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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:
T1Dmama · 03/03/2025 23:40

Did you find it? Please take it straight to police…it’s stalking behaviour .. which is illegal.

Jimmyneutronsforehead · 03/03/2025 23:40

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.

This, definitely.

But not all stalker exes will be stalking to see if or when you meet someone else.

Some exes think if I can't have you no one can.

CalicoPusscat · 03/03/2025 23:50

I had a brief wonder about you earlier @frustratedplusone. Hope you found it.

pollymere · 04/03/2025 00:11

I truly hope there's an innocent explanation OP...

And just remember, be like Sarah in Labyrinth and remember "You have no power over me".
Look him in the eye, square your shoulders and think of those words.

AcrossthePond55 · 04/03/2025 00:45

For those saying to 'play the sound' it's relatively easy to disable the sound on an AirTag. DH did it for the ones in our vehicles & RV. That way if they're stolen even if the thief is notified there's an AirTag, they won't be able to locate it using the sound. So OP should try to beep it, but no guarantee she'll be able to locate it by sound.

She can also use the 'Find Nearby' option to try and locate it, but that can be hard to pinpoint.

TobaccoFlower · 04/03/2025 01:13

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.

Yes, he's admitted it's his air tag travelling around in OP's car!

ensayers · 04/03/2025 01:30

If I found it, I'd go to his work and tape it to the underside of his boss's car.
Have fun!

Biscuitsnotcookies · 04/03/2025 01:45

ensayers · 04/03/2025 01:30

If I found it, I'd go to his work and tape it to the underside of his boss's car.
Have fun!

This is not fun.

Using tracking devices is a serious escalation in controlling and stalking behaviour, and op is at risk. Playing games could be dangerous for her, she is trying to separate due to abuse. Your advice is trite, risky and not taking into account the gravity of the situation at all.

Op, you need to contact the police. I hope you have already done so.

You may also need to check your whole house for hidden cameras. I wouldn’t assume anything is off limits now.

BettyBardMacDonald · 04/03/2025 02:10

Good lord, the point about hidden cameras is very well taken!

OP, you need to get a professional to search your home.

Biscuitsnotcookies · 04/03/2025 02:15

I deal with cases like this, and most people would be amazed at the lengths some stalkers will go to, and the ways in which they track their victims.

It is taken very seriously, due to the escalating nature of the offence, and attracts a long custodial sentence when prosecuted and convicted.

endofthelinefinally · 04/03/2025 02:44

I would be checking your phone and all other devices. You can take them to a computer repair shop or similar. We have a local small business that is really helpful with all tech stuff.

QOD · 04/03/2025 03:05

Deffo him
i have one on my keyring (and use it on holiday for luggage tracking)
one time dh was using MY keys for some reason and started getting the notification
he panicked thinking someone was tracking me and eventually clicked the option to make the AirTag play a tone.
then realised it was in his hand 🙄
rambling point being that you can make it play a sound

Codlingmoths · 04/03/2025 05:26

AcrossthePond55 · 04/03/2025 00:45

For those saying to 'play the sound' it's relatively easy to disable the sound on an AirTag. DH did it for the ones in our vehicles & RV. That way if they're stolen even if the thief is notified there's an AirTag, they won't be able to locate it using the sound. So OP should try to beep it, but no guarantee she'll be able to locate it by sound.

She can also use the 'Find Nearby' option to try and locate it, but that can be hard to pinpoint.

Agree but given he’s too dim to realise it would show on the ops phone, my money is that he hasn’t disabled the sound either x

SheridansPortSalut · 04/03/2025 05:48

I suggest you get a third party to find it (eg a garage) or talk to the police before you look for it. He's likely to say that you made it up if there's no evidence.

Of course, he might remove it himself now that he knows you're on to him. Don't leave you car keys where he can get them.

Needspaceforlego · 04/03/2025 08:10

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.

Is it just this weekend that you've had one beep at you?

In DS car with two other people, how can you be sure neither of those people have an air tag on their keys?

In DH car? Does he have one on his keys or wallet?
Was he in the car with DS?

Remember Airtags were designed to be used innocently. I use a similar device on my keys - and use it to find them at least once a week. Different handbags, laid down in different places.

DailyDoily · 04/03/2025 08:23

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 .

Yes she should, and must. This isn’t simply about finding and removing one airtag - it could be evidence of a pattern of controlling behaviour and at some point that evidence could be important.

Butteredtoast55 · 04/03/2025 08:27

@Needspaceforlego
Yes, just the weekend and absolutely sure they don't have one. DH has one that was a freebie at a conference and that was in its box in a drawer at home when I noticed the first alert. Also, on the first journey with DS we had stopped to post a letter and the tracking was from that point to a friend's house, not from home. That's why I assumed it was some kind of mistake.
But I am a total Luddite so I'm prepared to believe it was genuine.

Politygal · 04/03/2025 09:44

You could of course throw it into the back of a lorry...

Needspaceforlego · 04/03/2025 09:47

@Butteredtoast55 it just seems weird that twice you've been tracked in a car over the weekend.
Or not necessarily you've been tracked but you've been pinged by airtags if they don't exist.
The most logical answer is someone has one.

Was DH in your DSs car with you?

Omgblueskys · 04/03/2025 09:48

Op have you found it yet

Butteredtoast55 · 04/03/2025 10:02

Needspaceforlego · 04/03/2025 09:47

@Butteredtoast55 it just seems weird that twice you've been tracked in a car over the weekend.
Or not necessarily you've been tracked but you've been pinged by airtags if they don't exist.
The most logical answer is someone has one.

Was DH in your DSs car with you?

He was......but I am now thinking how it could possibly happen so I'm going to try the sound detector thing in all the cars to rule it out.
We are absolutely not into this kind of tech in our family so it's a mystery but, working on the basis of other MNers knowing far more about this than I do, there must be one lurking somewhere!

Elderflower14 · 04/03/2025 10:10

Politygal · 04/03/2025 09:44

You could of course throw it into the back of a lorry...

Like The Da Vinci Code!!

DazzlingCuckoos · 04/03/2025 10:17

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/119874

When you get the message pop up, click it and go to the Find My app. You should be able to then get it to play a sound and you can then see if you can hear it to find it. If you click the "Find" option it will direct you to it pretty close.

Sounds like your ex has shot himself in the foot by suggesting you're tracking "his" airtag - more like he's put it in your car and didn't realise it was going to notify you.

What to do if you receive an alert that an AirTag, set of AirPods, Find My network accessory or compatible Bluetooth location-tracking device is with you – Apple Support (UK)

AirTag lets you easily track things such as your keys, wallet, purse, backpack, luggage and more. Simply set it up with your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch and attach it to your item, and your AirTag will appear in the Items tab in the Find My app.

https://support.apple.com/en-gb/119874

Needspaceforlego · 04/03/2025 10:19

Butteredtoast55 · 04/03/2025 10:02

He was......but I am now thinking how it could possibly happen so I'm going to try the sound detector thing in all the cars to rule it out.
We are absolutely not into this kind of tech in our family so it's a mystery but, working on the basis of other MNers knowing far more about this than I do, there must be one lurking somewhere!

Show quote history

But it's not necessarily in the car, are you sure your DH hasn't decided to put the one he won in his wallet or on his keys or on the dog. There is probably a fairly innocent explanation if you've only noticed it occasionally.

Where i think the Op is being tracked for malicious reasons. It's all the time in her car.