Bogus sms - how to find source

jp1 · 24th February 2011, 11:47

We are going through a major problem. There is a bogus sms going round with our office address saying that we are recruiting freshers. Few hundred people came for interview, and people are still coming. Our phones are continously ringing asking for office direction. The sms has no sender details. The sms message is as follows 'Walk in internvew for freshers at .....Pvt Ltd. Adresss.......'. There is no sender details
Is there anyway to find the source of this sms?
jp

rg_chn · 24th February 2011, 11:55

Why don't you try calling up your service provider and asking for the senders details?

VW2010 · 24th February 2011, 12:15

Lodge a complaint to the police and they will trace the person causing the nuisance. Most probably the person could be working in the same company and he is upset about the recent appraisal

You should take the legal route and get this fixed once for all.

jp1 · 24th February 2011, 12:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by rg_chn

Why don't you try calling up your service provider and asking for the senders details?

sms has not come to us, it is with all these freshers who are coming for the interview. Otherwise we have to call from their number to their service provider and ask them.

Quote:

Originally Posted by VW2010

Lodge a complaint to the police and they will trace the person causing the nuisance. Most probably the person could be working in the same company and he is upset about the recent appraisal

You should take the legal route and get this fixed once for all.

We are considering the legal option, but to do that we need the co-operation of the individuals who received the message as the proof is in their phone.

Rotorhead · 24th February 2011, 13:18

You could check on the network destination code of the mobile numbers of few candidates to check if the message is being sent only to a particular operators numbers and then get in touch with the operator to report this issue.

Altaf Petiwala · 24th February 2011, 14:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp1

sms has not come to us, it is with all these freshers who are coming for the interview. Otherwise we have to call from their number to their service provider and ask them.

We are considering the legal option, but to do that we need the co-operation of the individuals who received the message as the proof is in their phone.

Offer an incentive to one of the receipients

jp1 · 24th February 2011, 17:03

Guys, thanks for all suggestion. But we could not get to the bottom of the problem as the message source could not be identified, there is no sender number, no network identification etc. Still trying to pursue with the service provider. The onslaught people walking in has stopped, but I feel sorry for the so many guys who have turned up seeing the message. Only hope is that it wont repeat

motorpsycho · 24th February 2011, 18:02

Telecom operators get the IMEI number along with the Mobile number whenever a call is made or SMS sent. Even if the sender has dumped the number he may be still using the same mobile.

Rotorhead · 24th February 2011, 18:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by motorpsycho

Telecom operators get the IMEI number along with the Mobile number whenever a call is made or SMS sent. Even if the sender has dumped the number he may be still using the same mobile.

This is the case when it is a mobile to mobile sms. But here the sms seems to be orginated by some 3rd party application/software. Usually the 3rd party applications push the sms via sms gateways which inturn send the sms thru the smsc. So i am sure the operator should be able to figure out the ip from where the sms originated.

CorsaLove · 24th February 2011, 19:35

You need and FIR and the telecom guys will be able to help you.

If you have leased internet, phone or VOIP lines, talk to your relationship manager from the provider and they would be most willing to help.

jp1 · 24th February 2011, 22:02

Here comes the next shocker

After going through all the trouble in the morning hours, I just searched on the net with our company name and to my horror there are 4 job postings on it quoting our name, address and url. The site is iitjobs.com. These are posted on Feb 6th, 2011. How on earth anyone can stop this?. This website has only email addresses to contact them. I already emailed them, but no response yet. Now I am more worried, it looks like a job racket and I am sure whoever put these ad is going to take the job seekers for a ride.

CorsaLove · 24th February 2011, 23:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by jp1

Here comes the next shocker

After going through all the trouble in the morning hours, I just searched on the net with our company name and to my horror there are 4 job postings on it quoting our name, address and url. The site is iitjobs.com. These are posted on Feb 6th, 2011. How on earth anyone can stop this?. This website has only email addresses to contact them. I already emailed them, but no response yet. Now I am more worried, it looks like a job racket and I am sure whoever put these ad is going to take the job seekers for a ride.

Find the website registar through whois and contact them directly. They WILL provide the details of the contact if there is legal issues or they will inform them about your dilemma.

You can constantly contact them if it is not solved.

rg_chn · 25th February 2011, 00:08

You can also give an ad in a few papers saying your company is not responsible for any advertisement for jobs online or through sms's, except the one's posted on your own company website.

BaCkSeAtDrIVeR · 26th February 2011, 23:41

When a website deals in illegal activities - simply do a whois look up to find the site's owners.

To find where the site is hosted, look up the "host" - dns lookup. Any competent system administrator can do it. I figured out how to look up both within 6 months of PC ownership.

Talk to the hosting provider, if talking to the owner listed on whois produces any result.

A posting on your own website about false claims about your company will also help.

Edit:- I did both; and looks like the site is run by some Indian based in US.

IronH4WK · 27th February 2011, 00:21

i don't know.. i've a weird feeling about this. this could be a disgruntled employee or ex-employee causing problems for the company. being an employee/ex-employee, the person would have inside information to pull this off!

just a thought.

24th February 2011, 11:47	#1
jp1 BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 286 Thanked: 47 Times	Bogus sms - how to find source We are going through a major problem. There is a bogus sms going round with our office address saying that we are recruiting freshers. Few hundred people came for interview, and people are still coming. Our phones are continously ringing asking for office direction. The sms has no sender details. The sms message is as follows 'Walk in internvew for freshers at .....Pvt Ltd. Adresss.......'. There is no sender details Is there anyway to find the source of this sms? jp
	() Thanks

24th February 2011, 11:55	#2
rg_chn BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: K.S.A Posts: 343 Thanked: 3 Times	Re: Bogus sms - how to find source Why don't you try calling up your service provider and asking for the senders details?
	() Thanks

24th February 2011, 12:15	#3
VW2010 Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: electricity Posts: 2,763 Thanked: 3,413 Times	Re: Bogus sms - how to find source Lodge a complaint to the police and they will trace the person causing the nuisance. Most probably the person could be working in the same company and he is upset about the recent appraisal You should take the legal route and get this fixed once for all.
	() Thanks

24th February 2011, 13:18	#5
Rotorhead BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 939 Thanked: 29 Times	Re: Bogus sms - how to find source You could check on the network destination code of the mobile numbers of few candidates to check if the message is being sent only to a particular operators numbers and then get in touch with the operator to report this issue.
	() Thanks

24th February 2011, 17:03	#7
jp1 BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 286 Thanked: 47 Times	Re: Bogus sms - how to find source Guys, thanks for all suggestion. But we could not get to the bottom of the problem as the message source could not be identified, there is no sender number, no network identification etc. Still trying to pursue with the service provider. The onslaught people walking in has stopped, but I feel sorry for the so many guys who have turned up seeing the message. Only hope is that it wont repeat
	() Thanks

24th February 2011, 18:02	#8
motorpsycho BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Hubli Posts: 482 Thanked: 448 Times	Re: Bogus sms - how to find source Telecom operators get the IMEI number along with the Mobile number whenever a call is made or SMS sent. Even if the sender has dumped the number he may be still using the same mobile.
	() Thanks

24th February 2011, 19:35	#10
CorsaLove BHPian Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 392 Thanked: 18 Times View My Garage	Re: Bogus sms - how to find source You need and FIR and the telecom guys will be able to help you. If you have leased internet, phone or VOIP lines, talk to your relationship manager from the provider and they would be most willing to help.
	() Thanks

24th February 2011, 22:02	#11
jp1 BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Bangalore Posts: 286 Thanked: 47 Times	Re: Bogus sms - how to find source Here comes the next shocker After going through all the trouble in the morning hours, I just searched on the net with our company name and to my horror there are 4 job postings on it quoting our name, address and url. The site is iitjobs.com. These are posted on Feb 6th, 2011. How on earth anyone can stop this?. This website has only email addresses to contact them. I already emailed them, but no response yet. Now I am more worried, it looks like a job racket and I am sure whoever put these ad is going to take the job seekers for a ride.
	() Thanks

25th February 2011, 00:08	#13
rg_chn BHPian Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: K.S.A Posts: 343 Thanked: 3 Times	Re: Bogus sms - how to find source You can also give an ad in a few papers saying your company is not responsible for any advertisement for jobs online or through sms's, except the one's posted on your own company website.
	() Thanks

26th February 2011, 23:41	#14
BaCkSeAtDrIVeR BANNED Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Kochi Posts: 2,522 Thanked: 752 Times	Re: Bogus sms - how to find source When a website deals in illegal activities - simply do a whois look up to find the site's owners. To find where the site is hosted, look up the "host" - dns lookup. Any competent system administrator can do it. I figured out how to look up both within 6 months of PC ownership. Talk to the hosting provider, if talking to the owner listed on whois produces any result. A posting on your own website about false claims about your company will also help. Edit:- I did both; and looks like the site is run by some Indian based in US. Last edited by BaCkSeAtDrIVeR : 26th February 2011 at 23:47.
	() Thanks

27th February 2011, 00:21	#15
IronH4WK Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Bangalore Posts: 3,468 Thanked: 4,148 Times	Re: Bogus sms - how to find source i don't know.. i've a weird feeling about this. this could be a disgruntled employee or ex-employee causing problems for the company. being an employee/ex-employee, the person would have inside information to pull this off! just a thought.
	() Thanks