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Knowing whether your phone has been hacked or tapped is the first step toward protecting your personal and financial information. But how can you tell if someone has accessed your phone?
In this article, we’ll go over the indicators that your phone has been hacked, as well as anti-hacking codes that you may use to check if your Android or iPhone has been hijacked.
Key Takeaways
- Battery draining quickly and poor phone performance may indicate hacking.
- Dial *#06# to check your IMEI number, which is useful for tracking or reporting a stolen phone.
- Use ##4636## to check if your phone is being tapped or tracked.
- Dial *#21# to see if your calls are being diverted to another number.
- ##002# resets all call forwarding and redirection settings on your device.
Is Your Phone Hacked? 5 Telltale Signs
So, what are the indicators that your phone has been hacked? Here are the important things you should look for to see if your phone has been tampered with or if it contains spyware:
1. Your battery is quickly dwindling.
2. Unfamiliar logins
3. Slow phone performance
4. Excessive storage usage
5. Apps not installed
Mobile malware constantly monitors your phone and sends info back to the host. This will need a significant amount of power, causing your battery levels to decline faster than usual.
Understanding USSD Codes: The Secret to Identify Your Hacker
USSD (Unstructured Supplementary Service Data) is a GSM-based system for exchanging text messages. It acts similarly to a Short Message Service (SMS).
It’s useful for location-based content services, Wireless Application Protocol (WAP) surfing, menu-based information services, and more. This protocol works via USSD codes, which are available on mobile phones.
These codes can be up to 182 alphanumeric characters long and are used to establish a real-time communication session between a phone and a server or network.
Users can simply communicate with one another via their smartphones after selecting options from the accessible menus. Unlike SMS messages, these codes enable real-time connectivity during USSD sessions.
This means that as long as the communication channel is open, the protocol may sustain a two-way conversation, with inquiries and responses nearly instantaneous.
Simply put, USSD codes enable users to send instructions and receive information from the network. These codes operate without an internet connection (even in airplane mode) and can be used on an outdated mobile.
All you need to know is the codes to dial to find out if your phone has been hacked.
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What To Dial To See If Your Phone Is Hacked? 8 USSD Codes For Mobile Security
#06#
IMEI is an abbreviation for International Mobile Equipment Identifier. It’s a 15-digit number that identifies a certain gadget. Every phone has a hard-coded number.
However, it does not reveal any extra information, such as whether your device is missing or hacked. If you wish to learn more about these codes, you must first know your phone’s IMEI.
If you suspect a security breach on your phone, you will need this number to file a police report. It is also useful for tracking a missing device. As a result, once you call the code (*#06#), you’ll want to keep your IMEI number secure and out of the hands of others.
IMEI numbers can also be used to determine whether your phone is a fake. If you’re curious what the code is to see if the phone is a clone, just dial #06#.
Then, using the barcode, locate the 15-digit number in the box in which the phone was sent. If the two numbers do not match, you have been sold a fake gadget.
*#*#4636#*#* – Dial This Code to Reveal Phone Tapping
It is possible to track the position of your phone using specific codes. Fortunately, there is a code (netmonitor code) that allows you to determine whether you are being tracked or tapped. To validate this, dial any of the following codes:
- For Android devices, dial *#*#197328640#*#* or *#*#4636#*#*.
For iPhones, dial *3001#12345#*.
After dialing the code, take these steps to finish the action:
*#062# – Dial This Code to Check if Your Calls Are Being Redirected
Modifying your call forwarding settings is another technique for hackers to compromise your device’s operation. They accomplish this with certain redirection directives.
When this happens, you will see that you are unable to receive text messages or phone calls from your contacts since they have been rerouted.
Notably, this behavior is more widespread than many phone users realize, and it has been going on for more than a decade, with hackers hijacking people’s text messages and phone calls to collect sensitive information.
On that note, you should verify your device’s forwarding settings to validate its condition. To do this, dial *#62* or *#062#. By default, assuming your forwarding settings are safe, you should not receive any information.
When you dial the code, however, you should see the number to which your text messages and phone calls are diverted. Call logs can also be used to establish your phone’s redirection status.
This is possible via your service provider’s website.
*#21# – Dial This Code to Know if Your Calls are Being Diverted (Not Redirected)
Call redirections and diversions differ slightly, even though both transmit calls and text messages to a different phone.
A call redirection would first reach your phone and appear on your phone bill before proceeding to the secondary phone line, whereas a call diversion does not.
It essentially cancels the call before it reaches your smartphone and routes it to the diversionary number. As a result, you have no idea whether your calls have been rerouted or whether there is a network issue.
To check for call diversion on your smartphone, use the USSD code *#21#. The response you receive is similar to the one given for phone redirection.
Call diversions differ from redirections. They can only be activated through a purposeful action. In other words, whereas a call redirection may occur due to interference, a call diversion requires access to your device to set up.
##002# – Dial This Code to Stop All Redirections and Diversions
This is a very useful code for Android and iPhone users who fear they’ve been hacked. ##002# is a universal code that you can use to initiate any type of redirection or diversion that may be in place, either accidentally or maliciously.
Dialing this code will clear all forwarded calls and messages that may have been sent to another number. It then resets your phone’s forwarding settings, allowing you to receive calls as intended.
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*#*#197328640#*#* – Dial this Utility Netmonitor Code For Location Details on Incoming and Outgoing Communication
Utility Netmonitor code may seem perplexing, especially if you’re hearing it for the first time. First, let’s define the term ‘netmonitor’: a netmonitor merely analyzes network packet data.
It monitors every move and piece of data on your phone, including calls or texts sent and received, as well as your device’s location information.
This code allows you to simply track the whereabouts of anyone who may be accessing your device. This offers you an advantage if you need to file charges against the offender.
To get vital cell information on your phone, dial *#*#197328640#*#*. This step will bring up a menu where you may select the UMTS Cell Environment option and then click on UMTS RR Information.
After selecting these choices, your phone will display a unique cell ID. Remember to write down this number for future reference. Afterward, press the back key on your phone twice to open MM Data.
*#*#232338#*#* – Dial this Code to View Your Phone’s MAC Address
Another simple approach to determine whether your phone is genuine or counterfeit is to obtain its MAC address. The Media Access Control (MAC) address is a unique identification assigned to each networked device at the time of manufacture.
It will have 12 characters, the first six of which are unique to the phone manufacturer and the last six of which reflect the date the phone was made. To find out your phone’s MAC address, dial *#*#232338#*#*.
*2767*3855# – Dial This Code to Factory Reset Your Phone
In such a case, you may only have one option: factory reset your phone. A factory reset, also known as a hard reset, removes all apps, data, and settings from your phone and restores it to its original state.
Even if someone has hacked your phone and installed spyware or parental control apps that you cannot locate, a reset will remove them. This clears your phone of any evidence of hacking or malicious tracking.
The *2767*3855# code is only applicable to Android. If you’re seeking iPhone codes to check for spyware, dial *#*#7780#*#* to do a factory reset on Apple devices.
Conclusion
It’s critical to understand which codes to dial to determine if your phone has been hacked. Also, keep a check on your device’s battery. If it’s decreasing quickly, it could be a sign.
