Chinese characters showing up in AIM?

I'm using Pidgin 2.6.4 in Windows 7 Home Premium. For some reason, whenever I try to have a conversation with somebody using a cell phone client, half of their messages show up in Chinese characters. I have no idea what to make of it.

Does this happen to anybody else?

[a/]   http://www.guccishoestore.com/[a]gucci  handbags[/a]
 [a/]   http://www.guccishoestore.com/[a]chanel  handbags[/a]
 [a/]   http://www.guccishoestore.com/[a]fendi  handbags[/a]
 [a/]   http://www.guccishoestore.com/[a]coach  handbags[/a]
 [a/]   http://www.guccishoestore.com/[a]miumiu  handbags[/a]
 [a/]   http://www.guccishoestore.com/[a]prada  handbags[/a]
 [a/]   http://www.guccishoestore.com/[a]gucci  handbags[/a]
 [a/]   http://www.guccishoestore.com/[a]gucci  clothing[/a]
 [a/]   http://www.guccishoestore.com/[a]gucci  jewelry[/a]
 [a/]   http://www.guccishoestore.com/[a]gucci  belts[/a]
 [a/]   http://www.guccishoestore.com/[a]herve  leger[/a]
 [a/]   http://www.guccishoestore.com/[a] Christian Louboutin Shoes[/a]

go to control panel, regional settings and languages and mess with it, also google.