Any connected device you own can be used to spy on you, with many TVs coming with cameras that are hidden. Award-winning host Kim Komando can be listened to on various radio stations or her podcast. Over 400,000 individuals get her free 5-minute daily email newsletter.
There are also people who prefer texting to calling, as its convenient and familiar.
However, these text messages are not always kept between the people writing them, with various ways a message can be intercepted.
Here is how to know if you are being spied on:
Apple iMessages can be intercepted by someone close to the owner, through message forwarding, which is a feature used to forward messages to another device automatically.
To check, the user should go to Settings > Messages > Text Message Forwarding.
If this isn’t seen, go to Settings > Messages > Turn off iMessage, then turn it back on. Tap Send & Receive > Use Your Apple ID for iMessage.
If any unfamiliar devices are seen, turn them off.
Additionally, a code can be used to see if calls and text messages are being forwarded. Open the Phone app, tap on the Keypad, Dial *#21# and hit the green call button. An info screen should appear.
It will show details on the activity of your calls, SMS messages, and even faxes. If these are listed as Disabled, everything’s fine. Tap Dismiss to go back to the regular screen.
If any issues are found in the settings of a phone, this means someone has likely gotten in. They could have also gotten into the iCloud account or both. Users are urged to change passwords and PINs immediately, as spyware can be used by anyone, not just hackers.
Developers advertise spyware in order to protect children from predators, and make sure bad actors aren’t scamming anyone. But there’s no way to prevent someone using this software to spy on people.
One popular app is mSpy, which advertises the ability to monitor texts, calls, and social media. It can be installed remotely on an iPhone if the user has the proper iCloud credentials. Android phones require the app to be installed directly.
Once installed, messages and more can be intercepted. Anyone can access past messages via iCloud and Android backup apps, which can be installed on PCs. Once in, all past messages are visible.
Other apps to watch out for include SpyBubble, XNSPY, Cocospy, Spyera, EyeZy, uMobix and Hoverwatch.
People have been urged to change PINs and passwords if there’s suspicion of spying. Follow these steps to ensure you aren’t being spied on:
- Check the phone now: Start by checking apps. If there are any unfamiliar ones, get rid of them. This should be performed regularly.
- Delete apps on an iPhone: Touch and hold the app icon, tap Remove App > Delete App and then Delete.
- Delete apps on an Android phone: Open the Google Play Store app. At the top right, tap the Profile icon, tap Manage apps & devices > Manage. Select the name of the app being deleted, then tap Uninstall.
Here are the signs that indicate if your phone is infected with spyware, malware or viruses:
- Spyware eats up resources, causing a phone to heat up.
- The phone battery could be draining faster than usual.
- Significant spikes in data usage.
- Slows down connection speed by redirecting or forwarding messages elsewhere.
- Strange incidents such as the phone shutting down on its own or constantly losing connection during calls.
