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I have read there are programs for getting a stolen phone to send you a secret text with coordinates.
I would like to know if it is possible track a handset from a pc through software.
(i don't know much about gps but im guessing each one has its own address or id of some sort)
also I would like to know if this is possible when the handset is off?
There is commercial Sprite Terminator which has GPS coordinates message option built in. However I do not know whether it can satisfy all your needs. You can check it here.
a GPS is a passive device. It means that the satellites don't read informations from the GPS device, it's the contrary.
So in my opinion there is no way to "track" the GPS chip if there isn't a started program to do that on the phone.
However, tracking a cellular should be possible if you have "access" to the GSM antenae informations.
There is a program I use thats aimed towards devices with built-in GPS like my X7500 but can also work with bluetooth GPS but obviously they both need to be together and connected.One is what im using is MobileJustice http://sourceforge.net/projects/mjustice ,this one is free .The other one which is about the same but has a few extra features is w.i.m.p http://www.wimp-software.co.uk/ , this one is a commercial product.With both you set a password that you can send to your lost/stolen phone in a special format then silently one of those programs picks it up (txt msg doesnt even show) then it fires up GPS to get the phones position then sends it back to msg sender.Also with both if the sim card is changed it sends a txt msg to a number you configure to send it to in the program with the new number and sim id i believe.I recommend MJustice even tho it takes a bit of configuration, but also you can cook it in a rom in case anyone figures out how to hard reset it will be already installed with the config you cook it with.I can tell you MJustice saved me from a stroke when i lost my phone, i used my friends phone at work to send that special txt to my phone got the coordinates a few min later then used a gps to find it.
as stated one can never get gps to send any info to anything
so if it should send anything to anywhere it would be using
gsm/umts or the likes to send it's gps pos to somewhere
and if one reports ones phone stolen all gsm/umts stops working
to saves ones bill
cheers all. think i'll give Mjustice a look.
There's one I tried, and it works great: vito findme. Give it a try.
http://www.vitotechnology.com/en/products/findme.html
CDMA phone tracking
D1ab70 said:
There is a program I use thats aimed towards devices with built-in GPS like my X7500 but can also work with bluetooth GPS but obviously they both need to be together and connected.One is what im using is MobileJustice sourceforge.net/projects/mjustice,this one is free .The other one which is about the same but has a few extra features is w.i.m.p wimp-software.co.uk , this one is a commercial product.With both you set a password that you can send to your lost/stolen phone in a special format then silently one of those programs picks it up (txt msg doesnt even show) then it fires up GPS to get the phones position then sends it back to msg sender.Also with both if the sim card is changed it sends a txt msg to a number you configure to send it to in the program with the new number and sim id i believe.I recommend MJustice even tho it takes a bit of configuration, but also you can cook it in a rom in case anyone figures out how to hard reset it will be already installed with the config you cook it with.I can tell you MJustice saved me from a stroke when i lost my phone, i used my friends phone at work to send that special txt to my phone got the coordinates a few min later then used a gps to find it.
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Hi D1ab70, I have a cdma phone. Do you know any software works for this. The phone is Samsung Rant. I lost it and I want to use a software similar to the one mentioned above to track the phone.
TIA,
usually, you need to install the software BEFORE you lose it.
then you send a specially worked txt to your phone and it sends you its GPS co-ordinates back.
if you could do it without installing software first it would be a massive privacy issue because i could track you or anyone else
I lost it already and don't have any control of it. I want to make some effort to locate it before I terminate my services. Thanks for your reply d-signet.
dial 911 and tell them that you lost your phone and they will call your phone and if somebody picks it up they will know the exact location where your phone is..personally i know somebody that works for the sheriff..it is just a matter of having connections..good luck.
hello00 said:
dial 911 and tell them that you lost your phone and they will call your phone and if somebody picks it up they will know the exact location where your phone is..personally i know somebody that works for the sheriff..it is just a matter of having connections..good luck.
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I did talk to them and they will track it once I file a report. The problem is I can not file any report for a few more days due to some other reason.
Sprint's feature of family: locatr also gives the info, if activated. Again, Sprint will need the confirmation from the phone needs to be tracked, which doesn't help the situation here.
I wish there would be some other way,
Thanks for all the replies.
Hey there guys. Just wanted to share my experience with using wave secure on the desire.
After a friend was mugged and had his desire stolen from him it got me onto thinking about protection from having someone use my phone and loosing my photos etc and also trying to recover the stolen handset.
My search lead me to wave secure. A multi platform protection software.
It consists of two apps on the phone (the main app and then an app to prevent un-installing the main app).
It allows locking down the phone if a different sim is used in the handset and online tracking of the phone even with a different sim card inserted.
You can also issue commands to remotely wipe the device.
It so far seems pretty good and has caused no slow down of the handset as it does very little in the background.
There is a 7 day trial and then if you want to sign up input "goal" as a code to recieve a discount which works out at £10 a year ($14.99) which I think is pretty cheap!
Search in the market for it and give it a go!
Phil
the only issue i could see with this is the international text rates. Your phone under certain situations will text the server which is currently not based in europe. Apparantly there are plans to add a server in the UK at some point.
Also, if the phone locks, and the thief knows something about the phone, a hardreset will remove the protection. The only way around this is to root the phone and install as a system application.
ardsar said:
the only issue i could see with this is the international text rates. Your phone under certain situations will text the server which is currently not based in europe. Apparantly there are plans to add a server in the UK at some point.
Also, if the phone locks, and the thief knows something about the phone, a hardreset will remove the protection. The only way around this is to root the phone and install as a system application.
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But that again after a hardreset your data will be wiped and that way it will be more secure then not having the program
I use it for the data wipe function , it boring to lose your phone. But its even worse to have them looking at your Privat mail / work mail / phone numbers and so on.
And if they do a data wipe then its good enough for me
Giland said:
But that again after a hardreset your data will be wiped and that way it will be more secure then not having the program
I use it for the data wipe function , it boring to lose your phone. But its even worse to have them looking at your Privat mail / work mail / phone numbers and so on.
And if they do a data wipe then its good enough for me
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fair comment.
you don't get charged for international texts. I have had no such charges on my account so it must use a uk based server of some kind.
And I know that a hard reset will wipe it but as you so then so be it but in the event that someone finds it i know I can text my number first and request the program to locate the phone for me or lock it/wipe it etc. And even if they take the sim out and put their own in i can do the same so have a greater chance of either catching the theiving scum or getting it back etc.
Phil
My friend lost his HTC-Wildfire ( India, Bangalore).
There was no tracker enabled, is it possible to request HTC to block the device based on IMEI number? I read somewhere, it is not yet possible in India ( the blog-post was about a year old).
Any other suggestions?
HTC will not do it. Your mobile operator will do it, but, it needs a FIR from your local police station, and, as expected, it is a process full of hassle, unless you have 'contacts'.
And I heard, mobile operator keep asking to go back to device manufacturer. ( we work at SIM level, and not device, unless it is locked).
Then perhaps I should let the 'finder' enjoy his luck for now.
As I said, its a hassle filled process. From what I read and heard, it is the mobile operator who should do it, because, all of them have access to a global database of stolen phones. All they need to do is simply add your IMEI to this global list, and it is locked for use with any sim - any network. Obviously, its a process filled with legal red tape, which is why they are uncooperative.
I think when we are using android market, Google will be having our imei/serial number. Don't know if that helps to track the phone ( maybe not ). But I think everyone with android phone must be using market.
And if the person who got the phone wants to use wildfire without a sim or any other internet networks, then u can do really really nothing. All we should do is to protect our phone from being lost.
You could also try Plan B,if it works in your country.It`s an app that installs itself when the device connects to the market and then sends you the location of the phone.
Hope it will work for you^^
Haska said:
You could also try Plan B,if it works in your country.It`s an app that installs itself when the device connects to the market and then sends you the location of the phone.
Hope it will work for you^^
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That was the first thing I did, but I think I was late by hours. By that time the device was offline.
ALso, there was a 'pattern' based unlock password. So, if the person goes about reflashing the ROM (himself, or whoever he sells to).. then that wont work.
Haska said:
You could also try Plan B,if it works in your country.It`s an app that installs itself when the device connects to the market and then sends you the location of the phone.
Hope it will work for you^^
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It's already lost unfortunately.
Besides, atleast as far as I know, mobile thieves are today much more intelligent. They will first flash and format your phone before even attempting to use it (They switch off your phone immediately after picking it - happened to me once). Also, another aspect is that it is hardly ever the thief who will use it. He will sell it at first opportunity.
^@3xeno
Exactly.
I had no hope from planB, but I still did it - just in case.
Even if it works, the accuracy of location would be very important.
I can be evil and go all-out to get IMEI blocked. But just thinking whether its worth the hassle ( its more of a revenge), as they say, it wont help to get the device back.
Or should I let the 'receiver' enjoy his luck.
As i can remember there is a app in the market called 'plan B' which helps to track your phone even after it is lost. Log in to the market with your pc and search for it.
Sent from my HTC Wildfire using XDA Premium App
shiranmotha said:
As i can remember there is a app in the market called 'plan B' which helps to track your phone even after it is lost. Log in to the market with your pc and search for it.
Sent from my HTC Wildfire using XDA Premium App
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Of course he can install "Plan B" remotely in his device from PC android market without any confirmational messages (but provided only if his gmail account is still associated with his phone. This happens only if his sim card was unchanged and i dont think that is the case).
It would be nice if google gives some more security to keep the gmail account attached to the phone.
bharatgaddameedi said:
It would be nice if google gives some more security to keep the gmail account attached to the phone.
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I had that feeling almost two months afther buying it: you can simply pull out the sim card of the device and start it up, resulting in having access to the persons mails and contacts. You can even send mails if you enable wifi.
Solution for that: the pattern unlock. Most of the time annoying, but thiefs will have to hard reset the phone to get past it, loosing all the contact with my mail and google contacts.
EDIT: or at least I hope so, never really tried to see if there was a way to get past the unlock code (accept when you get called, but I really hope that the thief is not someone who has my number )
ErwinP said:
I had that feeling almost two months afther buying it: you can simply pull out the sim card of the device and start it up, resulting in having access to the persons mails and contacts. You can even send mails if you enable wifi.
Solution for that: the pattern unlock. Most of the time annoying, but thiefs will have to hard reset the phone to get past it, loosing all the contact with my mail and google contacts.
EDIT: or at least I hope so, never really tried to see if there was a way to get past the unlock code (accept when you get called, but I really hope that the thief is not someone who has my number )
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A typical thief wont be able to get past 'pattern-unlock'. However, in hands of a hacker, with adb - everything is possible with sufficient time and motivation.
Typical thief would either sell it, or try to use it using different sim ( your best hope for any post-theft-tracking possibility).
Irony is that, pattern lock saves you from un-educated 'thief' misusing your data. But, on the other hand it motivates them to reflash the ROM, thus eliminating any chance of u tracking it.
In hands of even bigger experts, even IMEI-lock wont stay for long. I am sure there are people who know how to spoof IMEI. But I would imagine that is very small community.
Yes it all depends on the person that finds/steals the phone but better to try and fail than not try at all.And yes the Plan B requirement is that the person that has your phone uses your gmail account login on the market.With pattern lock the one that finds it would have to flash it as akshayxyz said so it all depends on the settings/luck or whatever ,but still there is no harm in trying.
After all what are the chances that someone with knowledge about these things finds your lost phone,and if that was the case then your friend has really bad luck.
I lost my phone and i used it just in case,I even kept the same password in the hope that one would log in with it.It didn`t help me since as i found out later my lcd cracked when it fell out of my pocket ,but after i got it back(the person that found it came into the store i work at and asked how much would the replacement cost) and loged in the market the app installed itself,so try it.
No harm done and its just a few clicks on the net^^.
My new Galaxy S2 was stolen on a busride from Sweden to Norway 11.08.2011.
The phone is reported stolen, and three.se has locked it and the simcard.
I'm just wondering if there is any help on recovering the phone.
I had it turned off while I was on the bus due to low battery...so...Is this a lost cause?
www.samsungdive.com
OR
you could call your carrier and ask them to track it if possible.
Best of Luck.
Regards.
If you registered a samsung account use samsung dive. If not get the seriel number off your box and register. It will allow remote tracking and wipe
Sent from my GT-I9100 using XDA App
I was just reading about the Plan B app by Lookout Mobile Security, which can be remotely installed from the Android market if someone switches on the phone and will allow GPS tracking. (You'll have to search for it as the forum won't let me post the link)
Alternatively, if you've previously activated it, you may be able to track it via www(dot)samsungdive(dot)com
[edit] Bit slow in my posting apparently
None of those methods will work if the person has already done a wipe. Your phone is gone forever. Sorry.
Sent from my GT-I9100M using XDA App
Well, my phone was off, and EMEI is unique to the cellphone, so let's see where we end up.
Phone has been reported stolen to the police, TSP and insurance is beeing done now...
Thnx for all you help guys
The building is my condo which I am referring to which currently has swipe access. All condo owners have the "tab" which we currently pass over the little box (please excuse my technical jargon ) to open the door.
I was hoping my nfc phone could copy/mimic/be sent to the same "frequency" as the tab to open the door thus eliminating the need to carry the tab on my key chain.
is there any way my phone can learn the signal?
Man I can't help you with that, but it seems like a cool idea though. good luck
http://hackaday.com/2011/09/30/passive-rfid-tag-cloning/
I believe there are certain door locks that can be opened via bluetooth, so I'd think it's not out of the question
It really depends on the type of technology used in your condo. I checked with one of my friends condo tags and my phone wouldn't recognize it. The phone could read stuff like subway cards and my XPERIA's SmartTags and you can copy all* data from those onto the phone itself.
Moved to Q&A
Please post in the correct section next time
Sent from my Nocturnalized One XL using Forum Runner
Matt1408 said:
It really depends on the type of technology used in your condo. I checked with one of my friends condo tags and my phone wouldn't recognize it. The phone could read stuff like subway cards and my XPERIA's SmartTags and you can copy all* data from those onto the phone itself.
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could you tell me which app you used for copying the data????
While cool in theory, I would hate for something like that to actually work. The whole point of a system like that is that nobody can copy them, otherwise you could have people who have no business having access to your building able to come and go. Former residents, friends of residents, strangers who happened to see someone's key laying out and quickly copied it with their phone, etc.
For this to work the system would first of all have to be compatible with standard ISO/IEC 14443.
Secondly: modern NFC phones do not support card emulation in the way a "normal" reader would be able to read. You would have to have operator support and special SIM card to be able to clone the card as you intended.
I am afraid that there is no easy solution how to make a normal access control system support NFC mobile phones.