Warning Signs of Covert Eavsdropping or Bugging

If you are concerned about covert eavesdropping or wiretapping , and any of the following warning signs apply to you, then it would be wise to immediately contact Bugged.com and schedule a Technical Surveillance Counter Measures ( TSCM ) Inspection, or "Bug Sweep". However, do not call from a cellular telephone, suspect telephone, or cordless phone, and understand that it is crucial that you should get a technician out to your location as quietly, and quickly as possible.

Are you a potential eavesdropping or wiretapping target? If eavesdropping on anything you speak, write, or do could increase someone else's wealth, influence, or power, then the answer is an obvious and resounding yes: you are a potential target.

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1. Others know your confidential business information or professional trade secrets.
This is the most obvious indicator of covert eavesdropping activities or wiretapping. Theft of confidential information or trade secrets is a multi-billion dollar underground industry in the United States. Often, the loss of your information will show up in very subtle ways, so you should always trust your instincts regarding this matter. When your competitors know confidential information that is obviously private, or the media discovers and reports on things they should not know, then it is completely reasonable to suspect covert technical eavesdropping, bugging, or wiretapping.

2. Secret business meetings and corporate bids seem to be less than secret.
Confidential business meetings and corporate bids are very popular targets for corporate spies. How would you like the plans for the corporate takeovers you're planning to become public knowledge and reported on by the press? Would copies of your product designs or architectural design document be of any use to your competitors? Would it be beneficial for your competitors to know how much you're quoting for the same project? How much would it hurt your business if your competitors started compiling a list of your clients or leads?

3. People seem to know your activities and conversations when they shouldn't.

4. You have noticed volume changes or weird sounds on your phone lines or phones.
This is commonly caused by an amateur eavesdropper when they attach a wiretap, bug, or activate a similar covert listening device. Covert audio surveillance devices often cause slight anomalies on the telephone line such as volume shifts, dropped calls, oe strange noises. Professional eavesdroppers and their equipment usually do not make such noises or cause volume changes; if this is happening, it could mean that an amateur eavesdropper is covertly monitoring the conversations. On the other hand, you could simply be experiencing a flaw or anomaly in the line, but you should definitely check it out.

5. You have noticed scratching, static, or popping on your phone lines or phones.
This is caused by the capacitive electrical discharge which happens when two conductors are wired together (such as a bug, wiretap, or similar covert audio device on a phone line). This is also an indicator that an amateur eavesdropper or poorly trained spy is messing around with your phone lines. It could be nothing more than an anomoly with your phone line or telephone, but a TSCM technician should evaluate the situation just to make sure.

6. Sounds or noises are coming from your phone's handset when it's hung up.
This is most often caused by a hook switch bypass, which transforms the telephone receiver into a eavesdropping microphone (as well as a speaker). There is most likely somebody eavesdropping on everything you say or do within twenty feet of the telephone (if this is occurring).

7. Your phone rings and sometimes nobody is there, or you hear a very faint tone, or a high pitched squeal, beep, or pitch is heard for a fraction of a second.
This is an indicator of a slave device, or line extender being used on your phone line or phone. This is also a key indicator of a harmonica bug, or infinity transmitter being utilized. Of course, it may also be nothing more than a fax machine or modem calling the wrong number (but a TSCM technician should evaluate the situation to be make sure).

8. You can hear a tone on your phone line when your phone is on the hook (by using an external amplifier).
To verify something like this, you would have to get your hands on a "recorder starter" interface (with a VOX option), or some variation of a high gain audio amplifier, such as a uAmp or Kaiser 1059. Then with the phone hung-up, listen to your telephone wiring. If you hear a faint solid dual tone, it is a dead giveaway that someone is using a "slave" eavesdropping device on your (or one of your neighbors) telephone lines. Such devices initiate a "command tone" whenever the subject hangs up the phone (so you must ensure that all of your phones are hung-up). On an additional note: the most common command tones for illicit, covert eavesdropping devices are 2100 Hz and DTMF-C, but any tone combination can be used.

9. Your AM/FM radio has suddenly developed strange interference.
Many amateur and spy shop covert audio recording or listening devices use frequencies within or just outside the FM radio band. These signals tend to drift, and they can "quiet" an FM radio in the vicinity of the bug or eavesdropping device. Search for the transmissions at the far ends of the FM radio band, and at any quiet area within the FM band. If the radio begins to squeal, then slowly and carefully move it around the room until the sound becomes very high pitched. This technique is referred to as feedback detection, or loop detection, and this technique will often locate the bug or listening device. The "stereo" function should be turned off so the radio is operating in "mono". This will provide an extreme and necessary increase in sensitivity. If you find a "squealer" in this manner, than immediately contact a TSCM technician and get them to your location IMMEDIATELY.

10. Your car radio suddenly starts "acting strange"
Keep in mind: the antenna attached to your car radio may be (and often is) exploited by an eavesdropper or spy, and that such exploitation will likely interfere with radio reception (so be concerned if your automobile radio suddenly starts acting strange).

11. Your television has suddenly developed strange interference or static.
Television broadcast frequencies are often used to cloak or hide an eavesdropping signal, but such a device will most likely interfere with television reception (commonly a UHF channel). Televisions also "suck in", or attract, a lot of RF energy and because of this, they are very sensitive to any nearby RF transmitters (technically, this is called "Bandwidth", and television signals use a lot of it). A small handheld, portable television with a collapsible antenna may be used to sweep for RF signals. Carefully watch for interference around the following channel numbers: 2, 7, 13, 14, 50-60, and 66-68. These frequencies are very popular with eavesdroppers.

12. You have been the victim of a burglary or theft, but nothing was stolen.
Professional eavesdroppers and spies often gain access to a target's home or office, and they very rarely leave direct evidence of the break-in; however, occupants of the premises will often "pickup on something not being right" such as the furniture being moved slightly.

13. Electrical wall plates look like they have been slightly moved, or "jarred".
One of the most popular locations to hide eavesdropping devices or covert listening devices is inside, or directly behind, smoke alarms, switches, lighting fixtures, and electrical outlets. This kind of installation requires that the wall plates be removed. Look for small amounts of dry wall or pieces of the wall located on the floor directly below the electrical outlet. Also, look out for slight variations in the appearance or color of the light switches or power outlets as these are often replaced by an eavesdropper. Also take careful notice if any of the screws which hold the wall plate against the wall have been moved from their previous position or removed completely.

14. A dime-sized discoloration has suddenly appeared on the ceiling or wall.
This is a sure sign that a small covert video camera or pinhole microphone has been recently installed.

15. One of your vendors just gave you any type of electronic device such as a alarm clock, desk radio, small TV, lamp, CD player, boom box, and so on.
Many of these "gifts" are actually Trojan horses which contain eavesdropping devices or covert audio devices. Be very suspicious of any kind of marker, pen, calculator, briefcase, power adapter, "post-it" dispenser, cell phone, pager, clock, cordless phone, lamp, radio, and so on that is given as a gift. That little gift the salesman left for you may be a serious threat.

16. A deformation or small bump has appeared on the baseboard near the floor.
This is a strong indicator that someone may have concealed a covert pinhole camera or a microphone in the adhesive which holds the molding to the wall. Such deformation will most likely appear as a color shift, or lightening or darkening of the color.

17. The clock, smoke detector, exit sign, or lamp in your home or office has a small hole in the surface, looks slightly crooked, or has a quasi reflective surface.
These items are very common concealment for covert eavesdropping devices. Often, when these devices are installed at a target location, they are rarely installed straight. Also watch out for eletronic devices like this that "just appear", or when there is a slight change in their appearance.

18. Certain types of items have "just appeared" in your home or office, but no one seems to know how they got there or where they came from.
Typical devices to watch for and beware of are: exit signs, clocks, radios, sprinkler heads, lamps, and picture frames.

19. Debris or dry-wall dust has appeared on the floor next to the wall.
A reliable sign that a video camera or pinhole microphone may have been installed nearby. It will look as if someone has dropped a tiny amount of powdered sugar either on the wall, or on the floor.

20. You notice tiny pieces of ceiling tiles, or some type of "grit" on the floor, or on your desk. Also, you may observe chipped, gouged, or cracked ceiling tiles, or ones that are not properly set into the track, or are sagging.
Reliable hint that a ceiling tile has been shifted, and that someone may have installed an eavesdropping device or hidden video camera near your desk or in your office. Also watch for chips or cracks in the ceiling tiles. Poorly trained spies and amateurs tend to damage or crack acoustical tiles. The ceiling tiles in any executive area should never contain any nicks, cracks, stains, or gouges. Any ceiling tile that is damaged (for what ever reason) should immediately be replaced and the cause of the damage documented. In such cases it is also a good idea to have a TSCM technician inspect the area around the damaged, chipped, or broken tile to determine if a hostile eavesdropping device has been introduced.

21. You notice that utility workers and "Phone Company" trucks are spending a lot of time close to your office or home doing repair work.
If you see the same or similar vehicles more than three times, you may have a serious problem (this is according to the U.S. State Department training course on counter surveillance).

22. Cable, telephone, air conditioning repair, or plumbers show up to do work when no one contacted them.
A very common ruse which eavesdroppers and spies use to get into a facility is faking a utility outage, and then they will show up to fix the problem. While they are fixing "the problem" they are also installing eavesdropping devices or covert audio recording devices. Some of the more popular outages involve air conditioning, power, telephone, and even the occasional false fire alarm.

23. Delivery trucks or service trucks are often parked nearby with no one (that you can see) in them.
These vehicles are very commonly used as listening posts. Be very cautious of any vehicle which has a pipe rack or ladder on the roof. Also, be very careful of any vehicle which has tinted windows, or any windows that you cannot otherwise see through (like a service van). The listening post vehicle could be any vehicle from a Cargo Van, Blazer, Suburban, Trooper, or a small Geo tracker. Look for any vehicle which has tinted windows or could conceal a person in the back. Also, remember that the eavesdropper may relocate the vehicle several times, so look around. Typically, eavesdroppers like to get within 500-750 feet from the person or place they are eavesdropping on.

24. Your door locks suddenly feel like they've changed, they suddenly start to "stick", or they don't work at all.
Crucial evidence that the lock has been bypassed, picked, or manipulated. You should always use biaxial locks with sidebars (such as ASSA or Medeco). Also, only use double sided deadbolts in all doors, and good quality window bars on all windows, and a good quality door bar on all doors not used as a primary entry doors.

25. Furniture has been slightly shifted, and no one knows why.
A very popular location for the installation of an eavesdropping device or covert audio device is either inside, or behind furniture (lamp, couch, chair, etc.) People who work or live in a targeted area tend to notice when furnishings have been shifted even a fraction of an inch. Pay close attention to the imprint which furniture makes on rugs or carpet, and pay close attention to the position of lamps shades. Also, watch the distance between the furniture and the wall, as eavesdroppers are usually in a hurry, and they rarely put the furniture back in the right place.

26. Things look as if they have been rummaged through, but nothing is missing (as far as you've noticed).
An amateur spy will often rummage through a target's residence for a long period of time, but very rarely will they do it in a neat and orderly fashion. The most common "rummaging" targets are the the bottom of file cabinets, the back of desk drawers, closets, and dresser drawers.

27. An eavesdropper or spy sends you a copy of your private conversations or meetings.
As simple as it seems, this is the strongest clue, and rock solid proof of eavesdropping. An eavesdropper or spy will sometimes send a victim a copy of a private conversation or meeting minutes they intercepted in an attempt at terrorizing, or in an attempt to blackmail, or to just stalk the victim. This is commonly seen in criminal court cases, civil lawsuits, shareholder disputes, marital problems, custody battles, and other situations where one side has a position of weakness, and is trying to physiologically undermine their opponent.

Bugged.com suggests that if you notice any of these warning signs, you should contact us as soon as possible. This wiretap warning list may be imcomplete. There may be an audio bug warning sign or wiretap warning sign that is not included here. Audio bug warning signs or wiretap warning signs are very good sign that you have a bug, wiretap, or covert audio device. Wiretap detection, bug detection, and bug sweeps are the best solution for these situations. It is a good idea to get the bug or wiretap removed as soon as possible, and the best way to take care of a wiretap warning is to use the state-of-the-art bug detection service that bugged.com provides. We lead the field in bug detection. Before making a decision, check out some testimonials from some of our clients. Also, read about bug sweeps, bug detection, wiretap detection, and wiretap sweep on our news and video page. You can find more information about bug sweeps, bug detection, and wiretap detection by seeing others results and how it has worked for them. Have peace of mind! Choose Bugged.com

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