Yes, someone can divert your calls without your knowledge if they gain unauthorized access to your phone (via spyware, physical access, or account compromise), often by tricking you or exploiting device settings, allowing them to reroute your calls and texts to their own device, potentially without you noticing immediately. You can check for this by dialing MMI codes like *#21# and reviewing your phone's settings, but malware can hide these changes.
First of all, if you see a persistent notification on your Android notification shade saying “Forwarding all calls” or something related, that means you or someone has activated call divert on your phone.
The short answer is: yes. Remote call forwarding is possible, but it's not supported by every type of phone or provider. For example, if you want to forward landline calls to a cell phone, you usually need to enter a dial code on your physical landline phone.
Unusual sounds or echoes during calls
If you're noticing weird clicking sounds or high-pitched hums on multiple calls across different locations and with different people, it could be a sign that someone is eavesdropping or tracking your calls.
Tracking apps and mobile spyware: Parents, jealous partners, or hackers can install spyware on your phone to monitor calls, messages, and location.
How to check your Android Bluetooth connections:
Different phones have different codes to turn off call forwarding:
To turn off Call Forwarding from your mobile phone, call *73. You should hear a confirmation tone or message that may sound like a busy signal to let you know Call Forwarding has been turned off. Get step-by-step instructions on our Turn Call Forwarding off from device page.
Call forwarding: Enabling call forwarding settings — via malware or following a social engineering scheme — could allow bad actors to intercept your incoming calls and texts or redirect them to a third party.
Sometimes hackers disguise malware as harmless background apps, so verifying and deleting any apps that raise concerns is important. Run anti-malware software: Use a reliable malware scanner and removal tool to thoroughly scan your phone for malicious software.
However, if the person has blocked your phone number, your call may be forwarded to voicemail automatically, depending on how the person blocked you. If the person blocked you through their Android or iPhone settings, your call will be forwarded to voicemail automatically instead of ringing through.
Phone spoofing occurs when scammers use voice over internet protocol (VoIP) technology to manipulate your caller ID into displaying a name or number that you trust.
What makes spoofing so frustrating is that fraudsters don't need access to your phone to use your number. Instead, spoofers use Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology to falsify the information that shows up on your caller ID.
This Vertical Service Code, *82, enables calling line identification regardless of subscriber preference, dialed to unblock withheld numbers (private callers) in the U.S. on a per-call basis.
Call trace allows you to dial the code *57 to trace the phone number of a call that was received. This service is used to trace harassing calls which warrant law enforcement or legal action. If you do not intend to take legal action, then an alternative is to use Call Return with *69.
Dialing *#21# on your phone uses a USSD code to check the status of your unconditional call forwarding, revealing if all your calls, data, or texts are being redirected to another number without your knowledge, which can happen if someone accesses your settings. It's not a definitive hack detector, but it quickly shows if a carrier-level setting is diverting your communications, potentially to intercept sensitive information like 2FA codes, and can be disabled with ##21#.
Enter *72 to activate. Enter the number where you want your calls forwarded. Your calls will now be forwarded to the number you entered.
What Does ##002# Really Do? 🔐📞 ##002# instantly cancels all call forwarding on your phone — busy, unreachable, or no-answer. It's a simple way to reset settings and protect your privacy.
Monitor the applications running in the background of your device and check whether there are any unknown applications. Notice significant increases in device temperature and decreases in battery life. These often indicate your Android device is being accessed remotely.
Three-finger gestures on iPhone primarily activate accessibility features like VoiceOver (for screen reading and navigation) and Zoom (magnification), allowing scrolling, zooming, and text manipulation (copy/paste/undo) with specific taps and drags, though some text actions work without VoiceOver enabled for quick editing. Common gestures include three-finger double-tap to toggle VoiceOver speech, triple-tap for the screen curtain, and pinching/spreading with three fingers for copy/paste actions, notes this YouTube video.
Use Radio Frequency Detector
If you're looking for a more serious tool than just your phone and a flashlight, an RF (radio frequency) detector is worth having. These small handheld devices are designed to pick up wireless signals that hidden cameras (and other surveillance gear) often emit.