Are you always misplacing your keys or other items? Apple AirTags give you an easy way to locate your personal items. Just attach an AirTag to your purse, your pet or anything you want to be able to find, and you can easily locate it with an app for Apple or Android. Of course, there are unintended consequences. AirTags can also be used by thieves to track vehicles they want to steal or by stalkers to track people.
Police in Canada’s York Region announced that, “Since September 2021, officers have investigated five incidents where suspects have placed small tracking devices on high-end vehicles, so they can later locate and steal them. Brand name ‘air tags’ are placed in out-of-sight areas of the target vehicles when they are parked in public places like malls or parking lots. Thieves then track the targeted vehicles to the victim’s residence, where they are stolen from the driveway.” There have also been reports of AirTags being used to track people by placing them on their vehicles, in their purses or in their clothing.
Because AirTags are very small and easily hidden, a target may not know that they are being tracked. Here is what you need to know about protecting yourself from being tracked by someone using an AirTag. iPhone users have the ability to receive a notification that, “AirTag Found Moving with You”. The location of this AirTag can be seen by the owner.” Android users can receive these notifications if they install the Tracker Detect app.
What should you do if you receive a notification that an AirTag is tracking you? You may wish to start by locating the device. You can search likely hiding places and, for assistance in finding it, you can get the tag to play a sound. AirTags will also play a sound at random times when separated from the registered user, so that may alert you to the presence of the device.
If you have located the AirTag, you can remove the battery and disable the tag. Or, in order to disable the AirTag on an Apple device users should:
- Tap the message
- Tap Continue. If you need help to find the AirTag you can tap “Play Sound”
- Tap ‘Instructions to Disable,’ and then follow the onscreen steps.
Android users can follow a similar procedure using the Tracker Detect app.
In a statement, Apple said, “AirTag is designed with a set of proactive features to discourage unwanted tracking — a first in the industry — that both inform users if an unknown AirTag might be with them and deter bad actors from using an AirTag for nefarious purposes. If users ever feel their safety is at risk, they are encouraged to contact local law enforcement who can work with Apple to provide any available information about the unknown AirTag.”
