Help!! My Phone Was Hacked

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2006
Help!! My Phone Was Hacked
12
Thu, 01-25-2007 - 11:24am

Hi everyone,

I need some help on something. You all know my story by now I'm sure, but now something else is happening and I'm pretty sure it’s a result of this.

Last night, a friend of mine called me and said "I just got your text message and I'm calling you back". I never text messaged this friend (or anybody for that matter). I told him this and asked him what it said. It said "call me, jacki" and then had my phone number. Now, I'm pretty sure that this same guy is spoofing my phone again like he did the first time when he sent me a text message and it was TO me From me. Apparently there's something called spoofing that goes on where people can access your phone very easily and mimic your phone and send out messages/make calls. Anyway, this is worrying me so I called up the phone company and had the number changed immediately. They said their technical support and fraud depts only support internal issues, not something where someone is using an outside source to send the messages like he is. I also have no proof of this because the messages arent showing up on my bill (I asked customer service). I am very worried that even though I changed the number that might not be enough. Does anyone have any experience with this? Any suggestions?? Again, the guy lives in another state so I'm not worried about him coming here or anything, just want to be left alone with the phone thing. I was told by someone that maybe I should get a new phone altogether, not just change the number. I just want to know if there are any further security measures I can take.

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Avatar for blondie0506
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 01-25-2007 - 11:31am

How does this guy have your friend's cell number? In order to send spoof texts, the person spoofing has to have the number to send it to, as well as the 'fake sender's' number (yours).

Suggestion: Devise a code when using text messaging, that you only give to your family and friends (say, a numeric code) and tell them that if they get a text from you that does not contain your code, to ignore it.

How do you know it's him, anyway?

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-08-2006
Thu, 01-25-2007 - 11:37am
I have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA how this guy got my friend's number. That is another thing that is scaring me!! What if this guy got into my phone somehow and got all my numbers? I read online that these hackers have ways of doing that and getting into the carrier's database or something and getting phone records. When I read that I deleted all my contacts and wrote them in a phone book. Now i'm completely paranoid. How do i know it was this guy? He did it once before and I just am sure it had to be him.
Avatar for blondie0506
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 01-25-2007 - 11:39am
I think maybe if you ignore it and don't contact him, it'll just go away and he'll leave you alone.


Edited 1/25/2007 11:40 am ET by blondie0506
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-30-2006
Thu, 01-25-2007 - 8:13pm
You need to compile everything this guy has done to you, include any written correspondence and file a police report. I have mentioned this to you before, maybe you forgot, he is violating a Federal Statute, which makes it a crime to utilize telecommunications crossing state lines to harass someone. He is harassing you. This is a crime, punishable by prison. What he is doing with the phone could land him up to 2 years in jail. You need to talk to your lawyer about this.


Edited 1/25/2007 8:19 pm ET by snafu2006
iVillage Member
Registered: 09-09-2003
Thu, 01-25-2007 - 10:22pm
Text Messages are in a way like email messages. Anyone with access to a gateway can send a message pretending it to be from a phone number without having to actually use a phone! It is a simple trick so no need to get paranoid. Anyone who works in telecommunication can do this trick. Just change your phone number and dont ever give it to him. He cannot get into your phone unless he is sitting across from you and you 2 have bluetooth signals...
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-17-2002
Fri, 01-26-2007 - 2:16pm

She has no proof that it was him in most cases. Unfortunate, but true. She really only suspect him in things like this because she doesn't know who it might be. This guy has done a couple shady thing in the past, so he's first to get the blame thrown his way. While obviously you don't want harrassment to continue, if you don't have absolute proof that it was that person you are accusing of harrassment, the case will get dismissed so fast it will make your head spin. They won't even take up a case without some kind of proof. This is likely someone just sending a text from a website like you can do with any cell phone provider - you type in the from and to numbers and the message and send. She almost certainly wasn't hacked into and while this guy is definitely a jerk, no one can go throwing around accusations without something to back it up.

Best suggestion is to just move on.

131.gif image by y_baros th5K.gif image by jade_simo

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-21-2004
Fri, 01-26-2007 - 3:29pm

<< I have mentioned this to you before, maybe you forgot, he is violating a Federal Statute, which makes it a crime to utilize telecommunications crossing state lines to harass someone.>>

She has NO PROOF that he's done this. She *believes* her phone was hacked, but she's also admitted to being paranoid ... so, let's weigh things out here.

Secondly, perpetuating the saga by filing police reports and hiring lawyers is not going to help her move on from it. She has no CASE in order to do those thigns, not an ounce or shred of proof.

She's done what she can, she's changed her number. It's done. Now, she just needs to move beyond it.

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-30-2006
Fri, 01-26-2007 - 9:56pm

Juliara2003, I think you meant your reply to be under Yellowlablover's post. Unless you post it under her post, she will not get an email to read your post.

But, since you posted, how do you get access to a "gateway" and what is a "gateway"? Also, how can someone get into your phone with a Bluetooth signal?

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-30-2006
Fri, 01-26-2007 - 10:01pm
She can get the proof from her phone company, if she wants to. Being someone who has been harassed via the telecommunication system, and vandalized, and sideswiped, and terrorized by a crazy rich doctor it is the only way to go to get rid of him once and for all. People take the initial stages of harassment too casually and usually end up regretting not having all of the necessary paperwork and things organized to talk to the police and judges. But of course, you are entitled to your opinion. She is a big girl and she will do what she wants to do. She keeps going back for more, even though he treats her terribly, so this saga may go on for a long time. If he terrorizes her so much, then she'll take care of it....if she just loves the drama...she'll keep it going.
iVillage Member
Registered: 11-30-2006
Fri, 01-26-2007 - 10:09pm

Not based on advice given to me by the police. Once you have been a victim of harassment, regardless as to whether or not you have proof to THE actual person doing it, you must start the diaries, logging and start conversations with necessary law enforcement with reports (yes...even with no suspect named...if necessary) and lawyers. You must start a paper trail. She has a case...she has evidence that she has been harassed...good detective work and an investigation by the phone company will help determine who her harasser is.

"Moving On" is alot of psychobabble and the trendy term of the year. He will find a way into her computer email account or "myspace" site if he is determined to do so. She has to start logging her information on a calendar and printing out the texts if she can...NOW. But...if she doesn't dod anything and allows this to continue...then maybe she just likes to vent here and really doesn't want to stop it or need to stop it or maybe is just exaggerating a little. Who knows? But once someone has marked you as "prey", your life becomes a never ending cycle of constant documentation until the perp is locked up.

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