Privacy in the electronic society in which we live is rapidly eroding. As if electronic records weren't bad enough, traditional old-school spying is alive and flourishing now more than ever. Though electronic devices have made spying and eavesdropping simpler than in the past, the prices of such devices are beyond the average citizen and many restrictions have been placed on them to keep them within professional law enforcement and investigative circles. Old-school tailing techniques are still the most-used methods of spying and are easy to identify if you expand your observation of your surroundings.
Be aware of your home security. Look for signs of locks being picked (new scratches, bends in the keyholes) or prying at the exterior door jams. Lock picking done by someone in a hurry can result in bends in the key hole, which you may notice if your key doesn't work as smoothly as before. Attempts at prying the door open can be noticeable if you are familiar with how things normally appear.
Look for signs of break-in around the telephone service box outside the home or apartment. If the telephone company lock is severed or missing, it is an indicator of tampering and should be reported to the telephone company immediately. When a service technician arrives to investigate the tampering, mention that you feel you are being eavesdropped on, and that you would like to know if a phone tap is found in the box. If so, you may be getting spied on.
Start taking different routes than normal when you go to work, school or any other regularly scheduled driving and make special note of any vehicles which appear regularly even when taking different routes. Being followed by automobile is, in the spy realm, called "tailing" and this is a good indicator that you are being spied on while mobile.
Ask neighbors to be more aware of your home throughout the day and night. Ask them to notify you if they notice anyone driving by your home slowly and repeatedly, or if anyone walks by your home repeatedly. They should be instructed to make note of any cars parked within a couple blocks of your home which seem "out of place" compared to usual, especially if someone is in the vehicle for extended periods.
Consider the purchase of at least one outdoor surveillance video camera and mount it at night when any would-be spies may not expect you to install it. Install the camera so it isn't easily seen and then make it a point to view any outside activity by watching it on a connected television or monitor display. You will likely catch those watching your home without their knowledge.
Tips
- None of the individual steps in this article should be used alone, as no single observation means you are being spied on. However, if your situation matches two or more of the items listed above, chances are good that someone is watching you. If you know for sure you haven't broken any laws which would necessitate police surveillance, you should highly consider notifying local law enforcement and describing your observations.
References
Tips
- None of the individual steps in this article should be used alone, as no single observation means you are being spied on. However, if your situation matches two or more of the items listed above, chances are good that someone is watching you. If you know for sure you haven't broken any laws which would necessitate police surveillance, you should highly consider notifying local law enforcement and describing your observations.
Writer Bio
Kurt Schanaman has had several editorials printed by the Star-Herald Newspaper publication in Western Nebraska. He attended Western Nebraska Community College.