Understand the Hidden Dangers Behind Location-Tracking Technology : Scambusters #1,196
Apple AirTags are small devices that help you find your keys. However, people can misuse them to track others instead of belongings. As cases of AirTag misuse increase, it’s crucial to know how to detect and prevent these risks to your safety and privacy.
When Smart Tech Turns Sneaky: Avoiding AirTag Scams and Stalking
Apple AirTags are small, coin-sized devices that help you find your personal items, like keys or luggage. However, they can also be misused by criminals for stalking, theft, and scams. This puts your safety and financial information at risk. In this article, you will learn how AirTags work, how scammers misuse them, and what steps you can take to protect yourself.
How Do AirTags Work?
AirTags are easy-to-use tracking devices that work with Apple’s Find My network. This network includes hundreds of millions of iPhones, iPads, and Macs around the world.
Here’s a breakdown of the process:
- An AirTag sends out a secure Bluetooth signal.
- Any nearby device within the Find My network can detect this signal.
- The location of the AirTag is then sent to iCloud.
- You can then see the AirTag's location on a map in the Find My app.
This process keeps everyone’s information private and secure. The AirTag does not save location data or history, and the devices that send its location remain anonymous.
Why Do People Use AirTags?
An AirTag helps people find lost items. It is small, light, and has a battery that lasts about a year. People attach AirTags to different personal belongings to reduce the worry of losing them.
Common items people track with AirTags include:
- Keys
- Wallets and purses
- Backpacks and luggage
- Laptops and tablets
- Cars and bicycles
- Pets (by attaching the AirTag to their collar)
People find tracking devices appealing because they are easy to use and affordable. They help keep track of valuable belongings.
How AirTags Are Used for Scams and Identity Theft
AirTags are small devices that help track items. However, their small size and discreet design can also let criminals misuse them. Scammers and identity thieves can take advantage of this technology in various ways.
The biggest danger is unwanted tracking. A criminal can secretly place an AirTag in your bag, coat pocket, or car. By tracking you, they can find out your daily routine, including where you live, work, and go often. They can use this information to plan burglaries, steal cars, or even physically harm you.
How Do Scammers Use AirTags?
Scammers can use the information they track to carry out more advanced scams. For example, if they know you are away from home, they might try to break in. They can also use this information for targeted phishing attacks. If they know you often visit a specific coffee shop, they could send you a fake email with a "special offer" from that shop. This email would be designed to trick you into sharing personal or financial information.
A scam can happen when someone creates a fake "lost item" situation. A scammer might leave an AirTag-equipped item, like a wallet, in a public place on purpose. When a kind person finds it and tries to return it, the scammer could use this chance to collect personal information or put the person in a risky situation.
Do Scammers Target a Particular Population?
Criminals often target people who seem to have valuable items or who look distracted. Tourists, people in busy public places, and those leaving expensive restaurants or tech stores are especially at risk. Scammers aim for financial gain, so they choose targets they believe will lead them to valuable belongings.
How to Know If You Are Being Tracked
Apple has added safety features to stop people from misusing AirTags. If you use an iPhone and an unknown AirTag is traveling with you, your phone will notify you with a message that says, "AirTag Found Moving With You."
Apple has released an app called Tracker Detect for Android users. This app lets you check for nearby AirTags that are away from their owner. You need to open the app and run a scan if you think you might be tracked, as this process is manual.
Additionally, an AirTag that has been separated from its owner for a period of time will start to play a sound to alert people to its presence.
What to Do If an AirTag Is Tracking You
If you believe you’re being tracked by an AirTag and possibly targeted in a scam, it’s important to take the situation seriously — both for your safety and your privacy. If you see a notification about an unknown AirTag or find one on you or your property, stay calm and take action.
- Do Not Go Home – If you are in your car or on your way somewhere, do not lead the tracker to your home or another private location. Drive to a public, well-lit place, like a police station.
- Locate the AirTag – Use the Find My app (on iPhone) or the Tracker Detect app (on Android) to help you find the device. The app can instruct the AirTag to play a sound.
- Report to the Police – It is a crime in many jurisdictions to track someone without their consent. Filing a police report is crucial. Provide them with the AirTag, its serial number, and any details about where and when you found it.
What to Do Immediately
- Don’t ignore the alert – If your iPhone or Android notifies you that an unknown AirTag is moving with you, take it seriously. The notification usually says “AirTag Found Moving With You.”
- Check for the AirTag – Carefully search your belongings: purse, backpack, coat pockets, under your car, inside wheel wells, and even under seats. AirTags are small, about the size of a coin, and can be hidden easily.
- Disable the AirTag – Once found, remove the battery by twisting off the back cover. This immediately stops it from reporting your location.
- Preserve and document everything – Take photos of the AirTag, where you found it, and any alerts or messages. Keep screenshots of any suspicious texts, emails, or calls you’ve received.
- Do NOT confront potential scammers. If someone contacts you demanding money, personal info, or threatening you, do not engage — report it.
Check out the video Scammers Using Apple Air Tags to Scam and Track Victims to see it in action.
Using an AirTag to track someone without their permission is illegal in many areas and may be considered stalking. If you think someone is tracking you, the first thing to do is report it to the police. They can look into the situation and might take action against the person responsible.
Many organizations can help victims of stalking and harassment. The National Center for Victims of Crime and the National Domestic Violence Hotline can offer support, guidance, and help with safety plans.
Conclusion
AirTags help you find lost items, but they can also be misused. To protect yourself, it’s important to understand how they work and what signs to watch for. Stay alert and pay attention to your surroundings. If you think someone is tracking you, know how to respond. Being aware is your best defense against those who might use this technology for harmful reasons.
Remember, Stay Alert and Stay Informed!