䁤䀠䁮䁥䁥䁤䁳䀠䁉䀠䁨䁡䁶䁥䀠䁯䁲䀠

䁴䁨䁡䁴䀠䁭䁡䁲䁧䁥䁥䀠䁨䁡䁳䀠䁡䁲䁥䀠䁡䀠䁢䁩䁧䀠䁰䁲䁯䁢䁬䁥䁭䀮䀠䀠䀠
 
That's scrambled gibberish Chinese(Simplified PRC). Looks like an encoding problem, and the messaging is assuming texts are in Chinese for some reason. What's wrong, I have no idea. Is it only happening from the users with iPhones, if so, could be a problem with their iMessage, that only Apple devices use.
 
mikedt said:
That's scrambled gibberish Chinese(Simplified PRC). Looks like an encoding problem, and the messaging is assuming texts are in Chinese for some reason. What's wrong, I have no idea. Is it only happening from the users with iPhones, if so, could be a problem with their iMessage, that only Apple devices use.
Click to expand...

To make it even odder, it's only two iphone users. I have other contacts with iphones who aren't experiencing this. The two who are having the problem are family who are part of our friends and family group with AT&T. It looks like the messages that do this are the longer ones. Short one liners are fine. Longer are not. Could this have anything to do with me using Go SMS PRO? I'm not using my stock app....I never have.
 
I have a similar problem. Texts from my son (using Samsung S5) come in Chinese on my Samsung Alpha. My texts back are fine. ATTACHED is our carrier.
 
Bkruggel said:
I have a similar problem. Texts from my son (using Samsung S5) come in Chinese on my Samsung Alpha. My texts back are fine. ATTACHED is our carrier.
Click to expand...

I also have AT&T and a Galaxy S5 Do you use the stock texting app that came with the phone, or something else? I use GO SMS PRO to text. This problem started very suddenly and it seems like it's here to stay......I wish I knew what to do...!
 
Capybopy said:
I also have AT&T and a Galaxy S5 Do you use the stock texting app that came with the phone, or something else? I use GO SMS PRO to text. This problem started very suddenly and it seems like it's here to stay......I wish I knew what to do...!
Click to expand...

I guess the question would actually be...does your son use GO SMS PRO ? It sounds like it's coming from his phone....
 
Perhaps GO SMS is feeling homesick (pining) for the PRC, where it comes from.

Probably better to ditch and use something else instead. "free" GO apps are rather spamny and heavily adware/spyware loaded, not recommended at all.
 
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I sent a text using Go SMS Pro yesterday and receiver said it looked like Chinese. First time it has happened. Something must have changed with Go.
 
火火火火火火火

Fire fire fire fire fire fire fire fire


I do NOT recommend GO SMS, for reasons I posted previously, and I do NOT recommend anyone use a Samsung Note7. Should be turned off and returned ASAP.
 
karman said:
I sent a text using Go SMS Pro yesterday and receiver said it looked like Chinese. First time it has happened. Something must have changed with Go.
Click to expand...

I too think something changed ..I've used it on a daily basis for almost two years without a problem, and then suddenly I'm sending messages in gibberish Chinese. If it happened six years ago as the above link indicates, you would think they'd have learned by now how to prevent this problem. But what do i know...The length of the texts definetly comes into play..Very short messages work out fine. But not longer texts...

Try removing it completely from your phone and then reboot and reinstall. I did that and so far so good. I also changed the theme just in case it had somehow contributed to the problem.
 
Capybopy said:
I too think something changed ..I've used it on a daily basis for almost two years without a problem, and then suddenly I'm sending messages in gibberish Chinese. If it happened six years ago as the above link indicates, you would think they'd have learned by now how to prevent this problem. But what do i know...The length of the texts definetly comes into play..Very short messages work out fine. But not longer texts...

Try removing it completely from your phone and then reboot and reinstall. I did that and so far so good. I also changed the theme just in case it had somehow contributed to the problem.
Click to expand...

There's a clue I think. Could be that GO SMS is using double-byte encoding for everything, i.e. two bytes per character, Which is what Chinese uses, but English only needs to use one byte per character. Are the messages getting scrambled when send more than 80 characters in a text? Usually for SMS it's 160 maximum per SMS, but for Chinese it's 80, before SMS have to be concatenated. And I presume that's where things are going wrong for GO SMS. Like it's not recognizing the correct language for the text, and it's assuming it's in Chinese(Simplified PRC), and GO SMS does come from China. So use another SMS app I think.
 
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That sounds like the most logical explanation mikedt. Since GO SMS Pro emanates from China, it may well explain why they are reluctant to fix this old issue. There are numerous text apps on the Play Store that do not suffer from this issue... so, vote with your feet. :)
 
I have noticed the same thing with texts from my mom. She has a Windows phone and I have the Note 4. But we are both on the AT&T Family plan. We just use regular messaging- no special app. Just started in the last few weeks. Is AT&T the common thread here?
 
If you're still using GO SMS on your own device, which uses regular SMS, then that is the culprit. So I do suggest you try something else, like the phone's own stock SMS.
 
I thought I was over this problem, but I'm not. Yes, it's as soon as we go beyond 80 characters it happens. Of course switching to a different app is the obvious thing to do...It's just that I love the features of Go SMS and am reluctant to give them up. I went two years with not a problem, so why now? I emailed Go Sms support support twice with no response.
 
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