There was a text message sent from my phone that I didn't send - How is this possible?
I have a client who claims that some text messages "appeared" on her phone that she did not send. I think she may be telling the truth because it seems entirely too coincidental that these messages were sent just as my client filed for divorce. I am also suspicious because I am told that her husband gave the text messages to his lawyer but he has not been around her (or her phone) for several months so he wouldn't have access to her phone. I am also suspicious because there are only a limited number of texts, whereas it is my experience that more than a few texts would be exchanged between persons that were engaged in a romantic relationship.
Is it possible to have a text message that my client didn't send appear on her smartphone making it look as if she did send the text? If so, am I correct in assuming that the person who is responsible for sending the texts would have access to those text messages? It may be important to note that this did not occur on American soil. My client was in Lebanon at the time these texts appeared on her phone.
Text message sent from my phone that I didn't send - This is possible, by three means (this is not exhaustive, there may be others):
"Inside job": the phone was compromised and a tool to remotely control it was installed on it and used to remotely send messages, without requiring nor notifying the user. This requires either a physical access to the phone or knowing the person's gmail account credentials (username + password and possibly phone text access if 2-steps authentication is enabled). It has always been possible to do so with Android (see AirDroid app), but it's becoming more and more difficult to remotely delete messages or bypass the Android default text manager (before Android KitKat, apps could delete messages without requiring user's consent, now it's impossible, at least theoretically - I'm sure a pro hacker can do something about that, but this requires a very high level of expertise, you cannot find such an exploit on the internet currently). This is the most probable scenario (if your client is not lying of course) if there are multiple messages, particularly over several days.
Buggy network routing: it can happen sometimes that one message gets lost in the network and that someone gets a message he shouldn't. This is very rare (I already experienced it myself), because there are error correcting codes that try hard to prevent any error in the network and in the messages, but this is not impossible, just highly unlikely. Since this is very unlikely to happen, if it does happen, only one or two messages will be wrongly misrouted to a person (not a string of messages and not over several days, it can only be punctual). Also, since this is because of a network error, the content will probably be totally unrelated to the implied persons (ie, content non pertinent, hour and time totally unrelated to the person's activity like during night, etc). There is a discussion about such an instance here. SMS Spoofing: Just like the buggy network routing, but done intentionally: any sender can manipulate the sending address of a SMS. This is done legitimately by some companies to replace the sender personal number by the one of the company or by alphanumeric text. Operators can usually detect when SMS is spoofed, so you may try to give a call to your client's operator to check if this was the case or not.
However, you didn't precise what kind of phone your client is using, nor the way the messages were sent (SMS, iMessage, WhatsApp, etc.) so the modality can change (but these techniques generally remain possible, although they may be more difficult with those other networks). Also, remember that SMS is generally always supported in all networks as an alternative to send and receive text messages, and I'm not sure these apps will tell you what kind of network was used for each message. For example, iMessage allows you to send SMS instead, and it streamlines all messages in one same interface.
Answer (1)
If a text message appears to have been sent from your phone without your knowledge, there are several possible explanations, including:
Spoofing: It's possible for malicious individuals to spoof the sender information of a text message. This means that even though the message appears to come from your phone number, it was actually sent by someone else using spoofing techniques.
Malware or Spyware: If your phone is infected with malware or spyware, it could be sending text messages without your knowledge. Malicious software installed on your device may have gained access to your messaging app and sent messages on your behalf.
Unauthorized Access: Someone may have gained unauthorized access to your phone or messaging accounts, allowing them to send messages without your consent. This could occur if your device is lost or stolen, or if someone gains access to your login credentials.
Automated Services: Some apps or services may send text messages automatically, especially if you've granted them permission to do so. Check if any apps on your phone have permission to send messages and review their settings.
Human Error: It's also possible that the message was sent accidentally by someone with access to your phone, such as a family member or friend.
If you receive a text message that you didn't send, it's important to take action to secure your device and accounts:
- Change your messaging account passwords to prevent unauthorized access.
- Run a security scan on your device to check for malware or spyware.
- Review the permissions granted to apps on your phone and revoke any unnecessary permissions.
- If you suspect malicious activity, report it to your mobile carrier and consider contacting local authorities for assistance.
Additionally, be cautious about clicking on links or responding to unexpected text messages, as they may be part of phishing attempts or other scams.