The reason uncovering cheaters is so complicated is that they’re very cautious with their phones.
Yeah, we all know the ploy of checking a partner’s phone to see if they’re cheating, but is there a better way? Or at least a safer one?
To everybody’s surprise, there is a way to catch a cheater through text messages remotely!
But first…
– Which is more effective? Going through somebody’s phone or keeping a distance?
A very good question, but you’re not going to like the answer.
- Checking your significant other’s phone is more effective and opens more doors as that’s where all the evidence is stored.
If there is any (and there probably is), you will gain tangible proof that cannot be overruled.
But then the question begs itself…”Wouldn’t a cheater delete everything off their phones?”.
Yes, they would, but don’t fret about it—later on, I’ll be explaining what you need to do when going through a partner’s phone!
But for now, let’s see how you can catch a cheater over text.
1. You can tell if someone is cheating over text by eyeing how they act.
As stated by our post before, we may be staying oblivious to text affairs if we don’t know the signs—signs that the cheater has to have been showing!
- If your s.o. has locked their phone, is acting cold/distant, behaves very secretive and anxious, and doesn’t reassure you in any way, then they could be texting somebody else.
The same goes for texting patterns: if their texts are short, dry, and delayed.
Cheaters change because they don’t want to be caught (or because their feelings have altered); luckily, such changes are easy to catch.
So, observe your partner’s behavior very carefully whenever you’re talking and see if they’ve been acting unloving and mysterious.
2. Pay attention to their autocorrect.
What’s interesting about Autocorrect is that it helped me learn the name of the person my (cheating) ex was talking to at the time—by accident.
Its main purpose is to eliminate grammatical errors and learn from people’s writing styles (what words they use the most and on what occasions).
- If you two are talking about anything romantic or sexual, see if their phone autocorrects your name to another person’s.
“I can’t wait to meet up with you tonight, [another person’s name]! I miss you.”
Your partner will, of course, insist that it was only a mistake, but it’s unlikely if it happens too often.
It could be a mistake, but it could also be that they use that specific name when using the phrases “meeting up” and “I miss you”.
3. Catfish your partner on social media and text them.
Catfishing is not okay! Regardless of the moral dilemma it presents, though, it will help you learn if your partner is cheating online.
Make a bogus account and text your s.o.; make your profile look legit by picking believable pictures and an unsuspecting personality.
- I don’t recommend texting them on Snapchat as it tells users how they were added (if you add your partner by their username, they might realize).
Present yourself as this fun, seductive stranger who’s so interested in your partner—flirt a little and even hint at your desire to see them.
If they accept your advances or imply they wouldn’t mind getting together with you through text, then your partner is unmistakably a cheater.
4. Investigate further when they send you a text that was meant for another person!
Again, mistakes are normal! But not if your significant other accidentally sends you something like:
“Hey, baby. My wife/husband leaves at 9. Want to come over?”
Even if they claim it’s a joke, do NOT let it slide: ask them questions and have them admit to their unfaithfulness.
- It’s fishy if your partner starts hyperventilating or begging you to drop the topic; it’s not a joke if they immediately delete the message.
If the message has been long deleted before you got the chance to read it, open the Notification Center on your phone and see if it’s still there.
How to catch cheaters texting on their phones?
I’m assuming you want to avoid doing this no matter what, and I’m with you—it’s a “high-risk, high-reward” situation.
But if your partner is cheating on their phone, success is almost guaranteed.
It’s always best to ask for their permission to check their phone as opposed to secretly doing it—once you’re in:
- Go through their social media apps;
- Read texts from doubtful people;
- Look at your partner’s call history.
- Check all media files.
– Find and read their deleted messages.
TikTok user itsethankeiser suggests a brilliant method of catching cheaters.
- Tell your partner that you want to go through their phone the next time you meet. They’ll agree because your partner has enough time to delete evidence and doesn’t want to seem suspicious.
They will instantly delete their messages, unaware of the fact that you can still view them.
On iPhone, follow these exact steps: iMessages > Edit > Show Recently Deleted.
As for Android: Messages > Menu > Trash Bin Icon.
– Check every contact with a conspicuous name!
Read every text message on your partner’s phone that has been exchanged with a suspicious person.
- Perhaps the name of a person you didn’t know they talk to, an acronym, emojis/other symbols, or fake names.
Let’s say you’re checking your spouse’s phones, and you see they’ve been talking to a person named “😍”—a secretive person, saved under an even more secretive name.
Cheaters save their lovers’ names in their contacts as something or someone completely unrelated to the affair (this serves as a distraction).
– Watch out for cheating text message codes.
Cheaters refrain from using full, comprehensible sentences so as not to make their partners suspect anything.
See if you can find any short acronyms or words that sound like they have a hidden meaning:
- ASLP stands for Age/Sex/Location/Picture;
- DADT means ”Don’t ask, don’t tell.”;
- FWB is “Friends with Benefits”;
- FMM/FFM refers to threesomes (F stands for Female, and M for Male);
- NSFW, which means “Not Safe for Work” and NSFS, which means “Not Safe for Spouse”;
- SB is “Sugar Baby” and SD is “Sugar Daddy”;
- ILY and LY— this is your partner telling their affair partner they love them.
These are some popular acronyms in the cheating world, but you’ll also want to carefully examine short sentences as well:
- Sentences like “Same time?”, “Same place again.”, “I’m alone.” etc. all suggest your s.o. is cheating.
– While you’re checking the cheater’s phone, take a quick look at their emoji keyboard.
And let me show you exactly why this is important!
- By doing this, you’ll see if your significant other is using sexual emojis with other people (but not you).
And if they are, that implies they’re discussing sexual topics with others, which is considered cheating.
Going back to the most crucial sign of cheating (a cold behavior), if your partner’s recent emojis show a lot of cutesy ones, ask yourself, “Were they meant for me?”.
– Receive their WhatsApp messages on your phone by linking your devices.
People have started using WhatsApp to cheat, probably because of its unsuspicious nature.
Everybody uses WhatsApp, at the end of the day!
- If you want to read your significant other’s WhatsApp messages, link their device to yours.
Settings > Linked Devices > Link a Device.
You can link your partner’s device using their WhatsApp QR code (found in Settings)—after clicking on Link a Device, scan their QR code on your phone.
You’re now able to read your partner’s text messages.
– Download text-spying apps on the cheater’s phone!
People often find that a good solution to catching cheaters is by monitoring their phone activity with spying apps like mSpy and Eyezy.
They aren’t free, however, offer exceptional service:
- You’ll be able to read your partner’s messages;
- See their call logs;
- Check their apps;
- Know their location;
- See what videos and images they save.
And all without them knowing—you’ll only need to touch their phone to download the app and set it up (but even then, it’s pretty quick).
But this you ABSOLUTELY want to avoid: installing spyware on a significant other’s phone violates their rights.
How to catch a cheater over text on iPhone?
I have 3 tricks to catch a text-cheater, but they work only for iOS devices:
1. Search for flirty phrases on iMessages.
Go to your partner’s iPhone’s iMessage app and type whatever flirty words and phrases that come to mind.
If they’ve used those phrases with other people, their conversations will pop up.
2. Click Search on their home screen.
This feature is similar, but it’s much more inclusive.
On your partner’s home screen, click the Search icon and search for certain phrases, people, or even articles of clothing.
“Lingerie”, “[an ex’s name]”, “Love”, “Hotel”, etc. and you will be showing contacts, pictures, and conversations that match.
3. Search specific phrases on the Photos app.
Go to Photos > Search and type useful words such as “Person”, “Bra”, and “[location]”.
Pictures that correspond to those words will appear!
Going through their phone isn’t the only way.
You can check if your partner is cheating through text messages without laying a finger on their phone.
This includes talking to them with a fake persona and observing their texting habits—all of which are immaculate methods.
But if you’d rather get to the bottom of it by checking their phone, think beforehand if that’s the right move!