Are you being wiretapped, tracked or electronically harassed? Part 1

Is someone eavesdropping on you?

Conversations and activities inside your house and business can be overheard, monitored and taped by several means: Wireless devices, hidden listening devices, covert cameras, hidden tape recorders, hard-wired telephones or even one's own cell phone. Wiretapping is on the rise again.

Have you seen the now-common ballpoint pens that have a built-in power source, 4 gigabytes of memory and can record video as well as audio? How about Google Glass?

I suspect my car has been bugged with a listening device.

If you suspect your conversations are being recorded in your vehicle, there is most likely a tape recorder hidden in the car. You can search for a small dictation-type recorder; they are usually hidden under the dash, under the seat or in the front seat's rear seat pocket. Of course there are other locations as well. There are various levels of sophistication which affect detection and quality of audible sounds in conversations, and other activities that take place inside automobiles.

Government agencies routinely install hidden eavesdropping devices in automobiles. They usually are placed behind the headliner and are hard-wired to the car's power source. Without the assistance of a private investigator, who has access to electronic eavesdropping device detection, almost nobody would be able to discover a device that has been installed by professionals in this manner. Car radios and other dash-installed accessories can be modified or changed-out entirely, to incorporate a covert camera or recording device.

My car is being tracked

If your car is being tracked, there is most likely a device hidden somewhere inside or underneath the car. These can be difficult to locate and are typically hidden behind the rear bumper or in front of the gas tank, near the rear-end housing and/or rear suspension. These devices can also be placed pretty much anywhere accessible, inside the vehicle, underneath the car or inside the trunk.

Ask yourself:

• Is my vehicle a company owned or fleet vehicle?
• Do I share legal rights to my family vehicles?
• Is your vehicle community property?

If you answered, "yes" to any of the above questions, it's not illegal for your car to be tracked using a GPS device.

Someone's listening to my cell phone, My cell phone is bugged, or My cell phone is tracking me!

Do these thoughts sound familiar? It is possible that someone is tracking you based on your own cell phone's navigation and GPS location service. Nowadays this has become very common. It is often done by a relative, disgruntled ex-lover, disgruntled employee, a neighbor or business associate. This is typically accomplished when there is a shared family plan or company account. Often, the predator sends a text message or email that has a program in it. In most situations, the predator must have access to the phone to accept the text or email and download the program. After this is done, you won't know it. The phone needs to be re-set.

Am I being spied on or harassed by electronic means, or am I imagining this?

Trust your instincts. Listen to people you trust. In many cases where clients (you) feel they are being monitored or spied on, there is genuine reason for concern. However, there is generally little cause to be afraid for your physical safety, and enlisting the services of a professional private investigator can help to bring you true peace of mind.

If you suspect your home, vehicle, or cell phone has been bugged, contact Linked Investigations and we can begin to assess the situation. We will use professional electronic search equipment, which is always your best bet at locating electronic eavesdropping devices.

Think you're being followed? Check back out Are you being wiretapped, tracked or electronically harassed? Part 2.

Hire a Private Investigator Los Angeles and Orange County

Mike Garroutte is a California licensed private investigator who works predominantly in Los Angeles and Orange County. He has conducted numerous electronic and physical searches for illegal tracking devices and covert electronic listening devices. He has successfully removed these devices and restored peace-of-mind to many clients.