Technology is a tricky beast. While it’s brought so many wonderful things into so many people’s lives, there are some who use it for more sinister purposes. It is for this reason that many businesses, companies, professionals, and individuals, seek out a private investigator for help. Unfortunately, there are people out in the world who use technology to listen in on private conversations. In addition, these people use technology to monitor and record an individual’s activities, or even emails.
Who is at Risk?
The honest truth is that anyone is at risk of getting bugged or monitored. The main reason for this is due, in part, to technology. Technology is getting cheaper, which means that it is much more affordable for anyone to purchase a few listening devices. It’s also extremely easy to find phone apps that focus on monitoring or tracking.
If someone is keen to find out private or confidential information, a quick Internet search reveals even more information. Websites will tell these individuals exactly how and what to set up to avoid detection or suspicion.
What this means is, if everyone or anyone is at risk for having someone listen in or monitor you, it’s important to find the culprit sooner rather than later. Part of finding the guilty party and even protecting yourself means you need to find a professional. This is where a private investigator can help.
Hire a Professional. Hire a Private Investigator!
A private investigator is a licensed and trained person, who provides many valuable services to their clients. Some of the types of services a private investigator offers include,
- Background checks
- Surveillance
- Locates
- Skip Tracing
- Interviews
A private investigator can work on their own, or work for a private investigation agency. He or she can also work as part of a team, for an individual client, or even on behalf of a company or other organization. Based on your specific needs and what kind of service you need, a good private investigator will build the perfect plan of attack to help solve your problem.
Private Investigator TSCM Services
When it comes to bugging and monitoring technologies, Technical Surveillance Counter Measures (TSCM) is the service that a private investigator provides.
Keeping up to speed on the latest and greatest in TSCM, and bugging and monitoring technologies are important for any private investigator. In order to tackle the problem, the private investigator must at least know what types of things to look out for! When a private investigator knows what to look for, they’ll approach the TSCM case using the following steps:
- Perform a Bug Sweep – The private investigator or private investigation team will arrive at the site to perform a bug sweep. A bug sweep requires the private investigator and team to examine the area for any suspicious listening or monitoring equipment.
- Identify the Problem Areas – If the private investigator uncovers anything suspicious, they will remove the device(s). The private investigator will also write a report with details that explain their findings.
- Identify the Guilty Party – A good private investigator will help further by using the information they find to identify the person(s) responsibly.
- Moving Forward to Prevent Future Incidents – Once the investigation is closed, a private investigator will help you to keep things more secure by performing annual bug sweeps. In addition, he or she will help you to protect yourself as you go about your daily life.
Is Someone Listening?
We’ve already mentioned that it is possible for anyone to get bugged or monitored. So, let’s talk about the different places in which someone can bug or monitor you, your family, and your business. The more you understand about different bugging or monitoring technologies, the better equipped you’ll be to tackle TSCM.
Bugs in the Home
It is possible for someone to set up bugs and other monitoring devices in your home without your knowledge. In some rather unfortunate cases, the guilty party might be an ex-husband or wife, or even a jilted partner. Regardless, if you suspect someone has bugged your home, contact a private investigator without delay.
It sometimes helps to know what areas of your home might get bugged. In-home devices that listen to your commands or instructions, for example, put you at risk for bugging or monitoring. If you don’t take steps to ensure that your devices are secure, you might just find out that someone’s been eavesdropping on you for a while.
It’s important to know that it is possible for someone to bug or monitor you via the devices you carry around with you every day. These devices include a laptop, cellphone or tablet. In fact, many of these devices already come with methods to track down the device’s location. While this comes in handy if you lose your device, how do you know someone else isn’t picking up this information too?
Bugs at the Office
Office spaces generally come with many different meeting rooms, employee desks, and management offices. What this means to a private investigator is that there’s plenty of space to hide and search for bugs and other monitoring or listening devices.
For example, a disgruntled employee isn’t happy with his or her raise. So, they purchase some bugging technology online. He or she then sneaks into the office and sets up the equipment in the meeting room where managers speak with their employees about pay. In this situation, the employee just wants to compare raises. It is, however, still illegal to eavesdrop on private conversations—even if the intention seems ‘good’.
Here’s another example. Let’s say that your company has just made a big merger with another company. Your company acquires the new company’s office space. It’s a good idea to call in in a private investigator, in this case, to make sure the new office space is secure. In some situations, a private investigator will find bugs and monitoring devices in a meeting room where some of the negotiations occurred. In situations where your company needs to move forward with a newly acquired company and office space, TSCM services will really help to bring peace of mind to everyone.
Bugs in a Vehicle
If you’re someone who uses a company car or has a company car that picks up employees or clients, you might want to take a closer look at the vehicle. It’s easy to plant a tracking device on either the interior or exterior of any car. It’s also very simple to hide a bug or hack into Bluetooth or Wi-Fi services in a vehicle.
You might not realize it, but people could be listening in, or monitoring you, your family, or your employees on planes and boats too! If you’re suspicious about any vehicle you own, hiring a private investigator to take a closer look is never a waste of time.
Secure the Unsecured
This brings us to our next point. Bugging and monitoring technologies don’t just apply to tiny microphones or cameras anymore. Unsecured Bluetooth devices and Wi-Fi connections make easy work for those who wish to gain access to your information, cellphone microphones or laptop cameras. Hiring a private investigator to check any and all items that could potentially allow someone to bug you will keep your information safe.
Find Out Who Did the Crime
Once your private investigation team or private investigator uncovers a bug or evidence of surveillance, they won’t leave you to wonder who might’ve done it. This is why it’s really important to hire a professional to get the job done. Without a private investigator, you will likely not find all bugs or monitoring devices. If you do find any, a private investigator has the knowledge and ability to safely and successfully remove the device.
Let’s not forget, as the private investigator goes about providing TSCM services, they will also provide a report. This report will outline exactly what they found and where. The important element to the report is also a follow-up on who the private investigator thinks, or determines is the guilty party. What this means is they will go through all the evidence to pinpoint the person who bugged your home, office, or vehicle.
With all the evidence a private investigator gives you after a TSCM case, you can then use it in various ways. You can press charges, or even fire the employee.
Consistent Monitoring is Key
Once a private investigator uncovers evidence of bugging or monitoring in your home, office, or elsewhere, it’s important to follow up. In many situations, another attack is inevitable. In other situations, preventing anyone from listening in the future is so key to moving forward.
Booking an annual sweep with your private investigation team will help to catch any new bugs. It will also help you with your peace of mind, knowing that you have people looking out for your best interests.
Do you need TSCM services? Don’t delay, contact the Smith Investigation Agency for help today.
Info@SmithInvestigationAgency.com or 1-888-950-4113
About the Author
Whitney Joy Smith
Founder of The Smith Investigation Agency in 2014, Whitney Joy Smith’s extensive background as a private investigator is matched only by her passion for the role. A graduate of several respected institutions, including Northwest Florida State College and George Brown College, her early years in life were spent between Canada and the United States. This education, along with her formative years as a private investigator in various agencies, informed much of her knowledge of private investigative laws, regulations, and operating standards in both countries.
The recipient of numerous industry awards and accolades, including the Consumers Choice Award, Best in Ottawa, and many others, Whitney takes pride in working closely with her ever-growing agency to raise the bar, maintain compliance, and meet the investigative needs of clients. Whitney is active in various membership and supporting roles, including the CPIRC, CBN, CAPI, Canadian Women’s Chamber of Commerce, and many others. Her experience-driven, thought-provoking articles have been featured in everything from Readers Digest to Business News Daily, and she strives to continually redefine standards for those in the private investigative and security fields. Learn more about Whitney and the team at The Smith Investigation Agency today.
