A little help, for a fellow poster.

[dave1dave]

Ok I've received a Pm from a fellow forum member asking my help.

I'll not be naming him so don't ask.

He's been caught by his wife, and believes that she may have gone through text messages on an old phone.
Now he 100% sure he removed the sim, and thinks he had deleted all the text messages.

So he wants to know if she could access the deleted text messages.

Without knowing exactly what make/ model of phone we are talking about it's hard to tell exactly.

My reply in part was as follows,
Some phones store messages on the SIM.
"The next thing you should know is that when data is deleted from a cell phone, it’s not actually deleted. The only thing pressing the erase button does is remove the file name of the data so it doesn’t show up on the phone any longer.
This “so called” deleted data stays on the phone until new data is recorded over it. This means that it’s possible to recover deleted text messages as long as the location on the SIM card hasn’t had new data stored over the old data. But you would need a SIM card reader for this.
But if as you say, you have removed the SIM then you are OK.

The only other way to access deleted messages is if you hack the phones operating system to access the message file folders, but I doubt your wife has done this.

So the messages that have been deleted should be safe from her view, unless she has secretly installed Spybubble or Message Mirror which are downloadable apps for spying on another persons text messages."

Do I have this right, anyone else have any tech knowledge on the subject.
He's worried she will want to look through his current phone.

[Mousey]

I think on some old Nokia phones, changing the SIM card does not help. The message remains on the phone memory, and thus accessible through the normal message menu. What happens is that the SIM no longer "links" that number to its contact list - so, the message won't be from "Escort X", it'll just be from the mobile number, eg 08X-XXXXXXX.

[sperminater]

If the messages were not set to go only to sim they maybe still on the phone and can be accessed when a new sim is inserted to the phone but if he has done this he's ok shit I hope he's alright I had a couple of scares and it ain't fun

[dave1dave]

I think on some old Nokia phones, changing the SIM card does not help. The message remains on the phone memory, and thus accessible through the normal message menu. What happens is that the SIM no longer "links" that number to its contact list - so, the message won't be from "Escort X", it'll just be from the mobile number, eg 08X-XXXXXXX.

I believe he has deleted the message on the phone, he's worried that she may be able to view an already deleted message.
Not an easy thing to do IMHO. Just try it yourself, delete a text message and see if you can get it back !

[Fitzy]

I think on some old Nokia phones, changing the SIM card does not help. The message remains on the phone memory, and thus accessible through the normal message menu. What happens is that the SIM no longer "links" that number to its contact list - so, the message won't be from "Escort X", it'll just be from the mobile number, eg 08X-XXXXXXX.

Your right information is never stored on a sim but inside the phone.

[dave1dave]

Your right information is never stored on a sim but inside the phone.

Just to let you know, SIMs can actually store text messages. Somewhat like an SD card.

[ryder]

I suggest try restoring factory settings. I think this erases everything ? Or go to the shop and ask them for a new sim as they often go faulty,bend it a little and say someone walked on it. new sim is free

[harry10]

Scary biscuits. Wouldn't want to go through that experience.
My punting phone is never at home. Hopefully will remain elusive.

[ga1]

ive been able to access messages i had deleted well over a year ,once i connected the phone to my laptop

[ovaltine]

Ok I've received a Pm from a fellow forum member asking my help.

I'll not be naming him so don't ask.

He's been caught by his wife, and believes that she may have gone through text messages on an old phone.
Now he 100% sure he removed the sim, and thinks he had deleted all the text messages.

So he wants to know if she could access the deleted text messages.

Without knowing exactly what make/ model of phone we are talking about it's hard to tell exactly.

My reply in part was as follows,
Some phones store messages on the SIM.
"The next thing you should know is that when data is deleted from a cell phone, it’s not actually deleted. The only thing pressing the erase button does is remove the file name of the data so it doesn’t show up on the phone any longer.
This “so called” deleted data stays on the phone until new data is recorded over it. This means that it’s possible to recover deleted text messages as long as the location on the SIM card hasn’t had new data stored over the old data. But you would need a SIM card reader for this.
But if as you say, you have removed the SIM then you are OK.

The only other way to access deleted messages is if you hack the phones operating system to access the message file folders, but I doubt your wife has done this.

So the messages that have been deleted should be safe from her view, unless she has secretly installed Spybubble or Message Mirror which are downloadable apps for spying on another persons text messages."

Do I have this right, anyone else have any tech knowledge on the subject.
He's worried she will want to look through his current phone.

You're reply is correct - but as others have said, some phones also store texts in the phone's memory/file system and with specialist knowledge/software old texts can sometimes be recovered from the phone's hardware, afaik