Apple AirTags Are The Favorite Tool Of Car Thieves
Apple AirTag was developed to help you find lost items such as bags and keys or other important items. Unfortunately, there is also a risk that some people will use one of these small discs to track it.
The authorities are taking this threat seriously due to several recent incidents. New York police made their community aware of the tracking potential of these devices after they found an AirTag on the bumper of a car.
Similarly, a local police force in Canada has reported five incidents where car thieves have attached AirTags to expensive vehicles in an attempt to find them and then steal them.
Not only adults will find AirTags in their vehicles. A 13-year-old girl attending school in Hillsborough, Florida reported to police that she found one in her backpack.
How does it work?
AirTags uses a combination of wireless signals, sensors, and Apple’s extensive Find My network to find you. It can be clipped to any key or device and, being waterproof, hung on your pet’s collar.
Apple has some built-in safeguards to help prevent unwanted tracking. Still, it is easy for anyone to slip an AirTag into their purse or belongings to find it without their consent.
Location tracking is a serious threat and a known abuse tactic. Apple products receive a lot of attention worldwide for the perfection they put into their products. It also makes AirTags a lot more accurate than other tracking devices.
The signals sent by AirTag can be recognized on iPhones. Apple has built-in threat defense features, including notifications to let you know that an AirTag is nearby. While other tracking competitors like Tile are not as advanced and don’t educate people to prevent unwanted tracking.
Here are some steps you can take to protect yourself from tracking:
Find your property
The first and most basic step you can take is to thoroughly inspect yourself including your belongings, your car, and the things you carry most of the time where an AirTag might have slipped. It may not be that easy because AirTags are very small and can be easily hidden anywhere.
Refine elements
If you suspect someone is using an AirTag or similar device to track you, consider what information they seem to know. Limit the items you have on you while around and find them all.
Use bluetooth tracking apps
Bluetooth tracking apps can scan your surroundings when there is a tracker nearby. These apps may not specifically identify AirTags, but they can help you locate a tracking device in your area.
If you’re using an iPhone and find an unfamiliar AirTag, try the Find My app and look for the AirTag serial number under the name.
Also Read: What Are The New Features Of Apple iOS 15?
In the case of an Android smartphone, you can download the application created by Apple called Tracker Detect, which is available on the Google Play Store. You can tell if there is an AirTag near you.
The AirTag serial number is located under your battery. It would also stop transmitting location signals to the owner when the battery is removed.
However, experts recommend reporting the tracker to the police or a domestic violence service before turning it off if you suspect a current or former partner and loved one.
Also Read: Apple iPhone 14 Receives The Biggest Camera Update In Years