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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:
Ladders18 · 03/03/2025 19:19

This happened to me and it did turn out to be innocent, it was next door neighbours but picked up my phone.

(I did also have a controlling and abusive ex husband so I did involve the police, thankfully it turned out it was neighbours)

Willyoujust · 03/03/2025 19:33

Please report this to the police asap.

Cowabunga33 · 03/03/2025 19:35

He’s put one in your car, they will show up on any iPhone within range…….

SlightlyJaded · 03/03/2025 19:39

100 percent him. The controlling fucker

Find it
Leave it on a bus.
Report to Police
And get you and DD far away from him.

ClaytonGirl · 03/03/2025 19:44

If you can't find it, sell your car

Bikergran · 03/03/2025 19:46

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

My daughter's ex put a tracker on her car after they broke up. Made it easy to get an injunction against him. You could also, if you find it, secrete it on a bus or ask a friendly Amazon driver or long-distance trucker to put it in their vehicle....

DailyDoily · 03/03/2025 19:46

Whatever you choose to do I would strongly suggest involving someone else who is neutral, eg the garage, or the police, rather than finding it yourself.

You may need their evidence / testimony in court.

i would also assume that it is your ex, and start to keep a diary (if it’s paper get one with dates and keep it safe), or send WhatsApp messages to someone who can keep them safe when you delete them - and record all odd or controlling behaviour in a daily basis.

I hope you never need it, but it’s better to have it if you do.

ludders01 · 03/03/2025 20:05

Yes he has definitely put an air tag in your car. My husband put one in my car the other day but thankfully told me he had done it. As soon as I made that first journey I had a notification on my phone that an air tag was tracking me. I don’t like that kind of thing at all, in fact hate it with a passion. Apparently as he bought the car and it was expensive, he wants to be able to track it in case it gets stolen! I don’t let him follow my apple phone either so it’s his only way to track me which could be helpful in some situations I suppose. We do live together and are happily married! I just don’t like my movements being tracked! I bet your partner was gutted that you have rumbled him as my husband was most shocked when I told him I could see it was tracking me and I could see on a map exactly where I’d been. Check all your compartments, the boot etc and get it out! Good luck.

Codlingmoths · 03/03/2025 20:05

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??

Checking vehicles for AirTags is helping an abused or stalked woman who may be at serious risk. It’s totally different from a lost earring. What other reasons are there for a woman looking for an air tag that’s suddenly in her car? None that are likely.

Sooverwork · 03/03/2025 20:09

All these posters demanding OP takes her vehicle to the police and / or garage to look for the air tag … just really ? Don’t you think she could start by looking for it herself . I doubt any garage will go hunting for it without a fee . As for the police . Not their job to go searching for it .

Rosiemaybe · 03/03/2025 20:16

I'm pretty sure you can send a sound to it, sit in the car and see if you can hear where it is

Needspaceforlego · 03/03/2025 20:19

It's fairly obvious she should look for it herself first before paying a garage to look.

cactidream · 03/03/2025 20:48

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

I have air AirTag in my car for safety, apart from the app and normal alarm.
You can hear it once you move the car though- switch off the radio, if its inside you will hear beeping

EveryonesMother · 03/03/2025 20:53

This is easy to locate. in your App Store search Airguard. it is a blue square with a white circle in it. Download it and follow the instructions. it will ltake you to the airtag location and give you its owners information. You will need keen hearing, do it when you are alone as the tag will noise alert you.

thismummydrinksgin · 03/03/2025 21:05

You should be able to make it play a sound shouldn't you?

GregT · 03/03/2025 21:19

I’ve not tried this, so don’t know how good it is, but these instructions are how to find AirTags and get them to play a sound to find them:
www.paj-gps.com/how-to-find-an-airtag-in-my-car/?srsltid=AfmBOoq-p2VkRxpk94ua6xCq9P7rt_KHsY7_Io5U8bqssbxZmaCZ0Ry4

Butteredtoast55 · 03/03/2025 21:32

Just to say that this happened to me twice at the weekend. The first journey I was in my DS's car with two other family members, the second time with just DH in his car. I am absolutely sure neither of them are using an air tag or tracking me (why would they be, we were together?). I think it's some kind of scam, so it's possible it isn't your soon to be ex.

HopeForAPeacefulWorld · 03/03/2025 22:29

If it is like a magnet, then look in the wheel well, or anywhere that it can attach to metal. If it has a key ring, maybe it is wired to the underside of the car

pinkstripeycat · 03/03/2025 22:36

I’ve got an AirTag in my car and it never tracks my journeys! It’s so annoying

ByQuaintAzureWasp · 03/03/2025 22:52

Ask a delivery driver to take it for a ride

Squigglesandgiggles · 03/03/2025 22:59

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.

Get it on a rollercoaster on your nearest theme park

candycane222 · 03/03/2025 23:31

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 think so. My dh has one in the car, and I get notified on my android when I am away without him.

Jimmyneutronsforehead · 03/03/2025 23:36

OP this is quite sinister actually.

You should call women's aid in addition to the information you've been given.

This is an escalation of behaviour, and it's a trap.

You need an exit plan ASAP with guided help from professionals.

You can't predict a stalkers next move. It's a calculated move to track someone, and it will end with violence and coercion.

valentinka31 · 03/03/2025 23:38

He is totally tracking you. Look at his answer:

Why do you have my airtag on your phone?

  • Ah, so it is his then, is it?

Idiot doesn't realise that all iphones pick up any airtag, as far as I can see. I used to pick up the 4 my abusive ex had in my car every time. And I could see the map record of all my journeys.

It might be a devil to find. Mine put under/inside seats, in the roof lining, etc. And then when he couldn't get inside, he put one through the little hole for the rear parking camera.

He is tracking you. You need to be away from him. And do not ever ever trust him or think he can't see where you are.

Now you are leaving, he will be obssessing over when you'll meet someone else.

It is of course illegal, if you would like some burly blokes to deal with him instead of you.

Unexpectedlysinglemum · 03/03/2025 23:39

MoosakaWithFries · 02/03/2025 01:07

He's stalking you OP.

This is one for the police and you must report it.

Please change your passwords on all accounts you have. If you have an Alexa change that too as he can listen in. I'd also check the rooms at home for cameras.

I'd imagine the air tag is within the inside of the car itself or boot. As a previous poster says you can take it to a garage and they will usually put the car up on a ramp to check underneath.

I agree
Look up technology abuse