Phone tapping - how to find out if you are being monitored and how to protect yourself
Kyiv • UNN
Noises during calls and rapid battery drain can be signs of surveillance. To check, use codes *#21#, *#62#, or security applications.
Overheating of the smartphone, rapid battery drain, strange noises during calls, or unexplained device activity can raise suspicions of wiretapping. Although such signs do not always indicate surveillance, they should not be ignored. UNN explains how to check your phone for possible wiretapping, which tools will help detect a threat, and what to do to protect your personal data and conversations.
Signs of phone wiretapping and who is doing it
The first sign of phone wiretapping is usually extraneous noise. However, noise can also be a sign of call forwarding or the use of special equipment. Noise may manifest as unexplained background sounds, hissing, or echoes during a conversation.
Another sign of phone wiretapping can be rapid battery depletion, as well as phone overheating. A constantly hot smartphone without active use may signal hidden processes of various origins.
In addition, an increase in data traffic, delays, or device malfunctions may indicate phone wiretapping.
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How to check your phone for wiretapping
There are several ways to check a phone for wiretapping. For example, using special service codes like *#21#, which allows you to check call and message forwarding.
Checking for phone wiretapping in this way is performed using simple steps:
- enter the combination *#21# to check the status of
forwarding;
- then enter *#62# to determine the number to which
calls are being redirected.
This method displays data that will help you find out the current state of the device related to your private conversations. You can check the SIM card specifically for call or message forwarding, which is one of the methods of phone wiretapping.
In addition to special codes, there are several other methods: specialized apps, using your device settings, and regular communication with service center dispatchers.
Convenient apps for checking for wiretapping include EAGLE Security and malware scanning services. EAGLE Security is one of the popular ones, created to protect mobile devices; its main functions are:
- detection of malicious applications, which helps find
and remove programs that may track your activity;
- security monitoring through phone status analysis and
warning of potential threats;
- checking for wiretapping by detecting
anomalous activity that may indicate spying activities.
There are also programs to check for malware, including:
- Malwarebytes detects and removes malicious programs,
including spyware, and provides real-time protection;
- Avast Mobile Security protects against viruses and tracking
software. The app offers a call blocking and privacy
protection function;
- McAfee Mobile Security scans the device for
threats. It offers data loss blocking and antivirus protection features.
You can also contact your mobile operator to receive official information about the status of call forwarding and ask to disable it if it was not activated by you.
Ways to protect against wiretapping
If you have found out that your device is being wiretapped, the question arises: how to protect yourself? To do this, use the following steps:
- enable two-factor authentication;
- use biometric protection methods. These include
fingerprints and facial recognition;
- install applications only from trusted sources;
- regularly check the device. This will help identify
suspicious programs.
Using antivirus programs is the easiest way to detect and remove spyware apps from your phone. A simple check of call forwarding using service codes will help avoid unauthorized use of your number.
In addition, try to turn off Bluetooth. If it is constantly on, it can become an entry point for attackers.
Another important factor is that attackers can wiretap using special tactical complexes—these are metal blocks that work as high-power or fake cell towers. They are placed in an inconspicuous minibus.
Of course, it is very difficult to intercept you at a speed of 100 km/h on the highway, but at low speeds, it is quite likely. A van with equipment can pull up about 50 meters behind you and listen to your phone, as a smartphone always looks for the best signal to save battery. It sees this "perfect" tower and, completely voluntarily, connects to the spies, giving them all your traffic.
Modern 4G is very difficult to crack on the fly, so the spy van heavily jams your signal and commands the phone to forcibly downgrade its protection to the old 2G standard.
To secure yourself, you should go to the mobile network settings and select "4G Only" mode to prevent the network from switching to EDGE.
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