Being tracked through the phone is something that each of us, at least once, feared. Apparently, some kind of real monitoring happens on a daily basis , as most companies anticipate it as part of their advertising marketing strategy .
Usually, an app asks you for access to your location and other details, which you’ll usually give right away just because you’re being asked to do so. This case, for example, is fully part of a particular company’s primary business model .
Although data tracking is becoming more normal than it was a few years ago, you still have the option to turn it off . If you feel uncomfortable about your privacy, as in the case of Windows 10 that “spies” on you in secret , I would like to point out some simple trackers that you should deactivate immediately.
These tips will help you prevent your smartphone from turning into a receiver without your knowledge and gathering sensitive information .
How to know if someone is monitoring your device?
There are eight red flags you should recognize to confirm that someone is trying to track your smartphone.
The first thing rumored around (if you’ve already done some research) is that the device gets unusually hot . At first it may seem like a strange signal, but if you think about it , opening many apps on smartphones could contribute a lot to its overheating.
Since the phone may overheat in an instant, rapid battery drain will occur afterwards .
So a hacker could easily drain your battery by continuously sending data from your device . As a result, the cell phone would consume much more energy than you can imagine.
Another thing to check for is an unexpected , unscheduled reboot of the phone. If you have ever found yourself in this situation, it is possible that the fault lies with a malware installed in your mobile phone that contributes to its sudden and unexpected crash.
Related to that, you should also pay attention if your device takes a long time to shut down . A hacker could check the length of time before the phone turns off.
Finally, if your smartphone is a jailbroken Android,
plays strange background noises
and it works slower than before , it could mean that a hacker has already gained access to your device.
These were the alarm bells to pay attention to. Now let’s move on to the trackers you should disable on your phone.
How to prevent being tracked
If you are now wondering “How can I stop my phone from tracking me?” , there are several answers to this question.
Complete all the tasks on this checklist to make it MUCH harder to track down your phone:
Disable Location Services
Use a high quality VPN
Put the phone in a Faraday bag when you are not using it.
Browse incognito on your browser and use a great VPN
Use the private browsing options in browsers like Firefox or, better yet, use a VPN on your phone whenever possible. There are many around, most of them equally valid, while the most popular is ExpressVPN .
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ExpressVPN often scores very high points for security and privacy in numerous periodic tests . It does not record or store any personal data or IP addresses. It also allows independent auditors to adhere to their own registration policies.
More importantly, it offers a well developed and lightweight mobile app for iOS and Andriod. So as to synchronize your account on both smartphones and tablets without problems.
Other VPNs that have earned top marks in our ranking of the best VPNs for 2022 are NordVPN , SurfShark, and ProtonVPN.
Disable these trackers
To make sure you are no longer being tracked by your phone, here are some trackers you should turn off just as you are reading this article.
Location settings of your smartphone
The Android smartphone can still track your position despite the elimination of some suspicious app and denial of authorization. However, pay attention to the standard settings that you should turn off immediately.
If you use Apple devices , you can turn off location settings on your iPhone by doing the following:
Tap “Settings”
Go to “Privacy” and select “Location”
Scroll down and click on “System Services”
Disable “Frequent Places”, you will see a list of all the places you have recently visited
Further down select “Clear history”
If you are using an Android device :
Go to Settings
Click “Location” or Advanced ”
Turn off “Use Location” at the top
Proceed with deleting your location history
Ad Tracking Limitation
Another way to stop phone tracking would be to mitigate ad tracking . This way, the number of ads you can see will decrease.
In Android , you can do this by going to
“Settings”
by clicking on “Google”
then click on “Ads”
Now activate the option “Disable ad personalization”
If you are an iPhone user , follow this path:
Go to “Settings”
then on “Privacy”
Now click on “Apple Advertising”
disable “Personalized ads”
Other trackers to disable to avoid phone tracking
Your phone’s native browser (better replace it with another one)
All personalized ads on mobile (make sure you remove them all)
Virtual assistants
App permissions
📌 FAQ – Questions and answers
What is GPS and how does it work?
GPS stands for Global Positioning System . It was developed to determine geographic locations by military and civilian users.
Can my phone be tracked if Location Services are turned off?
Location History is a feature that keeps track of the locations you’ve been to and all the addresses you’ve typed in. If you turn it off, your device will only use GPS to know where you are.
How do I know if someone is monitoring my iPhone?
If you suspect someone is tracking you, start by simply changing your login and personal account password. This is the only way your smartphone can be tracked – probably someone knows your Apple ID and password .
Do Faraday Bags Really Work?
Yes, they work. They act as a shield against external interference. They are easily transportable, packable and lightweight and are not very expensive. On Amazon you will find dozens of different models and sizes.
Do Faraday stock exchanges block GPS?
When you place a GPS-enabled device inside a Faraday bag, your device cannot receive or transmit potentially harmful radiofrequency signals. So yes, they also block the GPS signal.
