Can the authorities trace your location via your phone...

[Dumpling]

...even if you aren't on a call? That is, if your phone is simply switched on?

I am in Oz.

 

[couldntthinkofaname]

i just reported you to the fbi

 

[MissLisa]

...even if you aren't on a call? That is, if your phone is simply switched on?

I am in Oz.

Not sure, just a guess but I would have thought it would have to be on

 

[MortDeVivre]

...even if you aren't on a call? That is, if your phone is simply switched on?

I am in Oz.

I think it has to be off, with the SIM card and battery out.

 

[InkBlot]

...even if you aren't on a call? That is, if your phone is simply switched on?

I am in Oz.

The best they can do is ping your number and it sends them a location of the nearest cell tower. They did it to me before, but they'll usually try calling you. Just answer, lie about your location, then turn your phone off and all that jazz.

 

[Slacker]

NoOneKnows

 

[Ben]

I think it has to be off, with the SIM card and battery out.

If I understand correctly, removing the SIM card severes your ties with phone towers and boxes, so tracing you would not be as easy as just knowing your phone number.

Even with the SIM card removed, you are able to dial 9-11 still, showing that a connection can still be made, but it needs to be prompted from the phone, and can't be prompted by an outsider device

The authorities could, and usually do, have tricks up their sleeves though.

 

[Aragon]

i just reported you to the fbi

What did he do?

 

[Slacker]

What did he do?

he asked a critical question

 

[your pathologist]

I think it has to be off, with the SIM card and battery out.

I don't know if it's true or not but my father used to do SpecOps for the US military and they apparently were able to still track people unless their phones were separated from their batteries by more than 10ft.
Who knows

 

[MortDeVivre]

I don't know if it's true or not but my father used to do SpecOps for the US military and they apparently were able to still track people unless their phones were separated from their batteries by more than 10ft.
Who knows

Damn, I'll have to remember that.

 

[RacilyDank]

Yes. It doesn't have to be on or even have a SIM card installed. Unless it's a burner you paid for in cash, there will be some record of the owner.

However, the chances of the authorities tracing you for any reason is extremely slim. They'd have to have a reason to suspect you of something and they have bigger fish to fry.

 

[nasblue]

They can send a stealth SMS and locate your phone via the closest cell towers.

Yes. It doesn't have to be on or even have a SIM card installed. Unless it's a burner you paid for in cash, there will be some record of the owner.

However, the chances of the authorities tracing you for any reason is extremely slim. They'd have to have a reason to suspect you of something and they have bigger fish to fry.

How would they locate the phone though, assuming the SIM is out?

 

[RacilyDank]

They can send a stealth SMS and locate your phone via the closest cell towers.


How would they locate the phone though, assuming the SIM is out?

GPS. You don't need to have the SIM in for it to work.

It's not even necessary to triangulate your location via cell towers anymore. That's so ten years ago, assuming you have a smart phone.

Don't worry about being located by the authorities. They've got bigger things to spend their time on and don't care about one random suicidal person

 

[RacilyDank]

The only case in which they'd have any reason to track your location is if you were reported missing or as a suicide risk and even then they wouldn't necessarily use it (it takes a lot to justify and being missing isn't enough)

 

[bbq1]

Charge your phone to max, turn on silent, turn off vibrate.
Using duct tape wrap it to a powerful magnet.
Place up under the wheel arch of a parked bus, taxi, cop car.
Enjoy your freedom knowing their attemts to track your phone location is gonna blow their minds as it shows it's going round and round your town whilst you are actually 100 miles away.

https://www.first4magnets.com/rectangular-c35/50-x-25-x-10mm-thick-y30bh-ferrite-magnet-3-6kg-pull-p3531?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=50-x-25-x-10mm-thick-y30bh-ferrite-magnet-3-6kg-pull-pack-of-2-f502510f-2&utm_campaign=product+listing+ads&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI9vrglLqx3QIV7rztCh39DQ1IEAQYAiABEgLGrfD_BwE#ps_1-2377

 

[sky7]

Don't worry about being located by the authorities. They've got bigger things to spend their time on and don't care about one random suicidal person

Unless it's in a small town...then they'll pull out all stops. When I worked dispatch, I once spent 30 minutes on a call with a suicidal person until the police found them. We didn't have the smart tracking at the time, and eventually the caller gave us enough clues to find them, but don't underestimate the endeavors of bored, small-town police, lol

 

[RacilyDank]

Unless it's in a small town...then they'll pull out all stops. When I worked dispatch, I once spent 30 minutes on a call with a suicidal person until the police found them. We didn't have the smart tracking at the time, and eventually the caller gave us enough clues to find them, but don't underestimate the endeavors of bored, small-town police, lol

That's when the person in question calls the police. Which doesn't make sense to me. If you're truly suicidal you don't let anyone know so you can get the fuck on with it. Also, small town police don't have access to the technology that allows them to preemptively try to stop somebody

 

[2211264]

In Australia, yes they can track your phone. I know it is true. I knew a guy in the military went AWOL and they (presume the MP's) tracked his phone, to his room.
The only safe bet is to ditch the phone.

So if someone as low down as an MP can do it, then the pol will be able to easily.

 

[Made4TV]

I'm in the USA. State police have tracked my phone before to find me because my (ex-) therapist called them. It was on and operational at the time, though.