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Original poster

Air tag tracking me but I don't own one

238 replies

frustratedplusone · 01/03/2025 23:54

Hi just need a bit of advice on how these work. Last day or two my phone keeps telling me im near an air tag .. but I don't own one. From history it's only tracking me when I'm in my car. It shows every journey I made today. I asked my soon to be ex partner as he has one and he said why do I have his air tag on my phone? .. I don't have his on my phone! I never received notifications on his whereabouts when he used it and the history is only tracking where i have been not anyone else. He said he's not put it in my car but we are going through a break up due to emotional abuse on his part so I don't want to demand to see his as trying to avoid further conflict, is there any explanation for this other than he has hid one in my car? Only me and my DD been in car she's 9 and doesn't have one.

OP posts:
Lolapusht · 02/03/2025 10:49

Get something like LastPass and change absolutely all your passwords including on you iPhone. Remember lots of things automatically back-up to the cloud so if he’s got access to one thing, he may be able to look at more.

Get a new email address if you’re speaking to a solicitor etc for the breakup. You don’t want him seeing what you’re saying or being advised.

PeppyTurtle · 02/03/2025 10:49

Go to the Police first rather than the garage. They should search your car for the airtag and take it from there if found. If this is him and it's found/handled by others then this could compromise the investigation

Peanutcurry · 02/03/2025 10:50

What I meant was, if an abusive man put an airtag in a woman's car, but her phone was android, would it alert her?

B1indEye · 02/03/2025 10:52

I can't imagine a garage looking for an air tag for free, that might take ages

Look for it yourself, I less your ex has had access to the car for a long period it must be somewhere easy to get at

B1indEye · 02/03/2025 10:53

Peanutcurry · 02/03/2025 10:50

What I meant was, if an abusive man put an airtag in a woman's car, but her phone was android, would it alert her?

I'm not a techy but I can't see any way that would work

Bumpinthenight · 02/03/2025 10:54

My DH was given an air tag. Not that handy as we are on android! However, we have both had alerts on our android phones from it.

roselilylavender · 02/03/2025 10:55

Sadly, I think that this is likely to be your DH too. Can he access your MN account? If so, he may well read (or have read) this. Even if you ask MN to delete this, if the notifications miraculously stop, I would work on the basis that he has realised you have discovered that he is tracking you and is coming up with another plan.
If you do want to satisfy yourself that it's not your iPhone going crazy (and it won't be!), give a lift to a friend with an iPhone and see if she gets the same alerts.

Eloise768 · 02/03/2025 10:57

frustratedplusone · 01/03/2025 23:54

Hi just need a bit of advice on how these work. Last day or two my phone keeps telling me im near an air tag .. but I don't own one. From history it's only tracking me when I'm in my car. It shows every journey I made today. I asked my soon to be ex partner as he has one and he said why do I have his air tag on my phone? .. I don't have his on my phone! I never received notifications on his whereabouts when he used it and the history is only tracking where i have been not anyone else. He said he's not put it in my car but we are going through a break up due to emotional abuse on his part so I don't want to demand to see his as trying to avoid further conflict, is there any explanation for this other than he has hid one in my car? Only me and my DD been in car she's 9 and doesn't have one.

If you’re in the south east PM me. I’m a mechanic. Happy to search for one. Alternatively give me a message with the make and model of your car and I’ll attempt to give you some hidey holes and bits to look into x

ShutUpForTheLoveOfGod · 02/03/2025 10:59

Jacopo · 02/03/2025 10:38

Actually I think you should play the long game here in order to ensure you get out of your relationship safely. By all means locate the tracker, but leave it where it is. Don’t tell him you’ve found it. Change all your passwords on everything. Don’t drive anywhere that you don’t want him to know about. Get out of the relationship. Then dump the tag.

I agree with this. You hear so many bad stories when women have let the men in on their plans to leave etc. Get the hell away before you do anything with the AirTag.

tilypu · 02/03/2025 11:00

I have an android phone and got two airtag alerts on the same day - one on my bus ride into town, and one on the bus ride home - both for just part of the journey.

So they definitely do alert on Android phones.

oOiluvfriendsOo · 02/03/2025 11:03

Peanutcurry · 02/03/2025 10:50

What I meant was, if an abusive man put an airtag in a woman's car, but her phone was android, would it alert her?

Yes it would.

JustMyView13 · 02/03/2025 11:04

Please report this to 101 non emergency police. Stalking is a crime, and you would be well placed for the police to have a record of this incident. Even if you never again have any problems.

ReadingRubbish · 02/03/2025 11:04

Are you sure there is nothing in your car like sports equipment, a tool box or a bag that could have an AirTag in?

ReadingRubbish · 02/03/2025 11:14

oOiluvfriendsOo · 02/03/2025 10:48

My partner got a new car and was getting air tag alerts. Google how to find air tag, that will tell you hot to activate a sound from the air tag allowing you to find it

This is correct. The message should give details how to pinpoint the AirTag. I think sometimes you can make it beep even if you don’t have an iPhone and if it’s not your AirTag. I’m not sure though.
also make you screen shot the notifications. Maybe get someone else with an iPhone to travel with you and see if they get a notification.

Are you sure the air tag isn’t in a bag of your daughters.

viques · 02/03/2025 11:17

And when you find the tag think about where you can put it. On a bus, maybe, or a taxi, super glue it to a supermarket trolley, find a friend who will take it to another city ( or country!) ………

he will work it out eventually, but until he does it will mess his head up.

EnoughNow2023 · 02/03/2025 11:18

Peanutcurry · 02/03/2025 10:39

Do airtags only alert nearby iPhones that they might be being tracked without owner's knowledge, or would an airtag alert an android phone?

They alert Android phones as well. Someone left one at our house and I kept getting notifications on my android phone

CalicoPusscat · 02/03/2025 11:19

@frustratedplusone how often does he use the car?

Dollydaydream100 · 02/03/2025 11:27

Yes he's obviously tracking you. Look in the seat pockets and under the mat in the boot.

cardibach · 02/03/2025 11:28

Crazybaby123 · 02/03/2025 10:29

Our ring doorbell somehow hooked itself up to my sons playatation and we can't figure out why or how it did it. I would google all the ways to check how air trackers work and can get accidently connected, or how to find ones if someone has put one in your car for example. Could be multiple explanations you will have to work through each one.

There’s only one explanation. There’s an AirTag nearby and it’s letting the OP’s phone know it’s there. It’s not connected to it. It’s just giving info. Happened to me when I was with an elderly lady who visited me and who carries one so her son knows where she is when she’s abroad.

Dollydaydream100 · 02/03/2025 11:30

Jacopo · 02/03/2025 10:38

Actually I think you should play the long game here in order to ensure you get out of your relationship safely. By all means locate the tracker, but leave it where it is. Don’t tell him you’ve found it. Change all your passwords on everything. Don’t drive anywhere that you don’t want him to know about. Get out of the relationship. Then dump the tag.

I agree with this. If he finds out you've removed it he'll either go apeshit or put another one somewhere else.

Im not sure how helpful the police will be - does anyone have experience of this?

SnoopysHoose · 02/03/2025 11:31

Why would OP need to go to a garage, intially she can search the car herself.
Mystified why she hasn't already had a look.

fashionqueen0123 · 02/03/2025 11:33

Slowgrowingelm · 02/03/2025 01:42

If I remember correctly AirTag have specifically ensured that their tags ‘announce’ themselves to someone’s phone to ensure that you are aware that you are being tracked. They do not want their tags being used be twatish wankers. Take your car to a garage (they can help) and then go to the police. Get it on record.

Exactly this.

Theunamedcat · 02/03/2025 11:33

Peanutcurry · 02/03/2025 10:50

What I meant was, if an abusive man put an airtag in a woman's car, but her phone was android, would it alert her?

No but there is an app you can download to scan for them

Lolapusht · 02/03/2025 11:34

Peanutcurry · 02/03/2025 10:50

What I meant was, if an abusive man put an airtag in a woman's car, but her phone was android, would it alert her?

No, it wouldn’t but if you got someone with an iPhone to sit in the car they would get the notification.

thinktwice36 · 02/03/2025 11:35

endofthelinefinally · 02/03/2025 01:45

Look under mats and carpets, especially in and under the boot. Look all round the outside and under the wheel arches and bonnet. Anywhere he could have taped it with gorilla tape.
Don't tell him when you find it. Put it in the bin. (I would be tempted to leave it on a bus or post it to a friend in another part of the country. Have some fun with it).
As pp have said, check your house for spyware.

Oh I’d definitely be putting it on a bus. Genius.

@frustratedplusone hope you get it resolved quickly, there’s only one explanation for this which is credible…