Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

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:
itswinetime · 14/09/2018 06:57

The person receiving it can see the number it’s from though?

Yes but in this case it seems the person who received it is the one trying to fake the text so she's unlikely to be much help

MadeForThis · 14/09/2018 22:06

Did you speak to the police?

Original poster
ChimpParadox · 15/09/2018 07:31

Some of your anecdotes are horrendous. Im blown away that there’s apps and websites helping people to be malicious! Thank heavens your friend was at the movies @SofiaAmes
I’m currentky letting school deal with it but have told them I’m happy for police involvement if they think that’ll help. I don’t want to undermine the school at this early stage by going straight to the police but happy to if necessary. Ive sent school DDs phone records listing all the numbers she’s text proving the girls number isn’t amongst them.

OP posts:
Cagliostro · 15/09/2018 07:47

mangomama yes it will be in her App Store, even if she has since deleted the app, it will be visible.
Yes on an iPhone it’d have the little download symbol with the cloud, not sure how it works on an android though.

So sorry OP what a nasty nasty child to do this

snolion · 15/09/2018 07:58

Is this in West Melbourne? I’ve heard of stuff like this happening in my DD’s school

deeferdog · 15/09/2018 10:36

Ive sent school DDs phone records listing all the numbers she’s text proving the girls number isn’t amongst them.

Well done OP. Keep on at the school, ask them where they are in their investigations. It’s so tempting for them to stall with this issue because it’s not physical violence on school premises or something like that that needs immediate intervention.

CoraPirbright · 15/09/2018 11:36

Best of luck with it OP. Hope the school take it seriously. Once it's all proved, I would be pushing for a whole year assembly where the head will explain exactly what has gone on so everyone can see that your did has been officially exonerated.

Didsomeonesaybunny · 15/09/2018 11:43

It’s terrifying to think that this is happening to your daughter.

There are certainly ways to prove texts are fake, a friend of mine had a similar issue and was actually accused of harassment. The messaging platform was WhatsApp who were a great help in passing information to the authorities evidencing that no messages were sent from my friends phone and the woman in question alleging the harassment had ‘faked’ the message.

Original poster
ChimpParadox · 15/09/2018 14:03

@snolion not West Melbourne - we are in UK.
The school are taking it seriously and know it doesn’t add up. They’ve only been back a week and all this takes time. It feels soooooo much longer than a week though. My DD want everyone to know it’s not true but I’m not sure the school will want to do an assembly @corapirbright.

OP posts:
Original poster
ChimpParadox · 19/09/2018 09:36

I’m livid! School say they can’t get involved as texts sent during school holidays. Plus too difficult to prove a negative. The girl’s parents have been made aware. I’m so annoyed. My DD has lost all her friends and suffering yet this girl has totally got away with it.

OP posts:
NorthernRunner · 19/09/2018 09:51

I’m sorry OP that’s awful for your dd

PattiStanger · 19/09/2018 10:46

Could you let the other girl's parents know that you will now be asking the police to investigate?

I can see why the school might feel there's nothing they can do, realistically they wouldn't be able to get involved with what happens in the holidays, is there any suggestion that messages where also sent in school time?

CoraPirbright · 19/09/2018 11:50

God talk about passing the buck!! I would now get the police involved. This nasty girl needs the wind putting up her.

Hereward1332 · 19/09/2018 12:38

Spoof a text from the perpetrator to your DD saying 'I'm going to fake a text and make everyone hate you'. Either it's seen as real and friends may doubt first text is genuine, or perpetrator has to admit texts can easily be faked.

HolyFuckNuggets · 19/09/2018 14:12

I would have thought that if the fallout was affecting DDs school time then it WOULD be a problem for the school to help with.

Looks like you will have to involve police. I would let the other girls parents know you aren't happy with how things have been handled and you are contacting police as your DD is being accused of something she hasn't done and is being bullied over it. Maybe that will spur the other girl into confessing before it getting as far as the police.

HolyFuckNuggets · 19/09/2018 14:15

And for what it's worth, my son was accused of sending things to a girl 4 years older than him and I contacted the police who were more than happy to help and came back within hours to say the pics were quite obviously of someone MUCH older than 10 and that some bastard had made a fake profile and used my sons picture and details. They did take the girls phone though to figure it all out so I'm sure they could do the same for your DD.

Mullersynner · 19/09/2018 14:22

Herewards solution... two can play that game. I’d bloody do it.

PaulHollywoodsSexGut · 19/09/2018 14:30

It’s awful isn’t it @Mullersynner

In situations like this i do wonder if you’re basically failed by the system then is it better to prove the equation by doing the exact same thing back to the perpetrator and having them get a taste of their own medicine?

But yeah, two wrongs don’t make a right and there are no winners in a situation like this, maybe just a lasting “don’t fuck with me” imprint on the minds of your DD’s (ex?) friends.

itswinetime · 19/09/2018 15:38

I would make it clear to the girls parents and the school you are taking it further and going to the police I wonder if her story would change if she knows it will be looked into. If not I would actually go to the police they may or may not be able to help but at least you will know you tried everything

myrtleWilson · 19/09/2018 15:44

I would also now tell the school, the girl's parents that you are progressing to police action. However, with regard to the 'friends' your DD has lost - would she really want their friendship again after proving her innocence? Did not one of them say "hold on Chimpgirl doesn't act like that" I don't mean that in an accusatory way regarding your DD but more - can she find better friends who don't sway in the wind like this..

Original poster
ChimpParadox · 19/09/2018 21:38

@Hereward1332 that’s a brilliant idea - my DD will love that one! Shame we can’t stoop as low as the girl!
Yes, I unfortunately agree with you all that we need to take it to the police. Not sure how far we’ll get as we haven’t the texts (or screenshots of them). Which department did you contact @HolyFuckNuggets - I’ve no idea where to start re the police.
I think school have made the girls parents aware but I’m not certain what they’ve actually said to them. Although happy to let school know about police involvement, I’m reluctant to engage with the parents as they’re the type who believe their DC implicitly. Plus they are really not nice.

OP posts:
Original poster
ChimpParadox · 19/09/2018 21:54

@MyrtleWilson indeed! the ‘friends’ were shocked that my DD would do such a thing but like me & DD didn’t know you could fake text so easily. They probably don’t think the girl would be so callous and malicious either. It’s quite hard to believe. It’s much easier to believe DD sent vile messages rather than it be fabricated in this extreme way. Someone said up thread about ‘if you hear hooves it’s probably horses not zebras’. I think this was the friends’ mentality,. By the time my DD knew these fake texts were out there it was weeks later when a lot of damage had been done and she’d had no chance to let people know the truth. She only found out about them as she asked why no-one was talking to her. She was told ‘you should know why, work it out’ but eventually told about the text. When DD said she’d not sent a text to the girl, the friend said ‘I’ve seen it so no point lying’. Doesn’t matter how much DD insists she didn’t they’ve ‘seen’ it and ‘seeing is believing’.
But I know what you mean and she would never be friends with them. However they’re in classes together and whispering and making life v difficult. Luckily she’s joined a new friendship group where they believe and are horrified about what’s happened. But DD want everyone to actually KNOW the truth. So difficult!

OP posts:
Original poster
chimpparadox · 24/09/2018 15:59

Spoke to the police and because she hasn’t received any threatening or abusive texts messages herself no offence has been committed. Madness!!!

OP posts:
CoraPirbright · 25/09/2018 09:13

Gah! Did you tell the horrible girl’s parents that you were taking it to the police? If not, I would tell them now. Might put the wind up her enough to make her confess? No need to tell that you have already been and that they can’t do anything.

serbska · 25/09/2018 10:10

The fake message might have happened in school holidays but the bullying in school as a result is happening now.

School need to step the fuck up.

I thought schools were much hotter on cyber bullying now?