A system and method for detecting potential tampering with a data stream from a monitoring device is provided. The method includes storing a list of cellular receivers and at least one corresponding geographic characteristic; receiving, from a remote monitoring device through a cellular network, a location of the monitoring device and the identity of a particular cellular receiver that relayed the location; identifying, from the received location and the stored at least one corresponding geographic characteristic, an expected cellular receiver from the list of cellular receivers; comparing the particular cellular receiver with the expect cellular receiver; and issuing an alert based on at least a negative result of the comparing.