Spying Software and the IMEI Code: Protect Your Phone

If you suspect your cell phone has spy software on it, the first thing you should do is have it removed. After it is removed, there are some precautions you can take to protect your privacy and make it difficult to reinstall the spyware.

Removing Spy Software

Spy software is easy to remove, simply go to your service provider and have them erase the phone’s memory and restore the factory defaults. Some providers will even walk you through the procedure over the phone. Make sure you have a hard copy of any information you need to keep.

Protecting Your Phone

Spy software is easy to remove and it is just as easy for someone to reinstall – if you are not very careful. Some of the things you should do to protect your phone:

• Lock your keypad with a password. This will prevent anyone who does not know the password from installing the software.
• Use antivirus software on your phone to detect and remove spyware and viruses.
• Do not give your cell number to anyone you would not share all your information with. Some very sophisticated software can be installed from a remote location using only the phone number and sometimes the IMEI code (International Mobile Equipment Identity number). The IMEI code is not confidential. It is possible to find it in 3 different places
  
  1. From the phone contract. It was on my iPhone 4 contract.
  2. From the battery case. It was in my iPhone 4 battery case.
  3. By simply dialing #06# on your phone. This worked on my iPhone 4.

It is chilling to think that all a spy needs is the IMEI code and the phone number to start spying

Remember that the spyware is not easy to detect and it may have been reinstalled without your knowledge. If you are in a confidential meeting – be aware that nearby conversations can be recorded even if the phone is off. Consider removing the battery for the duration of the meeting.

Unless you know what to look for, the software is undetectable. Privacy laws and their enforcement have not caught up with what is happening in the marketplace today. This means that each person should be aware that anyone could be spying on his or her phone for any reason. The technology is not going to go away and the best protection is information. There are many ways to deal with this problem. Three that are manageable are:

1. Be careful what you text and say on a mobile phone. You may not have spyware on your phone, but the person who you are communicating with may have it on theirs.
2. Be aware that if your phone has this software, the spy may be able to hear your nearby conversations even when you are not speaking on the phone. If you are in a confidential business meeting you might want to take steps to ensure that it is not being recorded covertly.
3. Protect access to your cell phone as if it is the key to your life – it is!