tracking cell phones

[pucho812]

not sure where to post this one, but a colleague of mine, lost their cell phone sometime last night. After a few hours  of searching was unable to find it. Since it has sensitive information on there is there any way to track it's location without having pre-setup  the ability to do so or given permission to do so?

What we know at this point is it was lost somewhere after a work softball game and at an after game drink. We know the phone is still powered as you can call it and it rings some 5 times before voice mail.

So far any online services requires pre approval to track that phone. So far any phone set up for that requires pre setup on the phone.

 

[scott2000]

Android device manager for Android but, like you said, certain things need to be set up.....Usually having a Google account will lull you into thinking you don't have tracking on but, there's a slight chance it may be and work.....

I think Apple was find my phone or something but, there must be some things set up I'd imagine too.....

I found my phone one night using device manager....Left it on my tailgate..........

.A car had actually run it over and kicked it into the storm drain....Had me losing my mind trying to figure out why I couldn't find it....Finally when traffic died down at 2am, I could hear the ringing....There it was, a couple feet under the drain..... Otter Boxes do work!!

Good Luck!

 

[pucho812]

It's an iphone, non of the tracking was enabled at the time of loss, will do more sleuthing.

I suspect it's sitting plugged in somewhere charging as it can still be called.

 

[scott2000]

Have you tried google maps????

 

[pucho812]

phone was located without use of any apps. Simple misplacement on their part.

A this point in time there is no way I could find to locate a lost phone without prior setup via an app in the phone or internet website so that when lost can be located.

 

[scott2000]

A this point in time there is no way I could find to locate a lost phone without prior setup via an app in the phone or internet website so that when lost can be located.

Not a bad thing .......

 

[fum]

Last ditch effort would be to contact the cellular carrier and ask about pinging.

I'm sure it would vary from carrier to carrier, but they should be able to triangulate where the phone is based on tower data.

Not sure what hurdles you would have to clear for them to do this for you, but they do this for the police, bail bondsmen, etc.

ju

 

[pucho812]

Last ditch effort would be to contact the cellular carrier and ask about pinging.

I'm sure it would vary from carrier to carrier, but they should be able to triangulate where the phone is based on tower data.

Not sure what hurdles you would have to clear for them to do this for you, but they do this for the police, bail bondsmen, etc.

ju

Tried that and was shot down. I am not law enforcement.  It's ok though the phone was found.

 

[PRR]

> locate a lost phone without prior setup

WITH setup it is semi-trivial. In Android, with a linked Google account. My Account, 'Find your phone'. After multiple options and log-ins, it shows your phone location. (Separately for three phones on one account.) With battery status, and options to Ring-A-Ding, Lock, or Erase.

The 'location' is correct as far as it goes. It has the right street and right place on the street, though apparently in the ditch. This phone is actually 500 feet back from the street near my red dot. I guess the system "rounds off to the nearest street".

Another clue: "Dosss-2G" is a wi-fi spot I know. Apparently the phone is connected. It can't connect from the ditch. By simple experience it has to be within ~~~300 feet of the wi-fi box. OTOH, earlier today I was at "Gail's" and could have connected to "Gail-Guest" (but didn't bother to crack/ask the password). If I had connected, then left the phone behind, the wi-fi name would be a screaming hint.

If you don't know if the phone is in Springfield or Birmingham, this will tell you. Even say which block on Birmingham Blvd. If you don't know den or basement, this won't help (but the Ring function should).

Further experiment: my LG Premier  has been turned-off for a week. Google can't find it.

 

[JohnRoberts]

On TV  (like NCIS) they'd find it immediately...

maybe ask Alexa?

JR

 

[benb]

I saw this article, it might be relevant. It's actually what I first thought the thread was about:
"Service Meant to Monitor Inmates’ Calls Could Track You, Too"
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/05/10/technology/cellphone-tracking-law-enforcement.html

 

[scott2000]

On TV  (like NCIS) they'd find it immediately...

maybe ask Alexa?

JR

OOps...

A couple in Portland, OR, claimed that a speaker in their home, powered by the Amazon Alexa smart voice assistant, recorded a private conversation and sent the recording to a friend.

Originally reported by KIRO-TV ,the couple got a call two weeks ago from a random friend who told them to immediately unplug all their devices because the friend had heard their conversation in his home. The friend, who lives 176 miles away in Seattle, proved it was true by providing details on the conversation, according to the report.

https://www.aol.com/article/finance/2018/05/29/a-couple-says-that-amazons-alexa-recorded-a-private-conversation-and-randomly-sent-it-to-a-friend-amzn/23443564/

 

[JohnRoberts]

That hit the news last week or so...

Sounds like an incredibly low probability chance occurrence but I suspect the software's certainty level to accept control instructions was pretty relaxed (obviously), and may be tightened up (already).
======
"Hey alexa.. play burning down the house"....  [alexa] did you say burn down the house?]...  "yeah, play burning down the house"... [alexa] OK I'll burn down the house] 
=========
It still should remind us that those things are always on and always listening, or else how would they hear you tell it to turn on and do something?  I don't trust Jeff Bezos as far as I can throw him, or the rest of the silicon valley crew running that smoke and mirrors party.

JR

 

[Tubetec]

There was a few things in the media here about peoples lost mobile phones , some had tracking engaded ,they found quite precisely the location of the lost phone and called law enforcement , the cops wouldnt do s**t to help .

Some one I know recently left their phone in a taxi , next morning bright and early the owner of the taxi arrived at the persons house with the phone ,demanded 50euros for the return of the phone , he was told in no uncertain terms to sling his hook . A taxi driver here is obliged to hand in lost property to the PSV office in the main Police Hq in the city . Still no sign of the phone being handed in ,we know the person and the taxi base they operate from , It'll be interesting to see what the cops say about this ,refusal to hand over the phone is tantamount to theft in the eyes of the law ,the fact that the guy travelled some distance to attempt to extort money for delivery is his own business ,there certainly was no agreement that the guy drops the phone back and charges well above the odds for the fare . As the person who owns the phone is of advanced years I'll be the one barking down the line at the PSV  and taxi federation office .Wait till they get a piece of my mind ,