PORTLAND, Ore. - Your cell phone helps you keep tabs on the office and chat with friends and family but did you know that someone could use your cell phone to keep tabs on you?

It's easier than you might think. 

First, someone needs access to your cell phone, just long enough to download some software (your cell phone must have Internet access for this to work). 

Once the software is there, they have access to your cell phone from anywhere.  They can intercept e-mails and text messages and can even listen in on your live conversations.  And if you have a PDA phone with sensitive information like bank account numbers or social security numbers, they can access that as well.

There is plenty of spy software available online but it is illegal to use it in the U.S. because it violates federal wiretapping laws.  The snooping software can give itself away.  Here are some ways you can tell if your cell phone has been 'bugged':

• The light on your cell phone will blink briefly when your hacker is connecting.
• You pick up your phone and it's strangely in mid-call.
• Your battery life drops or your phone is sluggish.
• When you check your phone bill, there are long, unexplained calls at odd hours (when your hacker could be downloading data).

So how can you protect yourself?  Here are some tips:

• Limit physical access to your phone.
• When the phone comes out of the box, change the defaults.
• Set a password on your phone so others cannot use it.
• Don't download mystery programs, like free ringtones or songs.  They could actually be programs that open your phone up to hacking.
• When you're not using your phone, turn it off.