SMS Message Sent to Wrong Contact

This is not new: https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/inreach/f/inreach-general/140620/sms-message-sent-to-wrong-contact?ReplySortBy=CreatedDate&ReplySortOrder=Descending but it is VERY concerning. It has bitten me twice in the last few weeks.

I don't understand why the InReach maintains a contact list when the Earthmate app doesn't even use them. How on earth are messages being sent to completely the wrong person. This is embarrassing at best and downright dangerous at worst.

Does anyone have a current solution for this? or are we stuck with manually entering the recipient's phone number every time just ensure the right person receives the message?

0 7275867 over 3 years ago

This just happened to me as well! How is this possible?! I am starting a chat with customer support right now, and looking for alternatives to replace my inReach...

0 Adrian over 3 years ago in reply to 7275867

Did customer support have any insights? This has been happening for way too long and is dangerous. I'd love to know if they have a solution in the works.

0 7275867 over 3 years ago in reply to Adrian

They told me to delete my Earthmate app, then guided me through a factory reset and prompted me to sync again with my computer... then told me to download Earthmate again and sync the reset-device with Earthmate via bluetooth. They said that it was "impossible" for what I described to have occurred (even tho I have the screenshots of the messages to demonstrate it (or at least what it looks like from the user's end)). CS encouraged "best practices" of syncing to computer before/after every trip, and sending out messages to folks you want to contact with the inReach, and getting reply messages back, prior to leaving cell service. I already did these things though... I am headed into the field with my work crew for another week, so hopefully the reset helped...

0 twolpert over 3 years ago

You MUST sync the device after ANY change to data via the web site - contacts, messages, etc.

If you are not sure that your last sync was timely, do not send to contacts. Instead, type the address manually. Painful, but certain to have the desired effect.

Sending via Earthmate rather than direct from the device just introduces another error-prone cog in the Rube Goldberg machine since the app also knows about the contact list. I think.

0 Adrian over 3 years ago in reply to twolpert

twolpert - Thanks - everything was synched before these issues occurred for me. I am a software developer, so I am not clueless :) I have even had issues sending to a contact directly via the Inreach device (not via Earthmate) and had it go to the wrong person.

0 Adrian over 3 years ago in reply to 7275867

Thanks for those details - I have read similar suggestions before. I just didn't want to lose all contacts and message history, but sounds like it's time to try this. Would love to hear back on whether it made a difference for you on this trip.

0 dwilliams over 3 years ago

I thought I'm the only one experiencing this.