SMS alert: Beware of fake messages!!!!!!!!!!

New Delhi: Texting, or sending SMSs is one of the favourite past-times of most mobile-savvy people, particularly youngsters.
However, the simple SMS message in now increasingly becoming a weapon of fraud.
The practice of fraudulent SMS texts has intensified so much that two unresolved high-profile lawsuits are more or less hinging on the mystery of SMS texts.
An hour before his death, Rizwanur Rehman had texted his father-in-law, telling him that he would leave a letter. This and few of the preceding texts have formed the crux of the case that is still shrouded in mystery.
Even Pravin Mahajan's death threat SMS message to his brother Pramod was considered concrete proof of a motive for murder. But an expert, Rajesh Kumar's testimony proved that just about anyone could have sent that text to Pramod Mahajan.
But sending fraudulent SMS messages is so simple that it is downright scary.
Googling "Bulk SMS" will bring forth a slew of results, several of them pointing to websites that will permit any user to send text messages to anyone's cellphone. What is a cause for serious concern is that these websites do not verify their users - users are free to pose as just about anyone.
One such website is pimpmysms.com. You only needs to register to access the service. Each user gets 1 free SMS to send as part of the introductory offer before the paid service kicks in. When sending the SMS message, you just key in the number you want to impersonate and the number you want the text to go to, enter the message and that's all that needs to be done. And all this is done without any form of verification.
What is more shocking is that for the recipient, the actual source of these messages cannot be traced, except in select phones.
SMS messages can also be meddled with if the cellphone has a USB port. They can even be sent via the Bluetooth technology that is there in most cellphones.
For some phones, impersonating becomes even easier.
A Nokia S-60 3rd edition phone can simply download a program called Active File to create and even place a fake text in any of the messaging folders, without actually having sent such a text message.
With cellphone technology growing unchecked in this manner, one has to take all possible precautions to not be implicated in any malicious prank.
With inputs from Hindol Sengupta