Amid a growing number of stalking incidents involving Apple’s AirTags, New York’s attorney general is calling them out as a potential “tracking threat.”
NY Attorney General Letitia James today issued a consumer alert about how AirTags can be exploited to track people. “Individuals have reported finding unknown AirTags attached to their cars, and in their purses, coat pockets, and other personal property,” the alert says.
In other cases, users have received alerts on their iPhones about a nearby AirTag but haven’t been able to find it. Such alerts are unnerving, as it can be unclear if an AirTag was secretly planted in a car, pocket, or bag, or if it was triggered by a truly misplaced AirTag.
James’ office didn’t specify the scale of the problem in New York. Apple has said “incidents of AirTag misuse are rare,” and that it’s working with law enforcement to crack down on offenders.
Still, James is urging all New Yorkers to pay close attention to their belongings when other AirTag stalking incidents in the US have been grabbing headlines.
“Across the country, Apple AirTags are being misused to track people and their belongings to cause harm,” she said in the announcement. “Tracking people without their awareness or consent is a serious felony and will not be tolerated by my office.”
James’ alert offers up some tips for spotting a rogue AirTag (PCMag has a few of its own). The devices will issue an audible beep between eight to 24 hours after they’ve been separated from their original owners. A rogue AirTag will also send out a warning message to any nearby iPhone about its presence. Android users, on the other hand, must download an Apple-created app to scan for any rogue AirTags within their vicinity.
The alert from New York’s attorney general also points out that not all unfamiliar AirTags are necessarily malicious. After all, Apple designed the device to help people recover lost items. But the company itself has been working to rein in unwanted tracking through AirTags.
If you do encounter a rogue AirTag, you can follow Apple’s guidance on how to protect yourself. The device can be easily deactivated by removing the battery. Each AirTag also has a serial number connected to the Apple ID it’s been registered to, which can help law enforcement track down the original owner.
