Mobile phone tracking is a very serious issue. It is one of the most invasive and potentially damaging forms of spying on an individual that there is.
In 2013, Edward Snowden, a former contractor with the NSA, leaked information to the media about the phone tracking practices of the NSA. According to Snowden, the NSA was collecting phone records of millions of Americans. The purpose of this phone tracking was to gather data about individuals’ contacts and their associations.
This article will discuss how to tell if your phone is being tracked, how phone tracking works, and what you can do to protect yourself from spyware or other malicious software intrusions.
Statistics about Phone Hacking
The world’s businesses will lose $6 trillion to cybercrime by 2021, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. Every 11 seconds, a company will be attacked by ransomware in 2021. By 2020, the cost of a data breach will reach $150 million. Cybercriminals will steal 33 billion records in 2023 alone. Americans lose $15 billion each year as a result of identity theft. In 2018, 1 in 36 mobile phones had dangerous apps. It takes 196 days on average to discover a data breach.
What Is Phone Tracking And How Does It Work
Mobile phone tracking is the process of electronically following or monitoring the movement of a phone. This can be done in a number of ways like spyware, malware, but the most common is through the use of GPS (Global Positioning System) tracking. When you send or receive a text message, make a phone call, or access the internet on your phone, your phone’s location is tracked and recorded. This data can then be accessed by third-party companies or individuals if they have permission to do so.
While phone tracking is not illegal in and of itself, there are a number of ethical concerns that arise from its use. For example, phone tracking can be used to invade someone’s privacy by tracking their movements or revealing personal information about them. It can also be used to stalk or harass someone, or to track the movements of protesters or activists.
Phone tracking can also be used by employers to monitor the movements of their employees, or by government agencies to track the movements of suspected criminals or terrorists.
6 Signs That Tells Your Phone Is Being Tracked
There are a number of signs that your phone may be being tracked. If you’re concerned that your phone is being monitored, look for the following signs:
- Battery drainage: If your phone has low battery life, it’s possible that someone is using spyware to hijack power from your device.
- GPS Auto Enabling: If your GPS is suddenly turned on without you manually doing so, it’s possible that tracking software has been installed on your phone.
- Abnormal app behavior: If your phone’s apps are acting strange or unusually, it’s possible that they’ve been tampered with by spyware.
- Unexplained phone activity: If you’re seeing unfamiliar phone numbers or contact lists, or if your phone is making calls you don’t remember making, it’s possible that your phone is being tracked.
- Unusual text messages: If you’re receiving text messages containing random numbers or characters, it’s possible that someone is trying to send you spyware.
- Web browser history: If the websites you’ve been visiting on your phone are not the ones you usually visit, it’s possible that someone is tracking your web browsing history.
How To Stop Phone Tracking
If you think your phone is being tracked, there are a few things you can do to protect yourself.
- Install an anti-spyware app: There are a number of anti-spyware apps available for download that can help you protect your phone from spyware and other malicious software.
- Use a phone tracker blocker: There are a number of phone tracker blocker apps available that can help you stop phone tracking.
- Use a privacy protector app: There are a number of privacy protector apps available that can help you keep your personal information safe and secure.
- Change your phone’s settings: You can change your phone’s settings to make it more difficult for someone to track your movements. For example, you can disable GPS tracking, location services, and Wi-Fi tracking.
If you’re concerned that your phone is being tracked, use this guide to help you determine if you’re a victim of spyware or tracking software.
Conclusion
If you’re concerned that the NSA is tracking your phone, there are a few telltale signs that you can look for. First, if your phone is suddenly draining its battery at an alarming rate, it could be because the NSA is using your phone to track your movements. Additionally, if you’re noticing that your phone is behaving oddly- for example, certain apps are crashing more frequently than usual- it’s possible that your phone is being monitored by the NSA.
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About the Author
Rebecca James is an IT consultant with forward thinking approach toward developing IT infrastructures of SMEs. She writes to engage with individuals and raise awareness of digital security, privacy, and better IT infrastructure.
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