If someone walks by and sees you, don’t act suspicious. Instead of running off in a hurry, seem like you have a reason to be there, such as picking up something you just happened to drop outside of the door. If one of the people you are eavesdropping on comes out of the door, you could pretend you were about to knock and say something like, “Oh, I was just coming to find you. I needed to ask you a question. ” Then come up quickly with a question to ask!
It’s best to use this method in a place where you won’t be seen, such as your bedroom. You will have a harder time pretending not to be eavesdropping if someone sees you listening through a drinking glass!
For instance, maybe your competition at work has a meeting with the boss, and the boss’s office is next to the supply closet. Pretend you desperately need some paperclips. In fact, you seem to be out of everything at the moment, so you need to spend a while stocking up—long enough, at least, to eavesdrop just a tiny bit. If you’re at home, your parents might be having a discussion in the kitchen that you want to overhear. Go into the living room (or whichever room is near the kitchen) and sit quietly but have an excuse ready if they ask you what you are doing. Maybe you left something in the living room, and you need to look under all the couch cushions… repeatedly.
You could also listen to a conversation happening inside your house from the outside via an open window, but you’ll have to do some pre-planning. In this instance, you should crack the window prior to the conversation you want to overhear and position yourself outside. Crouch down by the window on the outside of the house so no one inside sees you.
In addition to turning off the T. V. and stereo or MP3 player, be sure to turn off overhead fans and any devices, such as a computer or printer, that make less obvious noises. Even small sounds can interfere with your attempt to overhear!
Be aware, however, that recording conversations in order to eavesdrop is illegal in some places and punishable by law. [3] X Research source
If you are at work, look intently at your computer screen while frantically typing. You might be typing gibberish, but the person in the next cubicle will just think you are concentrating on your work (and not his or her conversation). At home or school, put on your headphones and grab a book or magazine. Look completely disinterested in what is going on in the room; be surprised that other people are even there. The look on your face, if approached or “interrupted” from your magazine and music, should say: “Wow, I didn’t even realize you were in here having this private conversation !”
Be sure your prop is one that helps you blend in, not stand out!
Alternately, walk around and listen closely for a good conversation. If you hear a snippet of a conversation that interests you, sit down close (but not too close) to the people you want to eavesdrop on. Pretend to be interested in your book, phone, or music.
Instead of driving yourself to work or around town for your weekend errands, take the bus or the subway. You may have better luck on weekends or evenings when people are headed out on the town, since people who commute to work are usually solo travelers and aren’t generally engaged in conversations. When eating out alone, try to sit near a large party—the more boisterous, the better. If the hostess sits you at a table away from other groups, ask politely if you could have a different table—perhaps a high top near the restaurant’s bar, if a lot of people are hanging out there. While shopping, don’t just make a beeline for the items on your list. Instead, wander the aisles of the supermarket, convenience store, or neighborhood market. Pick up items and look at them; walk slowly and listen for conversations on the aisles close to you. Grab something to drink on the weekend at a coffee shop and stick around for a while. You could do this during the week, too, but weekends are better because people are out and about with friends (rather than scrambling to get work done on their lunch break during the week).
