How Do I Find an Unauthorized GPS Unit on My Car?

Finally, an answer that makes sense to me. Thank you. BF has access to person with extensive EE background. Too little space here to elaborate on all of the times I’ve felt that he knew my EXACT location. At first, I thought his knowledge of my whereabouts was mere coincidence. But after some time passed, I started to wonder IF/WHY he might be tracking me. So I went to a forum I knew I could trust to find help and answers. And have I ever found help and answers!! Thank you!

I have realized several things, courtesy of this forum: I definitely need to move on/leave him. My plans to visit mechanic, police station, and phone store/manual are all good plans. Most importantly, there are good folks out there–all of them complete strangers—who have echoed what my confidantes have told me: that BF is too controling and even creepy or “slimy.” Great. I figured that they just didn’t “know” BF well enough to pass judgement. Truth is they “know” him much better than I do!!! But this won’t go away until I take action!!!–Ugh. I really don’t want to start over, but I see now—very clearly—that I MUST—and that I may even need help to do it. Thank you so much. I’ll keep you posted.

Thank you for your words of encouragement. I also believe that I am doing the right thing. It was a difficult decision to go “public,” but I didn’t know where to turn for answers. Here, I’ve found both help and answers.

a local private investigator can check your car out for any tracking or bugging devices.

Personally I think it is very unlikely this guy is using any sort of device to track you. He knows you. I presume he knows your friends. He knows your schedule, more or less. He knows your interests. Unless you have completely broken contact with him (and everybody who has any contact with you has done the same) he is picking up clues about what you are up to. Are you on MySpace or Facebook? How much are you telling the world about what is going on in your life on a regular basis? The military may need GPS to target a cruise missile but finding somebody you know a little about does not require any gadgets.

I’d like to second this opinion. It’s pretty easy for someone to get a good idea of where to find you just by knowing your habits and tendencies. We all tend to stick to familiar places and people. This guy could just be making some educated guesses, and possibly asking some friends, using text messaging, etc. I would not be surprised to find that this is what is happening.

The next most likely is your cell phone. It already has GPS in it, required by law for 911 services, and some cell providers offer tracking other “friends and family” cell phones. If the phone is turned off the tracking should not work for that type of service. The trouble is, that type of tracking is query based. The phone doesn’t transmit its location until it’s asked, so using a spectrum analyzer or RF detector won’t necessarily find that. The good news is that asking your cell phone service provider will tell you if that service is available and set up for your phone, and you could have it turned off.

Finally, the easy way to find out if he’s tracking your car or not is to ask a friend to pick you up, or take a cab for a few days. If he’s still showing up unexpectedly when he shouldn’t, then it’s either the cell phone or just plain old social networking on his part.

I also agree, if this guy is stalking you, get help. Talk to a Women’s Support Center, or the local cops (who may recommend a women’s center). Maybe he’s just overly attentive . . . maybe. But, if you don’t like it then it’s a problem and you should tell him to back off, and be ready with support if he gets nasty.

The person who mentioned a spectrum analyzer is right… it looks at all the radio waves around you (AM-FM-TV-phone-police-etc-etc) and shows them on a screen. A simpler device is a “Signal Strength Meter” which looks for any radio signal over a broad band of frequencies. You might want to look for a “two-way radio” installer in the yellow pages if you strike out elsewhere. Or ask the local police who installs their radios. That firm might be able to help.

I have read most of the post on here as of 2/6/08 and they all seem like good ones. You should talk to a women’s advocate if you think the BF has the personality to track you, whether he actually does or not. However, he likely did not put something in your car as that would cost him a goodly sum on money. More than likely he got to your cell phone, turned on GPS tracking and has googled you and is following your movements from the web. It can be done by anyone with just a little Internet knowledge.

if you find it have put it under his car with a maginet and when he looks for you and see,s it out side his house he will think you are spying on him this will set him nuts. no matter were he is your gps will show up and if he uses a notebook you be be every where. when you place one under the rear place another under front if he finds you gps he will think think it was his and he go,s nuts again. better yet if you find it place under a trailer truck he will think you went to another state. don,t forget it needs electric to run.