how easy is it to trace a prepaid cell phone?

by Whiskeygonebad

My friend bought a prepaid cell phone from wal-mart and she cannot remember if she used her social security number. Her ex bf is a creep and knows the higher ups in the police department and keeps using her social to find her so she chose to shy away from major cell carriers and went prepaid. Can he still find her? With out without a social security number?

I know she needs to handle it but Im saying in the mean time… how simple is it for the establishment to trace?

Answer by Shotgun Pete
prepaid cell phones are impossible to trace, un less the store videos you buying it, can get the serial number of it, and can then find your phone with that serial number on it. Ever wonder why terrorists and criminals use them? because they are so hard to trace.

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KDDI in Japan Design Collection 2009


Image by Antonia Halse
Text below from www.jidpo.or.jp/activity/milano2009/jd_kddi_en.html

[ SOUP ]
Design: Hironao Tsuboi

According to quantum theory, the term "universal soup" refers to an ultrahigh-temperature, high-density state in which all kinds of substances melted collectively at the time of Universe Creation, eliminating boundaries among space-times.

Buddhism has a corresponding thought, ku, which earnings a state in which every event in this world, with no settled substance, intertwines so closely with one another that it leads to boundless mutual dependency.

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As different to designs or styles extracted from all sorts of well loved features and elements of cell phones, we place our aesthetic value for cell phones on a state where a number of these features and elements have become richly concentrated into a "Soup", leaving no trace of their first forms.

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No mass production is scheduled.

Imagine you are in an unfamilar place, and a group of public are about to jump (fight) you. If you call 9-1-1 from your cell phone and then just place in back in your pocket, while it is still one, will police be able to locate your EXACT place?

Answer by Mikkfinn
really yes. Your cellphone sends out a ping to cell towers every 5 to 15 minutes. By this ping,you can be located by triangulation.

Answer by SWATorNOT
Like someone else answered, your phone can be “pinged” and triangulation is used to determine your place. But it’s not able to find your “exact” place. It will determine an area that you are in and will take some time to determine.
You are looking at a minimum of 20-30 minutes. And I’m guessing by then the fight would be over.

Also realize that in some areas, such as near the entire state of California dialling 911 from a cell phone sends your call to California Highway Make the rounds, not your community Police. And if your in California you know that getting a 911 operator from CHP takes a loooong time. Better to always know where you are and yell out for help. Or program the non-emergency dispatch phone number of your community PD into your cell phone. Call that number if you’re in an emergency situation.

Answer by Mr. Goodhi ©
Yes…

Answer by drb1256
The information that you’re getting is info that is available to the public. Your place within a few meters can be determined but it can take a small while and the accuracy can depend on your cell phone carrier and your phone. There is technology in this matter that would surprise you but the law enforcement agency has to go through the cell phone carrier and that takes a small while. 911 does not have the capability to determine your place. Your phone is constantly searching for a new tower with a better signal. That’s why if you’re in an area where you have poor coverage, your phone battery will not last long.

Answer by Bored Stiff
That’s how Law Enfarcement caught O J Simpson. Cell phones, computers and the like are less reliable than a simple post card!

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