Links Appearing in SMS Messages

[bumwart]

Hi all, happy new year.
I've recently noticed links in sms messages, prompted by the message content. For example, a friend sent me a message a few days ago and signed it off "love.cx" (the C is her inital and X i guess a kiss, quotation marks werent in the sms obv.)
The message was received as usual but with a small box under the text which said:

love.cx
Forsale Lander
love.cx

I tapped the box and it brought up a webpage afternic.com and a GoDaddy banner telling me that the domain is for sale. Ive attached a screenshot of the page.

I'm a complete dimwit when it comes to tech so was hoping that someone on the forum could tell me what's happening. Are my sms messages being read by a 3rd party and, if so, can i turn it off?

thanks for any help.

 

[kate]

love.cx

It's because she didn't put a space between the period and C. That makes the app think it's a website and turns it into a link.

.cx is the domain for Christmas Island.

 

[Steven58]

Why don't you 1) buy the domain and 2) populate it with lovey dovey web pages and messages. You'll score bigtime points that way. Trust me.

 

[bumwart]

It's because she didn't put a space between the period and C. That makes the app think it's a website and turns it into a link.
.cx is the domain for Christmas Island.

Tks for the reply. BUT... why, and why link to that particular website? Can i disable it?

 

[kate]

Right now love.cx does not exist so it's forwarding you to that page, Afternic and Go Daddy sell domain names.

You might be able to disable it in the apps settings, if it has an option.

 

[electricpete]

Have her send you a real web address like weather.com and you will see a preview of the page in your SMS. As others said, you sms app tried to create a preview but since web page wasn't found it brought you to the webhosting site.

 

[bumwart]

Why don't you 1) buy the domain and 2) populate it with lovey dovey web pages and messages. You'll score bigtime points that way. Trust me.

Hmmm.. not sure her husband will be too happy about that. Thanks all the same!

 

[bumwart]

Have her send you a real web address like weather.com and you will see a preview of the page in your SMS. As others said, you sms app tried to create a preview but since web page wasn't found it brought you to the webhosting site.

Tks pete. There's loads of web hosting sites, so what determines which one it directs me to?

 

[Steven58]

Hmmm.. not sure her husband will be too happy about that. Thanks all the same!

Wooops! LOL.. I guess NOT!

 

[ocnbrze]

Tks pete. There's loads of web hosting sites, so what determines which one it directs me to?

anytime an address is used but does not exist, a page will appear asking if you want to use a web hosting site to be able to make that address work. people will do this to see if that web address is taken or not. your browser is making a suggestion for you. so any web hosting site be displayed is direct to you if you select it from your messaging. it is as @kate is suggesting to you.

just ignore it and you are fine.