Michigan man learns the hard way that “catch a cheater” spyware apps aren’t legal

January 9, 2026

TL;DR

Bryan Fleming created pcTattletale, software for monitoring phone and computer usage.
The software was marketed for parental control, employee monitoring, and even by police departments.
pcTattletale was increasingly promoted and used to spy on romantic partners, especially cheating spouses.
Fleming provided tech support to users spying on others without consent, even creating marketing materials for 'catch a cheater' campaigns.
Federal investigators targeted pcTattletale as part of an investigation into stalkerware.
Fleming's home was raided in late 2022, and he has now pleaded guilty to a single count.
In 2024, pcTattletale experienced a data leak after hackers gained access to its AWS account.
The article notes that while pcTattletale is off the market, many other stalkerware programs remain.

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