Help! How is a cell phone used as a listening device?

Question

I found two cell phones in my house a couple of days ago.They are not mine, nor anyone I know. And this is freaking/creeping me out to say the least! Please give me any advice that you can - other than throw them away.

Answer 1

Remove the batteries.  This way they can't be anything.  A cell phone can be transmitting even when there's no display if it's been hacked.  Don't try turning them off.  If they've been hacked to be a listening device, they won't actually turn off.  There are a few questions.  Why would anybody want to listen to you?  Do you have an ex (spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend) that would want to bug you?  Where were they?  Where they in plain sight or hidden a bit so they weren't obvious?  Even if you don't recognize them, they may have been left by somebody you know.  Maybe the friend didn't want to take them home and face questions about where they came from if they weren't supposed to have one.  Maybe they were stolen and whoever stole them didn't want to be caught with them.  There are many possibilities.  Remove the batteries and ask around.  Ask your parents.  They should know about them just in case they are bugs.  Ask friends and look for any kind of reaction they try to cover up.  Ask any siblings you might have.