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AIBU?

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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:
Theunamedcat · 02/03/2025 11:37

Dolphinnoises · 02/03/2025 10:01

How often do you see your ex? The AirTag needs to “see” its owner on a regular basis or it starts to beep. I found this out the hard way when DD took her AirTag on a school overnight trip as the school aren’t great on keeping us informed of traffic problems and I thought it would be helpful on the way home.

You should be able to get it to beep using the instructions posters have posted above. Otherwise use a torch and have a thorough look.

Won't him doing drivebys count? My ex put one on my car he also used to drive past my house and cake my car with his fiance (used to tell her it was because he was worried about who I was having around "his" children when I park on a main road along with everyone else 😒) it was only when there was a similar thread on here I scanned my car there was one there I messaged him told him to remove it or I was going to the police it vanished overnight

ReadingRubbish · 02/03/2025 11:40

@Dolphinnoises
The AirTag needs to “see” its owner on a regular basis or it starts to beep.

I don't think that's true.

thirdfiddle · 02/03/2025 11:41

Ha ha, he didn't know about the anti-stalker protections. Why do you have his air-tag on your phone? You don't, apple just let you know it seems to be following you around as they're intended for tracking possessions not stalking people.

As well as the car, do you need to check e.g. your daughter's bag or coat? Could be her he's tracking.

Then I'd maybe call 101 to log it as a concern for stalking/harrassment and get advice on what to do about it. If it's on DD he may argue it's a precaution to not lose her when she's with him. In that case you just stick it in an envelope when she arrives back to you each time and pop it in her overnight bag for when she goes to dad's.

edit: 101 not 111, the NHS won't be any help!

ReadingRubbish · 02/03/2025 11:47

Ughh, there is so much incorrect information on this thread. I don't know why people think it's helpful to post things that are incorrect.
OP, I would read up on AirTags on Apples official site.

APPLE INFO ON AIRTAGS

Unicornsandprincesses · 02/03/2025 11:55

I wouldn't have left it another minute. If it doesn't alert you today, he's been out there overnight and removed it. Assuming he has a spare key to your vehicle or managed to put it in a magnetic casing perhaps, or clip it somewhere it wouldn't fall off...

justasking111 · 02/03/2025 12:02

Two cases in our area both men Got a 12 month suspended sentence and a three years restraining order. One was a policeman.

Report to police.

CenotaphCorner · 02/03/2025 12:02

So here’s the thing. Is there anything left in your car that you may have bought second hand or has been left and is owned by someone else? We had a soft toy left in the car by other children once which was the cause of us being notified on the iPhone of a tag. It was inside that! (We didn’t let them know we knew when we gave it back..)

PiggyPigalle · 02/03/2025 12:08

Go park in the Police station car park, sit in the car for an hour. Then make your car available at home while you go out. See if the tracker stops after that.

Daffiesmeanspring · 02/03/2025 12:35

Won't it play a sound if you press on the alert?

Lairymary · 02/03/2025 12:39

Find it. Take it to the police station, either report him and leave it there with them or leave it hidden in the police station carpark. Give him the shits.

YourHappyJadeEagle · 02/03/2025 12:41

Carouselfish · 02/03/2025 00:52

Get garage to find it as then that'll be proof it was in there.
Then mail it to somewhere obscure.

Brilliant idea. Mail it to somewhere overseas.

CalmTheFuckDownMargaret · 02/03/2025 12:45

My husband put one in our car in case it’s ever stolen. I travel in the car all the time but when we did a longer journey recently, my iPhone notified me that I’d been travelling with a tracker. It’s great that Apple does this as it stops exactly the situation you’ve described. You’ll probably find the tag yourself - pull up loose carpets and mats, check between seats, look in the boot and in any nooks. It is unlikely to be in the bonnet - more in a tight space. Our is hidden in a seat pocket.

Birdie280125 · 02/03/2025 12:49

Carouselfish · 02/03/2025 00:52

Get garage to find it as then that'll be proof it was in there.
Then mail it to somewhere obscure.

Leave it in a taxi lol

CalicoPusscat · 02/03/2025 12:57

@frustratedplusone do you still live together at the moment? It would be so great if you found it

MILLYmo0se · 02/03/2025 12:58

If he has even half a brain he will try to remove it now that you've alerted him to your being aware of its presence, so dont let him near the car if you can and if you suddenly stop getting alerts and garage can't find the tag be on high alert around this man.

Rosietru · 02/03/2025 13:06

I hope you've found it by now. Don't discuss it again with him and please contact the police.

Comtesse · 02/03/2025 13:08

godmum56 · 02/03/2025 10:22

"He's been abusive and controlling"
And yet you are still with him?

It’s literally in the opening post where he is described as “soon to be ex partner”…….

AlisonDonut · 02/03/2025 13:08

frustratedplusone · 02/03/2025 00:30

Ok thank you. I'll have a look tomorrow... daughter only 9 so she's not got one and others that have been in car are her friends and it was tracking before I picked them up. Was hoping for a less sinister reason, oddly didn't even suspect him until this evening when I sat and thought about it... he is controlling and abusive but not done anything like this before. He said he's not getting notifications when I asked him but I assume he must be able to log in and see where I've been. Thank you all will get this sorted tomorrow x

he is controlling and abusive but not done anything like this before

...that you know of.

Go and check today, why wait til tomorrow?

JFDIYOLO · 02/03/2025 13:17

OP have you done it yet?

EvangelicalAboutButteredToast · 02/03/2025 13:23

The most obvious answer is usually the right one.

Personally I’d be making a complaint to the police if you do find one hidden in the car. He could escalate the behaviour if you don’t nip it in the bud. The most dangerous time for a victim is when they start to break ties with their abuser.

Jeeekers · 02/03/2025 13:34

Google best place to hide an AirTag in car (make & model) because this is probably where he learned to do it - if he has a key then it could be inside many more places . If not, then it will be outside and possibly in a magnet box fixed under your car. If he used a magnet box, drive to a shopping mall and stick it to underside of a battered white van !!

2025willbemytime · 02/03/2025 13:45

Did you get to the bottom of it? Looks like your soon to be ex of course.

RadioWhatsNew · 02/03/2025 13:45

Through my job I had a recent conversation with Police about this exact thing, in relation to the very clever dogs they have that can sniff out electrical items and trackers/air tags etc was one of them.

Basically you let the police know you believe ex is tracking your movements with an air tag. Police will arrange to meet you at a non-suspisious location such as a local supermarket and will search your vehicle, if your force has one of these very clever dogs they will use the dog to do it. Once they find the tag, police will take it from there so id suggest contacting 101.

GauntJudy · 02/03/2025 13:59

Do garages really check vehicles for airtags? Seems like a weird thing to ask them to do. I mean they wouldn't find a dropped earring just cos it happens to be in a car??