While technology has made it possible to remotely monitor mobile devices, it doesn’t mean it’s legal or ethical to do so without the phone owner’s consent. Cell phone tapping has become a regular occurrence in today’s society. It’s often done to catch a cheater or a criminal. However, other parties can tap into your smartphone. This includes hackers, your employer, an ex-partner, or the press! Here are the red flags to look out for in case you’re worried your phone might be tapped.
7 Signs Your Phone Might Be Tapped
Strange background noises
Do you hear static, hums, clicks, scratches, echoes, beeps, buzzes, or other strange background sounds when talking on the phone? If you do, it could mean that your phone might be tapped as there’s interference from a tapping software. Also watch out for these even when you are not in the midst of a phone call.
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Shorter battery life
If your phone’s battery life suddenly is a lot shorter than it used to be, it’s possible your phone might be tapped. A tapping software might be running silently in the background and consuming battery power without you knowing. Consider how often you’ve been using your phone. Does your usage match your phone’s quickly draining battery life? Also, if your phone is hotter than usual, particularly if you haven’t been using it, this could be indicative of malicious software.
Shutdown issues
If your phone has difficulty shutting down, someone may have gained unauthorized access to it, controlling your phone through a tap. Check to see if the shutdown fails or the backlight stays on even after you have completed the shutdown process. On the other hand, does your phone regularly shut down by itself even when the battery is charged? Some spy software can be quite buggy and is also known to cause this.
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Suspicious activity
It’s highly important to know exactly what’s on your phone, especially the apps running in the background. When your phone starts to install an app all on its own or if you’ve noticed an unfamiliar app you don’t remember installing, it’s a huge sign someone else is controlling it. Aside from unwanted apps, check if your phone lights up, shuts down, or starts up without you doing anything.
Sudden spike in data usage
Look at your phone bill. If it shows an unexplainable increase in text or data usage, that’s another potential sign that your phone might be tapped. Spyware and other malicious apps can use your cellular data plan to send your information to an outside source. This is why it is important to know roughly how much data you consume each month.
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Slower performance
It’s logical that the more data you use, the slower your device will be. However, if you know you still got much storage space left and you haven’t been using your apps a lot on some days yet your phone is running slower than it should, hackers may be transmitting information to and from your device. You’ll suffer performance lags whatever method a cybercriminal uses to bug your phone. Check which apps are using the most RAM to properly assess your app usage.
Weird text messages
Are you receiving text messages from a phone number you don’t recognize? Do the texts include weird codes, random numbers, or suspicious links? Have you noticed texts sent from your phone that you don’t remember sending? If yes, it’s likely your phone might be tapped through a spy app to listen in on your calls. Likewise, if any of your family members or friends say you’re sending them bizarre texts or emails, this is a sign that your phone is compromised. This could mean your infected phone is trying to install malware on the devices of your loved ones as well.
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Be Wary
It can take a little sleuthing to find out if you’re really dealing with a phone tap or just random glitches. If you’ve been experiencing several red flags, it’s about time you do something! Install anti spyware apps or ask help from your phone carrier before your security gets compromised.
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