Have you ever had the feeling that someone was watching you, only to turn around and find no one there? What if that feeling wasn’t unwarranted? Technology has evolved to the point where spying on someone is possible with the help of a single tiny device. But how do you know if you have such a device in your house?
In this article, we are going to talk about how you can know whether you are being monitored or not and what to do if someone is spying on you.
Are you being spied on? – The differences between spying and stalking
Before we get started, we have to understand the differences between spying and stalking. Stalkers are much more common than spies and could even be more dangerous. Yet they can also employ spy tactics.
So how can you know whether you are dealing with a stalker or a spy? In simple terms, a spy is someone who observes a person’s movements, conversations, and other tidbits of their life for seemingly unknown reasons.
A stalker, however, goes one step further. Their reasons are psychological: they could be a jealous ex, a mentally ill person, or someone who is obsessed with the victim. Or, in other words, stalkers are more dangerous than spies. So, if you are being targeted by a stalker, you need to know what to do.
What to do if you have a stalker
The easiest way to deal with a stalker is to go to the police. If you have received threatening letters or if you have any proof that you are being stalked by someone, the police will promptly deal with the stalker.
Even if you don’t have any evidence, going to the police might be a good idea. Not only are you leaving a paper trail in case something happens, but the police officers might also decide to go and have a word with the person doing the stalking.
If you suspect that your stalker might be a jealous ex-boyfriend or girlfriend, don’t forget to change your social media passwords as well as block their accounts. One of the simplest ways to gain insight into someone’s personal life is through social media. If you block their access, chances are they might stop knowing where you are and stop their stalking.
How to know if you are being spied on
Before you can decide what to do if someone is spying you, you have to know whether you are under surveillance or not.
Technology has made it easier than ever to spy on someone. For that reason, there is no easy way to know whether you are being spied on or not; it will all depend on the type of spying being done.
There are some telltale signs that someone might be monitoring you. Maybe you bump into someone more often than a simple coincidence would allow, or maybe someone knows something about you that they shouldn’t.
Still, it is hard to know for sure. The better way of finding out whether someone is spying on you or not, is to know how to spot the most common surveillance signs.
How to spot signs that you might be being spied on in your office
When someone thinks that they might be being spied on, they rarely think that the spy might be monitoring them during working hours. But, since offices are one of the places where white-collar workers spend most of their days, it makes sense that a spy would want to track what happens there.
So, here are a few tips that can help you determine whether someone is spying on you in your office or not:
- Check your desk for any new items. Did someone drop a new pen in your pen holder? Spy pens look and function just like a regular pen, yet they are equipped with voice-sensitive microphones that will capture all your conversations.
- Hidden microphones can also be disguised as any other item on your desk. If you have framed photos lying around, don’t forget to check the frame interior for possible bugs.
- Check your computer for new devices. Is a new device connected to your office computer? Someone might be using a physical keylogger to know everything you type on the computer.
How to spot signs that you might be being spied on in your house
While finding a bug on your office workstation might be relatively easy due to its size, finding a house bug might be nearly impossible.
As with the office sweep, it is essential to perform a house bug sweep. Look for new items or items that seem to have been moved. Remember that it is easy to hide spy microphones or hidden cameras around a house. Think like a spy: where would you hide a camera or a microphone?
You can also think about seemingly unrelated events. Does anyone seem to know about your private conversations? Has someone broken in recently without taking anything? If so, it might have been the spy.
Search for hidden devices inside the vents, in your drawers, on your shelves, and everywhere else. Once you find the device, you will know for sure that you were being spied on.
How to know whether your neighbor is spying on you
Do you think your neighbor might be spying on you? If you want to know what you should do in case someone is spying on you, it is essential to know who the spy is.
Here are some signs that your neighbor might be spying on you:
- Someone opened your mail before you had the chance.
- You spot a nosy neighbor peering at you through the curtains with relative frequency.
- Your neighbors are constantly visiting your social media profiles.
- They walk through your yard or invite themselves into your house without your permission.
What to do if someone is spying on you?
Before you take any action, you need to be sure that someone is, in fact, spying on you. If you feel like you are being observed, but you can’t find any signs of a spy, then consider going for a doctor’s appointment. Some illnesses might trigger paranoia.
However, if you know for a fact that someone is spying on you, then you should evaluate your options. Is it someone that you can deal with by yourself, or is it a situation that might require police intervention?
If you don’t know who is spying on you, you could try to set a trap for them. However, in most cases, the safest thing to do is to go to the police with all the evidence you’ve found.
Is spying on someone a crime?
The short answer is no, but in reality, it depends on the type of spying the person is doing. While the act itself might not always be illegal, spying on someone is always highly unethical.
Whether it is a crime or not will depend on the extent of the spying being done. Keeping track of when a neighbor walks in and out of the house might be a bit weird, but it is not illegal. However, if a person is spying on a company to sell their trade secrets, they are committing industrial espionage, which can warrant a heavy sentence.
Some types of spying can also fall under the “stalking” definition and be prosecuted accordingly.
