messages arriving on Chinese characters

[#1]

Long messages from friends and family are arriving at my phone in Chinese characters. Short msgs from the same people are ok. All phone settings are in English. Any ideas?

[#2]

Long messages from friends and family are arriving at my phone in Chinese characters. Short msgs from the same people are ok. All phone settings are in English. Any ideas?

[#3]

Hello Community,

This has been determined to be a known issue.  Thanks so much to the community for bringing this to our attention.  We have engaged the proper groups, and will hopefully have a resolution soon.  This is affecting iOS and Android devices.

Thanks so much

Tim, AT&T Community Specialist

[#4]

Same issue. It's an AT&T problem and 1000s of people are having it this week suddenly. Yet nobody at AT&T knows or cares.

I put my sim card in another phone and the issue persists.

[#5]

Same issue. It's an AT&T problem and 1000s of people are having it this week suddenly. Yet nobody at AT&T knows or cares.

I put my sim card in another phone and the issue persists.

[#6]

On occasion when I text someone the text shows up in Chinese on their phone. My phone shows the text in English. I checked in settings and the language is set for US English.

[#7]

On occasion when I text someone the text shows up in Chinese on their phone. My phone shows the text in English. I checked in settings and the language is set for US English.

[#8]

I am having the exact same problem. Then when it happens all my texts on my end turn to double text.

[#9]

I am having the exact same problem. Then when it happens all my texts on my end turn to double text.

[#10]

Remove any emotes and emoticons and try to send the message.

[#11]

Remove any emotes and emoticons and try to send the message.

[#12]

I have an emoticon as my signature so that could be the problem?

[#13]

I have an emoticon as my signature so that could be the problem?

[#14]

Omg... It worked!!! I removed my signature emoticon and the Chinese stuff went away. Thank you so much!!!

[#15]

Omg... It worked!!! I removed my signature emoticon and the Chinese stuff went away. Thank you so much!!!

[#16]

Thanks for letting me know. At least I know it's not on my end.

[#17]

Thanks for letting me know. At least I know it's not on my end.

[#18]

Don't use any emoticons.

[#19]

Don't use any emoticons.

[#20]

Hi David,

Thanks, I did also notice that the issue was with emoticons. Would you happen to know whether this issue is known to AT&T technicians or w/e and is being worked on?

[#21]

Hi David,

Thanks, I did also notice that the issue was with emoticons. Would you happen to know whether this issue is known to AT&T technicians or w/e and is being worked on?

[#22]

Apparently some kind of software bug or whatnot causing this. Probably will be an update.

[#23]

Apparently some kind of software bug or whatnot causing this. Probably will be an update.

[#24]

I'm having this issue on two different unlocked, non-ATT devices, and there's been no software updates in the last many months on either.

Emoticons were working for me last week. Now I get corrupted SMS messages that are half-english half-non-ascii.

Really hoping this gets addressed ASAP. I've seen so many people posting about this issue all around the net and they all are within the last few days. 

Edit:

Well, to be fair, it could truly be a software issue, just not on my end. I'm only having this issue when someone with an iPhone sends me an SMS with emoticons. 

[#25]

I'm having this issue on two different unlocked, non-ATT devices, and there's been no software updates in the last many months on either.

Emoticons were working for me last week. Now I get corrupted SMS messages that are half-english half-non-ascii.

Really hoping this gets addressed ASAP. I've seen so many people posting about this issue all around the net and they all are within the last few days. 

Edit:

Well, to be fair, it could truly be a software issue, just not on my end. I'm only having this issue when someone with an iPhone sends me an SMS with emoticons. 

[#26]

The same thing is happening to my recipients with texts sent from my Samsung Android phone.  However, it is intermittent, and I just checked and the problem does appear to be linked to the use of emoticons.  So obviously the short-term solution is to not use them.  But ATT needs to fix this.

I saw chatter on another (not ATT board) from 2014 which identified a similar problem, and in that case it was linked to an attack on the phone.  If so, and if there is any indication that this is the case now, ATT should put out an alert until the problem is resolved!

[#27]

The same thing is happening to my recipients with texts sent from my Samsung Android phone.  However, it is intermittent, and I just checked and the problem does appear to be linked to the use of emoticons.  So obviously the short-term solution is to not use them.  But ATT needs to fix this.

I saw chatter on another (not ATT board) from 2014 which identified a similar problem, and in that case it was linked to an attack on the phone.  If so, and if there is any indication that this is the case now, ATT should put out an alert until the problem is resolved!

[#28]

Still possible that this is an attack on our phones, so definitely avoid until ATT resolves the issue.

[#29]

Still possible that this is an attack on our phones, so definitely avoid until ATT resolves the issue.

[#30]

I appeciatel everyone's info.  I'm receiving short messages just fine, with or without emoticons.  It's hard to tell all my friends and family not to use them when texting me and only me, that's not going to work.  It's the longer messages that are converted to Chinese characters, and both the folks I have received these corrupted message do have iPhones.  I hope that a fix is found soon; it is really annoying.

[#31]

I appeciatel everyone's info.  I'm receiving short messages just fine, with or without emoticons.  It's hard to tell all my friends and family not to use them when texting me and only me, that's not going to work.  It's the longer messages that are converted to Chinese characters, and both the folks I have received these corrupted message do have iPhones.  I hope that a fix is found soon; it is really annoying.

[#32]

This wouldn't likely be an update on phones/devices, but on the server side.

I guess it could depend on where the tranformation is going bad, but it would seem to be some sort of server parser or XML transform or similar is more likely the culprit.

Yeah, @OneToughCookie, you could definitely "inject" some bad code, particularly depending on how the transofrmations are being done, but my  guess is that the most likely "target" would be the AT&T servers, although I suppose it could be devices too.

It's hard to say, but I'd be willing to bet there are numerous people looking at this, given the possibilities ;-]

[#33]

This wouldn't likely be an update on phones/devices, but on the server side.

I guess it could depend on where the tranformation is going bad, but it would seem to be some sort of server parser or XML transform or similar is more likely the culprit.

Yeah, @OneToughCookie, you could definitely "inject" some bad code, particularly depending on how the transofrmations are being done, but my  guess is that the most likely "target" would be the AT&T servers, although I suppose it could be devices too.

It's hard to say, but I'd be willing to bet there are numerous people looking at this, given the possibilities ;-]

[#34]

I went to the At&T store and they told me to do the software update. (I had avoided it after hearing others complain about it.) Well, I did the software update but the problem hasn't been solved. Apparently I was the 4th person to come into the store that day with this problem. Guess I will try the suggestion about removing the emoticons. Thank you for the advice!

[#35]

I went to the At&T store and they told me to do the software update. (I had avoided it after hearing others complain about it.) Well, I did the software update but the problem hasn't been solved. Apparently I was the 4th person to come into the store that day with this problem. Guess I will try the suggestion about removing the emoticons. Thank you for the advice!

[#36]

I am having the same problem and I don't use emoticons ever. I installed AVG and locked down my apps. I am still having the problem.

[#37]

I am having the same problem and I don't use emoticons ever. I installed AVG and locked down my apps. I am still having the problem.

[#38]

This is happening to me also and can't seem to find a fix. It started on Oct 13th for me. It does not happen on short texts, only on somewhat longer ones. For me it has nothing to do with emoji's.

help

[#39]

This is happening to me also and can't seem to find a fix. It started on Oct 13th for me. It does not happen on short texts, only on somewhat longer ones. For me it has nothing to do with emoji's.

help

[#40]

In two occasions my text were received in Chinese, not English or Spanish. What's happening?

[#41]

In two occasions my text were received in Chinese, not English or Spanish. What's happening?

[#42]

For me as well--only happens when a a particular iphone friend sends me longer texts (with no emojis). Short ones (even with emojis) come through okay. Just started today.

[#43]

For me as well--only happens when a a particular iphone friend sends me longer texts (with no emojis). Short ones (even with emojis) come through okay. Just started today.

[#44]

Thought I'd just chime in. Using a Nexus 6P on At&t and receiving the weird Chinese messages from a specific friend that has an At&t iPhone on iOS 10. Always happens when he texts with emojis. 

[#45]

Thought I'd just chime in. Using a Nexus 6P on At&t and receiving the weird Chinese messages from a specific friend that has an At&t iPhone on iOS 10. Always happens when he texts with emojis. 

[#46]

It started for me on Oct 13th, too!

[#47]

It started for me on Oct 13th, too!

[#48]

Yes, my  husband got my texts today in Chinese as well. I have an iphone6 plus. I removed the emoticons, and told him to check for an update for his S4. And to download an anti-virus? Is this exclusive to AT&T? or is it all of the samsung s4's that are experiencing this problem?

[#49]

Yes, my  husband got my texts today in Chinese as well. I have an iphone6 plus. I removed the emoticons, and told him to check for an update for his S4. And to download an anti-virus? Is this exclusive to AT&T? or is it all of the samsung s4's that are experiencing this problem?

[#50]

No one should have to "remove" emoticons from their device, this is more about just not using them.

The likely scenario (not based, but from previous parsing experience when coding for years) is something like this:

- I send a "squiggly-faced smiley", and it uses a "code" to tell the server (on the AT&T side) that you want to send it, something like "<esc>12345".

- Another person uses a "trigger" to send a message in Mandarin, and it's something like "<esc>1234"

- In theory, the parser should differentiate from these, but maybe something got hosed, a buffer got shortened, or the value is getting truncated, and both are coming through as "<esc>1234".

If this is the case, all the characters after that sequence will be interpreted as Mandarin, even though one person intended to send an emoticon, and antother a message, in Mandrin, or at least part of the message.

I would talk to a CSR, everyone who's seeing this should, the more "reports" they have from the field, the more weight this will likely get, and hopefully someone will debug it and fix things.

This can hose the server, in other ways too (not going into that tech detail here), so ultimately, it's in the best-interest of the MMS/SMS server team to look at this, sooner rather than later...

The chance that it's infecting phones/devices is low. I suppose it's possible, that someone is "injecting" code into one of those buffers, probably through an overrrun, but it's pretty unlikely, as long as you're using built-in texting apps, or known-well-tested ones.

[#51]

No one should have to "remove" emoticons from their device, this is more about just not using them.

The likely scenario (not based, but from previous parsing experience when coding for years) is something like this:

- I send a "squiggly-faced smiley", and it uses a "code" to tell the server (on the AT&T side) that you want to send it, something like "<esc>12345".

- Another person uses a "trigger" to send a message in Mandarin, and it's something like "<esc>1234"

- In theory, the parser should differentiate from these, but maybe something got hosed, a buffer got shortened, or the value is getting truncated, and both are coming through as "<esc>1234".

If this is the case, all the characters after that sequence will be interpreted as Mandarin, even though one person intended to send an emoticon, and antother a message, in Mandrin, or at least part of the message.

I would talk to a CSR, everyone who's seeing this should, the more "reports" they have from the field, the more weight this will likely get, and hopefully someone will debug it and fix things.

This can hose the server, in other ways too (not going into that tech detail here), so ultimately, it's in the best-interest of the MMS/SMS server team to look at this, sooner rather than later...

The chance that it's infecting phones/devices is low. I suppose it's possible, that someone is "injecting" code into one of those buffers, probably through an overrrun, but it's pretty unlikely, as long as you're using built-in texting apps, or known-well-tested ones.

[#52]

Thank you, I appreciate your response. I will contact AT&T as well.
Much appreciated.

[#53]

Thank you, I appreciate your response. I will contact AT&T as well.
Much appreciated.

[#54]

I went to another AT&T store yesterday and was told that several people had come in with this same problem. A service rep worked on one customer's phone for an hour trying to fix the problem but didn't have any success. He also told me maybe I should give it a few days to see if it will fix itself. I have only had this issue when texting someone with an android phone and only with longer messages.

[#55]

I went to another AT&T store yesterday and was told that several people had come in with this same problem. A service rep worked on one customer's phone for an hour trying to fix the problem but didn't have any success. He also told me maybe I should give it a few days to see if it will fix itself. I have only had this issue when texting someone with an android phone and only with longer messages.

[#56]

Pretty much the same thing here.....using an iphone 7, but the interesting thing is that is is also happening when I send texts through my computer as the two are synched

[#57]

Pretty much the same thing here.....using an iphone 7, but the interesting thing is that is is also happening when I send texts through my computer as the two are synched

[#58 · Accepted solution]

Hello Community,

This has been determined to be a known issue.  Thanks so much to the community for bringing this to our attention.  We have engaged the proper groups, and will hopefully have a resolution soon.  This is affecting iOS and Android devices.

Thanks so much

Tim, AT&T Community Specialist

[#59 · Accepted solution]

Hello Community,

This has been determined to be a known issue.  Thanks so much to the community for bringing this to our attention.  We have engaged the proper groups, and will hopefully have a resolution soon.  This is affecting iOS and Android devices.

Thanks so much

Tim, AT&T Community Specialist

[#60]

Receiving text messages from friends started last week on 10/13. Is it a hack? Called AT&T Chat tech support and ended up resetting to factory default settings, after backing up data. Hope you determine the cause of this soon.

[#61]

Receiving text messages from friends started last week on 10/13. Is it a hack? Called AT&T Chat tech support and ended up resetting to factory default settings, after backing up data. Hope you determine the cause of this soon.