Do you ever get the feeling that someone might be listening in on your phone calls? Have you ever wondered if someone might be tracking you through software?
For Government organizations, making sure that no one is listening in on confidential conversations is a critical part of daily operations. Could you imagine what might happen if someone listened in on a nation’s security meetings? Information in the wrong hands could spell disaster for so many reasons! This is why government organizations spend so much time and money ensuring that their equipment and facilities aren’t bugged.
It isn’t just government organizations that need to worry about bugged phones, offices, or even software. In today’s technology driven world, bugs can appear in many forms, in many ways, and in your own home.
As a professional private investigation agency, we’re here to tell you that you’re not alone. Over our many years of operation, we’ve worked with many clients who have requested our debugging or bug sweep services. It’s our job to make sure that we find any and all bugs in order to keep you and your family safe and your privacy protected.
Hiring a Private Investigator
Anyone with a laptop and a web browser can look up how to debug a home or office. However, it often takes a professional, like a private investigator, to make sure you haven’t missed something in your personal bug sweep.
A private investigator is a highly trained, licensed individual who can help you with a bug sweep. A good private investigator will also have the right equipment to debug your home or office efficiently and quickly. If you attempt a bug sweep on your own, you risk missing a bug or two. With the help of a private investigator or team of private eye’s, you will gain peace of mind. You will know for certain that your home or office is safe from bugs.
Before you hire a private investigator, it’s important to make sure that you actually have a problem. For some organizations and companies, a regular bug check is part of the business. Therefore, hiring a private investigation company makes sense. If you find a bug in your home, hiring a private investigator to make sure there aren’t any more also makes sense.
Different Types of Bugs to Look For
A private investigator doesn’t just look for one type of bug during the debugging process. It is possible to have multiple different kinds of bugs, or just one. In any situation, a private investigator will do their due diligence to make sure that they find any and all bugs in your home or office.
Acoustic
This type of bug doesn’t use the most sophisticated technology. It actually refers to simple listening techniques, not electronic. For example, if an individual is listening to conversations through a wall using a cup or stethoscope.
Ultrasonic
This type of bug converts conversations into a signal that people can’t hear. The signal is then collected by the listener and converted back into an audio version.
Radio
This type of bug is the most common. It simply records a conversation (or sound) and then transmits that sound to another location. For example, let’s say that there’s a bug somewhere in your office. If you and a colleague have a conversation, that conversation will immediately transmit to the listener on the other side in real-time.
Optical
Similar to radio, this type of bug records and transmits the conversation or sound to another location. However the way that the sound is transmitted is through an optical pulse.
Debugging Software
In the movies or even on TV, you will often see a character pull apart a phone or the frame of a photograph to reveal a hidden bug. In other situations, the character might even pull a tiny device out of a potted plant. As with most private investigation myths, it isn’t always this easy to spot a bug.
Hacking into a computer, or installing software with hidden recording or surveillance, are all examples of software bugging. It is important to hire a private investigator to run a bug sweep on any software or computer when necessary. Software bugs can be tricky, and often steal personal and confidential information like banking, and more. Debugging any software will help to keep your information private.
Debugging Hardware
Hardware refers to bug devices that an individual will place in your home or office including,
- Video Recorders
- Hidden Microphones
- Audio Recorders
Examples of bug hardware in a home or office include, a disgruntled employee might hide a video camera in their manager’s office to try and steal confidential information. It is also possible for a girlfriend to hide listening devices around her boyfriend’s apartment because she doesn’t trust him.
In these situations, a private investigator will need to search the area. Whether it’s a single office or entire house, a good private investigator will ensure that if someone planted a hardware bug, he or she will find it.
Private Investigators – The Debugging Process
Now that you better understand the different type of bugs that might appear in your home or office, you might want to learn more about the actual debugging process.
A private investigator will show up to your home or office and run the following bug sweeps. In some cases, if the area or room is large, a private investigator will work with a team. Each member of the team will know how to perform a bug sweep. The debugging process includes,
New Additions to the Room?
The first thing a good private investigator will ask is whether or not any additional items have been placed in the room. The private investigator will inspect these items first. There is a high likelihood that the private investigator will also complete a more thorough sweep to make sure they don’t miss anything.
Check Connectivity
If the bug is software related, a private investigator will need to check to see if there are alternate Wi-Fi connections. Bugs also need a power source, so the private investigator will also check power cables, etc.
Electronic Scan
After a private investigator finishes with a manual search, they will often turn to technology to make sure he or she did not miss anything. High tech bugs are often difficult to find. Therefore, the private investigator will turn off all electric devices and then use a radiofrequency detector. A radio frequency detector will find any electric devices still in use. This includes any bugs.
Who is Responsible for Planting the Bugs?
A good private investigator or private investigation team will not only find any bugs, they will also uncover who planted the bugs in the first place. This step of the debugging process is equally important to uncovering the bugs themselves.
In many cases, the bug planter is a disgruntled ex-partner or employee. However, sometimes other culprits are at fault. Regardless, having a private investigator find the bugs and identify the guilty party means that you can take the evidence to court.
Do you need help debugging your home or office? Contact the Smith Investigation Agency today for more information.
Phone: 647-479-8474 or Email: Info@SmithInvestigationAgency.com.
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.
