TSCM – Bug Sweeps Detection or Deception
Written by Jimmie Mesis and originally published in PI Magazine
It is not uncommon for investigators to receive a call from a potential client asking if you or your agency can conduct a “bug sweep”. These individuals often suspect that they are being watched or listened to in their home or business. They may also suspect they are being electronically followed and may want to know if you can conduct a sweep of their vehicle for a GPS tracker.
The number of investigators who can actually provide professional Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) services is very small. The main reason is that the average cost to properly equip a sweep team averages around $150k. In addition, a properly trained TSCM technician will have more than 200 hours of classroom training, usually offered by the manufacturer of these sophisticated detection devices.
That’s why many investigators will simply tell the caller they don’t offer bug sweep services, or they will refer the caller to a professional TSCM agency and often receive a referral commission in return.
Unfortunately, there are some investigators who see an opportunity to make a quick buck and will accept a sweep assignment without proper equipment or training. These investigators will show up at the client’s residence using one or two cheap and ineffective spy shop gadgets and put on a dog and pony show. Not only is this unethical, but it is also deceptive and may cross the criminal line of theft by deception.
Conducting a professional bug sweep, or more professionally called a TSCM inspection or security survey, requires highly specialized training. While comprehensive knowledge of electronic communications is essential, the technician also needs to be part security consultant, psychologist, and therapist. It is not uncommon for some of these callers to appear to suffer from mental disorders. However, conducting a comprehensive sweep can ultimately help them get answers and direction once and for all.
Professional TSCM technicians use very sophisticated and expensive electronic detection equipment. This equipment is often not the type you find in spy shops.
For example, those cheap RF (radio frequency) bug detectors offered on eBay and Amazon are nothing more than glorified toys. Yes, some of these $50 devices will actually indicate the presence of a radio signal, but that radio signal could be from a local TV or radio station, the client’s or neighbor’s Wi-Fi, a cordless phone, an active cell phone, a wireless security camera, a Bluetooth device, a SmartTV, or just about any electronic device that emits a radio signal.
The RF spectrum analyzer professionals use costs as much as $50,000. The most common spectrum analyzers, such as the REI OSCOR Green or Blue, can identify and differentiate every live or intermittent signal in the target area, determine the proximity by amplitude (signal strength), and can often demodulate the signal to hear the audio on the frequency being transmitted.
Sweep Referral
This is not a profession you can simply buy a cheap detection device and start sweeping on your own. If you do, you are simply cheating or deceiving your client and opening yourself to significant liability, especially if you fail to detect any tiny hidden eavesdropping devices.
You need to understand what a TSCM sweep actually consists of and the equipment necessary to assure the client’s security, privacy, and peace of mind. This is why you should consider referring the prospective client to a professional TSCM technician or agency.
Many TSCM agencies will even provide you as a referring investigator with a referral commission. The percentage amounts offered vary, but it is not uncommon to receive as much as a 20% commission on a referral that leads to a paid sweep.
Sweep Cost
Cost is usually a major determining factor in selecting a TSCM agency or technician. Prices can vary from $1 – $2 per square foot with minimums and more for travel expenses. However, more important than cost is making sure the technicians have the right equipment, training, and experience.
What good is it if you get a low sweep price because they are using a cheap “spy shop” RF detector that can only detect an RF bugging device if it’s on? But, what if the device is off, was remotely turned off, or it’s a recording device and doesn’t transmit a signal?
Fortunately, professionals TSCM technicians use at least 10 different and very expensive detection devices that can even detect eavesdropping devices such as hidden cameras, microphones, transmitters, and recording devices that are on or off, wired or wireless.
Hiring a Sweep Technician
Just because a person or agency promotes bug sweeps on their website, it doesn’t mean they either have the right equipment, training or experience. That’s why you need to know what questions to ask to identify a true professional TSCM technician and weed out investigators using ineffective gadgets.
Here is a list of questions you should ask anyone you are considering to hire or refer a TSCM bug sweep of a house, business, or vehicle:
Question #1 – What is the value of the equipment you will be using on my sweep?
The average dollar value of the professional TSCM bug detection equipment used by a seasoned technician to conduct a thorough sweep is usually no less than $100,000. More experienced technicians will use $200,000+ in detection gear including a portable x-ray machine. Unfortunately, many private investigators promoting bug sweeps use cheap gadgets anyone could have purchased online for a few hundred dollars. Most of these cheap devices are ineffective and can certainly NOT detect eavesdropping devices that are off.
Question #2 – What type of equipment will you use to sweep my residence?
The sophisticated electronic bug detection equipment used by professional TSCM technicians are very expensive and in most cases are the same used by many government agencies. Understand, there is no single piece of equipment that can detect audio bugs or hidden video cameras as well as telephone wiretaps, or a GPS tracker hidden in or under a vehicle. Most professional TSCM technicians will use at least 10 unique government grade devices. The most common TSCM manufacturer names include, REI, Kestrel, Anritsu, and Textronics.
Detection Equipment
Here is a list of detection equipment your TSCM technician MUST have and use on your sweep or DO NOT hire them:
Spectrum Analyzer – (Average Cost $5,000-$47,000)
The most common industry standard spectrum analyzer is either the REI OSCOR Blue or OSCOR Green. These devices will scan the radio spectrum from 10Khz to 24GHz and will identify all active and intermitting transmitting frequencies in the airwaves. The technician will take an outdoor reference scan and then compare it to one or more inside target scans.
The analyzer will identify those signals that are stronger in the target area. The transmitting signal is then demodulated to determine if the signal source is a threat. There certainly are other spectrum analyzer manufacturers such as the REI OSCOR 5000, which is a much older model that only scans up to 3Ghz (or 12GHz with the microwave down converter). Other analyzers include the Anritsu, Krestel, and Textronics. Therefore, just make sure that the spectrum analyzer used can scan frequencies to at least 12 Ghz. If they don’t have any of the spectrum analyzers listed above, you may not be getting a proper radio frequency sweep.
Non-Linear Junction Detector (NLJD) – (Average Cost $14,000 – $28,000)
Not all bugging devices transmit a radio signal such as digital recorders, or the bugging device may be off during the sweep. Therefore, the NLJD is designed to locate the presence of ANY electronic component or device as small as a grain of rice from as far as two feet away and behind a wall. This is an extremely essential tool as the bugging device could be concealed inside furniture, fixtures, or everyday devices that could easily be missed by a physical search. The most common NLJD is the REI Orion 2.4 or the Orion HGO-4000. If your TSCM technician doesn’t have a NLJD, DO NOT hire them!
TALAN 3.0 Telephone & Line Analyzer (Average Cost $19,000 – $22,000)
This device is designed to conduct a comprehensive sweep and analysis of your analog or digital telephone lines. With the advent of digital and VOIP telephone lines, old school test equipment is no longer sufficient. The TALAN is able to analyze, inspect and test digital telephone lines for taps and eavesdropping devices. The new VOIP analysis software allows the technician to test internet protocol packet traffic for source. It includes destination addresses, header type, and packet statistics. This device is essential for commercial or office bug sweeps, and is also best used on residence phone lines connected to local cable service.
Countermeasure Amplifier (Average Cost $1,700)
This device is a high gain audio amplifier used to detect and identify certain types of surveillance devices attached to telephone wiring, LAN and server systems, AC power, and alarm wiring.
Broadband RF Detector/Probes (Average Cost $$2,500 – $6,500)
The most common are the REI CPM-700 and the newer REI ANDRE. Each of these devices are designed to help the TSCM technician locate the source of RF (Radio Frequency) transmissions. The ANDRE Deluxe kit will contain eight probes antennas for investigative specific bands within the optimized detection range. The technician can perform 10 tests using the various probes.
FLIR Infrared Thermal Camera (Average Cost $1,000 – $15,000)
This amazing device will detect the active heat signature of a bugging device that may be hidden in the walls, ceilings, floors, furniture, fixtures, pillows, stuffed animals, and air vents. Your technician should be using a thermal camera to properly sweep the area.
Articulating Video Borescope (Average Cost $1,500 – $3,500)
This device allows the TSCM technician to view 360 degrees inside air vents as well as those vents in a vehicle dash to detect microphones or covert video cameras. This will also allow the technician to view areas out of reach, such as behind or under furniture, above cabinets, or other areas not easily accessible to the technician.
Cell Phone Detector (Average Cost $2,400)
The WolfHound Pro and Yorkie devices will locate active hidden cell phones, GSM bugs, and GPS trackers. The direction antenna allows the technician to locate and detect cell phones and their location, either in standby mode, during active voice conversations, text or data transmissions, or live GPS tracking bursts. This is an essential device for detecting GSM bugs and GPS trackers.
Training
Question #3 – What type of formal training do you have?
As you can see from the list above, there is a significant financial investment to purchase these unique electronic detection devices. In addition, most of these sophisticated devices require as many as 40-80 hours each of manufacturer on-site training. This is to learn how to properly use and conduct through TSCM bug sweeps.
Research Electronics International (REI) located in Cookeville, Tennessee is one of the most well-known training facilities. They offer specific 3-5 day certificate courses for most of their products. Other training facilities include Jarvis Intelligence Solutions in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Kestrel in Canada, and World Institute for Security Enhancement in Wilmington, North Carolina. There are also many TSCM professionals who are government trained. However, the mere fact that a technician is a former law enforcement officer or a federal agent is not sufficient unless they were actually trained in TSCM. Your technician should also be able to provide proof of certificate training from any of these private or government TSCM training facilities.
Question #4 – How much experience do you have?
You will find that most seasoned professional TSCM technicians have several years of full-time experience. While there are many excellent private investigators with years of proven investigative experience, many have minimal bug sweep experience. Most private investigators rarely do bug sweeps on a regular basis, or if they do bug sweeps, it’s on a rare part-time basis. Make sure that the technician you hire has several years of proven TSCM experience and conducts TSCM sweeps on a daily or at a minimum weekly basis. Professional sweepers conduct 10-25 sweeps per month.
Question #5 – Are you a member of any professional TSCM organizations?
Professional TSCM technicians should belong to Espionage Research Institute International (ERII) and/or ASIS International.
Hopefully this information will provide you a guide when referring or contracting a professional TSCM company. Remember, the client is expecting a thorough and professional bug sweep and a technician who can actually locate eavesdropping devices, on or off, and not a make believe show.
Jimmie Mesis, TSCM, BAI, LPI s recognized as an expert in the field of residential Technical Surveillance Countermeasures (TSCM) bug sweeps. He has been associated with the field of TSCM for more than 35 years. Jimmie is the founder of www.USAbugsweeps.com and pays investigators a referral commission for TSCM sweeps nationwide.
