Self-deleting SMS messages

[IWT]

My wife regularly receives SMS messages on her iPhone 14 (iOS 16.3.1) regarding medical appointments principally from hospitals. These are SMS, not iMessages. The messages include a web link which takes her to a secure site where she must first confirm, name address and DOB. That then reveals the letter re her appointment along with other relevant info. Excellent security.

What I'm interested in is how that SMS message self-deletes without trace after (usually) 48 hours. I fully understand the security necessity; but I'd like to know how a sender achieves such a thing.

Needless to say, there is no trace of the message in "Recently Deleted" folder.

Ian

 

[Raz0rEdge]

The self-deleting stuff is usually handled by apps designed to support it, like Snapchat, Wiper and so on.

SMS doesn't support deleting, but apparently supports overwriting previous sent messages if the device conforms to a a specific clause in the GSM standard. But it seems most devices don't support this so it doesn't work.

The trick is to send a message with a unique identifier and then send a second message with the same unique identifier which overwrites the previous message. This doesn't delete, just overwrites it.

I'm at a loss at how the SMS' are disappearing from your wife's phone.

 

[IWT]

I'm at a loss at how the SMS' are disappearing from your wife's phone.

Me too. But I see that as a security matter, if the person goes through the tortuous process of getting the letter or whatever, removing that message could be said to be a sensible approach.

As I mentioned, I'm not so much concerned about these messages disappearing, rather how an outside agency could achieve this.

Every single SMS she has received from the hospital has resulted in a delete - most often after 48 hours; but sometimes a week later.

And BTW, this does not happen with any other messages - in other words, I don't see it as an Apple/software issue. And her System Settings have "Keep Forever" as the default for all messages.

Thanks for your interest; I appreciate that as it's not the usual problem people face.

Ian

 

[lclev]

I have the same SMS message reminders too. I do the follow the link and confirm stuff using the sent redirect link but I still have the SMS message - it doesn't disappear. I would like that as long as I had already responded to it.

I wonder if it might be because of the country you are living in and a particular requirement of the ISP or government to preserve security? I am totally guessing here.

Lisa

 

[IWT]

I am totally guessing here.

Thanks Lisa. So am I

Ian

 

[pm-r]

Thanks Lisa. So am I

Maybe the people sending the messages could let you know what they are using and how the messages are made to disappear Ian.




- Patrick
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[IWT]

SOLUTION?:

I'll try anything within reason

On my wife's iPhone 14 Pro, I went into Settings > Apple ID > iCloud > Show All > Messages (this OFF).

I turned it ON and low & behold it downloaded a bunch of Messages (iMessages and SMS). Maybe about 10-15, including the Hospital ones! All of these were, according to SWMBO, self-deleted.

And, all of these were within the time period since I bought her the iPhone 14.

I'm not exactly sure how these messages were on iCloud given that "sync messages" was turned OFF.

But who am I to quibble; especially since I've regained "my best friend" status

That's the feedback. Hope it might help someone else.

Ian

 

[lclev]

Well you get to be her hero! Glad you figured it out and it is a good tip to know for anyone else that has the issue.

Lisa

 

[John Mears]

Are you sure you haven’t set the “Delete after xxxxxx days” in your ‘Settings’ box?

 

[IWT]

Are you sure you haven’t set the “Delete after xxxxxx days” in your ‘Settings’ box?

No. As stated, her settings were "Keep Forever". Has been on all our iPhones over the years. But thanks for bringing it up anyway.

Ian

 

[Rod]

Ian my iCloud Messages is turned on (by choice) but I wonder if iCloud has just copied the messages while the originals were deleted somehow by the sender?

 

[IWT]

Always possible, Rod. Any sensible explanation needs to be considered.

In fact, I had another idea which is this:

At the beginning when I bought my wife's iPhone 14 Pro, I linked it to her MacBookPro such that she could send/receive Messages from there. She hardly ever used that method and, as iOS updates occurred, the link was lost - this is usual as you know & requires setting up the link again.

Now, for the short time the iPhone & Mac were linked, her Mac Messages were synced to the iCloud, but never from her iPhone itself as that was turned OFF.

So it occurred to me that maybe the what she got back from my turning ON the sync from iPhone to iCloud, were the messages from the early days when there was a sync from Mac Messages to iCloud.

I temporarily thought I was being rather clever having thought that out myself - BUT - it turns out that the reclaimed messages were ALL recent and post-dated her lost link between iPhone and Mac.

So I wasn't as clever as I thought

Anyway, explanations apart, she did get back around 10-15 "self-deleted" messages to her iPhone and she's a happy bunny!

Ian