How to Stop Someone from Spying on Your Phone?
The time we spend on using our mobile phones is increasing, and so is the number of tasks we perform. Paying bills, shopping online, socializing, and more. But what if all your activity is spied on by someone using your personal information for their benefit?
According to research, 87% of mobile phone users on the Internet are victims of malware, with Iran in the lead with 30.3%. If you are an Android user, then beware because you are prone to get infected as compared to iOS users.
In this article, we’ll discuss how to stop someone from spying on your phone and how to secure your phone from spy software.
How Can a Phone Be Tracked?
Your phone is tracked through a cell tower. When you use the phone for making calls or any other activity, you send and receive signals through cell towers. For example, 911 operators detect your location through cell towers in emergencies.
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– Your phone is tracked through a cell tower. When you use the phone for making calls or any other activity, you send and receive signals through cell towers. For example, 911 operators detect your location through cell towers in emergencies.
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– Public WiFi is another way your phone is tracked. When you connect to WiFi, they ask you to agree on location tracking. For secure use, try a VPN, which alters your location through your IP Address.
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– Stingrays are also used to portray a cell tower to trick users into pinging their phones for signals. Commonly, law enforcement uses this technique to spy on suspects.
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– The common way of being tracked is malware or spyware that watches your online activities and tracks your location for Cyberattacks.
Here’s How to Stop Someone From Spying on Your Cell Phone
How to stop someone from spying on my cell phone? Well, you aren’t the only one with that all-important question, as cell phone spying has existed since the advent of mobile phones. However, with a few important considerations, you can save your privacy from getting compromised.
Stop Being Watched with Strong Passwords
Using strong and complex passwords should come as a no-brainer. However, many users don’t take passwords seriously and get their devices hacked. A good password can not only keep your phone secured but also protected from spying tools being installed.
Build an Army of Security Applications
You can find security applications both on Android and iOS that can notify you whenever there is a new application downloaded. You can install the app and get instantly notified.
When In Doubt Use Anti-Malware Tools
Malicious tools like spyware are quite hard to detect and, hence, remove. Therefore, it is best to use an anti-malware tool. These applications secure your device from any malicious third-party applications, including spyware apps. Once installed, you don’t even need to worry about any future spyware tools since these applications’ databases are updated on a routine basis.
Block Spies With Encryption Tools
SDusan Petricko, a Digital Forensics Manager, suggests that the phone storage should be encrypted to close all the doors to hackers that lead to a privacy breach. “If your device is lost or stolen, even the more advanced adversaries will have little to no chance of getting to your data,” suggests the expert.
Fortunately, There Are Some Telltale Signs of Cell Phone Spying
There are many ways you can quickly check if your phone is being spied on. However, those signs usually go unnoticed as they are quite subtle. Here’s what you need to stay on the lookout for:
Your Phone Lights Up When You Are Not Watching
Activity on the smartphone even though it is on standby. Any unusual activity on your phone, when it is on standby indicates that it is remotely controlled. For instance, your smartphone keeps sending messages when it should be in standby mode. Or, your smartphone is rebooting on its own.
Having Trust Issue With Your Phone’s Battery
Phone battery drains without excessive use. Battery drains usually occur when you play games on your smartphone or binge-watch your favorite TV shows. However, if your smartphone battery is draining without any excessive activities, there is a reason to be concerned.
Overheated Mobile Phones
Your smartphone’s back feels heated all the time. Spyware usually runs in the background without attracting the users’ attention. If you notice that your smartphone always feels warm, it might be infected with spyware.
Excess Use of Data
Spying software sends sensitive information from your phone to the hacker controlling the tool. In such cases, the software uses the mobile data plan (when it is not connected to Wi-Fi) for uploading the data. If you notice any significant increase in your data usage history, it means you have spyware to worry about.
Are There Any Ways to Find Cell Phone Spy Tools?
You may wonder, “How to find spy software on your phone?” For starters, spy tools are built for spying, and therefore, they are not always easy to detect. You can find such tools by accessing the app directory and looking for means you remember not downloading.
Remove Spy Software from Android
If you want to check spying tools on an Android device, here are the steps to do it:
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1. Go to the Settings and proceed to Applications.
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2. Open Running Services and see what services are currently running.
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3. If you find any unknown service, tap and uninstall it after clearing the cache.
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4. Also, check for spying software in the Manage Application screen.
You can follow the same process if you come across any malicious tool.
Remove Spy Software from iOS
Cell phone spying on an iPhone is not as easy as on an Android-powered device. To install spyware on an iPhone, jailbreaking is necessary. So, if you notice any suspicious application that you can’t find in the Apple Store, it probably is spyware, and your iPhone may have been hacked.
Luckily, getting rid of any spyware or malicious software from your iPhone is relatively easier than on Android. You only need to update your iOS, and all your third-party applications will be rendered useless.
Is There a Way to Block Spy Apps?
You can easily block spy apps on your phone with the following steps:
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1. Turn off Bluetooth and WiFi when you are not using your phone.
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2. Uninstall suspicious apps from Application Manager in phone Settings, including Running Services.
Can a hacker track my phone?
Yes, hackers can track your phone by infecting it with spy software. You can get spied on by clicking online ads or downloading software from suspicious websites. Hackers can record your online activities against us for blackmail or earnings.
Can a phone be tracked when it’s in airplane mode?
Yes, your phone can be spied on when in airplane mode. Airplane mode turns off your WiFi services, but it does not switch off GPS. To avoid being spied on by someone, manually turn off GPS and use the phone in airplane mode.
Protect Your Devices With PureVPN
Even though the number of crimes through spyware is increasing, so is its countermeasure as well. Security software with numerous advantages is available on the Internet. But which one to trust? One of the best solutions for cyberattacks is hiding your phone with a VPN on the Internet.
There are many VPNs with thousands of features, including PureVPN. It not only ensures security but also a reasonable package. Here are the benefits of using PureVPN to stop someone from spying on your phone:
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– It provides Internet freedom to its users. Use the Internet without being scared of spies since PureVPN conceals your identity on the Internet by changing your IP address.
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– It secures sensitive data by providing a safe route for incoming and outgoing traffic.
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– With a VPN, you can use VoIP applications like Google Meet, Zoom, and WhatsApp without worrying about spies.
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– One of the best features of PureVPN is that it is compatible with all devices, including Android and iOS.