Technical Sweep Countermeasures (TSCM). We have many Clients who call for a TSCM service to ensure their home or office are safe to discuss private conversations. A TSCM sweep is conducted to determine if there are any covert (not openly acknowledge or displayed) audio or video devices within a home or business. Requesting a listening device detection or an electronic bug detection can expose various amounts of spyware that is concealed within normal products. For example, these types of devices could be a charger for a cellphone or computer with the capability to power your technology and spy on you at the same time, smoke detectors that will function properly, and listening devices that can be installed into products you welcome into your home like flower arrangements. If the device does not have access to power, it can only be used for the duration of the battery and must be recharged.
Many of these devices can be viewed from your phone or computer in real-time. Any such device found during a bug sweep can be a standalone device or attached to something familiar within the home or office that would not be noticeable to the eye. Many are motion activated to save space on the SD card. There are devices that can track keystrokes on a keyboard, a gps unit installed on your car that provides google map images of where you have been (historical) or where you are (real-time).
Who uses these devices? People in a custody battle, divorce situations, insecure people in a relationship and sometimes even co-workers or employers. Are they legal? Yes, they are legal to purchase and many of the uses are for legal reasons, but when it is installed without authorization or the knowledge of the person being spied upon, then no, it is being used for illegal reasons.
We had a Client who wanted information on a GPS tracking unit for her boyfriend’s car. She had no legal right to his vehicle, she wasn’t listed as an owner on the registration, they were not co-habituating and in fact, had recently broken off their relationship. For her, or for us, to put a GPS tracking unit on his car would not be ethical and we declined her request and informed her of the consequences if she did so.
We had a Client whose husband was an alcoholic, residing in the same residence, and both were listed on the registration records. He would often leave the residence with his children, drive to a liquor store, and drink in the car while taking his kids to various sporting events. She could never prove he did so, and without involving the children, she wanted such a device installed so she could see where he goes. Did he in fact drive to a liquor store when the kids were present? Did he go to bars after work when he claimed to be working late? This would be a situation where installing a GPS unit could assist you on how to know if someone is lying to you.
We had a Client who insisted her husband spoke to another woman when he was in the restroom. She claimed he would turn up the music to disguise the fact he was on his cellphone. She wanted some type of listening device that would audio record his activity at the same time. We knew it was not ethical to install any type of video device in an area that is assumed as private. Again, in this situation, we offered other services to her that could assist in determining if he was involved with another woman, but financially all she could afford was putting a device in the bathroom. We did not take the job.
We also had a professional athletic team requesting a sweep for listening devices in the office where possible negotiations would be conducted and needed to ensure the area was clean prior to holding any meetings.
There are good reasons to own and use these types of devices. And there are good reasons to have a TSCM conducted in the determination if there are such devices installed in your personal space or office that have the capability to overhear your conversations, monitor your activity and your destinations learned.
Call us for information on how we can best assist in determining if you are being monitored.
All in Investigations, Inc.
Brenda McGinley, CEO