Texts and the ablility to obtain them (Question)

[shadowjack69]

Ok so, from what I understand it is possible to obtain the actual content of text messages that are sent to and from two phones. My question is how easy is it really to obtain this ? and would you only be able to if you had a court order to obtain it ?

Thanks

Fawkesfire2003

[topsgt38801]

You would have to get a court order with some sort of evidence a crime has been commited to access the files of the cell service providers. That is the case in most states, but there can always be an exception. The court order for access should be the case in most every state.

Top

[shadowjack69]

ok, but say some guy was threatening you that he would do that. Albiet without a court order he is just saying, " I can access your texts and put them on the internet!" That possible ? No he does not work for any cell phone company but has a lot of money.

[topsgt38801]

I would assume many folks could be bought for a price and if they worked for the cell provider they might run the risk of losing their job for a fee as well as possible prosecution for providing the information. It is against the law in most states to give out this type of information without a court order. I would think it very foolish to give up a job for a one time payment, but some folks don't reason things out. From that standpoint it could happen, but i would find it highly unlikely.

Personally, I do not think it would happen, but then again never say never.

[MisterBills]

Some cell phone companies offer a service that will copy all text messages received on one line to the parent phone. It's mostly for parents to monitor their kids or to keep tabs on a spouse. It also may be possible for someone one the account to request a history of numbers texted. Cell companies keep that info for billing purposes. Otherwise, court order only.

[Capt. Lincoln F. Stern]

Originally Posted by fawkesfire2003

Ok so, from what I understand it is possible to obtain the actual content of text messages that are sent to and from two phones. My question is how easy is it really to obtain this ? and would you only be able to if you had a court order to obtain it ?

Thanks

Fawkesfire2003

The Court order is one way. I have heard that some corporate cell plans allow the company to see the the text messages.

Most often all one see's is the phone #'s of calls and texts both incoming and outgoing.

[amusemeant]

There are pieces of software you can install on the phone behind the user's back, and there are monitoring services you can hire to have all the content sent to you - you just have to prove that you own that number, ie that your name is on the bill. It's pretty easy actually.

[Capt. Lincoln F. Stern]

I have a piece of software on my android phone that moves all SMS texts from the SIM card to the Micro SD memory card. thus they can be moved to a pc. Does not always mean they are safer but it does put them in a place where they not normally looked at.

[amusemeant]

I really don't know who you are worried about seeing them. If it's the law, I'm sure it's more complicated. If it's ur spouse or SO and their name is also on ur cell phone bill, it's pretty easy. If it's ur spouse or SO and their name is not on the bill, make sure you keep ur phone locked and you should be good.

[Capt. Lincoln F. Stern]

Some people are over paranoid....
To quote the words of my friend Barry " NEver do anything you would have to explain to Paramedics"

[instfixer]

Without a court order...
To even locate some techno geek in a cell phone outfit would be a miracle...
Yet even this techno geek just cannot access stuff for kicks because there is monitoring software that tracks HIS work. Some account get accessed to and there is a complaint..., the higher ups can figure who accessed that account.
Even now and then there are storys how people are fired in hospitals for accessing without permission some celebrity's electronic medical records

[Capt. Lincoln F. Stern]

Originally Posted by instfixer

Without a court order...
To even locate some techno geek in a cell phone outfit would be a miracle...
Yet even this techno geek just cannot access stuff for kicks because there is monitoring software that tracks HIS work. Some account get accessed to and there is a complaint..., the higher ups can figure who accessed that account.
Even now and then there are storys how people are fired in hospitals for accessing without permission some celebrity's electronic medical records

I will concur on this. The techno geeks have access to your stuff, but they are monitored more closely than you would think.

They have to get your spoken permission before they can look at the info.

Yahoo for example has the AMT tool or Account Management Tool ( I used to work for Yahoo, so I know)

This tool can look at your emails without the need of a password.. however Yahoo logs every agent who even opens the tool. Everything they do with this tool is logged and a few Yahoo agents lost their jobs for spying on their spouses, SO's etc.

I like to offload my texts from my phone's Sim card to the Micro SD card, where it can be moved to a protected area on my home network. I can still access them via FTP on a pc or my phone so I am not without them.

[Capt. Lincoln F. Stern]

Update on that application, I vacuumed all the texts off my phone dating back to when I got it (August of 2010), stored them into a .txt file that I gave a name (it will set a name but you can change it) and stored them onto the microSd card on phone in about 1 minute. Then I cut/pasted it from phone via USB cable to computer.

history of texts are now in an area of my technical world that no-one would think to look and can be locked out.

PS... the file was about 350k I don't text a lot but considering how quick this app is, you could effectively move all texts to pc on a monthly basis.

[OklahomaSooner]

Get a toss-away and I always get the number in some other city since you can choose the area code.

[Dallas Dynamite]

Why save the text messages?
Are they that good??

Read and delete works for me.