Spying on people can help you uncover the deepest and darkest secrets of the people around you, whether they are strangers or family members. If you want to become a real spy, then you will need to know how to stay unnoticed - as well as learn many clever tricks of the trade. You can spy on people by hiding in the right places or even by camouflaging yourself, albeit in a visible way. If you want to know how to spy on people in any situation, scroll down to the first step to get started.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Learn the Fundamentals
Step 1. Always act by accident
Whether it's spying on someone in the house or at the mall, the most important thing is to be impassive. If you wear a ridiculous disguise, behave nervously or see that you are trying to spy by stumbling, carrying colored equipment or generally calling attention to yourself, then you will be discovered in seconds. If you want to spy on people, you need to know how to act indifferently, as if you are exclusively absorbed in your own affairs, instead of devising a system to find out what others are doing.
- To show disinterest in what others are doing, you need to use body language. Don't get up on toes, but lean just enough to look relaxed, without getting too excited, and keep your gaze forward instead of looking at the floor. If you get too nervous, people will notice you right away.
- Don't act like you're wasting your time, looking up and down, or looking for something. That way why you are in a certain place will be pretty obvious. Just act impassively, as if you are waiting for someone, enjoying a spring day or just being absorbed in your own thoughts.
- If the person you're spying on sees you, act like it's not a big deal. Say hello or nod with a smile if you don't know her. If you run away or seem nervous, you will give a chance to believe that something is going on.
Step 2. Make an excuse if you get caught
It is important to be a master of espionage. Even if you are good at what you do, you will never have to get caught, but be prepared for anything that might happen in your path and, sadly, one of them is getting caught. So, before you embark on your next spy mission, you need to come up with a plausible story about why you go spying, otherwise you will be caught red-handed. Here are some ideas.
- If you are indoors spying on a parent or sibling, come up with a reason why you are in the closet, near the door, or why you quietly approach the same room where your target is. Maybe you are crouched on the floor because you have lost an earring (more believable if you only wear one earring) or because you are looking for something else. Maybe you are in the basement because you have to fold the laundry. Find a compelling reason for whatever you are doing and why you are in a certain place.
- If your mission takes place in a public place, just find a reason to justify your presence in the same place where the person being spied is. If the latter is in a mall, say you are there to get a gift for your mother. If you get caught spying in the cinema, buy two tickets and say you're waiting for a friend who has never arrived. The more banal your excuse is, the better it will be.
Step 3. Walk slowly
This is another prerequisite for a true spy. If you're going to spy on someone, then you can't walk around in work boots or high heels. Choose a pair of shoes that have rubber soles, light and silent, such as Toms, light sandals or even Ugg boots, which make no noise. Try on the shoes before using them for a spy mission. If you are indoors, bare feet will naturally be better.
Beyond the shoes, you also need to practice not to make too much noise while walking. Proceed lightly, walking on tiptoe and trying to make as little noise as possible
Step 4. You can learn a lot by reading books or watching movies about people who are professional spies, or who do spying in their everyday life
You can get some great ideas on which techniques work best and what should be avoided. Here are some great sources of inspiration:
- Harriet the Spy
- Nancy Drew
- The Hardy Boys
- Any 'James Bond' movie
- The Bourne Trilogy
- Alias
- The window on the courtyard
- Disturbia
Step 5. Practice for your first mission
Once you have a goal in mind and a plan for spying, it's best to practice a little before taking the field. You can practice with one of your friends instead of your target to see if you get caught. You can spy on your mother instead of your sister for a while just to see if it will work. If you are caught in the act, ask yourself what you can improve on to avoid getting caught next time.
As a spy it is important to know your strengths and weaknesses, but also to adjust your first mission based on what you have learned in practice
Step 6. Learn to blend in
The key to being a spy is to blend in with your surroundings as much as possible. This does not mean that you have to disguise yourself as Peeta from The Hunger Games, but that you should be as inconspicuous as possible, under all circumstances. Don't do anything that sets you apart from other people. If you are at a football match, dress like all the other fans. Choose environmentally friendly clothing instead of buying a story spy outfit that puts you at the center of attention.
- It is important not only to look like the people around you, but also to do what everyone else is doing. If you're in a bookstore, pretend you're looking for a book or engrossed in leafing through one. If you're in an ice cream shop, be awkward while you taste your ice cream cone.
- If you want to spy on someone from home, wear what you normally wear so that family members or neighbors don't suspect there is something different about you. If you can minimize the noise from your clothes, it would help, but beyond that try not to be too eccentric.
Step 7. Always carry a notebook and pen with you
Harriet the Spy knew what she was doing. If you really intend to spy on people and discover all the secrets of relatives and strangers around you, it is absolutely essential to have your notebook handy. You should observe and write down everything you hear and see. Maybe it doesn't make a lot of sense to you or it doesn't seem essential yet, but you will later realize that the notebook could help you add a crucial piece of the puzzle.
- Write down the date and time and everything the person is doing.
- To keep the notebook out of the way, write letters "Math" or another school subject in large letters. Who will ever open it?
- Camouflage your handwriting as much as possible. If someone finds the notebook, they shouldn't be able to trace it back to you. Write in lowercase letters if you normally write in uppercase letters, skew the characters in a different direction, put in some spelling mistakes if you normally don't, and so on.
- Do not write the real name of the person you are spying on. Use a code name.
- You can bring a small pocket device if you think you will look more ordinary this way.
Step 8. Consider involving a partner in your mission
While you can certainly spy on people on your own, having a partner who can help you get some important information may prevent you from being caught. The partner can make it easier for you to use new techniques, can be useful with walkie-talkies, and in case the person you are spying on knows you but has never seen your assistant. The most important thing, however, is that the partner is a trusted person. It is not appropriate for someone else to blow your cover.
The partner can help you keep the game going by pretending to be a door-to-door salesman, have lost a document, or be another random person who can get the individual's attention to be spied on as you continue your investigation
Part 2 of 3: Spying on People in the House
Step 1. Lurk around the corner
Being behind a wall when something is happening nearby is a great way to spy on people in the house. Make sure you stand behind the wall, leaving a few inches between you and the corner, so that you stay hidden, and carefully listening to what's going on. You can also crouch in the corner and listen, but this will make it harder to come up with an excuse if you get caught.
If you feel that the person is approaching, walk up the stairs so that you meet them giving the impression that you are intent on your chores. It is better to act like this than to be seen running down the stairs
Step 2. Pretend to do something nearby
This is another great way to spy on someone in the house. You can stand in the next room, overhearing everything the other person says and listening to all the juicy gossip he is doing. If you wish to spy on your sister in the basement, go to the next room to fold the laundry. If you intend to spy on your father, who is fixing up the garage, pretend you are looking for something on your moped. Of course, the calmer it seems what you do, the better it will be.
Don't do something completely different than usual - for example, suddenly wash the dishes when you haven't done it in months - or you will arouse more suspicion
Step 3. Pretend to listen to music
If you're a kid, then your parents are probably used to seeing you spinning around with earphones while listening to music all the time. If you do this regularly - or if you intend to make this habit around the house so others will think it's normal - then it can be a great way to learn private information by being in the same room with other people who will never think they will be overheard.
- While it may not always work, if you waste time indoors listening to music on earphones, laughing alone and appearing to be in your world all the time, others will think that you are not really there and may inadvertently say something in front of you., because they believe you are not listening to them.
- You should still put on some music, like classical or jazz, in case they find you. Just turn down the volume.
Step 4. Listen to the conversations on the phone
Picking up another phone while your parents or siblings are talking on their home phone is another great way to spy. The important thing is to be ahead of the conversation, so grab the phone before the person goes to call. If you do this later, then he can hear you before you even make the call.
- If the phone rings for your mother or brother and you want to stay on the line, take the call, call the person, and once done, put the phone down and pick it up right away, so that it sounds as if you've put the phone down.
- It is especially important to avoid letting your breath be heard when trying to spy on the phone. You can also hold it close to your ear, but away from your mouth, to lessen any suspicion.
Step 5. Avoid breathing hard
If you want to spy on people in the house, then you need to train yourself to breathe as lightly as you can. If you breathe heavily, siblings or a family member will immediately turn around and you will be discovered. Therefore, you need to train yourself to take slow, shallow breaths from the nose if possible so as not to catch anyone's attention.
You should also learn to hold back sneezing or coughing. It is also not appropriate to be betrayed by an allergy
Step 6. Get a webcam with motion detection
The webcam with motion detection can be a great asset to a spy's computer. If you set it to turn on every time someone enters the room, it will automatically start recording the people inside and you will be able to see exactly what they have done. It is a great tool for spying on people in the house. If you have a laptop, you can also leave it "by accident" in various parts of the house, so it is much more likely that you will be able to record what you want.
Step 7. Overhear by pressing a glass against the wall
If you place a glass against the wall with the bottom facing your ear and the open part on the wall, you will be able to slightly amplify the sounds coming from the next room. This way you can become a master of the art of eavesdropping and hear everything the people in the next room are saying - if they are there to keep some secrets.
Part 3 of 3: Spying on People in Public
Step 1. Do not attract attention
If you are in public spying on someone, the best thing to do is to blend in with your surroundings. If the person knows you and you want to stay hidden, then you can wear sunglasses, but only if they are not too flashy. To blend in with the crowd, just wear what people normally wear and do what others are doing. You can also change your hairstyle or do something different to look different, as long as it doesn't draw attention to you.
For example, by wearing a fake beard or wearing all black in the middle of summer, you risk getting noticed
Step 2. Don't make sudden movements
Move to the extent that it feels like you are walking to go somewhere, but without giving the impression that you are in a particular hurry. If you are stalking someone, you should never run, pace, or breathe heavily. If you want to go unnoticed, then you need to be stealthy and stay calm, keeping the target at a distance.
While the most important thing is to keep an eye on the target, you should also be aware of your surroundings. You will blow your cover, if you run into someone, drop something or make a misstep
Step 3. Learn to read lips
Learning to read lips is a skill that can take you a long way. If you learn how to do this, you will be able to look at people from afar and understand what they are saying. Of course, you need to be able to see the person's mouth while staying invisible, but you can do this without attracting attention or by finding a great hiding place and observing with binoculars! You can take an online lip reading course to learn how to master this useful and stealthy skill. Here are some things to know:
- When a person uses vowels, the mouth will have a rounded shape.
- When a person uses lip sounds like "p, b", the lips touch.
- You can try to reproduce the words with your mouth to get a better idea of what is being said.
- Once you can read the mouth and lips well, you can start looking at the rest of the mouth and face to understand the context.
- Until you have mastered lip-reading, you can try making a video of the conversation (trying to get the person's face back) and then review it later so you can decipher what he was saying.
Step 4. Consider using binoculars
Binoculars are another useful tool for seriously spying on people. The important thing is to use it wisely and very, very carefully. You can use it from home to spy on neighbors - if you're in a dark room with no reflections, getting noticed can be more difficult than when you're in public.
While you may have seen several movies where people use binoculars while crouching in the bushes, you may actually get caught pretty quickly. If you really intend to use binoculars to spy on people outdoors, then you should put yourself at a great distance from who you are spying on
Step 5. Travel light
If you go among the people, it is not convenient to carry a camera, a giant backpack, eighty spy accessories, a huge notebook and a set of pens. You will only have to bring what is absolutely necessary to spy, and give the impression that you have even less stuff than necessary. If you use a lot of tools and need some time to get everything ready, then you will only be drawing attention to yourself. Try to put everything you need in a small bag, or hide it in your coat. If it looks like you're carrying next to nothing, people won't notice you.
Step 6. Use a mirror
If you are in public and intend to spy on the person behind you, bring out a mirror, maybe some makeup and act as if you are looking at your face. Then, tilt the mirror in the direction of the person you want to spy on. You can also try to hide the mirror in a book or other object you are holding in front of you - just make sure no one recognizes it.
If you'd rather give the impression that you are fixing yourself up a little, don't do it all the time, otherwise you risk drawing too much attention to yourself
Step 7. Use a secret recording device
Search the internet for recording devices disguised as ordinary objects, such as the spy pen. If you get one of these items, you could leave it on where two people are sitting talking and then come back later to listen to the conversation again. You can also use a normal tape recorder, but then you have to be able to hide it well - perhaps at the bottom of a bag "left" by chance in the place where the people you intend to spy will be.
If you use a traditional tape recorder, remember that the tape can run out and send out a signal. Use it when you only need to record for a short period of time
Step 8. Block all devices
If you are a real spy, then you need to make sure that people cannot understand who you are or know anything about you. Lock your phone, computer or any other device, so that if you accidentally leave them unattended, no one will be able to access them. You can also set them to turn off when someone other than you touches them. This way you will be able to know who is trying to spy on you and keep all your secrets safe.
Advice
- Be careful when walking on gravel, as it makes a perceptible noise.
- Don't tell your friends that you are a spy, unless you are a group.
- Make sure you have all the equipment you and other people in the group need.
- If you want to feel comfortable, don't wear loose or loose clothing, especially pants. They can make a lot of noise when you walk or advance slowly. Wear tight pants or shorts to avoid this.
- Don't get up too high. Whoever you are spying on may not see you when you are down and out of sight.
- If you have an assistant or a group of people, make sure you have a mobile phone with you so that you can ask for help if needed. Also make sure your cell phone is set to vibrate, so if you get a message or a phone call, the person you're spying on won't hear it.
- Put your phone in silent or vibrate mode. Make sure it doesn't ring when you try to spy on someone, otherwise it will hear and notice you.
- Beware of the snow: your footprints are very easy to follow.
- Always stay in a group so that you have support and a person of safety.
- Wear casual clothing.
- Be discreet.
Warnings
- Be ready for anything, especially when spying on a stranger. He may notice what's going on.
- Set your cell phone to vibrate before going on a mission, otherwise it may ring and signal your presence to others.
- Don't think you can complete an entire mission by yourself, you need to plan ahead.
- Don't try to move like a stuntman, running along walls, sprinting on rooftops and jumping. These are striking gestures and people will notice you. It's ninja stuff.
- Beware of the shadows of the body, you risk being discovered by the person you are spying on.
- Spying on others can be illegal. Learn about the laws in this regard.
- Don't munch on crunchy foods.
- Consider some soft snacks that don't need refrigeration.
