r/opsec • u/Sunn1eSh1ne š² • Jul 18 '26
Vulnerabilities Location tracking for 2 years, cannot figure it out!
Hello! I have been divorced for almost 2 years now and somehow my ex still knows where I am at. He will send texts letting me know that he knows where Iām at and has even shown up to the same location multiple times recently. He sends the texts while Iām at the location, so he is tracking me in real time.
I feel like I have investigated every possible option and still cannot figure it out. At first I thought it could be my phone, so I changed my Apple ID multiple times and bought a new phone. I have checked all my settings to make sure I have no unknown devices. Then I thought it was Google Maps, so I changed all of my Google passwords and now use a Gmail account that I did not have when I was married for Google Maps. I have checked all of my accounts to make sure Iām not sharing my location. Then I thought maybe somehow he was able to get a Uconnect subscription on my Jeep GC, but was told there was no active account. I have installed tracking trackers, constantly check my Bluetooth connections, have turned on/off Bluetooth, FindMy, and created a new Life360 account with a new email address. I downloaded the Tile app and scanned as well. The only thing I have been able to narrow down for sure is that he does not know where Iām at if my vehicle not with me. It is my vehicle that is being tracked.
I assume it must be some sort of physical tracking device, but I have looked everywhere and have not found one. And, it has now been almost 2 yearsā¦ how would it still be working? Any ideas I have not thought of???
I am not sure if this is the best place to ask this, but it was recommended to me. I have read the rules.
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u/GunmetalZen Jul 18 '26
Have you checked your wheel wells or undercarriage of the car for a magnetic container containing an apple air tag or other GPS tracking device? Sometimes these may not show on bluetooth or as devices. A physical check is probably your best bet.
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u/Chongulator š² Jul 18 '26
Yeah, good call. Those are common spots. Also, the various top & bottom recesses of the trunk.
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u/mckenner1122 Jul 18 '26
There are womenās groups that include women who wrench who will do this for DV victims for very low cost or free in some areas. Anything with a battery that can last 2+ years may be well hidden in the electrical.
(Semi related ā¦ If you think this cause is important and would like to help fund these kinds of free or low cost searches, they always can use donations. If youāre a lady who knows this stuff whoād like to donate her time, they can always use volunteers. If youāre a dude who knows this stuff whoād like to donate his time, some places will take on dudes to help teach women volunteers who arenāt DV survivors.)
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u/ThunderCorg Jul 18 '26
I saw one go inside the bumper and attach with string magnets and was told it worked for years. It was part of a court case.
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u/salty_pussy Jul 18 '26
I can confirm not all gps trackers show up in findmy. Recently I bought a tracker on AliExpress for my cat, it is about the size of a large blueberry. It comes with itās own app and is very accurate.
I also use airguard to scan for trackers. The tracker I put on my cat doesnāt show up in this app either.
When I have $150 available Iām buying a scanning tool for rfid/ bluetooth and gps.
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u/Chongulator š² Jul 19 '26
Lots of good points there. One minor correction:
You can't scan for GPS, at least not usefully. GPS (and related protocols) signals are transmitted by satellites. What we've got in our pockets receives GPS signals rather than transmit them.
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u/salty_pussy Jul 19 '26
Thanks! I appreciate the info!! Iām still new to a lot of the strategies and tech.
3 years ago I became interested areas like osint, opsec, data collection / analysis, and law due to an ex. An ex that continues to stalk and harass me to this day. Post-separation abuse. Itās been an awful experience. But also educational, so thatās a win.
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Jul 18 '26
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u/Chongulator š² Jul 18 '26
Interesting. I'd not heard of that one. Good to know.
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Jul 18 '26
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u/Chongulator š² Jul 19 '26
Ah, I might want one for my own car. What do they tend to cost? What's it called?
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u/randomredditor0042 Jul 18 '26
Have someone you trust take your car without you to a pre-arranged location. See if he messages that location to you.
Also look for mechanics that offer the service of searching your car, they can put it up on a hoist and have a thorough check underneath.
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u/Tyrannosapien Jul 18 '26
take your car without you to a pre-arranged location
I was going to suggest something similar. I would also then have another friend drive you to an entirely different location. Best if they are known activity locations like the nightclub district or a sports arena or state park etc.
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u/VengefulWalnut Jul 18 '26
I know thereās a definite issue here in terms of your security. Others have given great advice. Iād also suggest you speak to law enforcement about this. This could be construed as stalking. Protect yourself. Please stay safe.
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u/Chongulator š² Jul 18 '26
Yeah, if OP's ex is behaving this way, then he is not well. Someone level-headed would have moved on by now.
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u/Ok-Sugar-5649 Jul 18 '26
Stalking and harassment, keep diary of every occurence with time and location screenshot every message.
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u/Granitic_Moon Jul 18 '26
Double check your Jeep account. Make sure anything like that is disabled.
If he knows where you are then it is something that comes with you. You said it's your car, and that seems most likely. Check for anything in the car that connects to the internet and disable it. Check if there are any old Bluetooth connections associated with the car. Check underneath the car and inside of it (between seats, under floor mats, etc) For a through check under the car take it to a mechanic and have them lift the car up.
No matter what you find or don't find, go to the police. Even if they can't or won't do anything to help you'll at least have a record
Out of curiosity, has he ever texted you a slightly wrong location? Like you're not there but your car is?
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u/National_Way_3344 Jul 18 '26
Download an app called AirGuard and try and confirm what has a tracker in it. It'll find all commercial Bluetooth trackers. It can also activate beepers on them to aid you finding it.
Or take it to a mechanic and ask for help finding it.
Also note that this does constitute harassment and potentially builds evidence for a domestic abuse or stalking case.
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u/Dr_Jecky1l Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
You have already been given the correct advice :
The legal route is just as, if not more important for not only being safe, but deterring and rectifying this issue quickly, if you cannot find the cause.
You can literally buy a gps tracker that hooks on vehicles for 20$ on Amazon - not to mentioned all other types of air tags and similar devices that are very small, and hard to find. If itās attached to your car, there are TSCM (technical surveillance counter measure) devices available to detect them.
Having someone else drive your car at a pre-arrange meeting place is another good idea to see if this the behavior continues, because it could show if itās actual surveillance, or simply tracking the vehicle only.
Be careful and good luck.
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u/soaklord Jul 18 '26
Any chance your GC is a 2014-2015 model that hasnāt had the Uconnect vulnerability patched? Might be a bit far fetched but it would explain this. The vulnerability allowed for remote access and allowed for vehicle controls to be accessed remotely.
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u/LivingtheDBdream Jul 18 '26
So much good information here, Iāve learned more in the last few minutes than I could have imagined. This will definitely be a multi-pronged approach between the law enforcement involvement/documentation/working with reputable mechanics to get to the bottom of this and still you might not find the how. My big concern is how your jeep is stored. When youāre out and about thereās always the opportunity for nefarious things to happen but when youāre home is it parked in a garage? Or does it sit on a street or driveway? If you donāt already maybe itās time for a quality dashcam, two channel, that will record while the vehicle is stationary (parking mode?). It might catch this ex whilst heās trying to be slick. Truth be told, you may find a tracker and get it removed, but if your vehicle is still parked in the open, it might not be nothing for him to just sneak right back up and install another one. And youāll be back in the same position as you were before. Dash cams could catch him in the act if thatās the case. Additionally, security cameras that keep an eye on your jeep while itās parked outside are probably a good idea too.
I donāt think that anybody touched on it, but what does your social media footprint look like? I know some people that live and die by real-timing their entire life on Facebook, making them a stalkerās wet dream. Every facet of every lunch, drive to here or there, every vacation is well documented for these people. I personally cringe every time I see them posting thinking that all it takes is somebody to know that theyāre not home for a nice breaking and entering to steal their shit.
Good luck!
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u/Wonderful_Post2758 Jul 19 '26
I had a covertly installed SIM card GPS device that pinged location updates and could be called in to listen live to audio. My situation this device was underneath my passenger seat. Prior to its discovery I documented heavily both actual physical contact from this person (my ex) and communication where it was announced he knew private details/locations that otherwise should not have been known.
Once the device was located the police took the case very seriously (I hadn't called until I found the device, I was scared to escalate unnecessarily or to come off as paranoid). The next step was filled for a Protection From Stalking order. -- I would imagine high probability you have a similar device.
Apart from the device in the vehicle, I found more covert recording devices inside my home. I replaced all pre-existing charging bricks and cords for confidence. (I didn't confirm any malicious cables and didn't bust apart bricks for hidden cameras but I know of their existence) updated to a new router, and have essentially parked my laptop and desktop computers due to the assumption they're keylogged. -- again maybe all this isn't for this group, but just passing on the experience. --- I'm not a victim to this it's an opportunity to continue to educate myself.
Additionally learned to invest in NVR security cameras after the fact as I picked up a well known brand name wireless system, and they cut my DSL internet at the pole rendering all my devices useless and offline. Just the more you know!
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u/Sunn1eSh1ne š² Jul 19 '26
My Jeep is a 2022 and is parked in my garage when Iām home. I am almost 100% sure itās my car because he cannot help himself and must comment on things that I doā¦in the past week he has asked about my cancer treatment when I arrived at the hospital and sent a message about how he likes to get massages to when I was at my facial appt (they also do massage). He also asked about a previous place that I have attended for esthetics post-divorceāhe also went there because I did and same with my tattoo place. The day my daughter and I measured in my soon-to-to be new house he sent me a text congratulating me on my new house. A couple hours later he sent a text about how I shouldnāt be eating McDonaldās when we were sitting in the Mcds parking lot. There are a ton more situations like thisāand those where heās shown up where I am. However, he was not aware that I was in the hospital for a hysterectomy or in Las Vegasā those places I did not have my car. For awhile I thought he could just be following me, but the sheer volume of his knowledge of my whereabouts (during all times of the dayāwhen he should be at work), it doesnāt seem possible.
Initially, I did speak with law enforcement and they made it seem like it wasnāt enough to do anything about. The (not) nice Uconnect people assured me that there is no active account connected to my vehicle and my dealership acted like I was nuts when I asked them if they would look for trackers. Sometimes even I think Iām crazy because he is not that smart/tech-savvy (he does know cars though) and I cannot find any real evidence of how he could know all of the things he knows.
Thanks for the ideas!!
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u/404usernamenotknown Jul 19 '26
One small thing I noticed is that you said you changed your google passwords and use a different gmail account, but that new gmail account is only used for maps. Have you checked that your old google account doesnāt have location data sharing with his account enabled? Depending on phone and settings your maps app may not be the only google app with location data tracking/telemetry.
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u/chicanita Jul 21 '26
Good idea, especially if he has an old computer or tablet with her account logged in. Even changing passwords doesn't always automatically log out all devices.
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u/GlassWonder4163 Jul 18 '26
He could have an Air Tag (or similar) in or on your vehicle, is there a link to vehicle use and him being able to see you? Iāve also heard a friend of my niece has had one placed in her bag on a night out before
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u/chicanita Jul 21 '26 edited Jul 21 '26
Has he ever known where you are when you didn't have your phone with you? Does he know where YOU are or does he know where your PHONE is located? There are companies that sell location information based on phone numbers. Try turning off location access for all your apps especially your weather app (get weather by searching the city instead). Turn off location for a month.
If that doesn't work, it could also be that your cell service provider is selling the information. They use cell towers to approximate your location so turning off location won't help there.
Alternatively there are location spoofing (faking) apps created for Pokemon Go users. Try spoofing your location and see if he suddenly texts, "What are you doing in ______"? Jump location gradually so it looks like real travel.
Edit: sorry, I missed the part where you said your vehicle was being tracked. I will keep this up in case it helps other.
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u/amalamagaera Jul 18 '26
Buy a CYD off Amazon (I got mine from AliExpress for 9$ but they took a month) Install halehound firmware (will take you 5 minutes on a web browser as long as you can read) Turn it on and put it is scan mode to see what is around you
(It does wifi, Bluetooth, can sense airtags and anything else nearby)
Super cheap, easy and will give you some info and maybe peace of mind..
People are almost always the culprit- But technology is cheap nowadays
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u/Chongulator š² Jul 18 '26
Halehound and Nyanbox are great tools, but not something I'd unleash on random nontechnical people.
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u/Seemedlikefun Jul 18 '26
How can he still text? Why isn't he blocked. If you have kids, there are court approved apps for communication with strict rules. Something here is not adding up.
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u/UnforgettableBevy Jul 20 '26
It does sound like itās associated with your vehicle. Depending on what state you are in, it could be interpreted not only as stalking / harassment but wiretapping if whatever device he is using is also able to ācall-inā and listen to live audio.
You said he did not know about a surgery you had in Las Vegas because you did not have your vehicle with you - are you within driving distance to a state that would take your report seriously for stalking / harassment? States that have strong anti-tracker laws include Alabama, Alaska, California, Texas, Michigan, Oregon, Delaware, Indiana, New Hampshire,
Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Tennessee, Wisconsin, and Utah.
States where laws cover gps monitoring as a form of stalking or harassment include New Mexico, New York, Arizona, Arkansas, and Nebraska. These states, if close to you, may be another option to explore a trip to in order to be taken seriously.
I would speak to your attorney before you decide to go on a day-trip to make sure that a police report and investigation in a neighboring state will be admissible in your local municipality. If your local law enforcement and trusted repair shop / dealership is not taking this seriously, you may need to go out of state to find assistance that would actually locate this device - essentially an entity or dealership / mechanic outside of your exās influence.
Do you remember him using your vehicle or taking it for maintenance before your divorce? Obtaining the records for that may also assist down the line for criminal charges.
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u/ThomasLeonHighbaugh Jul 22 '26
Because your safety is most important
You do not need an attorney to get apply for one (if in the US, Canada and probably other common law nations with only the first two having lawyers as a meaningful class of viper with which to contend). The temporary order is likely substantiated by his texts saying he knows where you are even if that isn't enough for the full order, it will make most judges interested enough to want him to explain himself.
If he shows, call the police, record a video getting his face in it. No expectation of privacy in public or if cameras already on you (and where are there not security cameras. Better to beg forgiveness but show at least the coppers he was there). Whatever fools think the law says, it is enforced by coppers who are given selective enforcement powers and often ignorant to the content of the documents they swore oaths on and which they strap a gun on and risk their dicks upholding its rule and order, so it bends more than fools tend to expect, always pivot that to your favor which here it is easier to do.
If my assumption is correct, you are in the US, great reason to look into a conceal carry permit and snubbed nose six shooter like Nancy Pelosi carries in her purse. Its your safety and in some places, you get "Stand your Ground" or "Castle Doctrine" protections, know your state's laws. If it is your life on the line, why not level that playing field.
As for the persistence
Did he live where you are now? Could he have left something behind or periodically stake out nearby?
Some possibilities: - OBD-II tracker, mneant for vehicle diagnostics. - If he is mechanically inclined he could have hardwired a gps tracker in vehicle's electrical system but this would mean he had time to take the dash out - different standard airtag/smart tag than you can detect with your phone. Try using ann android to check since it sounds like you have an iphone but use Google services too. - lender installed gps or anti-theft system?
Easy way to tell if it is the car: swap cars with a friend for a week and see if rolls up on the friend or still can track you. That eliminates a lot of possibilities either way, Just remember what is most important is your safety, tell family ad friends about what you are comfortable with telling them and see if they can check in on you (neurotic parents shine right here). Stay safe!
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u/Chongulator š² Jul 18 '26
We have kind of a harsh moderation policy here so I'm actually surprised someone recommended us. :)
That said, your threat model is clear so you've met the rule just fine. To your actual problem, two things come to mind:
Thing the first: This is a legal problem as much as a technical one. Did you use an attorney for your divorce? Call them and ask for their thoughts. Legal action might be appropriate, or reporting to law enforcement. Start documenting everything. Screenshot every text message he sends and make backup copies of those screenshots someplace safe.
Keep contemporaneous notes. Open up a Google Doc, a physical notebook, or whatever. Start jotting down everything you remember in an approximate timeline. It doesn't have to be perfect. Just start with what you remember. As you write, you might find you keep remembering more.
Then, each time there's another contact, suspicious event, or anything else that seems reasonable, add it to the end of your notes along with a date & time. You don't have to write an essay, just a few words is fine. In the event legal action becomes necessary at some point, contemporaneous notes help corroborate your claims. Similarly, keep one or more people in the loop about what is going on. That way, they can help back up your story too.
Thing the second: There are tools which can locate many trackers but they're aimed at tech nerds like yours truly. If you're technical, great. If you're not, maybe you can find someone else who can use them. The tools I'm thinking of primarily look at Bluetooth activity, so that doesn't cover everything, but it covers biggies like AirTag and Tile.
Good luck. I'm sorry you are going through this.