If you’re like many people, you might be wondering how to detect if someone has attached a GPS tracking device to your vehicle. GPS tracking devices have gotten so small that they are typically the size of a cigarette pack, and some are even as small as a quarter! With devices this small, they can be difficult to detect, especially if you have a large vehicle.
The first thing to know is that there are two different types of GPS tracking devices:
GPS “recorders”
A GPS Logger is a passive device, which means that it does not actively transmit your GPS location. This means that whoever places a GPS logger in their car will have to place it in their car and then retrieve it later to view the driving data, which is stored on the device. A popular example of this is Sleuthgear’s iTrail GPS logger, which only measures 1.5 “X1.5”.
GPS “trackers”
A GPS tracker is an active device, which means that it actively broadcasts your location “live”, usually to a secure website, where the person who placed it there can view your location and driving information through a web browser or a special program. Once they put it there, they don’t have to retrieve it, they can just view the information online. However, they will likely come back later, because the battery life on the active tracker is usually less than 30 days.
This is where it is important to know the difference between the two types of tracking devices. A GPS logger (such as iTrail GPS) can only be detected manually, which means you will have to physically search for it. The reason for this is because since they do not actively transmit a signal (they only store data on the device), an error detector or error sweeper will not be able to pick up any type of transmission or signal. If you suspect that you may have a GPS logger in your vehicle, the first place to look 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 box, which attaches securely to the metal on the underside of your vehicle. Other places to look are the glove compartment, center console, and truck (even under the spare tire).
If you suspect that you may have an active GPS tracker in your car, a manual search is always the first step. Look under the vehicle, in the glove compartment and in the trunk. These types of units are usually larger than GPS Loggers because they require a larger battery 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.
A GPS detector is a generally battery-operated handheld device that allows you to “sweep” your vehicle (or wherever you want to locate a GPS tracker) and will alert you when it detects a transmitted GPS signal that is sending your location. . There is an adjustable sensitivity knob that allows you to focus on the exact location of the tracker, so you can remove it from your vehicle.
A GPS sensing device will also detect cell phone signals, because cell phones are commonly used as makeshift GPS tracking devices, as cell phone owners can often use a “locate” feature on their phone to find out where this.
So if you want to know if someone has put a GPS tracking device in your car, do a manual search first, and for a faster and easier search, use a GPS detector.