How to Check for Audio Surveillance
Having people listening in to your private conversations is not a problem faced only by Tony Soprano. Audio surveillance, legal or extralegal, has become increasingly common in matters of divorce, political elections and corporate espionage. While bugs used to be expensive and difficult to install, technological advances have brought them within the means of even the most amateur of sleuths. Today's audio surveillance devices are often no larger than a matchbook and very difficult to spot without proper detection equipment and a great deal of vigilance.
Other People Are Reading
Things You'll Need
- RF bug detector
- Professional bug detection kit (e.g. Spy Hawk Pro)
- Home and office security system (optional)
Instructions
-
-
1
Search your home, office and automobile for any signs of a break-in. Also, note any recent visits by strangers (e.g. a phony cable TV installer) who might have had access to these locations. Also, consider purchasing a home security system such as ADT to prevent future break-ins.
-
2
Conduct a "sweep" of your home, office and automobile with a standard bug detector. Listening devices often emit radio waves that can be pinpointed with a standard radio frequency detector. Scrutinize any places in the walls and ceilings that look patched up or painted over. Other common locations include pens, baseball caps, watches and lamps. If you received any suspicious packages in the mail, those also should be examined closely.
-
-
3
Search the premises for more sophisticated bugs. Many audio surveillance devices can change frequencies or switch off to avoid detection. Fortunately, a professional bug detection package such as Spy Hawk Pro will be able to detect the magnetic fields and electric noise produced by microprocessors inside audio surveillance equipment. Further, standard bugs may not be detected because they have a dead battery (until someone replaces it, of course).
-
4
Secure the perimeter of your home, office, and automobile so that no one can come on or near these locations without detection. A good way to stop audio surveillance is preventing installation of bugs in the first place. Additionally, be aware that your conversations can be monitored remotely. For example, a directional shotgun microphone can pick up conversations from up to 300 feet away.
-
5
Keep audio detection equipment with you at all times. Conduct a "sweep" of any locations outside your home, office and automobile where you need to discuss sensitive information. If that is not possible, walking and talking with someone on a noisy street is a good way to elude audio surveillance.
-
1
Tips & Warnings
Always use an outside line such as a payphone to make sensitive calls. There is no surefire way to prevent surveillance of cellular devices.
References
- Photo Credit microphone - on air image by Nikolai Sorokin from Fotolia.com
