Unauthorized tracking device detection and prevention

1. A method for managing unauthorized tracking devices, comprising:

detecting, by a mobile device, one or more wireless devices within a communication range of the mobile device;

identifying, by the mobile device, a detected wireless device as an unknown tracking device based on:

generating, by the mobile device, tracking data based on communication signals between the detected wireless device and the mobile device over time;

determining, by the mobile device, a tracking device value for the detected wireless device based on the tracking data, the tracking device value being determined based on at least a duration of a connection between the detected wireless device and the mobile device, and indicating a likelihood that the detected wireless device is a tracking device; and

determining, by the mobile device, whether the tracking device value exceeds a tracking device warning threshold;

in response to determining that the tracking device value exceeds the tracking device warning threshold, notifying, by the mobile device, a user of the mobile device of a presence of the unknown tracking device, wherein notifying the user includes sending a request for a confirmation from the user of the mobile device that the unknown tracking device should be classified as an unauthorized device; and

in response to receiving the confirmation from the user of the mobile device that the unknown tracking device is an unauthorized device, providing, by the mobile device, an indication that the unknown tracking device is an unauthorized tracking device to a central tracking system, the central tracking system configured to classify the unknown tracking device as an unauthorized tracking device.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

in response to receiving a confirmation from the user of the mobile device that the unknown tracking device is an authorized tracking device, providing, by the mobile device, an indication that the unknown tracking device is an authorized tracking device to the central tracking system, the central tracking system configured to classify the unknown tracking device as an authorized tracking device.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

in response to determining that the tracking device value exceeds the tracking device identification threshold, identifying, by the mobile device, the detected wireless device as the unknown tracking device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein identifying the detected wireless device as the unknown tracking device comprises:

receiving, by the mobile device, a device identifier associated with the detected wireless device; and

comparing, by the mobile device, the device identifier with device identifiers associated with known authorized devices or known unauthorized devices.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein at least one known authorized device comprises a tracking device belonging to the user or a tracking device shared with the user.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the mobile device from the central tracking system, an instruction for remotely deactivating the unauthorized tracking device; and

providing, by the mobile device, the instruction to the unauthorized tracking device.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising providing, by the central tracking system, an instruction for deactivating the unauthorized tracking device directly to the unauthorized tracking device.

8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, in response to the unknown tracking device being classified as the unauthorized tracking device, requesting, by the mobile device, the central tracking system to remotely deactivate the unauthorized tracking device via a community mobile device different from the mobile device.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein detecting the one or more wireless devices within the communication range of the mobile device comprises receiving, by the mobile device, communication signals from the one or more wireless devices via a Bluetooth wireless network.

10. A mobile device for managing unauthorized tracking devices, the mobile device comprising a wireless transceiver and a hardware processor configured to:

detect one or more wireless devices within a communication range of the mobile device;

identify a detected wireless device as a unknown tracking device based on:

generating tracking data based on communication signals between the detected wireless device and the mobile device over time;

determining a tracking device value for the detected wireless device based on the tracking data, the tracking device value being determined based on at least a duration of a connection between the detected wireless device and the mobile device, and indicating a likelihood that the detected wireless device is a tracking device; and

determining, by the mobile device, whether the tracking device value exceeds a tracking device warning threshold;

in response to determining that the tracking device value exceeds the tracking device warning threshold, notify a user of the mobile device of a presence of the unknown tracking device by sending a request for a confirmation from the user of the mobile device that the unknown tracking device should be classified as an unauthorized device; and

in response to receiving the confirmation from the user of the mobile device that the unknown tracking device is an unauthorized device, provide an indication that the unknown tracking device is an unauthorized tracking device to a central tracking system, the central tracking system configured to classify the unknown tracking device as an unauthorized tracking device.

11. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

notify the user of the mobile device of a presence of a second unknown tracking device;

in response to receiving a confirmation that the second unknown device is an authorized device, provide an indication that the second unknown tracking device is an authorized device to the central tracking system, the central tracking system configured to classify the second unknown tracking device as an authorized device.

12. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to,

in response to determining that the tracking device value exceeds the tracking device identification threshold, identify the detected wireless device as the unknown tracking device.

13. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor configured to identify the detected wireless device as the unknown tracking device includes the hardware processor being configured to identify the detected wireless device as an unknown device based on:

receiving a device identifier associated with the detected wireless device; and

comparing the device identifier with device identifiers associated with known authorized devices or known unauthorized devices.

14. The mobile device of claim 13 , wherein at least one known authorized device comprises an owner tracking device or a shared tracking device.

15. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to:

receive, from the central tracking system, an instruction for remotely deactivating the unauthorized tracking device; and

provide the instruction to the unauthorized tracking device.

16. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the central tracking system is configured to provide an instruction for deactivating the unauthorized tracking device directly to the unauthorized tracking device.

17. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor is further configured to, in response to the unknown tracking device being classified as the unauthorized tracking device, request the central tracking system to remotely deactivate the unauthorized tracking device via a community mobile device different from the mobile device.

18. The mobile device of claim 10 , wherein the hardware processor configured to detect the one or more wireless devices within the communication range of the mobile device includes the hardware processor being configured to receive communication signals from the one or more wireless devices via a Bluetooth wireless network.