How Do I Know If I’ve Been Bugged?

Are you a potential target?

1. If eavesdropping on anything you say, write, or do could increase someone else’s wealth or influence, then the answer is yes, you are a potential target.

2. Others know your confidential business or professional trade secrets.

This is the most obvious indicator of covert eavesdropping activities. Theft of confidential information is a multi-billion dollar underground industry in the United States. Often the loss of your secrets will show up in very subtle ways so you should always trust your instincts in this matter. When your competitors, associates or co-workers know things that are obviously private, or the media finds out about things they should not know, then it is reasonable to suspect technical eavesdropping or bugging.

3. Secret meetings and bids seem to be less than secret.

Confidential meetings and bids are very popular targets for corporate spies. How would you like the plans for the corporate takeovers you’re planning to become public knowledge? Would copies of your product designs be of any use to your competitors? Would it be beneficial for your competitors to know how much you’re quoting for the same project?

4. People seem to know your activities when they shouldn’t.

5. You have noticed strange sounds or volume changes on your phone lines.

This is commonly caused by an amateur eavesdropper when they attach a wiretap, or activate a similar listening device. Surveillance devices often cause slight anomalies on the telephone line such as volume shift or drop-out. Professional eavesdroppers and their equipment usually do not make such noises; so if this is going on it could indicate that an amateur eavesdropper is listening in. On the other hand you could simply be experiencing a flaw in the line, but you should check it out.

6. You have noticed static, popping, or scratching on your phone lines.

This is caused by the capacitive discharge which occurs when two conductors are connected together (such as a bug or wiretap on a phone line). This is also a sign that an amateur eavesdropper or poorly trained spy is playing with your phone lines. It could be nothing more then a problem with your phone line or instrument. However, it should be checked out by using one of our RF Detectors.

7. Sounds are coming from your phones handset when it’s hung up.

This is often caused by a hook switch bypass, which turns the telephone receiver into an eavesdropping microphone (and also a speaker). There is probably somebody listening to everything you say or do within twenty feet of the telephone (if this is happening).

8. Your phone often rings and nobody is there, or a very faint tone, or high-pitched squeal/beep is heard for a fraction of a second.

This is an indicator of a slave device, or line extender being Bug Scanner used on your phone line. This is also a key indicator of a harmonica bug, or infinity transmitter being used. Of course it may also be nothing more then a fax machine or modem calling the wrong number. However, using one of our Telephone Line Analyzers. should check it out.

9. You can hear a tone on your line when your phone is on the hook (by using an external amplifier). Contact us!

10. Your AM/FM radio has suddenly developed strange interference.

Many amateur and spy shop eavesdropping devices use frequencies within or just outside the FM radio band, these signals tend to drift and will “quiet” an FM radio in the vicinity of the bug. Look for the transmissions at far ends of the FM radio band, and at any quiet area within the FM band. If the radio begins to squeal then slowly move it around the room until the sound become very high pitched. This is referred to as feedback detection or loop detection and will often locate the bug. The “stereo” function should be turned off so the radio is operating in “mono” as this will provide a serious increase in sensitivity. If you find a “squealer” in this manner then immediately Contact us!

11. Your car radio suddenly starts “getting weird”

Keep in mind that the antenna your car radio uses may be (and often is) exploited by an eavesdropper, and that such usage may interfere with radio reception (so be concerned if your automobile radio suddenly starts getting weird).