Spying on cheaters gets to a new level

By Kenfrey Kiberenge

Are you suspicious your lover, spouse, children, employees or business partner could be hiding something? Relax. A solution is finally here.

All you need is a high-end wap-enabled mobile phone, which you will present as a gift to your partner, whom you want to investigate.

Technology guru Charles Chepkonga offers clients a software that relays information from their partners’ mobile phones through a pre-set email address. [PHOTO: KENFREY KIBERENGE/STANDARD]

Charles Chepkonga, the director of IT company, Smuffet Outsourcing, says with Sh15,000, he could install a software that could help you get a copy of all SMS, call log, location of the phone and all the names saved in the phonebook.

"The phone does not need to be expensive. We have done with phones worth as low as Sh8,000," he says.

Dubbed Mobispy, the software will send information to a preset email address managed by the buyer.

"Let’s say your husband tells you he is working late within the central business district but you doubt. All you will need to do is log in to the email and trace the location of the phone. Unless he left it in the office, you can know his location because it gives a radius of 10m," said Chepkonga. The IT expert says the technology can also be used to keep track on the location of students who lie they are in libraries or by managers who suspects their employees could be sabotaging the company by giving out classified information.

"The most popular reasons for using this application are finding out if your partner is cheating on you, keeping an eye on your children or teens, protecting your old parents, and using it to ensure your employees are doing what they are expected," said Chepkonga.

He says he started offering the service two months ago and has so far done more than 20 mobile phones bought by suspecting partners.

"We have also had innumerable enquiries from many people but who would want to remain anonymous," he said.

He said the idea came up as a result of the many attempts by Kenyans to bust their cheating partners.

"If you listen to a show like ‘Busted’ on Classic FM, you will understand the desire by many to know what happens in their partners’ lives. But that (show) can only serve a few people a day," he said.

The law, however, does not allow the soliciting of another person’s data without a court order.

The system has been used by the police in resolving crimes that involve mobile phones. Law enforcement agencies can track down the location of a cellular phone through GPS as well as information on calls made and SMS sent from a phone.

Another almost similar technology caused abuzz in 2009 when East African Data Handlers Limited’s George Njoroge said he could retrieve deleted SMS and emails. Mr Njoroge says innumerable people have engaged the services of his company to have their partners investigated. And contrary to popular belief that women are the culprits in spying on their partners, he says Kenya has "very many jealous men," who will do anything to know if their partners are unfaithful.

"We have recovered incriminating evidence…we normally burn the SMS in a CD or in text format and send them to our client. It is upon him or her to decide what to do with them," said the MD.

Chepkonga procures the software prepaid from an American operator in form of a license. "The license is in a code format. This allows us to install it to clients anytime within 15 minutes," he added.

He has installation technicians, who move to the location of clients who would want it done, discreetly.

Efficiency test

And unlike other companies that require you to send money before installation, Chepkonga says his clients must first test to confirm the software works.

"You only pay after installation and we allow you to test it there and then because it works immediately," he said.

Another advantage of the software is that his company does not obtain the phone numbers of the person using the phone to avoid possibilities of blackmail.

"Never give out your spouses’ number; the person installing it can call or text to solicit for money, threatening to expose their wayward behaviour to you," he added. Again, once installed, the client takes full control of personally monitoring the phone. "We show you how to change the password of your email, thereby enhancing confidentiality," added Chepkonga.