Lisa has been living alone in their former home in Amsterdam-Zuid for eight months. The divorce was not her choice. It was not amicable either. But it is over, and she wants to move on.

Except she cannot.

Her ex, Thomas, seems to know everything. He sends a message whenever she has a date: “Enjoy your evening.” He knows when she drops the children off at school early. At a friend’s party he quotes something she said to her sister that morning — on the phone, in her own living room.

At first Lisa thinks she is being paranoid. That it is coincidence. But the coincidences keep piling up.

It started with a gift

Two years ago, while they were still together, Thomas gave her a new phone. “Your old one was so slow,” he said. A kind gesture. Lisa did not think twice. What she did not know: Thomas had pre-installed software that let him track her location, messages, calls and even her camera. Not Pegasus — much simpler. Commercial stalkerware, available online for a few tens of euros a month.

After the divorce, the phone stayed. And the spyware remained active.

How many devices in your home have a camera or microphone?

Count along. The average household has more than you think:

Smart TV — microphone and sometimes a camera for video calls
Smart speaker (Alexa, Google Home) — always listening
Video doorbell (Ring, Nest) — camera, microphone, cloud storage
Baby monitor — camera and audio, often app-controlled
Security cameras — indoors and outdoors
Laptop and tablet — webcam and microphone
Robot vacuum — some models have a camera
Games console — Kinect, PlayStation Camera

Lisa had seven. A Ring doorbell, two garden security cameras, a Google Nest in the kitchen, a baby monitor the children no longer used but that was still on, and her laptop.

Thomas still had access to five of those devices through shared accounts. He logged in from his new home and watched. Listened. Every day.

The problem with cheap devices

More and more people buy security cameras and smart devices via platforms such as Alibaba, Temu or AliExpress. Understandable — a twenty-euro camera looks like a bargain. But the security quality of these devices is often dramatically poor.

Default passwords that are never changed. Unencrypted connections. Apps that grant access to anyone with the credentials — without notifying the owner. No two-factor authentication. No log of who is watching.

In Lisa’s case the cameras were from a reputable brand with solid security. But that did not matter: Thomas had the password. And after the divorce, no one had thought to change it.

What once felt safe became a threat

The security cameras that were supposed to make Lisa feel safe — in her garden, at her front door — were the very tools her ex used to control her. The smart speaker that told her the weather each morning also picked up her phone conversations.

This is the pattern we see more and more often as a private investigator firm: technology designed for safety turns into an instrument of control after a divorce. Not by hackers. By someone who already had the password.

The investigation

Lisa calls SAJ Recherche after a tip from her lawyer. During the intake the investigator immediately confirms her suspicion: this is a classic pattern in digital surveillance after divorce.

The investigation follows three steps:

1. Phone analysis The phone is analysed for spyware and stalkerware. Result: commercial monitoring software active since the handset was purchased. The app ran invisibly in the background, forwarding location data, messages and call recordings to an external dashboard.

2. Device and account audit (TSCM inspection) Every smart device in the home is inventoried. Per device the checks are: who has access? Which accounts are linked? Is anyone listening or watching remotely? Five of the seven devices turned out to still give Thomas full access.

3. Digital hygiene All passwords are changed. Shared accounts are unlinked. The stalkerware is removed. Two-factor authentication is enabled on every device and account. Lisa receives an overview of exactly what was found, how long it had been active and what data was collected.

Why a professional investigation is essential

“Can I not solve this myself?” A fair question. And the answer is: partly. You can change passwords and run a virus scanner. But:

Stalkerware is not detected by standard virus scanners. It is designed to be invisible.
You do not know which devices are compromised. A Ring doorbell seems harmless until you see who is watching.
Evidence disappears if you handle it yourself. If you remove the software without forensic preservation, you have no evidence for the court.
A licensed investigation firm delivers legally admissible reports. These can be used in a police report or in civil proceedings.

SAJ Recherche is licensed by the Dutch Ministry of Justice (POB licence 8779) and works closely with Breedijk Advocaten. Every investigation is carried out in compliance with the GDPR and the Dutch Private Security Organisations Act. That means the evidence holds up — in a conversation with your ex, at the police station, or in court.

Learn more about partner investigation or our methodology.

What makes the difference

“Most people do not realise how many devices in their home contain a camera or microphone. After a divorce, everything that once felt safe becomes a potential risk. A professional investigation maps that out.”

The result

Lisa now has a clean digital life. New passwords, no shared accounts, no stalkerware. She knows exactly what Thomas could see and hear — and for how long. That information is with her lawyer.

The cost of the investigation? A fraction of what was at stake: her privacy, her safety and her sense of control over her own life.

All names and identifying details in this case have been changed to protect the privacy of those involved.

Partner Investigation — Digital Surveillance After Divorce

The Situation

Our Approach

The Result