Fact Check: No, Hot Phone Doesn't Mean You're Being Eavesdropped

April 19, 2026 | 01:39 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - A number of posts on TikTok [archive] and Facebook claim that a phone suddenly overheating and the battery draining quickly are signs of eavesdropping.

This narrative suggests enabling the “unknown tracker” notification feature as a preventive measure. With this feature, the owner will receive a notification if someone attempts to track their device.

But is it true that a phone that suddenly gets hot and drains its battery quickly is a sign of eavesdropping?

FACT CHECK

Tempo’s Fact-Checking Team verified this claim by interviewing cybersecurity experts and consulting various credible sources. The result: the claim that a hot phone and rapid battery drain are indicators of eavesdropping is false.

Alfons Tanujaya, a cybersecurity analyst from Vaksincom, noted that many factors can cause a phone to overheat and drain its battery quickly. However, the specific causes of these two conditions require further investigation.

Alfons outlined several indicators of eavesdropping besides overheating and excessive battery drain, namely accessibility features that remain active. “The camera and microphone will turn on, and the phone will stay active at night,” Alfons told Tempo on Wednesday, April 15, 2026.

According to Alfons, the recommendation to enable the tracker notification feature is unrelated to battery conditions. This feature is designed to detect if someone has placed an AirTag in a bag or item.

“It is recommended to enable Google Protect or use G-Data Mobile Security to protect your phone from harmful malware,” Alfons said.

The Avast.com website lists several signs of hacking, such as rapid battery drain, overheating when not in use, data spikes, and strange sounds during calls. Other indicators include the appearance of pop-ups or unfamiliar apps, the device turning on and off by itself, and suspicious text messages.

If there are indications of serious malware, users should perform a factory reset after backing up important data.

CONCLUSION

Based on the results of the fact-checking, the Tempo Fact-Checking Team concludes that the claim that a phone suddenly overheating and having excessive battery drain is a sign of eavesdropping is false.

TEMPO FACT-CHECK TEAM

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