Cell Phone Spying

A CBS 2 News Special Assignment

It happened to Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman, it happened to Newt Gingrich and it could happen to you.

Eavesdroppers can use a type of scanner, the kind used to listen to police and fire calls, to tune in on your personal conversations.

It's illegal to sell new scanners with eavesdropping capability but used ones are as easy to find as looking in the classifieds.

CBS 2 News' Lance Orozco tells you more about cell phone spying and how you can avoid being the talk of the town..

Special Assignment: Cell Phone Spying aired Wednesday, February 3, 1999 at 11 p.m.

Cellular phones are a part of everyday life for most of us.

You probably assume that when you make a call on your cell phone, it's a private one. But depending on the kind of phone you're using, it may not be private at all. In fact, someone using the right technology might be listening in now, said CBS 2 News' Lance Orozco.

If you're using an older, analog-type cell phone someone with the right kind of police-band scanner radio may be able to eavesdrop on you.

Security experts say some people listen in as a sort of hobby.

"You should never say anything that's absolutely confidential over any kind of telephone," Microsearch cell phone security expert Rich Hofmann told Orozco.

You might remember the couple who "listened in" on former speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich. They landed themselves in trouble.

There's also the more recent case of the photographer accused of eavesdropping on a conversation between Tom Cruise and His wife, Nicole Kidman. He sold the details of that call to a tabloid.

It's now illegal to sell the type of scanner that can eavesdrop on cell phone conversations, said Orozco. Stores like Radio Shack don't sell them but you can purchase old scanners with eavesdropping capability in a newspaper's classified section or the Internet.

There are ways to protect yourself, said Orozco.

The biggest tip? Be cautious about the kind of information you give out over the phone, like credit card numbers.

The good news is that newer cell phones featuring digital technology, are difficult for the average eavesdropper to crack.

"Security wise, as far as cell phones go, if it's a digital cell phone or pcs, you can feel very confident that you calls are secure," said Hofmann.

And again, Orozco says if you're using any kind of wireless phone, security experts recommend that you be careful about the kind of personal information you communicate.

If you're not sure whether you have an analog or digital phone, check with your cell phone company. And if you have a scanner capable of picking up cell phone conversations -- eavesdropping is a federal offense.

More information:

• Microsearch can provide additional information on detecting electronic surveillance devices.
  Microsearch
  P.B. Box 2084
  Cypress, CA 90630
  (714) 952-3812
  rchtscm@ni.net