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CheckMag | 7 warning signs your iPhone may be tracked

7 warning signs your iPhone may be tracked (Image source: Unsplash)
7 warning signs your iPhone may be tracked (Image source: Unsplash)
By recognizing the signs of mobile phone tracking, you can determine whether your iPhone is being monitored. Below are 7 warning signs your iPhone may be tracked, which range from unexpected Apple ID login alerts to unusual data usage patterns that could indicate the presence of tracking software or malicious activity.

1. Apple ID information breached

The first sign that your iPhone is being tracked that you should be aware of is the breach of your Apple ID information. This is considered the highest-level administrative account on each iPhone. 

If you receive notifications about your Apple ID being logged in on a strange device, account password changes, or unusual payment bills, these could all be warning signs that someone has gained access to your Apple ID.

However, you don't need to worry if you encounter these situations. You can use Apple's account recovery tools to restore and regain access to your Apple ID if you can't access it. 

You should also enable two-factor authentication or create a strong password to prevent your Apple ID information from being compromised by bad actors.

2. Strange devices in Family Sharing or Find My App

Family Sharing is a convenient tool that allows you to share purchases, family photo albums, locations, schedules, etc., with family group members without using the same Apple ID.

Meanwhile, the Find My feature is similar. All information is contained within an Apple ID. Therefore, Family Sharing and the Find My app are two methods that intruders often exploit to access your iPhone system.

The appearance of strange devices in Family Sharing or the Find My app is a suspicious sign.

Thus, if you detect a strange device in these two applications, quickly remove it, check your security settings, and update your password immediately to avoid any risks.

Strange Devices in Family Sharing (Source: Apple)
Strange Devices in Family Sharing (Source: Apple)

3. Increased data usage

Any application or software activated on the phone uses data. If you notice an increase in your monthly data usage, it could be the influence of a tracking app.

The process of using technology to retrieve iPhone location via someone else's GPS and other information requires a lot of data. However, you should check your phone's data usage before coming to a definite conclusion.

4. Battery drainage

Similarly, with any software or application on the device, the use of tracking applications will drain the phone's battery.

If your phone's battery percentage is maintained until the end of the day after a full charge but suddenly shortens without high-frequency use by you, then there may be a monitoring application that you are unaware of.

5. Microphone and camera access breached

The next sign that your iPhone is being tracked is when your microphone and camera are compromised. Nowadays, there are many spyware programs used for eavesdropping and recording calls. Some tracking apps even cause your camera to activate automatically, take pictures of the surroundings, and send them to a server or another device.

These risks may pose potential threats to you. Therefore, when applications request access to the camera or a map application wants to use the microphone, the best way is to immediately remove these applications from your device.

The use of tracking applications will drain the phone's battery (Source: Apple)
The use of tracking applications will drain the phone's battery (Source: Apple)

6. Strange messages appear

Have you received text messages containing strange codes, symbols, characters, or special links?

If this occurs frequently, a spy app may have been installed on your iPhone (iPhone 15 currently available on Amazon).

When this happens, be cautious and ignore or delete the strange messages, and don't click on any odd links sent through messages.

7. Web browser and strange applications appear

iPhone users are always advised to control the applications they have installed and their web browser history. This helps you quickly detect any abnormalities that occur.

If strange applications appear on your iPhone or there is a history of accessing unusual web browsers, it is very likely that your phone has been compromised. Therefore, you should delete these applications and check the apps that have data access permissions.

When detecting the above signs, you need to promptly check your iPhone and seek a safe solution to avoid being tracked and exposing your important information.

Source(s)

Photo by Yura Fresh on Unsplash

Photo by Thom Bradley on Unsplash

Photo by Apple.com

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Triet Le, 2023-11-13 (Update: 2023-11-13)