When I get phoney email messages I can check the full headers to see
where it actually came from. Is there any way to do that with text
messages?

On Saturday, June 19, 2021 at 3:32:58 AM UTC+2, Brandon wrote:
> When I get phoney email messages I can check the full headers to see
> where it actually came from. Is there any way to do that with text
> messages?

If you are refering to SMS I guess there is no option but you should check
this thread:

<https://www.forensicfocus.com/forums/mobile-forensics/sms-message-headers/>

Regards
Stefan

On Sat, 19 Jun 2021 03:31:26 -0700 (PDT), Stefan Claas wrote:

> On Saturday, June 19, 2021 at 3:32:58 AM UTC+2, Brandon wrote:
>> When I get phoney email messages I can check the full headers to see
>> where it actually came from. Is there any way to do that with text
>> messages?
>
> If you are refering to SMS I guess there is no option but you should check
> this thread:
>
> <https://www.forensicfocus.com/forums/mobile-forensics/sms-message-headers/>
>
> Regards
> Stefan

It seems it isn't that simple with SMS. There are certain apps which
one can use. Found this page with a few.

https://xyspy.com/3-ways-to-track-text-messages-from-another-phone

One of my wife's friends almost fell for one of the text message
schemes trying to get her bank account number, etc. My wife thought
there might be a method to check headers with text messages. But some
of the apps are expensive, per month fee, and quite involved.

Tnx for answering.

On Saturday, June 19, 2021 at 10:04:24 PM UTC+2, Brandon wrote:
> On Sat, 19 Jun 2021 03:31:26 -0700 (PDT), Stefan Claas wrote:
>
> > On Saturday, June 19, 2021 at 3:32:58 AM UTC+2, Brandon wrote:
> >> When I get phoney email messages I can check the full headers to see
> >> where it actually came from. Is there any way to do that with text
> >> messages?
> >
> > If you are refering to SMS I guess there is no option but you should check
> > this thread:
> >
> > <https://www.forensicfocus.com/forums/mobile-forensics/sms-message-headers/>
> >
> > Regards
> > Stefan
> It seems it isn't that simple with SMS. There are certain apps which
> one can use. Found this page with a few.
>
> https://xyspy.com/3-ways-to-track-text-messages-from-another-phone
>
> One of my wife's friends almost fell for one of the text message
> schemes trying to get her bank account number, etc. My wife thought
> there might be a method to check headers with text messages. But some
> of the apps are expensive, per month fee, and quite involved.
>
> Tnx for answering.

You're welcome and thanks for the app links! Looks interesting.

Regards
Stefan

On 6/18/2021 6:32 PM, Brandon wrote:

> When I get phoney email messages I can check the full headers to
see
> where it actually came from. Is there any way to do that with
text
> messages?
>

It's a great question. This subject has puzzled me for years, and no
clearcut obvious answer.

I don't know what technology they are using.

I'm not sure if they are using SMS bombing software, or if these
"text messages" are actually computer generated messages using email
to SMS gateways.I suspect that this is the case.

If that is the case, there is no way for the average consumer to
grab the headers, and even if there was, likely the headers would be
spoofed
and the originating IP would be masked with a proxy.

Only an ISP "might" be able to catch the headers.

I've spent hours descending down the rabbit hole looking for tracing
software. I've come to the conclusion that the one's I've seen are
all worthless junk.

If the messages are computer generated, they are masking as text
messages and there's no way to obtain full headers unlike a standard
email.

Just my 2 cents.

Brandon <Brandon@invalidated.net> wrote in
news:vav5d7wlvk6j.16oc2esskz2r9$.dlg@40tude.net:

> On Sat, 19 Jun 2021 03:31:26 -0700 (PDT), Stefan Claas wrote:
>
>> On Saturday, June 19, 2021 at 3:32:58 AM UTC+2, Brandon wrote:
>>> When I get phoney email messages I can check the full headers to see
>>> where it actually came from. Is there any way to do that with text
>>> messages?
>>
>> If you are refering to SMS I guess there is no option but you should
>> check this thread:
>>
>> <https://www.forensicfocus.com/forums/mobile-forensics/sms-message-hea
>> ders/>
>>
>> Regards
>> Stefan
>
> It seems it isn't that simple with SMS. There are certain apps which
> one can use. Found this page with a few.
>
> https://xyspy.com/3-ways-to-track-text-messages-from-another-phone
>
> One of my wife's friends almost fell for one of the text message
> schemes trying to get her bank account number, etc. My wife thought
> there might be a method to check headers with text messages. But some
> of the apps are expensive, per month fee, and quite involved.
>
> Tnx for answering.

https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc5724#section-1.2.2

2.2. Formal Definition

The URI scheme's keywords specified in the following syntax
description are case-insensitive. The syntax of an "sms" URI is
formally described as follows, where the URI base syntax is taken
from [RFC3986]:

sms-uri = scheme ":" sms-hier-part [ "?" sms-fields ]
scheme = "sms"
sms-hier-part = sms-recipient *( "," sms-recipient )
sms-recipient = telephone-subscriber ; defined in RFC 3966
sms-fields = sms-field *( "&" sms-field )
sms-field = sms-field-name "=" escaped-value
sms-field-name = "body" / sms-field-ext ; "body" MUST only appear once
sms-field-ext = 1*( unreserved )
escaped-value = *( unreserved / pct-encoded ) ; defined in RFC 3986

SMS messages have (had) headers similar to email - before they get
transmitted to your phone. When they are sent to your phone as text
messages, all the original header information is stripped, and the message
reformatted to comply with the SMS standard. Phone companies keep records
of texts. Although they deny it, they also share with the US Govt, NSA.

Two examples of SMS headers post phone delivery. Address is the receiver,
contact matches any existing entry in the contacts list.

<sms protocol="0" address="9495551212" date="2014977436144" type="2"
subject="null" body="Starbucks makes shitty coffee" toa="null"
sc_toa="null" service_center="null" read="1" status="-1" locked="0"
date_sent="0" readable_date="Nov 2, 2020 5:17:16 PM" contact_name="MUNGED"
/>

<sms protocol="0" address="4156899016" date="2012138260623" type="1"
subject="null" body="Lookout is sending this message to initiate an
automatic connection. No action is required. FLXO8QW29" toa="null"
sc_toa="null" service_center="null" read="1" status="-1" locked="0"
date_sent="2012138255000" readable_date="Sep 30, 2020 9:37:40 PM"
contact_name="(Unknown)" />

https://www.loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats/fdd/fdd000431.shtml

On 6/23/2021 4:29 AM, turtle wrote:

> Brandon <Brandon@invalidated.net> wrote in
> news:vav5d7wlvk6j.16oc2esskz2r9$.dlg@40tude.net:
>
>> On Sat, 19 Jun 2021 03:31:26 -0700 (PDT), Stefan Claas wrote:
>>
>>> On Saturday, June 19, 2021 at 3:32:58 AM UTC+2, Brandon wrote:
>>>> When I get phoney email messages I can check the full headers to see
>>>> where it actually came from. Is there any way to do that with text
>>>> messages?
>>>
>>> If you are refering to SMS I guess there is no option but you should
>>> check this thread:
>>>
>>> <https://www.forensicfocus.com/forums/mobile-forensics/sms-message-hea
>>> ders/>
>>>
>>> Regards
>>> Stefan
>>
>> It seems it isn't that simple with SMS. There are certain apps which
>> one can use. Found this page with a few.
>>
>> https://xyspy.com/3-ways-to-track-text-messages-from-another-phone
>>
>> One of my wife's friends almost fell for one of the text message
>> schemes trying to get her bank account number, etc. My wife thought
>> there might be a method to check headers with text messages. But some
>> of the apps are expensive, per month fee, and quite involved.
>>
>> Tnx for answering.
>
> https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/html/rfc5724#section-1.2.2
>
> 2.2. Formal Definition
>
> The URI scheme's keywords specified in the following syntax
> description are case-insensitive. The syntax of an "sms" URI is
> formally described as follows, where the URI base syntax is taken
> from [RFC3986]:
>
> sms-uri = scheme ":" sms-hier-part [ "?" sms-fields ]
> scheme = "sms"
> sms-hier-part = sms-recipient *( "," sms-recipient )
> sms-recipient = telephone-subscriber ; defined in RFC 3966
> sms-fields = sms-field *( "&" sms-field )
> sms-field = sms-field-name "=" escaped-value
> sms-field-name = "body" / sms-field-ext ; "body" MUST only appear once
> sms-field-ext = 1*( unreserved )
> escaped-value = *( unreserved / pct-encoded ) ; defined in RFC 3986
>
>
> SMS messages have (had) headers similar to email - before they get
> transmitted to your phone. When they are sent to your phone as text
> messages, all the original header information is stripped, and the message
> reformatted to comply with the SMS standard. Phone companies keep records
> of texts. Although they deny it, they also share with the US Govt, NSA.
>
> Two examples of SMS headers post phone delivery. Address is the receiver,
> contact matches any existing entry in the contacts list.
>
> <sms protocol="0" address="9495551212" date="2014977436144" type="2"
> subject="null" body="Starbucks makes shitty coffee" toa="null"
> sc_toa="null" service_center="null" read="1" status="-1" locked="0"
> date_sent="0" readable_date="Nov 2, 2020 5:17:16 PM" contact_name="MUNGED"
> />
>
> <sms protocol="0" address="4156899016" date="2012138260623" type="1"
> subject="null" body="Lookout is sending this message to initiate an
> automatic connection. No action is required. FLXO8QW29" toa="null"
> sc_toa="null" service_center="null" read="1" status="-1" locked="0"
> date_sent="2012138255000" readable_date="Sep 30, 2020 9:37:40 PM"
> contact_name="(Unknown)" />
>
> https://www.loc.gov/preservation/digital/formats/fdd/fdd000431.shtml
>

Absolutely this information is present.

And how is one supposed to grab headers on a mobile phone?

How are mere mortals supposed to grab full headers at all?