• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Sms spy??

B

bergerson

Lurker
What is the best app out there for sms forwarding and call history? want to see exactly what my daughter is texting and who and when she is making phone calls to before she deletes them, Thanks
 
Have you read the book by Harlan Coben titled 'Hold Tight'? If not read it before you do anything like that or the consequences may be very bad.
 
google pulled that app from the market this week after it had been up for a day or 2. As far as I know, the app forwarded all text messages to the overbearing parent or crazy spouse / so.
 
Can't you check who she texts and calls on your account online?? I can see all the numbers i text/call, just not what my texts say.
 
I am a parent. And I can also get transcripts of all text messages from my carrier, as well as detailed call logs. I don't need a spy app.
 
Of course you can but some folks in certain circumstances may need access immediately. There are a couple of situations which come to mind, actually.

However, this is the Android Applications forum, not the Morality forum so when someone asks an app question they can do without the criticism.
 
Perhaps we could also take the time to discuss the fact that Google pulled the app...being an Android discussion forum and all.
 
There was a thread about this a few weeks ago, and the consensus was this is definetly illegal. If you want to know who your daughter is texting/calling, ask her. If you are worried about who she is talking/hanging out with, sit down and have a talk with her, dont SPY on her illegally.

You can see who she calls on your monthly bill, and some carriers may allow you to see text transcripts, but that depends on the carrier.
 
chrisjz said:
Can't you check who she texts and calls on your account online?? I can see all the numbers i text/call, just not what my texts say.
Click to expand...

but that sad part is VZW actually charges for detailed billing now. talk about a freakin jip! i refuse to pay another 5$ a month so that a few clock cycles of CPU power are used to pull my call/txt list up every month
:rolleyes:
 
We seem to regularly get spam about these apps - always initially couched as a query from a suspicious spouse or parent...
 
Restrict texting on your daughter's phone if you are that concerned. Then set some ground rules before letting her use it again, eg., nothing gets deleted unless YOU delete them or something like that. Do a sanity check by verifying dates/times of SMS on phone with online account. A PITA for you, but if you're that worried, you should do it.

Alternatively, you could get her a phone that you can install My Mobile Watchdog on it.

It's not spyware in that she will know that the app is on the phone. But you will get copies of everything she sends/receives. Solves the "illegality" issue that some folks are bringing up here.
 
wayrad said:
We seem to regularly get spam about these apps - always initially couched as a query from a suspicious spouse or parent...
Click to expand...

Not saying the OP in this thread is guilty of this, but in other forums when they ask for this kind of spyware for their "daughter" or "son", I sometimes got the distinct feeling they really meant spouses/s.o.'s.

I actually do believe that that carriers should let parents have transcripts of their kids' texting without subpoenas.

But not cool if this is done to spy on adults, even if the one asking is the one paying the bills.
 
Posts like this make me love my mom all the more for her raising me right and for the trust she placed in me.

To keep it on topic, I am unaware of any such apps and question the legality of them if they do indeed exist.
 
RichSz said:
Posts like this make me love my mom all the more for her raising me right and for the trust she placed in me.

To keep it on topic, I am unaware of any such apps and question the legality of them if they do indeed exist.
Click to expand...

You're lucky. Give her a hug the next time you see her!
 
foo said:
but that sad part is VZW actually charges for detailed billing now. talk about a freakin jip! i refuse to pay another 5$ a month so that a few clock cycles of CPU power are used to pull my call/txt list up every month
:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

It's free if you view it online.
 
I'm curious about the "illegality" issue. If the company that you work for provides you with a cell phone, everything you do on the phone is company property and they can legally eavesdrop on any phone conversation, text thread, e-mail thread, etc., that they want. Why wouldn't this be the same thing for a parent with the phone that purchased and carries on his account? Don't get me wrong, I would not do this type of thing with my kids, but if I suspected that they were into something that may lead to trouble for them, I might be tempted. I did install LookOut on their phones and told them outright that I may use it to determine whereabouts if I see fit. I have used it one time. My daughter called me just after she got her license and said she was lost. I use the "Find My Phone" feature and saw where she was. After I stopped laughing, I told her how to get back home. She had gotten on the interstate and just neglected to get off. Her brother was with her and made her pull over and call me when he realized (he doesn't drive yet) that it had never taken that long to get home before. She was 20 miles in the wrong direction when I located her.

Anyway, I was just curious.

BigRedGonzo
 
BigRedGonzo said:
I'm curious about the "illegality" issue. If the company that you work for provides you with a cell phone, everything you do on the phone is company property and they can legally eavesdrop on any phone conversation, text thread, e-mail thread, etc., that they want. Why wouldn't this be the same thing for a parent with the phone that purchased and carries on his account? Don't get me wrong, I would not do this type of thing with my kids, but if I suspected that they were into something that may lead to trouble for them, I might be tempted. I did install LookOut on their phones and told them outright that I may use it to determine whereabouts if I see fit. I have used it one time. My daughter called me just after she got her license and said she was lost. I use the "Find My Phone" feature and saw where she was. After I stopped laughing, I told her how to get back home. She had gotten on the interstate and just neglected to get off. Her brother was with her and made her pull over and call me when he realized (he doesn't drive yet) that it had never taken that long to get home before. She was 20 miles in the wrong direction when I located her.

Anyway, I was just curious.

BigRedGonzo
Click to expand...

There are no legality issues with installing this or any kind of tracking app with the users permission (which is my blanket recommendation for anybody looking for this kind of app, for several reasons. Make them aware of the tracking, why you're doing it and so forth).

As far as I know (and I'm sure it varies state to state) in order for you to legally install this kind of app without their knowledge, the child has to be a minor in your custody using a phone that you bought on a service that you pay for. Anything else is illegal to some extent AFAIK (from a minor legal quible to you going to Federal prison, depending on exactly which one).
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom