Trust is one of the most important parts of any relationship, and with Valentine's Day just around the corner, many couples will be thinking about whether the romance is still alive, or if suspicion and blame have taken its place.
A tech expert has claimed that the rising prevalence of stalking software, which can track someone's every movement in the digital world, means that some insecure couples will be exchanging malware as well as flowers and chocolates this February 14.
Emily Stallings, a phone analyst who works for Casely, said that this online surveillance is called 'digital coercive control', and explained: “Unlike traditional spying where your partner’s peeking at your notifications, modern spying means sophisticated software that silently turns your most personal device into a 24/7 tracking system.”
Unbeknownst to the victim, this ready-made 'stalkerware' can worryingly allow someone to monitor your texts and calls, as well as your real-world location. But while this can be hard to trace, Stallings said there were five key warning signs that your phone is being monitored.
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The “Phantom” Heat Wave
While phones will typically become hot to the touch if operating at a high capacity, if your phone is warm while on standby, that can be a major red flag that your device is turning on when you aren't using it.
“If your phone feels hot to the touch while it's been idle, that's a major red flag,” says Stallings. “Legitimate apps go into sleep mode when you're not using them. Spy software never sleeps. It's constantly working in the background, recording your activity and sending it elsewhere.”
The “20% Drop” Mystery
Anyone who has had a phone for some time without replacing the battery will be familiar with the frustrating experience of trying to use their device, only to discover that it is suddenly out of charge.
But if you are seeing a sudden 20 percent drop in battery without even touching your phone, that can be another sign that your phone has been infected with spyware.
Stallings explained: “Healthy batteries don't suddenly develop a draining problem overnight. If you're experiencing significant battery depletion without heavy usage, a hidden app is likely staying awake to record calls, track your location, or capture screenshots.”
The “Call Echo” Glitch
Hearing strange noises in the middle of phone calls, including random clicking, repeated static, or a 'distant echo', are all giveaways that something is monitoring or recording your call in real-time.
Stallings warned: “High-end spy software can record or even listen to your calls in real-time. These programs create audio anomalies that sound like a bad connection, but they persist across different locations and signal strengths.”
Crucially, if you can hear these noises and your friend cannot, that is another sign that the spyware is on your end.
“Ghost” Notifications & Wake-Ups
Seeing your phone screen light up, but without you receiving any notifications or reason for your device to 'wake up', should also set alarm bells ringing.
“These phantom wake-ups are often remote ‘pings’ from whoever's monitoring your device,” Stallings says. “It's the spyware performing a handshake with its server or the person checking in to see if the software is still active.”
Legitimate system notifications always leave a record, but if your notification bar is empty, something might have been pinging your phone.
The “Permission Creep”
The expert's final red flag that your phone has been infected with spyware requires a bit more digging into your device's apps and settings. You should be wary of the software with the most boring names, like 'System Update', 'Sync Service', or 'Device Health'.
“Spyware disguises itself with generic names that sound official,” Stallings warned. “If you see an app you don't remember downloading with extensive permissions, that's your smoking gun.”
But if you have spotted some of these warning signs, Stallings also has some good advice on taking back control of your phone. She said: “If you suspect spyware, don't immediately start deleting apps, as that can alert the person monitoring you.
"Instead, try the ‘Airplane Mode Audit’. Turn on Airplane Mode and monitor your phone for 30 minutes. If it continues draining battery or heating up without any connectivity, you likely have a local hardware issue.
"But if the symptoms stop? That's a clear sign that data was trying to leak out to a remote server."
Topics: Valentine's Day, Sex and Relationships, Phones
William Morgan