Is Your Phone Being Tracked? Here's How To Find Out And Protect Yourself

The digital revolution has many advantages; however, it also has some disadvantages. For instance, trackers can access your device remotely and invade your privacy. Thankfully, you can learn how to know if your phone is being tracked and prevent that from happening.

Mobile phone tracking is the process of identifying the location and movement of a mobile device, typically through GPS or cellular data. There are several reasons why your phone could be monitored illegally. For example, your ex-partner may track your phone out of jealousy or a former friend where the friendship ended, and they may be unhappy.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• How to know if your phone is being tracked
  • 1. Lower battery life
  • 2. Slower operation
  • 3. Strange popups
  • 4. Less storage space/unknown apps installed.
  • 5. Poor clarity on calls or no messages
  • 6. Leaking of personal information
  • 7. Your phone gets overheated
  • 8. The phone freezes or abruptly turns off
  • 9. Unusual and peculiar permission requests
  • 10. Unusual phone activity when not in use
• How to block someone from tracking your phone on iPhone and Android
  • Turn on Airplane mode
    • On Android
    • On iPhone
  • Turn location off
    • On Android
    • On iPhone
  • Turn Bluetooth off
    • On Android
    • On iPhone
  • Manage app permissions
    • On Android
    • On iPhone
  • Use a private browser
  • Disabling call forwarding
    • On Android
    • On iPhone
• How can I detect a tracker on my phone?
• Can someone track my phone without me knowing?
• Does *#21 tell you if your phone is tapped?

Is there a way to tell if my phone is being tracked? Attackers mostly use spyware and stalkerware to access information, which can be installed on your mobile device without your knowledge. Therefore, it's essential to identify and remove it if you confirm someone has been spying on your phone. Below are ways to tell if someone is monitoring your phone.

How to know if your phone is being tracked

If battery life drastically changes, it could be a tell-tale sign. Like all other software, malicious software needs battery power to operate, which will drain your battery. Check your device's battery usage history for suspicious activity, as it tells you which apps have been using power.

1. Lower battery life

When a tracker infiltrates your phone, it uses your device's processing power to run its operations. This infiltration leads to poor performance and unusual restart alerts. You might also find that your phone applications freeze or hang repeatedly, and web pages load slowly.

2. Slower operation

If your device displays popup advertisements more often than before, you might have adware on your phone. Some spyware forces devices to view certain pages that drive revenue through clicks. Such ads and popups may also increase data usage and pose a massive cybersecurity threat.

3. Strange popups

If your device's storage is suddenly less than expected, that might result from malicious software hiding your device. For example, if your device is new with 32 gigabytes of internal storage but is nearly full despite your personal files being few or small in size, it could be a sign.

4. Less storage space/unknown apps installed.

When you cannot hear calls clearly, or there is background noise, your phone could have been tracked with stalkerware. Some hackers clone SIM cards, disabling mobile phone users from receiving calls or messages.

5. Poor clarity on calls or no messages

If someone has tracked your phone, they can access your personal data and leak it. There could also be unusual social media activity on your accounts and emails. Sometimes, you might also find applications you did not download on your mobile device.