AirTag Found in Wheel Well of Car, Raising Concerns Over Stalking

A woman recently took to social media and raised concerns over Apple’s AirTag tracker. Finding an AirTag hidden in the front passenger wheel well of her car, the conversations revolving around potential stalking methods have been reignited.

On Twitter, user Jeana Jeana explained what she experienced over the weekend. As first reported by 9to5Mac, Jeana was away from her vehicle when the AirTag was supposedly fixed to her vehicle. Upon her return and as she drove during the night, she received AirTag notifications on her iPhone stating ‘AirTag Found Moving With You’, which is commonplace when near an AirTag.

Jeana found this suspicious as no cars were close enough to justify the notification. After checking her things and turning up empty-handed, she decided not to go home and to have someone check the car in the morning. That’s when the AirTag was found on the wheel well.

Hi friends. So something kinda terrifying happened to me last night—

someone attached an Apple AirTag to the underside of my front wheel well while I was inside a bar. (1/3)

— jeana jeana (@Sega__JEANAsis) December 18, 2021

This story has since sparked the discourse revolving around potential stalking methods some people will take using the AirTage tracker. Since its release on April 30, 2021, Apple has been vigilant in providing safeguards for its users. One example, as noted above, is that a user will receive a notification if an AirTag device is following them for an elongated period of time. Additionally, the AirTag will begin chiming when separated from its owner after an extended period.

Although there’s no direct evidence suggesting the AirTag was placed to stalk the woman over locating the vehicle for a potential theft later on. Regardless, it was a nefarious action that thankfully didn’t escalate due to Jeana’s knowledge of the AirTag’s intricacies.

While Apple does have safeguards in place for users, this is a great example of how consumer knowledge goes a long way as well.