cell phone tapping

Cell Phone Forensics Exposes Source of Harassing Messages

was recently called into an interesting case that could have easily escalated into violence or a life changed forever. We got a call from an attorney who was representing a couple and their college-age daughter. The daughter was receiving harassing texts, calls and messages on her cell phone. They believed the former girlfriend of a new boyfriend was behind them. Their attorney knew it was possible to peel back the layers to get to an IP address to determine the source, but he didn’t know exactly how. So he called us. Part of the cell phone forensic process means obtaining records from the service provider. You have to use their language and have legal authority to request the records. Communicating and having the most precise [...]

Cell Phone Records Critical to Defense Attorney’s Arsenal

Cell phone forensics is becoming as important a tool for attorneys as DNA evidence. All you have to do is stand in line at any store or sit in any restaurant to see that most customers are either talking on one or using it to find the best deal or discount coupon. That proliferation of devices creates a window for cell mapping, cell tower triangulation and other cell phone forensics tools that can provide evidence to support guilt or innocence in connection with crimes – and defense of clients. One of the tools mobile phone forensic analysis includes is the use of cellphone records. Records could include a variety of information, including: Records for blocked callers Records for restricted callers Call history Text and email [...]

Decrease Threats by Reducing Vulnerability to Cell Phone Spy

Let’s talk cell phone spyware detection. Remember this number: 95%. McAfee estimates that’s the percentage of malware ever devised that has been created in the past year. And, the amount of malware detected by them increased 44% last year, too. Those are dismal numbers that illustrate the growing threat to online security. Many of the major threats targeting large banks, online moguls like Facebook and Twitter recently have come from Europe and Asia but that doesn’t mean that the everyday user is exempt. The targets are cell phones and tablets. But the techniques for phishing are still the old school kind – because they work. The large corporations are hit because malware is accessed through links to compromised or malicious sites. Once that site is [...]

Are Cell Phone Forensics at Risk?

The majority of states have adopted laws against texting while driving, but I just read an editorial saying that few of the laws are being enforced. Now legislators and the public want insurance companies to know who is using a cell phone while operating a vehicle and let that drive rates. Some are even calling for cell phone surveillance and cell phone tracking. With all the cell phone forensics we do here at International Investigations, we know the technology is there to accomplish this. However it would not be a mobile spy like we are used to uncovering in our mobile phone forensic analysis process. No, it would be a cell phone deactivation device installed in the vehicle. And according to the survey, the public [...]

2 Secrets to Criminal Defense Using Cell Phone Forensics

Teachers are always encouraging school children to look for patterns – that’s because patterns are so revealing. And it’s not only true in math and science; it’s true in investigations, too. No. 1 Secret – Patterns Tell a Story in Mobile Phone Analysis With years of experience in the field, the investigators at know how to cast a wide net and look at a case and situation as a whole. During a mobile phone forensic analysis, we look at records before an event or crime occurred and then after the event. Changes in patterns – habits – can be quite revealing. Not only do the changes throw up flags, the background prior to the event or crime helps with the cell phone investigation. People who [...]

Cell Phone Forensics Might be the Best Defense

Cell phone forensics at is more than mobile phone forensic analysis. It can include mobile phone spyware detection or cell phone hack detection and sim card forensics, but it includes many other aspects when it comes to defense in a criminal case. For instance, to provide admissible evidence to support a defendant, we employ a variety of tactics which may include: Cell mapping using cell tower location and cell tower triangulation (to finite longitude and latitude locations) Cell phone tracking Ping expert analysis when evidence includes the pinging of a cell phone and testimony as a ping witness Even when restricted or blocked calls are uncovered during a mobile phone forensics investigation, we can peel back blocked calls. Of course, to subpoena records for a [...]

Cell Tower Triangulation Provides Evidence of Innocence

Another interesting case recently investigated was centered in a child custody battle. A police officer and his wife in Iowa were divorcing and both wanted custody of their two children. The wife accused the officer of harassing her by sending threatening text messages. He was on the verge of losing any custodial rights as well as his job when his attorney contacted us. Proving no harassing activity on his phone was moot in this situation because it could be alleged that he was using prepaid phones, not his, for the messages. Our team went to work. First, through cell phone forensics we were able to identify the source of the calls then we requested the records data for those phones from the service providers. At [...]

Who is Safe from a Mobile Spy?

In a recent discussion with one of the cellphone experts at , I learned that the Blackberry is probably the least “hackable” phone out there. A cell phone forensic analysis can include what is called a password bypass. In fact, we have been asked to uncover passwords that had been lost or forgotten. That is possible for just about any phone – except the Blackberry. Instead of letting someone into the phone, it destroys data on the device. That explains why Blackberry is the preferred device for CEOs, political leaders (like the President), military and government agencies. Any organization that requires the most secure confidentiality opts for the brand. Users complain about the functionality and usability, but for the security of data, Blackberry is the [...]

Unfair Competitive Edge Can be Averted through TSCM Sweep

There are so many reasons for electronic surveillance. Just about any situation that includes a competitive element provides the impetus for covert surveillance. Corporate and industrial espionage may be what first comes to mind, but spy listening devices can be used in every industry and field. According to an ESPN article from April, 2012, there were allegations that New Orleans Saints general manager Mickey Loomis had an electronic listening device installed in the Superdome that allowed him to eavesdrop on visiting coaches for nearly three NFL seasons. Football in America is much, much more than just a game – it’s full of multi-million dollar businesses – and the competition on the field is only a small bit of the competition between the teams. Cell phone [...]

Cell Phone Forensics Investigation Calls for Expertise and Experience

Cell phone investigation and cell phone forensics requires a growing body of knowledge – and experience is becoming more and more important. The main reason is the continual progress in technology advancements. One aspect is the evolution of cell phones and operating systems. As a cell phone consumer you may think there are only a few real differences between the different cell phones on the market, I mean you can get a computer that uses one of three major operating system vendors: MS Windows OS X from Apple Inc. Linux OS That does not hold true for cellular phones. There are more operating systems for cell phones than for desktop computers. The top five include: Android OS Apple iOS Blackberry OS Symbian Microsoft And even [...]

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