Are you worried that your calls or messages will be discreetly intercepted without your knowledge? There is a very simple key combination to type on your keyboard to immediately unmask the spies hidden in your device.
Our smartphones today contain all of our private lives: personal photos, banking applications, passwords and intimate conversations. Unfortunately, this goldmine attracts cybercriminals, and phone hacking has become a very real threat. If a hacker manages to infiltrate your device, the risks are immense. You expose yourself to serious scams such as identity theft, theft of your bank details, or even blackmail. Hackers can read your SMS remotely, listen to your conversations, intercept the security codes sent by your bank and, ultimately, empty your accounts or hack your social networks.
Fortunately, there is a little-known and extremely effective trick to instantly check if someone is spying on you. Just type specific key combinations directly on your Phone app keyboard, as if you were going to make a call. These codes allow you to launch an immediate diagnosis of your line. For example, they can tell you if your calls or text messages are secretly forwarded to a stranger’s number. Other combinations allow you to check if a fraudulent transfer is activated only when you are unreachable or your line is busy. Better yet, some of these codes act as an emergency shield and allow you to instantly disable all suspicious transfers with a single operation.
To do the test at home, here is the exact list of these codes to type (don’t forget to press the “Call” key after entering the characters):
*#21# : Indicate whether your calls or text messages are secretly forwarded.
##21# : Disable these transfers.
*#67# : Checks active transfers only when you are not reachable (note, this also includes your legitimate voicemail).
##67# : Disable transfers if unavailable.
##002# : Disable all call forwarding immediately.
*#004# : Gives information on transfers when your line is busy.
##004# : Disable these transfers.
*#33# : Opens call restriction settings (to block spam).
*#06# : Displays the IMEI number (the unique identifier of your phone).
*3001#12345#* : Shows network details for iPhones.
*#*#4636#*#* : Shows network details for Android smartphones.
*#197328640# : Shows network details specifically for Samsung models.
However, it is important to make a small nuance: the operation of these codes may vary slightly depending on your telephone operator or the model of your smartphone. Indeed, it happens that certain combinations are not as well detailed from one device to another.
Finally, keep in mind that while these codes are perfect for detecting traditional telephone tapping, modern spyware (the famous “stalkerware”) often knows how to make itself invisible. To be completely reassured, pay attention to other physical warning signs: a battery that suddenly drains very quickly, a phone that becomes abnormally hot to the touch, the appearance of unknown applications or Internet data consumption that explodes… If you have the slightest doubt, the first instinct is to change all your important passwords, install a recognized antivirus application on your mobile and, as a last resort, completely reset your device to factory settings.
