If you're like many people, you may be wondering how to detect if
someone has placed a GPS tracking device
on your vehicle. GPS Tracking devices have gotten so small, they are commonly
the size of a pack of cigarettes, and some are even as small as a quarter! With
devices that small, they can be hard to detect, especially if you've got a
large vehicle.
The first thing you need to know is that there are two different
types GPS tracking devices:
GPS Loggers:
A GPS Logger is a passive device, meaning that it doesn't actively transmit your GPS location. This means whoever put a GPS logger on your car will have to place it on your car, and then retrieve it later in order to view the driving data, which is stored on the device.
A GPS Logger is a passive device, meaning that it doesn't actively transmit your GPS location. This means whoever put a GPS logger on your car will have to place it on your car, and then retrieve it later in order to view the driving data, which is stored on the device.
GPS Trackers:
A GPS Tracker is an active device, meaning that it actively transmits your location live, usually to a secure website, where the person who placed it there can view your location and driving information via a web browser or special program. Once they put it on there, they do not have to retrieve it, they can just view the information online. They will likely come back later though, because the battery life on active tracker is usually less than 30 days.
A GPS Tracker is an active device, meaning that it actively transmits your location live, usually to a secure website, where the person who placed it there can view your location and driving information via a web browser or special program. Once they put it on there, they do not have to retrieve it, they can just view the information online. They will likely come back later though, because the battery life on active tracker is usually less than 30 days.
If you suspect that you might have an active GPS Tracker on your car, a manual search is always the first step. Look
under the vehicle, in the glove box, and in the trunk. These type of units are
usually bigger than GPS Loggers because they need a bigger battery in order to
actively transmit a signal. If you don't have time to do a manual search,
you're in luck, because active GPS Trackers can be easily detected by a GPS
Detector.
Here's where knowing the difference between the two types of
tracking devices is important. A GPS Logger can only be detected manually -
meaning you'll have to physically search for it. The reason for this is because
since they don't actively transmit a signal, then a bug detector or bug sweeper
won't be able to pick up any kind of transmission or signal. If you suspect
that you might have a GPS logger on your vehicle, the first place to look for
it is UNDER THE VEHICLE. This is the most popular place to hide a GPS tracking
device, and is accomplished by placing the device inside a magnetic case, which
securely attaches to the metal on the underside of your vehicle. Other places
to look are in the glove box, center console, and the truck.
A GPS Detector is a handheld device that is usually battery
powered that allows you to "sweep" your vehicle and will alert you
when it detects a transmitting GPS signal that is sending out your location.
There is an adjustable sensitivity knob that allows you to hone in on the exact
location of the tracker, so you can remove it from your vehicle.