Can Security Alarm Companies Listen in on a Customer's Telephone Calls?

Phone Tapping

• Phone wire tapping is illegal. Wiretapping is made illegal by the definition of eavesdropping. Listening to anyone's calls without their awareness is a violation of their privacy and can result in criminal charges for the company and the person listening to the conversation.

Permission

• If a customer calls a security company to give their alarm codes or to report suspicious activity, there could be an incident unfolding at that very moment as often heard on 911 tapes. The security person has the right to listen to the call to report what he hears to the proper authorities to respond to the scene. The customer can also give the security company direct permission to listen in on their calls if they feel there is a need.

The Technology

• The technology to listen to phone calls has been around for government use for decades. Security companies have been installing dual video and audio monitoring systems for individual consumers since the late 1990s. They were called mobile surveillance stations that can monitor any room the customer wanted in a home, business office or anywhere the customer indicated. Since then technology has gotten decidedly more sophisticated.