‘Scary’: How to spot hidden GPS trackers

CHARLOTTE — At Spy Tech Surveillance in Belmont, Skip Graham doesn’t sell GPS trackers, but he does sell the equipment to find them.

“It is scary, and it’s done more than you think,” he told Channel 9’s Erika Jackson.

According to the CDC, one in five women report having been stalked. Among men, it’s one in 10.

A growing number of stalking cases involve technology such as GPS trackers, but these devices go beyond just cell phones and air tags.

A common tactic used by bad actors involves attaching magnetic trackers to the outside of a car. Graham says these devices may be easy to miss if you don’t know what you’re looking for, but a good place to start is underneath your car.

If you’re worried a tracking device could be inside your car, Graham recommends checking under the steering wheel. Many trackers are designed to be discreet, to look like a phone charger or USB.

“Everywhere this vehicle goes, and you have the right app, then you’re gonna go within real time, within three seconds, where that vehicle is,” Graham said.

Sgt. Patrick Dixson with the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office said most tracking takes place through a phone app. He recommends checking your phone’s pre-installed tracker app first to see if you’re sharing your location with the wrong person. Then, check all of your apps to see if it uses a third-party tracker.

“There are, quite frankly, apps on your phone that you can download to see what might be putting out a Wi-Fi connection or a Bluetooth connection,” Dixson said.

Some of the most common tools to help find hidden trackers on your device include apps like Tracker Detect and Air Guard.

For a fresh start, Dixson says you can factory reset your phone. He also always recommends telling someone if you think you’re being followed.

“Tell a loved one, and then if you have concerns about your safety, 911 is always there,” he said.

When all else fails, Graham wants you to follow your instinct.

In North Carolina, it’s illegal to install a tracking device to follow someone without their consent. A bill currently going through the South Carolina legislature would make it illegal to track anyone’s vehicle without their knowledge.

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