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How do I prove text is fake?

135 replies

ChimpParadox · 12/09/2018 11:10

A girl is showing DDs friends a text that she supposedly sent. It’s a vile text and DD has most definitely not sent it. The friends are believing the girl as they’ve seen the text. DD hasn’t seen the text.
How does DD prove it is not from her?
How does she find out who it is from?
What can be done?

OP posts:
UpstartCrow · 12/09/2018 11:17

Start with school, its bullying. If you dont get any joy there go to the police.

In one sense, you can't fix this one by proving the text is fake as so many people have seen it. There's no way you can find all the people who have seen it and make them see the truth. All you can do is ask the school to tackle the bully.

Theres the possibility that the text was sent from your DD's phone and then deleted. So has she lent it to anyone, or could it have been removed and returned without her knowing?

ChimpParadox · 12/09/2018 11:51

I’m going to ask her network provider for her text messages as she only uses text for us & g’parents. So very few ever sent.
Can school demand to see the girls phone & the text message?
Would police care?

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wowfudge · 12/09/2018 11:54

Don't waste your time contacting the network provider unless you don't believe your daughter and think you'll provoke a confession. Speak to the school. Someone could easily change a name in contacts to make a text look as though it has come from her. There is probably even an app for it.

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 12/09/2018 11:57

Quite easy if the girl who got the text wanted to pretend, and she had a willing friend.
Just edit willing friend's contact details , keep her number, change name to "DD"
Send text from willing friend's phone and it will appear on her phone as from DD

BreakfastAtSquiffanys · 12/09/2018 12:01

Checking the details would make it clear what number it came from

NonaGrey · 12/09/2018 12:04

Go on the offensive. Go to the school.

NotSoThinLizzy · 12/09/2018 12:11

You could check the number that the text was sent from so it'll either match your DD number or A different number. Girls used to do this the whole time in high school when I was there though it was from "boyfriends"

NotSoThinLizzy · 12/09/2018 12:12

Like they would have a different number saves as someone else's name

ChimpParadox · 12/09/2018 12:19

DD has most definitely not sent messages & I believe her. School aware & seem to believe DD. I’m not sure if they’ve examined the girls phone or not but have asked DD how she thinks the girl did it. Are they allowed to demand the girls phone?
One of DDs friends has said it’s not an actual text but a series of screenshots of texts messages - if this is correct the text itself can’t be checked can it? If the girl has taken screenshots then deleted original message?
How else can DD (or school) prove origin pls?

OP posts:
ChimpParadox · 12/09/2018 12:22

I’m livid and very disappointed that DDs ‘friends’ believe DD would do this. They’ve obviously all fallen out with her.

OP posts:
INeedNewShoes · 12/09/2018 12:26

As pp have said they've probably labelled someone else's number with DD's name. She should be able to prove that the attached number isn't hers.

ChimpParadox · 12/09/2018 12:33

INeedNewShoes if it’s a screenshot they’ll be no way of seeing an attached number will there? It’ll just show DDs name. Aaargh!! We need to prove it’s not her. Should I contact service provider? It won’t know who sent it but it’ll prove my DD did not send it. Could do with knowing who did send it though or if app etc used. If anyone has ideas I can ask school to do.

OP posts:
INeedNewShoes · 12/09/2018 12:45

You could suggest that the whole group of girls are assembled in the head of year's office and that the recipient of the text replies to it while your DD's phone is on the desk to show it isn't her or even better all phones are put on the desk to see who receives the reply. But really I don't know if you can expect the school to cooperate to this level. It's a big ask.

I'd be surprised though if one of the group has been stupid enough to allow her phone to be used for the setup...

ChimpParadox · 12/09/2018 12:54

I don’t think it’s a big ask. The text is vile and everyone’s fallen out with DD over it. The problem is if it’s a screenshot there’ll be no number traceable.

OP posts:
BalthazarImpresario · 12/09/2018 12:56

You can probably access itemised bill via your online account for you provider. They are unlikely to issue anything more than that without police involvement.
Find an itemised bill, get in touch with the school and take it from there.

kaytee87 · 12/09/2018 12:58

Get an itemised bill and it will show the numbers she's texted. What are the school doing about it?

UpstartCrow · 12/09/2018 12:58

Its cyberbullying, and yes the police ill help you deal with it.

ChimpParadox · 12/09/2018 13:05

Is it cyber bullying this way round though?
I’m not sure what school are doing as they haven’t told me. I think they are wanting proof.

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hobblesma · 12/09/2018 13:07

Itemised bill will prove your DC innocence to the police, who will then be able to investigate further. Do it. Clear her name.

kaytee87 · 12/09/2018 13:08

Push back at the school while you're waiting for the bill.

NotSoThinLizzy · 12/09/2018 13:10

If it's a screen shot are you sure it's a text and not a like Facebook messenger type thing? Just seems strange to screen shot it on a text unless sending it to people. Also What kind of phone is it? If I look at my messages it says the person's name but the mobile number underneath it might be able to fine the number that way

itswinetime · 12/09/2018 13:12

No you are right if it's a screen shot of a
Text you won't be able to see the number but it's odd to do that with texts as they don't delete so why not keep the original probably to logical for school though.

Is it definitely a text not a WhatsApp or a Snapchat the first you can prove dd didn't send with an itemised bill the other 2 are sent over Mobile data so I doubt it's that easy to prove but should be harder to fake

kaytee87 · 12/09/2018 13:14

@itswinetime presumably the girl didn't keep the original deliberately so there was no proof that it wasn't ops daughter that sent them.

fieryginger · 12/09/2018 13:15

You could ask the girl who received the text, with her phone, to read the number the contact name was attached to. It takes seconds to know the number attached to a text.

So you need the phone that received the text to check the number - never mind what name it says, if it comes up with DD's number, DD sent it. If it comes up with another number, she didn't.

You don't need network providers, you don't need police. You need the girl to check her phone. Preferably with you and DD standing in front of her with her DP, if the text is that bad.

ChimpParadox · 12/09/2018 13:29

DD has been told that it’s defo a text & not snapchat, which is what she uses with friends. She doesn’t text friends only us and g’parents.
I think the girl screen shot it to send to friends. If she’s deleted the original I think that’ll have been done because it’s a set up and knew original could be traced.
I’ll contact school again and get DDs provider to get me a list of her texts. Not sure what school will do though as damage already done.

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