Signs That You Are Being Eavesdropped On

Eavesdropping and the installation of listening devices are more common than many people realize. Here are some clear signs that someone may be secretly listening to your conversations or monitoring your activities:

Obvious Signs of Hidden Surveillance or Bugging

1. Your competitors seem to know your professional secrets or confidential business matters. This is a general indicator, as the theft of confidential information is a multi-billion dollar industry in the United States. Often, you may not even realize a leak has occurred or how it happened.
2. Secret meetings and set prices are not as secret as you thought. Confidential meetings and pricing decisions are popular targets for corporate spies. Imagine if your company’s plans or product blueprints became widely known to competitors.
3. People seem to know about your activities when they shouldn’t.
4. You notice strange noises or changes in voltage on your phone lines. These are often caused by someone tapping into the line or installing a listening device, which can create anomalies.
5. You hear static, crackling, or clicking sounds on your phone lines. These can be caused by a capacitor discharging when a bug or listening device is connected to the line.
6. You hear sounds coming from your phone handset when it’s on the hook. This can indicate a bypass circuit that turns your phone into a microphone, allowing someone to listen to everything within about thirty feet of the phone.
7. Your phone rings frequently with no one on the other end, or you hear a faint tone or high-pitched squeal. This can indicate a device or extension on your line, or the presence of a harmonic bug or electronic ear.
8. Your radio suddenly picks up strange interference. Many listening devices operate on FM radio frequencies, which can interfere with nearby radios. Try searching the far end of the FM band or any quiet spot; if the radio squeals, move it around the room to locate the source.
9. Your TV or radio suddenly experiences strange interference. TV broadcast frequencies are often used to mask bug signals, but these devices can also cause interference, especially on VHF.
10. You’ve experienced a break-in at night, but nothing was stolen. Professional eavesdroppers often break in to install devices, rarely leaving obvious signs, but you may sense something is off.
11. Wall outlets or switches appear slightly moved. Bugs are often hidden in or behind electrical outlets and switches, which require removal for installation. Look for small debris on the floor beneath them.
12. Small, coin-sized spots of a different color appear on the wall. This may indicate a recently installed pinhole camera or microphone.
13. You notice dust or small pieces of wall covering on the floor near the wall. This can also indicate the installation of a pinhole microphone or camera.
14. Small pieces of ceiling tile are found on the floor or your desk. This suggests that ceiling tiles have been moved, possibly to install a hidden camera or listening device in your office.
15. “Phone company” trucks and workers spend a lot of time near your home or office, performing repairs.
16. Telephone, cable, plumbing, or HVAC repairmen show up uninvited. This is a common trick used to gain access and install bugs while “fixing” a problem.
17. Service or delivery trucks are parked nearby with no one inside. These vehicles are often used as listening posts. Be wary of any vehicle with a ladder or pipe rack on the roof, tinted windows, or hidden areas like a van. Any vehicle large enough for someone to hide in the back could be a surveillance post.
18. Your door locks suddenly become difficult to use or stop working. This is a sign that someone has tampered with or bypassed the lock.
19. Furniture has been slightly moved and no one knows why. Bugs are often placed behind or inside furniture. Pay attention to marks on carpets or the position of lamp shadows.
20. Your belongings appear to have been searched, but nothing is missing. Amateur spies may rummage through your home or office, often leaving things slightly out of place. Common search spots include the backs of drawers, the bottoms of file cabinets, and closets.
21. New items appear in your office or home, and no one knows where they came from. Be suspicious of new clocks, exit signs, sprinkler heads, radios, or lamps.

Who Gets Bugged?

Anyone can become a target of hidden surveillance, but some people are at higher risk due to their financial status, occupation, legal situation, or family circumstances. Examples include:

• Spouses bugging each other
• Parents bugging children
• Businesspeople bugging other businesspeople
• Scientists bugging other scientists
• Students bugging professors
• Lawyers bugging other lawyers
• Insurance companies bugging claimants
• Construction companies bugging competitors
• Salespeople bugging clients
• Tax agencies bugging debtors
• Police bugging suspects
• Recruiters bugging HR managers
• Music fans bugging musicians
• Department stores bugging customers and salespeople

Personal Situations with High Risk (When to Be Concerned)

You or someone close to you:

• Has been involved in a lawsuit or legal dispute
• Has been questioned, arrested, or prosecuted by police
• Is going through marriage, divorce, or separation
• Is a minister or religious leader (e.g., deacon, bishop, elder)
• Manages or is elected to any public institution (e.g., mayor, school principal)
• Is a manager or scientist at a large company
• Recently filed an insurance claim over $10,000
• Participated in political demonstrations or activities
• Is employed by a defense contractor or the Department of Energy
• Is being investigated by a private detective
• Belongs to a high-income group

Remember: Anyone with money, power, influence, or access to sensitive, secret, or personal information is at serious risk of being eavesdropped on.

High-Risk Business Situations

• Your company has shares for sale
• Your company has labor issues (union activity or negotiations)
• Your company is involved in a lawsuit or legal dispute
• Your company is undergoing layoffs or has just started them
• Your company is in the fashion, automotive, advertising, or retail industry

High-Risk Professions

• Lawyer
• Doctor
• Chiropractor
• Dentist
• Architect
• Police officer
• Judge
• Elected official
• Mayor
• Elector
• School principal
• College professor
• Engineer
• Programmer
• Scientist at a large company
• Employee of a defense contractor
• Department of Energy staff
• Minister or religious leader
• Corporate buyer or sales agent
• Construction manager or contractor
• Any type of sales or trade
• Union leader
• Fashion industry professional
• Advertising professional
• HR manager

Industries at Extreme Risk (According to the FBI)

The following types of businesses are at very high risk and are often targets for illegal bugging, wiretapping, and surveillance:

• Materials: Synthesis and production of materials; electronic and photonic materials; ceramics; composites; high-quality metals and alloys.
• Manufacturing: Flexible, computerized manufacturing; data processing equipment; micro- and nano-manufacturing; systems management technologies.
• Information and Communication: Software; micro- and optoelectronics; high-performance computers and networks; high-resolution imaging and displays; sensors and signal processing; data storage and peripherals; computer modeling.
• Biotechnology and Life Sciences: Applied molecular biology; computational chemistry; medical technology.
• Transportation: Aeronautics; surface transportation technology.
• Energy and Environment: Energy technologies; pollution minimization, environmental restoration, and loss management.