A new device now allows anyone - meaning dad, wife or pesky girlfriend - to spy on the SMSes on your handphone, including deleted ones you thought were gone for good.
Using the device is simple and fast, reported The New York Post.
Just pop out the SIM card - the portable memory chip - from the handphone, place it in the gadget and transfer the data directly to your own computer.
And here's more good news (or bad, depending on who it is).
The device is James Bond on the cheap. It costs just $210. It's easy to conceal, tiny enough to fit into your hand.
SIM card readers have been available for some time, but manufacturer BrickHouse Security claims this is the first device that can access deleted SMSes, which lie in the SIM card's memory until they are overwritten.
And boy, is there a market for all that deleted stuff.
BrickHouse Security is marketing the gadget on its website with cheeky questions like:
'Have you ever wished you can spy on your wife, husband, teens or colleague's phone to see what they are up to?'
BrickHouse president Todd Morris said: 'About half of all spouses find something bad on their partner's phone.'
But if you're worried about being incriminated by old SMSes, Mr Morris claims there is only one way to ensure it is gone.
'Take the SIM card and crush it or cut it up with a wire cutter,' he said.
Kids trying to hide things from their parents should also be worried about the SIM card reader.
Where in the world have privacy laws gone?
For one, legal experts in the US say kids under 18 are fair game.
'If the father or mother is paying for the phone and Sonny Boy is using it to make dates for buying dope, they have the right to check,' data protection lawyer Bill Bierce said.
It is legal for bosses to check up on workers' company handphones.
However, it is unlawful for a stranger to steal the data from a phone as it could lead to identity theft.
What about snooping on your spouse?
The law is not as clear-cut.
'This is an emerging area of law' was all Mr Bierce could say.
