Business / Corporate Attorneys Services FAQs

What is TSCM?
TSCM stands for technical surveillance countermeasures. It encompasses the use of highly specialized electronic detection equipment to find hidden cameras, microphones, transmitters, recording devices and GPS monitoring devices that can compromise your client’s trade secrets in their business, residence, vehicles and any other environments that may be compromised. It is also referred to as debugging and bug sweeping.
What should I do if my client thinks their business is being bugged?
Have the areas they believe are being compromised secured to limited access until it can be properly examined and have them cease all sensitive discussions in those areas. Have them call “The Debugging Experts” at 847-301-1475 from a secure area using a telephone they believe is not compromised to schedule an extensive and thorough bug sweep as soon as possible. We specialize in debugging, and we are a reputable and professional company with the proper training, equipment, and experience.
What's included in a TSCM, debugging or a bug sweep?
- A physical search is conducted for hidden unauthorized eavesdropping devices, such as cameras, microphones, transmitters, and recording equipment in your clients’ business, residence, vehicles and any other environments that may be compromised.
- Using our Spectrum Analyzer, we capture and compare the radio frequencies (RF) between 10 kHz and 24 GHz inside and outside the place of business or other environments thought to be compromised. Then using our RF Detector, radio frequencies being transmitted from within the property are identified and located. Be assured eavesdropping devices will be detected whether they are currently powered on, turned off, or even dead at the time of the bug sweep by utilizing our Non-Linear Junction Detector (NLJD).
- Electrical outlets are electronically analyzed for carrier current devices that may disseminate audio communications via the electric wiring.
- Vehicles are physically inspected and electronically analyzed for GPS monitoring devices that can track your client’s whereabouts or document their travels.
- If they think their computers have been compromised, they can add our computer network forensic analysis to their TSCM service.
Who is most likely to be affected by electronic eavesdropping?
All business organizations can be targeted, along with individuals who serve in a leadership or technical capacity within companies. The most sought after companies for electronic eavesdropping are those that have trade secrets, unique and protected processing procedures, and privately held ingredients or recipes. Additionally, any company, organization or individual with access to valuable or potentially damaging information (including their attorney), could be a target of eavesdropping or GPS tracking and should be protected.
What other services do you provide?
Our IT technicians, with over 30 years of experience can perform a remote computer forensic analysis utilizing the latest network analysis software to find all hidden threats on your computers.
Why should my clients or I hire your company?
We are specialists. You can count on us to be reliable and courteous. We do the job thoroughly and completely utilizing the most professional state-of-the-art equipment that will find eavesdropping devices, GPS trackers, and hidden threats on your computers.
Where do you conduct bug sweeps?
We conduct bug sweeps in every state in the United States, except for North Carolina and Nevada.
What type of equipment do you use?
“The Debugging Experts” utilizes modern, cutting edge equipment designed and manufactured for professional TSCM. The majority of other companies advertising they can perform TSCM have no formal, professional training or experience, and they use inexpensive and ineffective “bug detectors” they purchased from the Internet or a local “spy-shop.” To learn more about the importance of the company you hire and the equipment that should be used to conduct a proper bug sweep, please click here.
How long does a TSCM, debugging or a bug sweep take to complete?
Depending on the size of the area to be examined, how many areas there are, and the number of vehicles that need to be checked will determine how long the bug sweep will take. Please have your client call us at 847-301-1475 to discuss what areas might be compromised so we can give them an accurate time estimate to complete the bug sweep.
The last time our client had their facility inspected, it took less than an hour. Does it take “The Debugging Experts” longer than this?
Yes, it does. No professional bug sweep can be conducted in less than an hour. Our bug sweeps are conducted by utilizing professional equipment that costs over $65,000, and we use established techniques and required procedures that have been developed over many years by many government agencies. Thorough procedures cannot be completed in a short time. The firm that finished your client’s bug sweep in less than an hour could not possibly have performed a full, thorough, complete and exhaustive inspection. Often, unscrupulous investigators will only have a $500 RF detector they purchased from the Internet or a local “spy-shop” and call themselves a bug sweep technician. Please see our equipment.
What types of eavesdropping devices does your bug sweep detect?
Our debugging experts are trained to discover and identify:
- Eavesdropping devices that are transmitting, whether they are passively turned off, or remotely activated
- Bugging devices that transmit audio or video
- Infrared eavesdropping devices
- Hidden video cameras
- GSM bugs (hidden cellular devices)
- Carrier current (electrical wiring that carries audio signals) devices
- GPS tracking devices on vehicles
- If your client chooses to add our computer forensic analysis service, we can detect if their computers have been compromised.
Can you guarantee that our office or our client’s facility will be completely free of eavesdropping devices after your technicians are done?
We are confident that our technicians will discover eavesdropping devices in the areas we bug sweep if they are present. However, the individual that placed the eavesdropping device could have learned the bug sweep was scheduled to take place, and the piece of eavesdropping equipment could have been removed beforehand. Additionally, if the perpetrator still has access to your or your client’s property they might be able to come right in after our technicians are done and re-install the eavesdropping device. Due to these things happening, it is not possible for us to guarantee your or your client’s environments will be completely free of an eavesdropping device. Any bug sweep technician that makes this claim is not being honest.
After you inspect our or our client’s facility, is there an alarm we can install that would alert us if a bug is planted later?
The simple answer is, no. There are many types of eavesdropping devices, many of which do not produce anything that can be measured by an instrument. There is nothing for example that would detect a tape recorder or a wired microphone that is later brought into an office.
What are the benefits of regular bug sweeps?
Locating, identifying, and neutralizing eavesdropping devices and GPS trackers, and then recommending what to do with the discovered espionage devices is our number one goal. However, at any time eavesdropping devices and GPS trackers can be planted. A regularly scheduled preventative bug sweep helps protect your client’s confidential information. We offer special pricing for clients that contract with us for regular bug sweeps.
How much does TSCM typically cost?
The two most important questions your clients should ask are, “What is the value of the confidential information, trade secrets, intellectual property (IP) or privacy I need to protect?” and “What would happen to my business if this valuable information, trade secrets, and intellectual property were stolen?” TSCM examinations are not inexpensive, but their value cannot be underestimated. Every job we do is priced according to how many locations are thought to be compromised and the square footage of the area involved. To obtain a comprehensive quote, please call us at 847-301-1475.
How much does your GPS tracker detection service cost?
The question you should ask is, “What is the value of the privacy you need to protect?” and “What would happen if this valuable information was known?” The price is determined according to how many and the size of the vehicles you want to be checked for a GPS monitoring device. To obtain a comprehensive quote, please call us at 847-301-1475.
How much does your computer and network forensic analysis service cost?
The question you should ask is, “What is the value of the privacy you need to protect?” and “What would happen if this valuable information was known?” Our price is determined according to how many computers and devices you have for us to analyze and eliminate threats found. To obtain a comprehensive quote, please call us at 847-301-1475.
Is there an additional charge for conducting a bug sweep on weekends, or at night?
No, there is no extra charge for weekends or nights. We regularly perform bug sweeps after hours, and this includes weekends when businesses are typically closed so that our technicians can remain discreet.
What forms of payment do you accept?
We accept cash, checks, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express.