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Have you ever experienced the uncomfortable feeling of being watched? If so, you know how elevated those feelings are when trying to enjoy the comforts of your own home! No one should ever feel unsafe in their own house, which is why it’s important to notice the signs of malicious surveillance. Here’s what you need to know about stalking tactics within your home and how you can catch them in the act!
Why Would Someone Spy On You?
As unsettling as it is to think about, it’s important to be aware of the reasons before looking around for signs that someone is spying on you from within your home. As shocking as it may seem, there are indeed ways for people to achieve these malicious intentions. One example could be a bitter ex-partner stalking you after a separation.
In any case, these are illegal and serious crimes. After all, your home should be your sanctuary and you should never have to feel afraid to be within your own space. Thankfully, there are ways you can detect if someone is stalking or spying on you inside your home. Make sure you’re observant of your surroundings and never feel like you’re overreacting. The smallest details could be the most telltale signs of danger.
Search for Signs of Surveillance
Here’s four common places surveillance devices like hidden cameras are placed by perpetrators.
1) Electric Fixtures
As tedious as it may seem, look around for any signs of meddling among various fixtures in your home. Examples include electrical outlets, light switches, and smoke alarms. These are common and easy places to slip something like a surveillance device into your home without you knowing. Pay attention to little details like the wall plate color, surrounding debris, or gaps that occur as a result of hurried installation. These could all be signs that something was attached to a fixture within your household.
2) Strange Debris
Speaking of debris, if you notice traces of residue anywhere near conspicuous places like a wall, that should be cause for concern. To install something such as a small microphone or camera, the perpetrator will need to drill a hole into the wall. Generally speaking, the criminal will likely be in a hurry and neglect to clean up the mess they leave behind. Thus, if you notice any strange debris that wasn’t there before, check the surrounding wall and ceiling for anything suspicious.
3) Vinyl Baseboards
Pay close attention to your vinyl baseboards if they’re in your home. This is the area where your floor and wall meet. These are frequent hiding places for suspicious equipment like cameras. They’re also commonly used to hide wires connected to coinciding spy technology. Thus, if you’re beginning to notice shifting or tampered vinyl baseboards, follow your gut instinct. Some signs of intrusion include discoloring, a ride, or bumps.
4) Misplacement Of Familiar Objects
Malicious equipment could be hiding in plain sight. If you’re noticing familiar objects like favorite signs continually moving slightly out of place, observe their surroundings. Perpetrators will sometimes use familiarity to their advantage and hide surveillance technology in obvious places. Examples of these include clocks and lamps. Pay close attention to anything that may be crooked, contain a small hole, or display a strange semi-reflective surface.
Keep An Eye Out For These 4 Red Flags
There’s some red flags to be on the lookout for when it comes to suspected surveillance. Here’s four obvious ones.
1) A Break-In Without Anything Stolen
Generally speaking, burglars always break in with the intent to steal something. Thus, if someone has clearly invaded your home while you were away and didn’t appear to take anything, they could have planted something. This is especially evident if these break-ins are happening several times without anything overtly stolen. If this happens several times, it’s very possible they’re installing malicious technology while you’re away.
Home Break-In Statistics: What Are The Chances Of Your House Being Broken Into?
2) Receiving Written Or Recorded Copies Of Private Conversations
This can be an especially disturbing discovery, but it’s almost always definitive proof that someone is stalking you. This is often an intimidation tactic used to blackmail their target. If this sounds like something from te movies, you’d be surprised to hear that it’s a very real and scary strategy. This commonly appears in divorce cases, criminal cases, custody battles, and civil suits to gain an advantage over the other person involved.
3) Suspicious “Utility Workers”
A common sign of suspicious activity includes the sighting or appearance of unexpected “utility workers.” This may take form in the physical presence of service people claiming they’re arriving to help you with something around your home. Since we commonly trust these sorts of people, it’s an easy way for malicious criminals to scope out your home.
As a general rule of thumb, never let service people inside your home unless you confirmed they were coming and they show clear evidence of company representation. You should also keep an eye out for idle “utility company” trucks consistently sitting outside without people inside.
4) Strange Interferences
Have you been noticing strange interferences with your phone, TV, or radio? This could be a telltale sign that someone is listening to your activities without your knowledge. This happens with your radio if someone tampered with your antennae. Similar effects occur with TVs as surveillance equipment can mess with your TV’s reception. Some red flags to look out for with your phone include mysterious tones and unusual sounds that never used to occur.
Report Your Evidence To The Police And Secure Your Home
If any of the above information sounds familiar to you, it’s important to take action as soon as possible. Acquire as much evidence as you can while disabling any malicious equipment you find around your home. Proceed to bring your findings to the police to file a report, especially if you feel you may be the subject of identity theft. And take any legal actions necessary to protect yourself and your family. This can mean hiring a lawyer or installing your own home security system.
If you’re feeling unsafe within your own home, the team at Safe Smart Living are ready to help! We understand how unnerving it can be to feel watched and want to take every precaution needed to ensure your safety. Explore our home security section for more know-how on things you can do to protect yourself and your family.
Have you ever been spied on, or feel like you have been? Let us know in the comments!
