"Is My Cell Phone BUGGED?"

"Is my cell phone BUGGED?"

As an expert in the field, this is a question I receive more times than I can count. First of all, is there such a thing as cell phone spyware? The answer is: Yes. It's all over the Internet. I have tested many of them and found those that worked and those that did not (and no, I am not at liberty to tell you which ones worked! LOL!).  

So basically, how does mobile phone spyware work?

Simply put, it's a program loaded on to your cell phone that enables another party to listen to your calls, see your text messages, and know your location. Some phones can be bugged, while others cannot. 

So how do you protect yourself against someone putting a "bug" on your phone? Here's a few tips to help you:

1. Don't let someone else use your cell phone. Period.

2. Put a password on your cell phone (and do not share that password). This step will solve 95 percent of your problem.

3. Stick with a simple phone: one that only does calls and texts. The "Smart Phones" are the primary breeding grounds for hackers.

Stick to these steps for your peace of mind in this digital age!

Patch blogger Tom Slovenski is president of Cellular Forensics in Simpsonville, SC, and an expert in such areas as mobile phone spyware and how citizens can guard their phones against unwanted hacking.