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Original poster

Dd notified of new Apple tag with her since early hours - advice?

346 replies

iknowimcoming · 02/04/2022 21:05

Dd is 22, at uni, lives alone in flat with 24 hour reception (manned 24 hours) we visited her yesterday and went for brunch this morning, this evening she's had a notification that a new AirTag has been with her since 5.01am and shows the walk we took to and from the cafe this morning. She's checked everything and can't find anything, has anyone had this and it's been a mistake or should we be very concerned?

OP posts:
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6
Ozanj · 03/04/2022 00:40

If it tracked her during the walk then it’s in the clothing / bag she wore on the day. Check inside linings, in and around shoes (under linings), where she keeps her coins (it could be stuck behind a 50p too) / credit car slots in her wallet / bag. I read somewhere that one woman found it wedged in her bra (near the wire) while another found it in her braid (she had thick afro hair). If in doubt she should throw all of that day’s outfit away.

SofieM0 · 03/04/2022 00:48

@KittensTeaAndCake

This all makes sense now. I have been having alerts at similar times during an evening and it’s when we get a visiting cat!!! It’s just clicked. Had no idea about airtrackers and ignored the alerts as spam!! Also I did notice a pendant on the collar that I thought was Apple branded! So this cat is making my phone alert and is too far from its owners phone so I’m getting the alert as device is separated? I did also hear noise and couldn’t figure it out. Could that have been coming from cats collar too? Does this happen to your cat?
So ppl tracking cats with these on collars could also be sending ppl alerts if cat goes out of owners phones radius?

DreamTheMoors · 03/04/2022 00:56

@iknowimcoming

@Gingernaut was not being very diplomatic. Perhaps “naive” would be a kinder word. I was naïve at 18, myself.
Just like women should never leave their drinks unattended in a pub or bar, leaving their bags unattended has unforeseen consequences as well, like theft, or in your daughter’s case, a possible unwanted AirTag.
I hope you get this sorted quickly and that your daughter remains safe. I’m very sorry you’ve had to go through this very stressful situation.

perimenofertility · 03/04/2022 00:58

What was happening at 5am, was she at home with the friend then or still out? Seems an odd time for the tracking to start.
I’d do what a pp suggests, go out of the flat with isolated items until she can work out which coat/bag/shoe the tag is in.
It could be that someone accidentally dropped their tag in a pub, it’s landed in her bag (shoe, etc) and they have switched it on to try and get it back.

2021s · 03/04/2022 00:58

Clutching at straws, has she checked her shoes? Could she have stepped on one that was dropped/lost and it’s stuck to her shoe.

thatweirdhippygirl · 03/04/2022 01:02

Oh this is weird.
I’ve been getting notifications for a couple of days I’ve got AirPods with me.
None of us own AirPods! And I’m a loner who doesn’t go anywhere, I drive between my house and school.
I thought it was a weird glitch. Blush

Whatagrapefruit156 · 03/04/2022 01:05

Could it be you that’s being tracked and not her ?

KittensTeaAndCake · 03/04/2022 01:09

[quote SofieM0]@KittensTeaAndCake

This all makes sense now. I have been having alerts at similar times during an evening and it’s when we get a visiting cat!!! It’s just clicked. Had no idea about airtrackers and ignored the alerts as spam!! Also I did notice a pendant on the collar that I thought was Apple branded! So this cat is making my phone alert and is too far from its owners phone so I’m getting the alert as device is separated? I did also hear noise and couldn’t figure it out. Could that have been coming from cats collar too? Does this happen to your cat?
So ppl tracking cats with these on collars could also be sending ppl alerts if cat goes out of owners phones radius?[/quote]
Oh I'm not sure. I didn't think it notified other users unless it was lost. I know there is a 'lost mode' which tells other iPhone users in the vicinity it's lost and to call the number but I've not really got a clue how they work.
When my cat lost his collar I had to go out tracking the bloody thing and when I got near I could make it make the sound so I could find it about 3ft deep in bramble.

KittensTeaAndCake · 03/04/2022 01:12

What did the messages say @SofieM0? I wonder if that cat is lost?

Gingernaut · 03/04/2022 01:14

Whoever planted this thing now knows where she lives.

This is frightening.

She has to find it and at least call 101.

KittensTeaAndCake · 03/04/2022 01:15

That's weird too hippygirl, could someone be tracking you? It's bloody frightening these days with all these gadgets.

Pawtriarchal · 03/04/2022 01:17

Can she check her clothing pockets, including back pockets and also laundry basket?

thatweirdhippygirl · 03/04/2022 01:22

I literally have no idea who or why anyone would track me!
I have two friends, neither of them would, and like I said I literally drive between my house and school!
I don’t know anyone, I don’t go to pubs or anything like that!
I have no reason to believe it’s anything other than a glitch!

Toothsil · 03/04/2022 01:34

I hope she finds it, OP, that's so scary. I wonder how it started at that time in the morning though, if she was at home at the time.

MolkosTeenageAngst · 03/04/2022 01:38

If your DD didn’t have an iPhone would that mean she wouldn’t even know about the tag? Scary to think they have an alert system to stop you from using them as a tracking device that only works if you have an iPhone when there is a huge chunk of the population using other phone brands. Also presumably won’t be long until Android/ Google etc bring out their own versions which can evade iPhone users? I can see the use of the tags for people who are prone to losing things or from a security point of view for items at high risk of being stolen such as bikes but it’s worrying if it can literally be tucked into a wallet to track somebody and if they will be oblivious unless they own an iPhone.

Jenasaurus · 03/04/2022 02:40

Oh I'm not sure. I didn't think it notified other users unless it was lost. I know there is a 'lost mode' which tells other iPhone users in the vicinity it's lost and to call the number but I've not really got a clue how they work.

Does this mean that this may be innocent and the Op isn't being tracked. As the air tag wont alert her unless the owner of the air tag reports it as lost. In which case there may be someone frantically looking for their tag which possibly came off something and attached to her (cat maybe) The airtags cost £30 each or £99 for 4, just checked on the Apple website, so if its a genuine stalker, thats a lot of money to spend on tracking someone.

Bythehairywartsonmywitchychin · 03/04/2022 02:41

www.apple.com/newsroom/2022/02/an-update-on-airtag-and-unwanted-tracking/

NumberTheory · 03/04/2022 02:41

@MolkosTeenageAngst

If your DD didn’t have an iPhone would that mean she wouldn’t even know about the tag? Scary to think they have an alert system to stop you from using them as a tracking device that only works if you have an iPhone when there is a huge chunk of the population using other phone brands. Also presumably won’t be long until Android/ Google etc bring out their own versions which can evade iPhone users? I can see the use of the tags for people who are prone to losing things or from a security point of view for items at high risk of being stolen such as bikes but it’s worrying if it can literally be tucked into a wallet to track somebody and if they will be oblivious unless they own an iPhone.
There is a tracker detect app in the play store. But you have to download and activate it.

I believe Apple, Google and other developers are working on some standards to implement to make it more seamless for AirTags and any similar devices from others. They hadn’t anticipated what’s happened, it seems, though any one involved in DV could have pointed out the obvious danger.

AWombleScorned · 03/04/2022 02:42

Android users can download an app called Tracker Detect which will alert to AirTags

Flickflak · 03/04/2022 03:00

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Eggshausted · 03/04/2022 03:32

Has she checked the coins in her purse? Maybe it has got in there somehow?

Nelliephant1 · 03/04/2022 04:13

I've got one on our dog and it's pretty useless to be honest. If my husband is out with the dog he's often got notifications that someone has checked the tag but I haven't and I'm the only other person with access, it's been picking up someone else's tag nearby, not ours.

They're designed to connect with WiFi that they have come across, if it's not accessing WiFi etc then it's just a waste of time.

Seema1234 · 03/04/2022 04:14

If she's in a block of flats could it be it's detecting a tag from a neighbouring flat?

Justyouwaitandseeagain · 03/04/2022 04:14

Hope you track it down OP! Definitely sounds like it would be a good idea to report to the police if there is a way for them to identify the owner. I know they can get accidentally stuck or transferred to things but in that case you would surely expect it to be easy to find?

Abcdefu · 03/04/2022 04:30

Thats scary. Is there a way of turning tracking option off? Like deny permission