Is my phone hacked? How to check, and what to do
Reviewed by the VirtualVakil legal team · Last reviewed:
Warning signs include apps you did not install, an app with Accessibility or device-admin access you never knowingly gave, OTP messages you did not request, and accounts logged in on devices you do not recognise. Check those settings first, remove anything unknown, update the phone and change your passwords from a different device. If money or messages are being misused, report on 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in, and have the phone examined before you reset it if you need the evidence.
How to check your phone, step by step
Look for apps you did not install
Go through the full app list, including system-looking names. Be suspicious of anything installed from an APK file sent on WhatsApp or SMS, such as a wedding card, traffic challan, bank KYC or electricity bill.
Check Accessibility and device-admin access
On Android, open Settings and look at Accessibility and at Device admin apps (the menu names vary by brand). An unknown app with these powers can read your screen and messages. On iPhone, check Settings, General, VPN and Device Management for profiles you did not add.
Scan and update
On Android, run Google Play Protect from the Play Store. Install pending system and app updates on any phone.
Check where your accounts are logged in
Review the devices signed in to your Google or Apple account, WhatsApp Linked devices, and your email and social accounts. Log out anything you do not recognise.
Check call forwarding and your SIMs
Dial *#21# to see whether your calls are being forwarded, and ##002# to cancel all forwarding. Use 'Know Mobile Connections in Your Name' on Sanchar Saathi to see SIMs issued against your identity.
Change passwords from a clean device
Change your email, banking and social passwords from another phone or computer, and turn on two-factor authentication.
Keep the evidence if you need to complain
A factory reset can erase the evidence. If money was taken or someone is stalking you, report it and get the phone examined before you reset it.
Signs worth checking, and signs that are usually not hacking
- Worth checking: OTPs or password-reset messages you did not request, bank alerts for transactions you did not make, friends receiving messages you did not send, an app you cannot uninstall.
- Worth checking: your partner or someone else knowing your messages or location without being told; this can be stalkerware.
- Usually not hacking on their own: a battery that drains faster as the phone ages, or more advertisements after installing a free app.
Get it checked for free
Bring your phone to the free Cyber Nyay Camp every Sunday, 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM IST, at A-45, Sector 26, Noida, or message us on WhatsApp to start.
Which sections usually apply
| Section | What it covers |
|---|---|
| IT Act S. 43 and S. 66 | Unauthorised access to, or damage to, a computer resource; an offence when done dishonestly or fraudulently. |
| IT Act S. 66E | Violation of privacy: capturing or sharing private images without consent. |
| BNS S. 78 | Stalking, including monitoring a woman's use of the internet, email or other electronic communication. |
The police decide which sections go into the FIR after looking at your facts. This list is a guide, not a charge sheet.
Three ways we can help
Free guidance on WhatsApp
Tell us what happened. We tell you what to do next and which law applies. Starting is free.
We file your complaint: ₹999
Where a complaint is needed, we draft it for cybercrime.gov.in along with the follow-up letters, and follow up with you on WhatsApp.
Cyber Surety membership
A membership, not insurance: ethical hackers and lawyers on WhatsApp 24×7 for the next incident. Cyber-loss cover included, up to plan limits. T&C apply.
Prefer to file it yourself? Reporting on 1930 and cybercrime.gov.in is free. The step-by-step portal guide is on codesnag.ai: how to file a cyber crime complaint. All our cyber questions are on the cyber help page.
What people ask
Can my phone be hacked just by answering a call?
Does a factory reset remove a hacker?
Can my spouse or partner track my phone?
How do I check whether my calls are being forwarded?
Where can I get my phone checked?
Where these rules come from
- Sanchar Saathi, Department of Telecommunications (Chakshu: report suspected fraud calls and messages)
- National Cyber Crime Reporting Portal (cybercrime.gov.in), Ministry of Home Affairs
- Information Technology Act, 2000 (India Code)
- Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (India Code)
Last reviewed: 19 Oct 2026. This page gives legal information, not legal advice for your specific case. Rules and portals change; if anything here differs from the official source, the official source prevails. VirtualVakil is not a government portal.