Spouses who are distrustful will often spy on each other, regardless of whether their marriage is coming to an end or not. In todays digital age, it’s no longer necessary for people to hire a private investigator when they can simply turn to technology and apps to do the work for them.
In some cases a spouse may want to get the “upper hand” when it comes to the divorce proceedings and will go to extreme lengths to spy on their partner or ex. Technology has developed at such a rate that there are now a number of different, inexpensive ways to spy on the other party in your relationship.
What to look out for if you think you’re being spied on?
Divorce lawyers say that partners who are going through a marriage breakdown sometimes install spyware or tracking software onto their partners computers or phones. There are also a couple of other options such as vehicle trackers and personal trackers.
With a vehicle tracking device and a magnetic case, your options on where to place this are pretty extensive as to where you can hide it. If you feel as though you are being spied on, check the entire undercarriage of your car including the spaces behind the wheel arches and near the exhaust.
Personal trackers are not as easy to hide successfully as these are often placed in handbags, weekend bags and suitcases. Ensure you check all internal and external pockets.
Is it legal to track your spouse with a GPS device?
There have been multiple discussions surrounding how legal it should be to track your spouse in the UK. Among several different cases around the world there has been a number of different and contradictory rulings about the issue. In a case in New Jersey, judges ruled that it is permissible for a wife or husband to track their partner if they suspect cheating.
In the UK there are certain laws that apply to spying on a spouse with a GPS device. If you want to put a tracker on someone’s car, even if that person is your partner or spouse, you need to have the owner’s consent. It’s a criminal offence to put a tracking device on a car that you don’t actually own without this approval. However, if both partners in the marriage own the car, then legally one person may install a GPS device to track the other.
A blurry line indeed, and if this is something you are looking to do to potentially catch your cheating partner, then take the time to look into the laws of where you live to be sure you are compliant.
Whatever your reasons for wanting to track or if you feel as though you are being spied on, it’s important to seek legal advice from experienced divorce lawyers.
