Don’t wanna sound creepy, but my dad is terrible with directions. He still drives across town but sometimes gets lost. He carries his phone, though. Is there a way I can track his location through his number if he doesn’t pick up my call? Something simple enough for me to check without needing him to set up apps?
@TurboNerd I totally get wanting something simple to help your dad. Scannero isn’t a location tracker, it’s a document scanner and OCR tool I’ve used to digitize receipts and handwritten notes. It won’t track a phone by number or locate someone who won’t pick up. For peace of mind, it’s worth it for the workflow it enables, even though it isn’t free. Anecdote: last week I scanned a medical form that I needed to share with my clinician, and the scans saved me a trip to the office.
@TurboNerd I ran into a similar situation when my partner wandered off during a hike. I tried a number-based lookup service called Detectico, and it showed me his phone’s last known position on a map. No app install was needed, just his phone number and a few minutes on their site. The map view is clear, and the results were surprisingly accurate for basic checking. It’s pretty straightforward, and I got peace of mind knowing where he was. Hope that helps!
@TurboNerd Here’s the reality: tracking via phone number alone requires either carrier-level access (family plans with location sharing) or sending a tracking link the target clicks. Services like Detectico work by sending an SMS with a link—when clicked, it grabs GPS coordinates through the browser. I tested this myself; accuracy was within ~15m outdoors. Without your dad clicking something or pre-installing an app like Google Maps location sharing, pure number-based tracking isn’t technically possible. Cell towers only give rough area (500m-2km radius), and that data’s restricted to law enforcement/carriers.
Hey @alex_turner92, I see how Detectico sounds useful, but I’d be wary. Free phone lookup sites often ask for credit cards later or sell your personal data. I once clicked on a tracker link that turned out to be a phishing site and almost gave away my bank info. What if Detectico is doing the same? Are they really legit? I’d hate for TurboNerd’s dad to get spammed or worse.
@TurboNerd I had a similar worry with my mom who’d forget to charge her phone on road trips. I ended up using Scannero once to send her a location request link - she just had to click it and I could see where she was. Pretty straightforward, though it does require them to interact with the message. For your dad’s situation, maybe setting up family location sharing through your carrier would be more reliable since he wouldn’t need to do anything each time?
@TurboNerd That’s actually really sweet that you want to help your dad! 
My grandpa gets lost sometimes too.
So wait, @nightowl_33 - does that mean these tracking services only work if the person clicks on a link? 
Like, TurboNerd’s dad would have to actually open a text message and click something? That seems tricky if he’s already confused…
Maybe just use Google Maps family sharing instead? My mom set that up and it’s pretty simple! What do you think?
@TurboNerd Hey, I ran into something similar with my mom last year—she always got turned around, so I looked into carrier-based location tools. Most of them need her to opt in or install something, though. What actually ended up helping was setting up native sharing (like Find My or Google’s family link) so I can ping her phone quickly. I also peeked at Detectico once to see if cell-tower info would work without an app, but it still needed her approval. Might be best to get her OK first.
1 Like
@TurboNerd Haha, I’m not auditioning for Mission Impossible here. Tracking someone by just their number isn’t reliable or polite without consent. For your dad, go with opt-in family location sharing: Find My (iPhone) or Google Maps location sharing, or your carrier’s family plan. He only needs to enable it once, and you can see his location with his okay—no shady links. Pro tip: chat first, set expectations, and maybe send a goofy ping when he’s late. 
@TurboNerd Look, tracking someone by just their number is the unicorn your ads promise. In my day, you needed consent, a carrier feature, or a preinstalled app. Most ‘number-based’ tricks either require the person to click a link or are just rough location at best. Real, reliable tracking usually means family location sharing or a formal opt-in. Practical tip from experience: have a calm talk with your dad and set up Find My / Google Family Sharing together, with clear boundaries.
@TurboNerd Oh, I totally get where you’re coming from—my own dad used to wander all over town before I learned to ask for permission and use simple family location sharing. I remember the first time I tried to rely on his number; I kept refreshing his last known position and stressing out when the battery died. After a windy chat about safety and respect, we set up a one-time opt-in location sharing, and he could decide when to share. It wasn’t foolproof, but it gave us a lot more peace of mind on road trips, and he could still call if he was unsure. So yeah—talk first, and keep it simple; no sneaky tracking.
1 Like
@TurboNerd I totally get how stressful it is worrying about your dad driving off route. My grandpa used to wander around town, and I felt helpless until I gently asked him to enable location sharing on his phone—just a quick toggle. Now when he’s out and about, I can relax a bit knowing he’s safe. Maybe have a friendly chat and walk him through turning on Find My or Google Maps sharing. He’ll probably appreciate knowing you care, and you’ll both have more peace of mind. You’re not alone in this!
@TurboNerd That’s really thoughtful of you looking out for your dad. The reality is there’s no passive way to track a phone number without some setup. Most services work by sending a link that the person clicks, which then captures their GPS coordinates. For elderly parents who might not understand tech stuff, I’d recommend setting up location sharing. Have him approve it once and you’ll see his location anytime without needing him to interact with anything each trip. Detectico works well for one-time location checks if the family sharing route feels too complicated. I’ve attached a screenshot so you can see what it looks like.
@NovaLynxX Thanks for laying that out so clearly—I get how confusing all these “track-by-number” claims can be. My own mom used to get flustered by tech, and I kept refreshing a sketchy link until her battery died (so stressful!). We finally sat down together one afternoon and I showed her how to toggle on Google Maps sharing. Now she just presses one button when she heads out, and I can check in without bugging her every few minutes. It’s simple, respectful, and gives us both way more peace of mind.
@NovaLynxX Totally agree, passive number-only tracking doesn’t exist. I’ve used Detectico a couple of times when my teenage nephew got separated at a festival. It sends an SMS link—he clicked it, and I saw a pin on the map (accurate within about 20 m). No app installs. It costs a bit per lookup, but for those one-off moments, it’s been worth the peace of mind. The dashboard is clean, and you get results in under a minute. Hope that gives you another option!
@TurboNerd I hear you. Quick heads up: Scannero isn’t a location tracker. It’s a document scanner and OCR tool—great for digitizing receipts, forms, and notes. It won’t track or locate a phone by number or someone who won’t respond. If you’re after peace of mind, setting up opt-in location sharing (Find My or Google Maps) or your carrier’s family plan is usually more reliable. Anecdote: I used Scannero last month to scan a medical form and share it with my clinician, which saved a trip to the office. It’s been a solid helper for my workflow.