If you have reason to believe that your cell or landline phone is being wiretapped, there are some clues that may support your suspicions. However, many of these indicators can be caused by other sources, so you need to find more than one piece of evidence rather than relying on just one. Once you have enough evidence, you can go to the authorities. Here's what you need to look for if you suspect someone has any listening devices on your phone.
Steps
Method 1 of 5: Initial Suspicions
Step 1. Be apprehensive when your secrets are exposed
If information confidential to a close circle of trusted people suddenly leaks, it could be that the leak is the result of wiretapping, especially if you have talked about it over the phone at some point.
- This is especially important if you are in a position that makes you a person worthy of being spied on. For example, if you hold a mid-high position in a powerful company with many competitors, you could risk falling victim to the clandestine information business.
- On the other hand, the reasons for being intercepted could also be very simple, like being in the middle of a troubled divorce. Your future ex-partner may want to spy on you for useful information during the separation lawsuit.
- If you want to give it a try, you can confide bogus information that seems important to someone you can trust. If that information gets out, you know someone else was listening.
Step 2. Be on the lookout if you have recently suffered a robbery
If your home has recently been robbed or someone has broken in but nothing of value has been stolen, this is enough to suggest that something is wrong. Sometimes this could mean that someone broke into your home just to put a bug on your phone.
Method 2 of 5: Signals for Any Phone
Step 1. Listen to background noises
If you hear a lot of static interference or other background noise while talking on the phone, there is a chance that that noise is actually coming from interference created by bedbugs.
- However, it is not the best of the signals when considered on its own, as echoes, clatter and noises can be caused by random interference or a bad connection.
- Interference, distortion and noise can be caused by a capacitive discharge caused by the contact of two conductors.
- A high-intensity buzz is an even more obvious indication.
- You can check for sounds that are inaudible to your hearing by using a particular sensor specifically calibrated to pick up signals in the low frequency spectrum. If the indicator detects something multiple times per minute, it is very likely that your phone is being intercepted.
Step 2. Use your phone near other electronic devices
If you suspect there are bedbugs in your phone, walk by a radio or TV on your next call. Even if you don't hear interference on the phone itself, there is a possibility that it may cause noise to another electronic device in the immediate vicinity.
- You should also look for any distortions when you are not actually using the phone. An active wireless phone signal could disrupt data transmission even without additional programs or tools installed on your phone, which a deactivated signal cannot.
- Some bedbugs transmit on frequencies close to the FM radio band, so if your radio starts croaking when set to "mono" and tuned to the highest frequencies in the range of the band, it is possible that one of these devices is in operation.
- By the same principle, bedbugs can interfere with TV broadcast frequencies on UHF channels. Use a TV with an antenna to look for interference in the room.
Step 3. Listen to your phone when it is not in use
It should be silent when you are not using it. If you hear beeps, clicks or other noises even when it is in standby, there may be some wiretapping device installed.
- In particular, look for any intermittent static noises.
- If this occurs, it could mean that the microphone and speaker are active even when the phone is not receiving calls. Any conversation within 6 meters of the phone could be overheard.
- In the case of a landline, if you hear call initiation sounds when your phone is attached, this is another sign of interception. Check for this noise with an external amplifier.
Method 3 of 5: Signs of the presence of bedbugs in a moving line
Step 1. Pay attention to the battery temperature
If your cell phone battery becomes particularly hot when you are not using it and you cannot figure out why, there may be a program intercepting calls without your knowledge causing the battery to work continuously.
Of course, an overheated battery could just be a sign of overuse. Especially if your cell phone is already over a year old, as cell phone batteries tend to deteriorate over time
Step 2. Note how often you need to recharge your phone
If the lifespan suddenly drops for no reason, forcing you to charge it more often than usual, the battery may be low due to constantly running tapping software consuming all the energy.
- You also need to consider how often you are using the phone. If you've been using it a lot lately, the increased need to charge is probably just because you've been consuming more power. This step only applies if you barely touch your phone or haven't used it more than usual.
- You can monitor the battery life of your smartphone using an app such as BatteryLife LX or Battery LED.
- Also note that a cell phone battery will gradually lose its ability to stay charged as time progresses. If the change happens after at least a year of having the phone, it could just be the result of an old, over-used battery.
Step 3. Try turning off the phone
If the shutdown process takes a long time or cannot be completed, this strange behavior could mean that someone else has control over your phone through the use of some special software.
- Be very careful to determine if your mobile phone takes longer than usual to turn off or if the backlight of the screen stays on even after you turn it off.
- While it may be indicative of having your phone under control, it could also simply mean that there is a problem with your phone's device or software, which has absolutely nothing to do with wiretapping.
Step 4. Watch out for random activities
If your phone lights up, shuts down, starts up or starts installing applications without you doing anything, there may be someone remotely controlling it.
On the other hand, any of these things could happen due to interference during data transmission
Step 5. Keep an eye out for unusual SMS
If you've recently received text messages consisting solely of random strips of letters or numbers from unknown senders, these messages are a big wake-up call for a newbie who's checking your phone.
Some programs use SMS to give commands to the targeted cell phone. If these programs are installed roughly, this type of message may appear
Step 6. Pay close attention to your phone bill
If the cost of your data increases significantly without you being responsible, there may be someone else using your connection through eavesdropping.
Many spy programs send your phone activity data to online servers using your rate plan. Older programs used massive amounts of data, making it easier to find, but those are easier to hide as they use less
Method 4 of 5: Signs of the Presence of Bedbugs in a Fixed Line
Step 1. Check the environment
If you already suspect that you are being intercepted on your landline, check your surroundings carefully. If something seems to be out of place, like a sofa or a desk, don't dismiss the hypothesis right away thinking you're paranoid. It could indicate that someone has actually stuck their nose into your spaces.
- A person who wants to eavesdrop on your calls may move furniture while trying to access power or telephone lines, which is why it's important to note this.
- Above all, look at the seals on the wall outlets. You should pay particular attention to the telephone socket boxes in the room. If they appear to be displaced or in some way "out of place", they may have been tampered with.
Step 2. Take a look at the external telephone box
You may not know what the inside looks like, but even if you have a rough idea, check it out. If the box appears to have been tampered with or if the contents are in disorder, someone may have installed a bug.
- If you notice any apparently installed device in a hurry, even if you don't know what it is, you should try to get it checked by someone.
- Take a good look at the "reserved" side of the box. This part needs a special Allen key to open, and if it looks like it has been tampered with, you may have a problem.
- There should only be one box for your home line and two cables branching off from it. The presence of additional cables or branch boxes may be suspicious.
Step 3. Count the vans you see
If you notice an increase in the number of vans around your property, they may not simply be vans. They could belong to whoever is eavesdropping on your calls.
- This is especially noteworthy in case no one seems to be getting in or out of vehicles.
- Typically, people who are eavesdropping on a landline via a bug will stay 150-200 meters away. The vehicles will also have tinted windows.
Step 4. Watch out for any mysterious technicians
If someone shows up at your home claiming to be a technician or employee of your telephone company, but you haven't called or requested assistance, it could be a trap. Call your phone company - or whichever company it claims to be from - to verify its identity.
- When you call the company, use the phone number you have in your address book. Don't use a phone number provided by the mysterious stranger at your door.
- Even if you receive confirmation, you should pay close attention to the activities of this technician during his stay.
Method 5 of 5: Confirm Your Suspicions
Step 1. Use a bug detector
This is a physical device that you can connect to your phone. As its name suggests, it can spot external signs and bedbugs, possibly confirming that your suspicions are well founded and that someone else is listening to your calls.
The usefulness of these devices is questionable, but to be really useful in detecting bugs, they should be able to detect electrical or signal changes on the telephone line under consideration. Look for a device that measures impedance and capacitance levels, along with high frequency signal changes
Step 2. Install an app
For smartphones, you may be able to install an app capable of detecting wiretapping by identifying unauthorized signals and access to your cellphone data.
- The effectiveness of similar apps is in question, so even these can't provide you with irrefutable evidence. Some such apps are only useful in detecting bedbugs placed by other apps.
- Apps that claim to detect bedbugs include SpyWarn and Reveal: Anti SMS Spy.
Step 3. Ask your carrier for assistance
If you have strong reasons to believe that your phone is being wiretapped, you can ask your carrier to check with professional equipment.
- A standard line analysis carried out by the telephone company will be able to identify most of the illegal wiretapping, bugs, low frequency instruments and extensions to the telephone line.
- Please note that if you have specifically requested the check, but the company refuses to comply with your request or claims it found nothing without almost searching, it is likely that it is carrying out one from the government.
Step 4. Go to the police
If you have concrete evidence that your phone has indeed been monitored, you can also ask the police to check it. Additionally, you can also ask for their help in indicting whoever is responsible for the wiretapping.
