Can You Trace a Phone Call Location? Shocking Truth!
Tracking phone locations has become a popular plot device in television crime shows, but is it really as easy as shows make it out to be? The truth is, that phone tracking is no longer a function of television imagination, or solely used by law enforcement.
Tracking a location via GPS technology has been around for a while, but since 2006, cell phones are actually required to have tracking technology installed – a part of measures implemented to aid emergency responders with finding 911 callers.
Here are some other things you should know about phone call tracking:
Can Phone Call Locations Be Traced?
Phone calls are actually pretty easy to track to a specific location these days, due in part to a ruling passed by the Federal Communications Commission in 2006. According to this ruling, cell phone provider networks are required to have some type of location tracking installed.
DID YOU KNOW?
Knowing where a person’s phone is located can reveal sensitive information, like when they go to the doctor or psychologist, what political activities they engage in, who they spend time with, and where they sleep at night.
The most common type of phone call tracking technology is the use of a GPS program, however, that’s not the only tracking technology available. Nowadays, there are several internet sites and apps that can be used to track the location of a phone call.
Intricacies and Procedures For Tracing Phone Call Locations:
How it works depends on what sort of device you’re using to place the call – Landline, cell phone, or a computer program like Skype.
Landline:
Landlines don’t necessarily have tracking technology, but they don’t need it.
To track a call from a landline, all you need to do is contact the service provider and request information about the person the number is assigned to.
Of course, finding the provider can be a challenge in and of itself, as can convincing them to provide the information you want.
Cell Phone:
The most common method used in shows involves pinging cell phone towers to get a basic location, and then triangulating a more precise destination.
However, there are several programs out there that can be used to track or reverse-track a cell phone. Programs like BeenVerified, Whitepages Reverse Lookup, and Family Orbit are just a few of the apps and programs that can be used for cell phone tracking.
It is also possible, in certain circumstances, to request GPS tracking programs to be turned on remotely by the provider
Computer Calling Program:
These can be tracked over the internet, provided you have the right expertise to do so. However, they’re also usually linked to a regular cell phone number, which can be tracked with the methods mentioned above.
Legal Implications of Phone Call Tracking:
The biggest issue in regards to phone call tracking is privacy. There are several ethical implications to consider when tracking a phone call.
Essentially, it’s an invasion of privacy, no matter how good the reasons or intentions behind it are. There are circumstances, such as emergencies, where the benefits outweigh the concerns, but not always.
For this reason, both federal and state laws require specific consent from involved parties to engage in phone call tracking.
Some Myths You Need to Disregard Concerning Phone Call Tracking:
Not everything you might see or read on phone call tracking is accurate. Here are a few things you can breathe a little easier on:
- Tracking isn’t quick and easy – a missed call won’t let people track your phone, and most tracking requires a minute or so to complete.
- It’s not an exact location – even with GPS technology, pinpoint accuracy isn’t guaranteed. It’s more likely that tracking technology will give a basic idea of where the call comes from, but not necessarily exactly where the caller is.
- Tracking is fairly cheap – In the beginning, phone call tracking was highly restricted and somewhat expensive. Now though, there are plenty of apps that permit tracking for little or no cost.
Protecting Your Privacy During Calls:
If phone call tracking is easy, how can it be prevented?
The simplest method is to alter the permissions on your phone to block tracking in apps, or the phone in general. This can be done from your Settings menu, under the Permissions section.
Another method is to set up a VPN (Virtual Private Network), which will act as a barrier between your phone and others to protect your privacy. Also, be sure to set your network preferences to ‘Private’, and install antiviral software to prevent trackers and malware from being installed on your phone.
Final Thoughts:
These days, it’s easy to track a person by a phone call location – almost unnervingly so. However, with a little bit of caution, it’s also possible to block tracking, so you can maintain your privacy, wherever you are.
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