Identify a text message from 448110

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martyyn

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#239457 19-Jul-2018 09:25

My wife has just been sent a text with personal, and very upsetting, medical information about her mother with no identification other than the number being 448110.

The sender has not signed it and so far there has been no reply to our request for them to identify themselves.

Is there a way to find out where this has come from ?

sampler

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#2058635 19-Jul-2018 09:39

a 6 digit number is a little odd .. im sure most services use 3-5 digit numbers ? (https://www.vodafone.co.nz/mobile-services/premium-interactive-txt/)

maybe report it to your carrier and ask them to look into further ?

Oblivian

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#2058638 19-Jul-2018 09:41

That looks more of a no-reply internet SMS gateway address vs a premium service ID

Not booked a doctor appointment recently?

Have had similar from old user of my numbers kid being booked in

sampler

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#2058639 19-Jul-2018 09:42

sorry just found an example of a SMS provider using a 6 digit code ... So its very possible.
Maybe try to contact your inlaw's Dr and ask them to confirm if they sent a message out (not the content) to your wife's phone.

sampler

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#2058643 19-Jul-2018 09:46

Oblivian:

That looks more of a no-reply internet SMS gateway address vs a premium service ID

Not booked a doctor appointment recently?

Have had similar from old user of my numbers kid being booked in

Also if it is from a Dr, it would could contravene a number of privacy agreements. Very uncommon to send medical info via txt message in particular if its negative in anyway

martyyn

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#2058644 19-Jul-2018 09:46

My MIL has had her fair share of medical problems in the last 12 months so there could be any number of different people wanting to get hold of my wife.

Thinking a text is appropriate for the content is appalling but the fact it's been sent anonymously just astounds me.

kryptonjohn

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#2058667 19-Jul-2018 09:59

Sounds like a screw-up of monumental proportions. I would check with the GP first...

Hope your MIL is ok.

notesgnome

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#2058668 19-Jul-2018 10:00

My suspicion is your MIL's doctors' surgery. I agree it's bad that no sender identification was sent; something to possibly take up with the practice manager (assuming it is from them).

Addendum - texts from my doctor are from 4448110 so this increases the likelihood it is from them. (They always identify themselves in the texts.)

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sampler

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#2058671 19-Jul-2018 10:05

martyyn:

Thinking a text is appropriate for the content is appalling but the fact it's been sent anonymously just astounds me.

Assuming the text has not been sent with any intention of malice, you would be surprised what medical professionals sometimes do with technology that seems fine for them but odd to others.
I hope this is a small blip in the overall positive care your MIL has had, and that your wife can look past it if it was sent in error but with the best of intentions.

kryptonjohn

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#2058672 19-Jul-2018 10:06

I wonder of the doctor's surgery has installed a new practice management software package recently and acquired a new "feature"?

Oblivian

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#2058683 19-Jul-2018 10:15

sampler:

Assuming the text has not been sent with any intention of malice, you would be surprised what medical professionals sometimes do with technology that seems fine for them but odd to others.

Like how it appears most clinics still have working faxes in favour of email, cause 'someone might email the wrong stuff to the wrong person and get us in trouble' despite encryption and ability to password?

God forbid the only fax a recipient has access to be in an area where a member of public/office staff/non intended person/multiple eyes with hands may pick it up to file/read and see something not intended for them over a single delivery point/mailbox...

sampler

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#2058690 19-Jul-2018 10:25

kryptonjohn:

I wonder of the doctor's surgery has installed a new practice management software package recently and acquired a new "feature"?

To my knowledge, Medtech, TXT to remind, Connect Med (health portal) and Management My Health (Health Portal from Medtech) all use providers with 4 digit short codes (unless it changed in the last 2-3 weeks). Auckland, Counties Manukau and Waikato DHB's use an "inhouse" provider which can be 3-5 digits. Anyone here know what SMS solution My Practice or Profile uses ?

Gorch

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#2060812 23-Jul-2018 09:20

Profile in NZ uses TXTStream - txtstream.co.nz

martyyn

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#2060919 23-Jul-2018 11:26

A couple of people were on the money. It turns out it was the local doctors surgery.

It looks like we only received half of the message, so whether it was user error or a character limit they aren't aware of we did receive the whole message.

It still astounds me people think a text is valid communication for something like this and I told them so. The reply was it saves the time and money.