Paul McCartney says he is careful about what he says on the telephone ever since he realized someone was hacking into his phone.

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McCartney told The Times he figured someone was snooping on his conversations during his divorce from Heather Mills because of the stories that turned up in the tabloids at the time.

"I tend not to say much on the phone now," said the former Beatle.

"If I leave a message, it's benign."

McCartney's suspicions were confirmed recently when authorities showed evidence of the hacking that was uncovered in the investigation into widespread hacking by the British tabloids.