With modern technology, it’s become increasingly easier for hackers to access someone’s phone without their consent and steal their information. This can include their financial details, passwords, messages, and calls. However, these hackers can also track someone on Google Maps without them knowing.
This makes it essential that every smartphone user is aware of the signs of their phones being hacked and knows how to deal with such a situation if it arises. This article dives into some of the major signs that could indicate someone is spying on your phone, along with a few tips to keep your device safe.
Key Signs that Someone is Tracking Your Phone’s Location
There are several signs that you can pick up from your smartphone that could point to someone remotely accessing it. As mentioned above, this could be to steal your data or track your location without you knowing about it via Google Maps. Regardless of the goal, the signs are pretty much the same, so let’s dive into them one by one.
Your Phone Slows Down While Using Google Maps
Source: Indian Express
The first sign that you might notice if someone is trying to track your location is that your phone will become really slow while using Google Maps. This is because the hacker might be using some invisible program at the same time while you’re also using your phone to navigate. However, this doesn’t have to be limited to Google Maps alone.
If someone uses a spy app to monitor your phone, it can affect its overall performance, regardless of the app being used at any given point in time. If you notice this happening all of a sudden, and the problem remains persistent, you could think of this as a sign that someone could be remotely monitoring your phone.
Your Phone’s Location Turns on Automatically
The next key change to look out for is if your phone’s location automatically gets turned on without you doing so yourself. You’ll have to keep in mind that some apps invariably ask for access to your location, and it could turn on when you grant them permission. However, if you’re sure that you turned it off and didn’t authorize an application to use it, this could be a sign that someone has remotely turned it on to be able to track your movements.
Sometimes, however, certain apps can also secretly use your location without explicitly asking you for permission. If you notice this happening, the first thing you must do is review app permissions on your phone.
Your Phone Heats Up All the Time
Another crucial sign to look out for is if your phone starts heating up all the time. While this is understandable when you’re playing graphic-intensive games or using your device while it’s charging, it shouldn’t happen during regular use. This is because most smartphones these days have good processors like the Snapdragon 800 series or the latest Apple chips and are meant to have effective heat management mechanisms in place.
With this in mind, if you still notice your device heating up even while performing the simplest of tasks, it could be because of a spy app or a GPS tracker running in the background.
Your Phone’s Battery Drains Out a Lot Quicker
Another consequence of a GPS tracker being resent on your phone is that it can result in your device’s battery draining out a lot faster than it usually does. This is because a GPS tracker or a spy application can take up a lot of your device’s juice. One way to check this is to keep an eye out for your screen-on time on a regular day so that you can compare it to the figures once you start noticing a decline in your battery life.
How to Keep Your Device Safe From GPS Trackers
There are several ways in which you can keep your smartphone safe from a GPS tracker being installed on it without you knowing. Some of these include –
- Keep your device password-protected – This is the most important way to keep your device out of the wrong hands and prevent someone from being able to install something on it.
- Install an anti-malware program – An anti-malware program is an effective way to keep malware off your phone. It scans your device to detect and remove them while also repairing any damage they might have caused to its software.
- Use a VPN when browsing in public – A VPN is an effective way to create a safe, private network if you have to rely on a public Wi-Fi network to browse the web.
- Factory reset your device – The last resort is to factory reset your device to remove any trace of a hidden GPS tracker from your device. However, remember to take a backup of your data before you do so.
In Conclusion
As you’ve read above, several signs can indicate that someone might be tracking your phone via Google Maps. These are essential to keep an eye out for if you want to keep yourself safe at all times and protect your data as well. With these GPS trackers being able to monitor all the activities on your phone, as has been demonstrated by the comprehensive resources on CellTrackingApps.com, you need to be vigilant at all times. After all, prevention is better than a cure.