Finding a tracking device planted on car

[KEW]

I have a friend who has reason to believe her car is being tracked.
A quick Google indicates GPS tracking devices are relatively inexpensive.
Any ideas on how to detect/find such a device?

 

[jp_over]

I'd start simple and low tech. A full visual inspection of the car in a methodical way (top, bottom, every compartment, etc.). I'd also look at it from the other end of who and why; then, how and when did they have access to the vehicle. 171-137-0001 - Search Vehicles in a Tactical Environment (ArmyStudyGuide.com) page 1

 

[Irvrobinson]

There are tools to find GPS trackers, but they are pricey:

Tracking Device Detector | GPS Bug Detector Protects Your Privacy

A phone call to a private investigator might reveal someone who will scan her car for a fee.

 

[KEW]

I'd also look at it from the other end of who and why; then, how and when did they have access to the vehicle.

Unfortunately they work for a locksmith, so access to the interior cannot be ruled out!

 

[avnetguy]

There are tools to find GPS trackers, but they are pricey:

Tracking Device Detector | GPS Bug Detector Protects Your Privacy

A phone call to a private investigator might reveal someone who will scan her car for a fee.

Looks like those only track transmit devices, GPS w/ cell phone output. I think it would be difficult to find a passive GPS device, one that logs the location data and is removed at a later date. Cheap GPS devices do need a fairly unobstructed view of the sky. More expensive ones can be hidden in lots of places and can use reflected signals but still generally need some sort of "path" to the sky.

Steve

P.S. Is this "friend" doing something wrong that they are worried about be tracked? Heck, someone could stick one to my car .... I could care less if they knew where I went.

 

[KEW]

Looks like those only track transmit devices, GPS w/ cell phone output. I think it would be difficult to find a passive GPS device, one that logs the location data and is removed at a later date. Cheap GPS devices do need a fairly unobstructed view of the sky. More expensive ones can be hidden in lots of places and can use reflected signals but still generally need some sort of "path" to the sky.

Steve

P.S. Is this "friend" doing something wrong that they are worried about be tracked? Heck, someone could stick one to my car .... I could care less if they knew where I went.

This would not be a passive unit. Her clue is a 4 year old asking her why her car "screams at us every time we drive by it".
It is a matter of being creeped out (or feeling violated) by the idea that she is being "stalked" in this manner. She doesn't feel her life is in jeopardy or anything that serious.

 

[Rickster71]

That sucks.
EDIT: I had a few other thoughts after submitting the original.:
1. Is it possible her cell phone is being tracked?...just a thought.
2. Try reverse engineering this situation. Why and who would want to track her?..and when did they have access to the car?

The tracking device is most likely mounted in the dashboard. Usually close to the fuse panel.

Generally only two wires, a power and ground, red and black.
There may be wires from the device that can be tied into the starter circuit to prevent you from removing it.

It disables the car in the event of power loss to the unit.

 

[Alex2507]

The tracking device is most likely mounted in the dashboard. Usually close to the fuse panel.

Generally only two wires, a power and ground, red and black.
There may be wires from the device that can be tied into the starter circuit to prevent you from removing it.

It disables the car in the event of power loss to the unit.

Poor Marie.

 

[STRONGBADF1]

This would not be a passive unit. Her clue is a 4 year old asking her why her car "screams at us every time we drive by it".
It is a matter of being creeped out (or feeling violated) by the idea that she is being "stalked" in this manner. She doesn't feel her life is in jeopardy or anything that serious.

Huh??? I just woke up, cleaned up cat throw up (he's old and has a thyroid issue) and dog poo(6 month old pup that never poops in the house...). I'm a little slow at the moment.


On a side note, it's a little scary how some of you know so much about tracking devices.

 

[Rickster71]

Poor Marie.

At least you didn't say, "Poor Adam, Alex, and Doug."

 

[STRONGBADF1]

At least you didn't say, "Poor Adam, Alex, and Doug."

We don't go shoe shopping without you.

 

[Bryceo]

In the engien bay fues compartment or near the air box, or possibley tapped in under the center console or dash have a look for a black device with wires

 

[majorloser]

Any GPS device needs a pretty clear satellite signal to work. The device will either be close to a window or have an external antenna.

What does she mean that the car "screams" at teh kid when she drives by???

Is this her personal car? Is it a company car?

 

[MidnightSensi2]

For detecting a passive antenna you need a 'bug detector' that includes frequency sweeps. The GPS antenna is still receiving a frequency (I forget the US ones off the top of my head, but, they're picked up by a sweep). First you can do a sweep with the car off and then on (in case the battery has run dead). GPS might be weak inside a building depending on the antenna, so, make sure to sweep outside of the garage if you borrow one.

I have a bug sweeper. Does phones, microphones, cameras, gps (while transmitting as noted before, which they have to in order to do their job, but can't inside, say a four walled concrete building with rebar very well hehe. We played with it at work a bit when we first got it (bugging eachother for fun with harmless stuff that wasn't going anywhere). Now we mostly use it just to sweep walls in engineering, also make sure it's working by testing stuff we know we have bugged ourselves. We send it off to get calibrated every once in a while. There are actually a few different sweepers we have for different purposes, can look at the model numbers if you want on Monday. We don't do it because we're gangsters lol, we do it because its an engineering department.

You'd be surprised how deep you can burry some of the GPSs and get good signal. They'll reflect off pavement. When I check a Pelican case that has some expensive gear that has to go to Europe, it actually has two in it: One US, one EU. I've actually recovered one using this, letting them know my bag went to the wrong city in Spain. They called the airport and found it. Now, the signal I got was brief (probably from the belly of the airplane to some cage inside where it no longer could get signal), but it was enough to track it down. Also, I was actually in another airplane while that signal was transmitted, but they record online so I just logged in from my mobile phone and showed it to the baggage people. Not sure who was more surprised, me that it worked and I got my case (which I really needed for the trip), or them that this gringo had a damn GPS in his bag lol.

 

[MidnightSensi2]

Any GPS device needs a pretty clear satellite signal to work. The device will either be close to a window or have an external antenna.

What does she mean that the car "screams" at teh kid when she drives by???

Is this her personal car? Is it a company car?

Well, they do need some, but are pretty reflective and can go through plastics pretty good. Like, maybe an extreme example, but GPS is in the nose of an airplane... GPS is in the console or nose of a lot of small boats. Where they are done is like inside an aluminum building or a concrete building with rebarb. Inside a garage is pretty bad too depending on construction...but, outside, I've been surprised.

I agree the 'screaming' thing I don't get. And also good question if it's a company car or not.

 

[ImcLoud]

I use spystracker gps units, they can be put anywhere, the instructions say to mount them under the vehicle so they can reflect off the ground but I have them all through my equipment and they all work.... some of the units in my trucks are plugged into the ecm port under the dash and they all get signal, I have let friends borrow units to track their cheating wives, lol {I have 4 of the units that have a magnet and are in a little case} and they simply stick them under the car and it works perfectly...

If she thinks she is being tracked by someone that doesn't have the rite to track her vehicle {such as a husband that is part owner of said vehicle} than I would go to the local PD and they will sweep her car... She may have to file a complaint, and if she is being tracked by a stalker, I would think she is in danger since the service to watch the trackers starts at like $50 a month and a decent unit is around $800!! Thats a good sized investment to make for someone.... Just creepy enough for me to consider that person dangerous...

 

[Adam]

Count me in as someone who's curious what the comment from the kid meant and how it translates to being tracked.

Is her car stationary, and the kid's family is driving by and then hears something? Or is she driving by them, and they hear something? Maybe her car's fine, but that kid's a little effed up.

EDIT: Ohhhh, is this the kid of the person that she thinks is tracking her?

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

These are not tiny spy stuff, most likely underneath the car see this site for teardown:
Tracking Device Teardown - iFixit
Battle Brews Over FBI's Warrantless GPS Tracking | Threat Level | Wired.com
Caught Spying on Student, FBI Demands GPS Tracker Back | Threat Level | Wired.com

 

[MidnightSensi2]

Count me in as someone who's curious what the comment from the kid meant and how it translates to being tracked.

Is her car stationary, and the kid's family is driving by and then hears something? Or is she driving by them, and they hear something? Maybe her car's fine, but that kid's a little effed up.

EDIT: Ohhhh, is this the kid of the person that she thinks is tracking her?

Could be a parent if she is young, but, hearing something... little strange.

You sure she's not some nuts chick your bangin that wants some attention?! This sounds like chick stuff.

 

[KEW]

What does she mean that the car "screams" at teh kid when she drives by???

The four year old kid asked her this when they were alone.
Certainly that the kid is screwy is a possibility, but it is also a possibility that the dad has a tracking device that makes noise when they get close.

Perhaps this is a more relevant question:
Would the receiver for one of these devices normally be configured to make noise as you got physically close to the transmitter.

The parents of the kid are decidedly whack-o, and this woman woman considered the statement from the kid as possibly meaning an alarm of some sort went off as they drove by the car. Sounds reasonable to me, but I don't know how these things really work.

My friend is level-headed and calm about this, we just had a conversation and she was asking what I thought. It occurred to me some here would know enough to help find a device... or (following this new path) determine that a device would not behave that way.

There is a lot more "soap opera" background here, but I am trying to stay succinct. Suffice it to say there is enough history here to justify suspicion, but also enough that she is comfortable she is not in a life-threatening situation.

Not a company car. It is a Honda Civic, maybe 6 years old.