Question Location bug - grindr

[lepo1235]

Hi,
Sorry in advance for a lengthy description of my issue.. When my girlfriend came home yesterday she asked me why the hell i have Grindr on my OnePlus nord 2 and shows me the app on her phone and there is a notification which says "closest chat 1m away" when we are sitting next to each other. I replied that i've never had grindr and that I would have no use for the app since i am straight. She doesn't believe me so I walk away with my phone so we can check if distance changes and sure it does. When I am 20m away it says 20m away etc. When I disconnect location services on phone, the "chat 1m away" dissapears, so its quite clear its tracking to my phone. So, somehow grindr is locating my phone and its showing up in the app. It's just that i dont have an account. There is no profile to see, so my girlfriend is basing this on the location/tracking to my phone.

I've contacted google and grindr. Google says I've not downloaded the app and that there is no history with the app on my google account. Grindr says no profile is connected to my email or my phone number. She just says i can have a billion other mail adresses, which I dont have. There is only one gmail account logged in on the phone, and that account is confirmed by google support not to have a history with grindr.
But still its tracking to my phone. We live somehow remotely, so I am the only other person close by, within around 50 m. I moved to another city to move together with her, started a new career and am doing everything i can. She broke up with me today because of this. She has complex ptsd and with me earlier in our relationship not being honest, it's obvious that she thinks I have an account or have had an account. For me, im just devastated. I REALLY need help to prove I have nothing to do with Grindr. Please help me out with ideas, I'm devastated over this.

Best Regards,

Leo

 

[Bla1ze]

Please help me out with ideas, I'm devastated over this.

Is your Bluetooth enabled? It could be acting as a Bluetooth beacon and the Grindr app is locating people close by that way. Also, I'm trying to be delicate here because as you stated your GF has complex PTSD, but you've already gone through quite a bit to prove / convince her that you don't have an account. If she's having issues accepting it even with all you've done already, I doubt she's going to accept any other answer.

 

[lepo1235]

Is your Bluetooth enabled? It could be acting as a Bluetooth beacon.

Yes it's enabled, could you explain what you mean?

 

[Bla1ze]

Yes it's enabled, could you explain what you mean?

The short explanation is: Bluetooth can run in the background and other alert other bluetooth devices around you that that you are nearby. A lot of stores / apps use this to target you. For example: If you're out shopping at I dunno say Starbucks, they can find your Bluetooth signal and send you a notification with a discount because they know you're nearby. I'm not saying Grindr is definitely doing that, but I'm saying it is possible.

The longer explanation: https://www.pointr.tech/blog/beacons-everything-you-need-to-know

One way to test would be to disable your BT and see if the app still locates a user nearby.

 

[lepo1235]

Is your Bluetooth enabled? It could be acting as a Bluetooth beacon and the Grindr app is locating people close by that way. Also, I'm trying to be delicate here because as you stated your GF has complex PTSD, but you've already gone through quite a bit to prove / convince her that you don't have an account. If she's having issues accepting it even with all you've done already, I doubt she's going to accept any other answer.

I really appreciate you being delicate. I completely understand why she thinks it's obviously me, due to history and mentioned circumstances.

The Bluetooth thing seems like it could be the reason. I can't check until tomorrow though. We are sleeping in separate rooms and away from each other daytime tomorrow. Can it be like that with Bluetooth?

 

[lepo1235]

The short explanation is: Bluetooth can run in the background and other alert other bluetooth devices around you that that you are nearby. A lot of stores / apps use this to target you. For example: If you're out shopping at I dunno say Starbucks, they can find your Bluetooth signal and send you a notification with a discount because they know you're nearby. I'm not saying Grindr is definitely doing that, but I'm saying it is possible.

The longer explanation: https://www.pointr.tech/blog/beacons-everything-you-need-to-know

Okay, that is very helpful from you. You might have helped restore this, for that i will be ever grateful, if I can prove it. You are a hero nevertheless.

 

[Bla1ze]

Okay, that is very helpful from you. You might have helped restore this, for that i will be ever grateful, if I can prove it. You are a hero nevertheless.

Good luck, I hope you two are able to sort it out.

 

[lepo1235]

If anyone else have any ideas how i can prove not having an account i would be overjoyed. Cannot try the Bluetooth idea until tomorrow.

 

[lepo1235]

If anyone else have any ideas how i can prove not having an account i would be overjoyed. Cannot try the Bluetooth idea until tomorrow.

Turning Bluetooth off sadly didn't change anything. When I turn location services off, i disappear as 1m away, which is also an indicator that its somehow connected to my phone, without me having pr ever having the app/account there.

Need more help if anyone have any ideas.

 

[fuzzylumpkin]

My question would have been why SHE has grindr installed. Kinda weird, bro...

 

[Bla1ze]

My question would have been why SHE has grindr installed. Kinda weird, bro...

I don't want to put words on OP's mouth, but it's not weird. As noted their partner has complex PTSD, and because of that, they're likely looking for reasons to validate their concerns and installing Grindr was one way for them to do that. One can infer that perhaps, in the past they had another partner not the OP, who was less than truthful about their usage of Grindr.

 

[lepo1235]

I don't want to put words on OP's mouth, but it's not weird. As noted their partner has complex PTSD, and because of that, they're likely looking for reasons to validate their concerns and installing Grindr was one way for them to do that. One can infer that perhaps, in the past they had another partner not the OP, who was less than truthful about their usage of Grindr.

Yeah this is exactly it. Broken trust and PTSD is not to be taken lightly. We have tried to figure out what this is caused by, and cannot find any explanation. My guess is that this 1m away is a geolocator yes, but that it doesnt verify more than there being something there responding to grindr tracking gps signals..
Seems impossible to solve this. Thanks Bla1ze for trying.