Wiretapping is very easy and can be done almost by anybody. But who taps who and when? Some people may tap other people’s phone line for a just cause. Others may tap just to win at all cost. And there are also some who wiretaps for almost no reason at all. So, when do people do wiretapping?

Thrill Seeking

Amateur wiretappers are usually mere thrill seekers. They get excited by the idea of spying on someone, be it their neighbor, their co-worker or friend. For example, they are curious about the pretty lady next door. Their curiosity is so strong that they want to know who she talks to and what they talk about. Usually, the methods of these amateur wiretappers are crude and can easily be detected.

Private Investigation

Private investigators usually conduct phone surveillance by wiretapping even though it is usually illegal. They do this in order to verify or collect more data and get a lead on their case. When a woman wants to know if her husband is being unfaithful, or her business partner is being dishonest, she could get these people’s phone lines tapped either by hiring a professional investigator or by doing it herself.

Corporate Espionage

Wiretapping is also used in corporate espionage. It is the most widespread professional wiretapping. Business companies spy on each other in order to give their business an edge over the other. By wiretapping on the other company’s telephone line, they are able to listen in and get information about its secrets, business plans and other information that might be of important use to them. Almost always, it is better to hold sensitive conversations in person or speak in codes over the phone.

Companies also spy on its employees by wiretapping on their telephone line. This is done in order to check if the employee is divulging or disclosing confidential matters to other people, especially to those who are working for their rival company.

Law Enforcement

A lot of governments use wiretapping in law enforcement. Legalized wiretapping by law enforcement agencies like the police and investigation agencies is called ‘lawful interception’. These government agencies tap on phone lines to gather information about criminal activity, particularly about criminal suspects and terrorists. In many countries, telephone companies are required by law to cooperate in the interception of communication lines for law enforcement purposes by providing these agencies easy access to wiretapping. They are given access to the central switching networks, as well as access to the stations that relay mobile phone calls. This enables them to easily tap phones without being detected and eavesdrop even on wireless mobile and computer communication.

Is your phone line tapped? Ask yourself why.

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