We carry our devices with us wherever we may go, and if our phones are not in our hands, we feel a bit unsafe. They help us not only make calls and send messages, but they also help us find our way around, access the world wide web, and get information on anything that we need in seconds. When these devices, that are supposed to help with our safety become an item that could be used against us, we wonder what we can do to protect ourselves. Unfortunately, our phones are used to track our whereabouts, and people who want to harm us can use this information to know where we are at all times. Here, we will tell you how to know if your phone is being tracked and what you can do about it.
Check the apps that you have installed
There are several different ways to find out if this is happening, and you don’t need to be tech-savvy to check most of them out. The first thing you need to do from time to time is to check the apps that are installed on your device. Know that some come with the system itself, no matter if you are an iOS or an Android user.
Find a list of all the apps that come with your device and that are crucial for its proper functioning, and once you know which they are, you can check the rest. See if there is a platform that you don’t recognize or don’t remember downloading. Remove all the platforms that you cannot vet and that are not listed in official places like PlayStore or AppStore.
Pay attention to the data
The next thing you can do is check the data usage of your device. If there is someone who is tracking your phone, there will be an increase in it daily. The easiest way to do this is to turn off your WiFi and then leave your device without using it for a couple of hours. Check to see if there was any data activity, and if there was, try to track it.
Sometimes, apps may decide to update on their own, so make sure you do an analysis on which platforms are responsible for the spike. Remember that there are going to be some games or other platforms that are going to use the data, but if you rule them out, you will see if there is something else that is causing that spike.
One thing that you need to remember is that sometimes, these platforms can be extremely beneficial, as long as you are the one who has installed them and you are the one who chooses to use them. With platforms like find-my-phone, you can easily locate your device at all times, and with that prevent losing or misplacing it. These apps can help you out a lot, especially if you work long hours, use taxis, or misplace your device when you visit a friend or a relative. Know that there are a lot of benefits that come with the tracking platforms, but they can be as dangerous as they are beneficial if someone else controls them.
Check your battery status
You can also notice if this is happening from your battery. These apps are going to be on at all times, which means they are going to drain the battery on your device. Fortunately, our devices are smart enough to show every single thing that is using the battery, and you can easily find out why that is happening. You may have some other apps that are constantly running, and that turn on even when the device is locked.
See which are the platforms that run in the background constantly, and if you see something that you don’t recognize, you need to act as soon as possible. Once again, check the list of apps that come with your software, and know the ones that you have installed on purpose, even though this may have happened years ago. Try to eliminate all that you are aware of, and if you are left with a platform that you don’t recognize, remove it from your phone as soon as possible.
Is your device overheating?
An additional sign that will show you that there may be a foul platform installed on your phone is if your device is constantly overheating. The platforms that are made for tracking are going to be on all the time, and they are going to waste a lot of data and they are also going to drain the battery. When you don’t use your device, you may not notice that it is getting overheated, but if you notice a big increase in temperature when you are using it to browse social media, or when you try to make a phone call, this is a sign of concern.
Even if there is no tracking app on your phone, you need to address this problem as soon as you can because it can cause serious harm to you or your loved ones. Check the battery health to make sure that there is no issue with the hardware, or if you cannot find the source of this issue, talk to a professional that can do a proper diagnosis.
Final thoughts
As we previously mentioned, some of these platforms can be extremely useful, and they come in handy when you don’t know where your phone is. They are the easiest way to locate your phone and know if you have forgotten it somewhere, or if someone stole it.
With the information you get from these apps, you will be able to help authorities locate your unit, and you will be able to act as soon as possible, without having to worry about your information getting removed and your device is lost forever. Know that many parents choose these platforms to check up on their kids, and they are also useful for elderly people who may need help getting around.
If you suspect that someone is tracking you, you should follow these things, check if all the apps you have on your unit, you can recognize, and you don’t know an app, delete it as soon as possible. You can also do a factory reset to your phone to make sure no cookies or traces of foul platforms are left.
