Patent ID: 7937097

Claim:
A method for anonymously exchanging text messages, the method comprising: receiving a text message from a sending user, the text message comprising a header and a body, the header containing a common short code corresponding to a provider of message forwarding services, the body containing (a) a unique alias corresponding to a desired receiving user and (b) text to be communicated to the receiving user; identifying a telephone number of the sending user; determining if the sending user is registered with the provider by comparing the telephone number of the sending user to a database of registered users; if the sending user is not registered with the provider, notifying the sending user that the text message will not be forwarded to the receiving user; if the sending user is registered with the provider: determining a pre-assigned unique alias of the sending user using the database of registered users; comparing the unique alias corresponding to the desired receiving user to the database of registered users; if the unique alias corresponding to the desired receiving user is not in the database of registered users, notifying the sending user that the text message cannot be forwarded to the receiving user; if the unique alias corresponding to the desired receiving user is in the database of registered users: determining a telephone number of the receiving user using the database of registered users; creating a new text message to be sent to the receiving user, the new text message comprising a header and a body, the header containing the telephone number of the receiving user, the body containing the text to be communicated to the receiving user and the unique alias of the sending user; and sending the new text message to the receiving user.