Many staffers and readers have used Apple AirTags to help locate missing suitcases and prevent other people from getting lost.
Apple introduced a tracking device in 2021. The idea is simple, if you put the AirTag in a suitcase or a purse, it will passively track it.
When a nearby Apple device is detected, your AirTag will ping the location of that device and report the location of the AirTag back to you. You can find your AirTag using the Find My app.
The process works because the AirTag doesn't have a cellular or gps chip.
If you lost your keys on the New York subway, you have them tagged with an AirTag. If your keys are attached to AirTag, someone else's location will be pinged off of their phone and the location will be reported to you.
Although Apple promises no personal data is transmitted in the process, the company has responded to privacy and security concerns stemming from this technology.
Apple's new AirTags can be used to track your luggage.
As a female who travels solo for work, safety is always top of mind, which is why a recent post from a female-centered travel group about a woman tracked by an AirTag while traveling on a group tour caught my attention.
There is a need for a personal safety warning when technology is abused. I wanted to learn more about how travelers can protect themselves from this misuse of new technology.
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Whether you are a female traveler or a solo traveler, here is what to know if you suspect an AirTag is following you.
People have warned of AirTags being used to track their location, including a high-profile case of a sports model.
She warned her female followers via social media after she received an alert from her phone that it had been tracking her location after leaving a bar. Someone put an AirTag in her coat pocket without her knowledge.
In February, Apple released an update on AirTag and unwanted tracking, acknowledging reports of bad actors attempting to misuse it.
Apple has responded to complaints like these by adding built-in protections to discourage AirTags from being used for unintended purposes such as this, as well as issuing new privacy warnings during the AirTag setup.
The amount of time it takes for Apple to alert an owner of an AirTag has been reduced from three days to eight hours.
No tracker device manufacturer has come up with a solution to prevent someone from placing a tracker into someone's belongings and using it to keep track of their movements. Alison DeNisco Rayome said that there is little one can do to detect if someone is using a tracking device.
The privacy issues surrounding AirTags and similar devices have been reported on by Rayome and other websites. There are steps you can take to avoid being tracked in the first place.
Track your luggage with Apple Air.
If an AirTag user gets an alert that an AirTag is traveling with them, that's a good sign.
How do you tell if this is an accident or a potentially harmful situation?
You should check your Find My app to see if you can play a sound on the accessory if you follow three steps.
The item may not be with you anymore if the option to play a sound is not available. It might have changed if it was with you. The identifier is used to determine if the item is the same as you. You cannot play a sound if the item is within range of the owner.
After users reported receiving an "unknown accessory detected" alert on their phone, the tech giant addressed the issue.
Users have reported receiving an "unknown accessory detected" alert The alert will not show if an AirTag is detected near you if you have a third-party accessory. The alert users receive will be updated to say that the AirPods have been traveling with them instead of an unknown accessory.
If you receive a message that a device is not related to the one you have tagged, that may be cause for concern, but you should be aware of the type of alert.
"If you find an AirTag after hearing it make a sound, you can use any device that has Near-field Communication to see if its owner marked it as lost and if you can help return it." If it's not lost, Apple advises disabling the AirTag, which can be done in a few minutes.
Pull down on the back of the AirTag. The battery should be removed when the cover is taken off. The location of the AirTag is no longer visible after the battery is removed.
Rayome suggests that non-Apple users download the tracker detect app to help find rogue AirTags. You can use the Find My network to find and track AirTags with the free app Tracker Detect. A user can identify any AirTag that has been following them for a long time.
If you're not in immediate danger, Apple says to "go to a safe public location and contact law enforcement." If you're in immediate danger, Apple says to "Go to a safe public location and contact law enforcement."
You will need to provide the AirTag or its serial number in order for this to be effective. If you are not in immediate danger, you should look for the AirTag wherever you can find it. If you're driving a car, look in places you wouldn't think to look, like the tires or license plates.
Rayome states that the most basic form of protection is to manually search yourself and your car for places where an AirTag might have been slipped.
She says people should consider investing in more than one tracker, such as the BLE device finder and BLE Scanner, both of which are available from Apple.
If you need to use the app, turn off location tracking. For apps that rely on location services, such as Google Maps, download maps of the areas you plan to visit, which you can then access later on without wi-fi or location services turned on
If an AirTag is used to track something that isn't supposed to, you need to be aware of what to do.
If you are followed by an AirTag, it is a good idea to look for the device in your belongings. disabling it will prevent it from following you further.
If you can't locate the device while you're traveling, be sure to warn the local police or the front desk at the hotel.
It is important to be aware of your surroundings when using AirTags. If you get an AirTag alert, make sure to confirm it's for your own device.
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