Ahmedabad Woman Tracked with Apple AirTag in India’s First Instance

The Ahmedabad Cyber Cell has recently reported a concerning occurrence, as they have encountered the initial instance of stalking in India involving an Apple AirTag. Typically designed to help locate misplaced belongings, this compact Bluetooth device was unfortunately exploited to track and torment a woman. While similar incidents of stalking have been frequently reported in the United States and Europe, this occurrence represents the first documented case in India.

According to Deccan Herald, the person responsible for this act is believed to be the woman’s ex-partner. He used AirTag to track her movements and even access her call records.

The alarming discovery of the victim

The victim first became suspicious in May when his iPhone 13 Pro Max repeatedly alerted him with the message “AirTag Found Moving With You.” These notifications happened during his daily commute from home to work, causing alarm. In July, she shared her concerns with Cyber Cell, and it was revealed that her driver and daughter had also received similar alerts on their phones.

Based on his suspicions, he visited a car service station and with their help located the AirTag. Shockingly, it was hidden behind the driver’s seat under the seat cover, attached with glue.

Legal actions and the need for vigilance

Cyber Cell has identified the person responsible for this invasive act as the victim’s ex-partner who had been harassing her for several months. This case highlights the need for vigilance and legal action against such technology-enabled harassment.

What is AirTag

Apple AirTags are small tracking devices that are often attached to personal items for tracking purposes. However, they have been misused for stalking and some people have secretly placed them in the possession of others to track their movements. Concerns have been raised that AirTags are being used for offensive and disruptive purposes.

To prevent the AirTag effect, Apple has included features in the Find My app that allow users to detect AirTags that do not belong to them. This case is a stark reminder of the importance of protecting yourself from the misuse of technology for harassment and abuse.

• If you have an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, Find My sends a notification to your Apple device. This feature is available in iOS or iPadOS 14.5 or later. To receive alerts, make sure that:
• Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services and enable Location Services.
• Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services. Turn on Find My iPhone.
• Go to Settings > Privacy & Security > Location Services > System Services. Turn on Points of Interest to get a notification when you arrive at a point of interest, such as your home.
• Go to Settings > Bluetooth and enable Bluetooth.
• Go to the Find My app, tap the Me tab, and turn on tracking notifications.
• Turn off airplane mode. If your device is in airplane mode, you will not receive tracking notifications.