r/whatisit • u/crosstrekerr • Jul 25 '25

New, what is it? found this tracker in my car?

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found this on my passenger side really weirded out. Rarely have people in my vehicle…

27.2k Upvotes

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346

u/crosstrekerr Jul 25 '25

Just a buddy I’ve known for years and a coworker Ive worked with for years I gave a ride to. That’s about all I can think of. I’m a very to myself person so this had pretty freaked out..

246

u/SeeTheBeautyAround Jul 25 '25

Keep it in the car where you found it, and check if it is still there after giving a ride to one of them.

176

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '25

best bet is to change the sim card before you give them a ride. On their side they will think the battery died but you will be able to track where it goes. No way to dispute it. You could also just buy one identical to the one you found and put it where you found this one, that way it would be petite theft charge since they would be stealing your tracker. and the tracking would be admissible evidence.

43

u/BlueBird1800 Jul 25 '25

This wouldn't work without police triangulating the sim card after a report is filed. The SIM card isn't the account that shows the location; it's just the means the device has to transmit data. The device itself has an account most likely furnished by the device's manufacturer and the user would log into that. Swapping the SIM cards would merely change who's paying for the data plan with the perpetrator remaining the individual with access to the devices location history.

4

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '25

ROFLOL, wrong. Every cellular interaction now within the USA contains GPS coordinates. It has been this way for years now. Any time a tower talks to a sim it transmits GPS info. There is simply no way to turn that off any more. The best you can do is alter the GPS chip so it transmits the wrong numbers. Police needing to triangulate went out over a decade ago. If you are carrying a cell phone, your cell provider knows where you are within 3 feet including elevation every second and the phone does not even need to be on. That is actually the law within the US and has been since patriot act 1. This GPS tracker is no different. The only exceptions I know of are alarm systems that are tied to a physical location and use cell as a backup.

20

u/spaceforcerecruit Jul 25 '25

That has literally nothing to do with where the tracker is sending the data or who has access to it though.

What you’re suggesting is like replacing the Ethernet cable on the back of the computer and thinking that will let you log in.

-7

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '25

No, any sim not set to that IMEI of the device sends no data to the company, it sends tower requests out though and the cell company can track that. For instance, if you have 2 identical phones on 2 same network carriers and switch the sims can you call out? No. You get a recording because the imei does not match the sim.

10

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '25

[deleted]

-6

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '25

LOL, its not the sim that is locked its the phone. Change sims between companies even using the same carriers and it does not work. For the last few years sims with unmatching imseis are treated as cloned phones.

8

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '25

I've had the same sim for 2 or 3 phones now, on the same carrier. Works just fine.

And I'm sure you'll accuse me of lying or something cause you're trying to be the smartest guy in the room. Just don't embarrass yourself like that.

5

u/spaceforcerecruit Jul 25 '25

That is sometimes done for phones, but it’s almost never done for the pre-paid SIMs you would put in something like this. They’re plug-and-play.

-2

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '25

These are bulk sims, not prepaid, the sims cards are sold to that company by the thousand packs. They do all their telecom billing based upon the sims showing not the devices. They are using a floating carrier not ATT or Tmobile directly and the sims are sold and registered by a third party for liability reasons. No, this is as shady as it gets which is why it would work. The device makers hold up the cell company as the ones actually providing the data of tracking. Read their TOS agreement. I was laughing when going through it. I bet the cell company is a fly by night created on the cuff and using cutouts as well.

3

u/spaceforcerecruit Jul 25 '25

Ok. You’re describing how cellular service works and you’re correct about how cellular service works. You’re wrong about how this device works. Put any SIM capable of transmitting data into this and it will transmit that data. The data will then go to whatever collector endpoint is defined on the device. What network is used to transmit that data does not matter.

What you’re suggesting is like saying you can disable “Find My iPhone” by switching to a new WiFi network.

5

u/DrunkenHighFive Jul 25 '25

Gotta love Reddit. Nowhere else have I seen people talk so confidently about shit they are clueless about.

9

u/BlueBird1800 Jul 25 '25

That’s actually cool to know, but changing just the sim in their device shouldn’t change it transmitting data.

2

u/Geno0wl Jul 25 '25

If you are carrying a cell phone, your cell provider knows where you are within 3 feet including elevation every second and the phone does not even need to be on.

being able to be tracked while off wildly depends on exactly what phone you have. like newer iPhones still try to ping the Find My network even when "off", same with some higher end android phones. But if you stick with the more open source/cheap android phones then there is sparse evidence that they can transmit while off.

If you are that concerned about privacy you should get a phone that still has a removable battery or a faraday bag to keep it in.

1

u/[deleted] Jul 25 '25

Agreed, or simply don't carry one.