Is your phone spying on you? Creepy apps that can track your every move

Apps designed to help people find their lost or stolen phones are now being used as spyware by stalkers.

There are dozens of free spyware apps in the Google Play Store and Apple App Store. Some are marketed to anxious parents wanting to track their children or spouses concerned about cheating partners. Others are sold as anti-theft tools to track stolen phones.

In order to get a first-hand look I decided to test one of these apps on myself, and transform my phone into a tracking device for a day.Once I discovered what the app was able to record and track I was given a chilling insight into how easy it would be for a jealous partner or vindictive ex to covertly observe their victim.

Dutch filmmaker Anthony van der Meer used the app to track my every move for a day. Mr van der Meer, who is in Australia to speak at the International Association of Privacy Professionals ANZ summit, made a documentary using a tracking app to trace his stolen phone. In less than a year it was viewed more than 6 million times.I had no idea how easily my phone could be controlled remotely to see, hear and record what I said, everywhere I went and everything I did.

I consented to having the app downloaded and I knew I could be monitored at any time, but I wasn't aware of exactly when I was being watched. And as I went about my usual morning routine, I soon forgot my phone was spying on me.While the app icon was visible on my phone, there is a disguised version available with the innocuous title "system framework". Apart from the icon there were no other signs my phone was compromised.

ABC News has chosen not to name the app used in the experiment, but it is available on the Android app store and is just one of many apps available.

The front and rear cameras, microphone, text messages and phone call logs were able to be remotely accessed.

Using nearby WiFi points and GPS data, my location could be tracked. Where I live, where I work and where I get my morning coffee was all visible.https://www.ttspy.com/remote-spy-phone-app-for-your-employees-to-mo...