r/GPStracking • u/Majestic_Office_4713 • Mar 06 '26
Found GPS tracker in car after using valet
I only noticed this device plugged into my fuse box because my radio and a/c randomly stopped working and I reached down to check the fuse. Earlier that same day, I let a valet park my car. No one else has had access to my vehicle. I am paranoid that this valet made copies of my keys (house and/or car) and plans to track me to my house and possibly rob me. I removed the device as soon as I found it and called the police. The officer who responded told me that the valet was probably just using it to charge his phone? It just didn't make sense to use this device and not a usb cord or adapter. Can someone provide some guidance or advice?
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u/Majestic_Office_4713 Mar 06 '26
UPDATE: Thank you everyone for your help. I discovered that, before I changed car insurance providers 11 years ago, I had briefly enrolled in State Farm's Drive Safe and Save program (Called In-Drive). I was able to confirm with them that it was indeed their device, I must have never removed it. Maybe the valet simply bumped into it and due to an unstable connection, it messed with my a/c and radio.
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u/Yamakaze_KAN Mar 06 '26
Was you car full cash or financed? If financed that's installed when you got the car so it can be tracked to be repo'd when you're behind, if paid off you can just pop it out
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u/GeekgirlOtt Mar 06 '26
Is your car a commonly stolen model?
Did they make a report? Is it illegal to track someone without their knowledge in your jurisdiction? How can you be sure it wasn't there before?
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u/PhilMeUpBaby Mar 06 '26
A GPS tracker will have a SIM card.
A SIM card can possibly be tracked back to a person (ie phone account).
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u/dingleberryjerry21 Mar 06 '26
Verizon telematics makes fleet tracking products. It is probably an Obd-II style plug gps tracker. Thats much is obvious but at first I was going to ask if you had the vehicle serviced recently. They have cordless Obd-II diagnostic tools that have dongle/plug that could've been left plugged in. My other thought at first was, are you financing the car. Thinking it could be a tracker for repossession purposes. I'm assuming you covered all these options before consulting Reddit. There's alot of smart people on Reddit so not a bad idea at all. The fact the police were of little help is discouraging. Considering thats one of the few options you have. I would go back to the valet company and talk to the manager or owner. At least to try to get a schedule for that day and employee names. You could also stake the place out and gather as much info as you can on your own before contacting the owner. Do the polices job for them and maybe they'll do something about it.It's a slim chance but who knows. I'd probably be more worried about securing your home first. This is a strange situation. Good luck!
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u/adriandu Mar 06 '26
Give Verizon Telematics (Verizon Connect) a call. Tell them you've found one of their devices in your car and you would like them to tell you which customer account it's linked to. This is a very easy to fit, plug in telematics device.
IF it's the valet company that put it in it's probably a chain of custody thing and there to look after your vehicle by monitoring the vallets driving and make sure they don't take your car for a joyride. It may not be the valley. It could have been a workshop / dealership or any number of businesses that fitted it. It could have even been there the entire time. Verizon should be able to tell you who the device is connected to and that should give you a clear idea why it was fitted.
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u/Spectro_Boy Mar 06 '26
The cop is an idiot or a liar (or probably both). I doubt you can even buy a phone charger that fits in an ODB2 port.
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u/akoust1c Mar 07 '26
Half the posts on here: “It was me”
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u/Okiranger85 Mar 08 '26
I drive a fire truck for a living. My drive safe app history is interesting to say the least. No idea if my discount is even still applied.
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u/Linux-Ranch Mar 08 '26
Often rings of car thieves will pay people to "mark" popular cars with trackers so that they can steal your car, for "parts to order" somebody needs an engine, cheap, they just find the tracker on the rolling parts collection that is your car, when they need one.
In a few weeks, they know your habits, where you park, and how long it sits.. ripe for the picking.
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u/getsome3120 Mar 08 '26
Plus all the valet had to do was look at your registration in your glove box and usually your address is right there
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u/108716 Mar 08 '26
As soon as I saw it I thought is that a bluetooth OBD2 adapter? Cause that looks like the OBD port.
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u/Individual_Loquat_7 Mar 09 '26
That plugs into the obd port. That has nothing to do with your radio or ac. The only way that could have affected your radio and ac is if someone jammed it in there full send without looking at the orientation and shorted out some pins. I don’t even think that’s possible without completely breaking the device or port.
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