iMessage question

[gummybear]

I’ve googled and not finding an answer. Can you send an iMessage that LOOKS like it’s going to multiple people (so, a group text) but the other numbers (so everyone except one person) are actually not receiving the text? All iOS and all real numbers. Sender would be considered to be highly technically skilled.

[ProfessorArtNerd]

I have some friends who've disabled iMessage, but I still think they get the message as a text.

[Vally]

No that doesn’t sound possible.

The only scenario I can imagine showing fake recipients would involve manipulating contacts in other person’s phone, ie. Jane Doe (fake number), then the original sender includes the fake number on a group text, so to the recipient it loooks like their contact Jane received the message too even though the number isn’t legitimate.

[gummybear]

Ok thank you. Def. Coming across as iMessages and have not been manipulated on our end. I didn’t think so either!

[mpc]

When I first read this I thought you were trying to figure out how to do this and I wanted to know the story lol!

[mokes]

Like, on purpose?

I've seen in the past where for some reason someone received a group text as an individual one, so their replies were just 1:1 with the sender. Like the sender tried to send a group text and one or more people just receive it as individual texts. I haven't seen that in a while though but I remember it happening to my H.

[gummybear]

May 3, 2024 9:18:41 GMT -5 mpc said:

When I first read this I thought you were trying to figure out how to do this and I wanted to know the story lol!

Hehe I’m not shady. DD is getting texts from an acquaintance’s (teen boy) dad - nothing nefarious - and he’s copying his wife and (early 20s) daughter. But neither of them are saying anything - like who is this random girl and why are you texting her? Just strange.

ETA: The act of him texting her is nefarious IMO but the texts themselves are not. And we are totally on top of it. Just wondering if what I described is possible bc if I was copied on something like this I’d be totally speaking up.

[jinkies]

Oh. Is there any reasonable explanation for why she'd be in his phone in the first place? If so, I'd assume that he knows someone else with the same first name that he thinks he is including on the texts, and has no idea he's actually adding a random acquaintance.

[gummybear]

May 3, 2024 9:41:30 GMT -5 jinkies said:

Oh. Is there any reasonable explanation for why she'd be in his phone in the first place? If so, I'd assume that he knows someone else with the same first name that he thinks he is including on the texts, and has no idea he's actually adding a random acquaintance.

No reason at all. But we need to weigh that as an option. The first message - that would have made total sense but the message context that was she was a friend of the daughter - so I would hope that the daughter would say, "Wrong (kid's name), dad". We just ignored that one. The last message seemed to imply he was watching/following one of her sporting events, which was when we raised the red flag. 

[TR]

Has she replied back to be like “I think you have the wrong number, sorry!” Because how does she know it’s that guy’s number? Is he stored in her phone?

[gummybear]

May 3, 2024 9:55:43 GMT -5 TR said:

Has she replied back to be like “I think you have the wrong number, sorry!” Because how does she know it’s that guy’s number? Is he stored in her phone?

It’s coming up as Maybe with his FB profile. I’m waiting to talk to a person who’s helping me before she replies. At first we thought it could be a phishing scam of some sort so we ignored.

[felicity]

May 3, 2024 9:58:17 GMT -5 gummybear said:

May 3, 2024 9:55:43 GMT -5 TR said:

Has she replied back to be like “I think you have the wrong number, sorry!” Because how does she know it’s that guy’s number? Is he stored in her phone?

It’s coming up as Maybe with his FB profile. I’m waiting to talk to a person who’s helping me before she replies. At first we thought it could be a phishing scam of some sort so we ignored.

I'm a little confused on the details here, but is it possible the phone number is registered to the dad, so when you search online it says his name, but it's actually one of his kids phones?

[jinkies]

May 3, 2024 10:03:58 GMT -5 felicity said:

May 3, 2024 9:58:17 GMT -5 gummybear said:

It’s coming up as Maybe with his FB profile. I’m waiting to talk to a person who’s helping me before she replies. At first we thought it could be a phishing scam of some sort so we ignored.

I'm a little confused on the details here, but is it possible the phone number is registered to the dad, so when you search online it says his name, but it's actually one of his kids phones?

Oh this is a good thought. Is it possible that it's the teen boy acquaintance sending the message?

[fernweh]

I like the thought that it’s actually the teenage acquaintance with a phone registered to his dad but it seems weird that a teenager but put his mom and sister on the texts.

I think I would reply something like “sorry I don’t have your number saved, who is this?” And then go from there based on the answer.

[TR]

So many questions that could be answered by just responding and asking what’s going on lol

Phishing isn’t going to do anything unless you start clicking links or giving away information.

[gummybear]

OK, update. I heard back from who I was waiting for. It was the dad but he was using the wrong contact (I guess families can share contacts). It was two cases of incredibly bad coincidence as far timing and location. I don't know why the mom or daughter didn't tell their dad he was texting the wrong person.

[Aloe Vera]

ETA: I have a lot of questions. I don't have any questions anymore!

How do you know who the phone number belongs to without asking the person directly?
I understand your DD never replied but is the person still texting her?
I would simply ask who is this and say they have the wrong number.

[gummybear]

As for why we didn't reply - DD1 had a very traumatic and involved situation of bullying which had large online/text component. We learned through that not to engage and obv. we are a bit suspicious of things.