Remember that scene in Goodfellas (or any mobster movie, for that matter) when Robert DeNiro talks on the pay phone down the street so the FBI can’t track his felonious conversations? Well, in this day and age, that scene wouldn’t fly, not with cell phones and all.

Or maybe it would. In recent news, it turns out that the FBI can now listen to conversations on your cell phone using the microphone inside the device. And if that weren’t enough, they can even listen in when the phone is turned off. Looks like the modern day mobster is still going to have to make that trip down the street if they don’t want to get caught by the law.

The cell phone eavesdropping began in 2002. Called a “roving bug,” officials from the U.S. Department of Justice approved of the device to fend against the rampant organized crime in New York.

The most recent case of this occurred against John Ardito and his attorney, Peter Peluso. The FBI considers Ardito one of the most powerful members in the Genovese family.

And while there’s little chance that the FBI will actually utilize this against the average, law abiding citizen, it’s still disheartening to realize what kind of tool your cell phone can be in the hands of the FBI.

We here at LVHRD advise that you occasionally part with your cell phone, such as at (CLL) PHN-LCKN. Only then can you be certain that you won’t be tracked by the FBI AND won’t catch the neuro-degenerative disease, SMC.