According to Insider, 37 people have joined a class action lawsuit against Apple, because Apple’s product AirTag is being used by bad guys to track others.
AirTag helps users find objects more easily, but at the same time, this tool is also being used by bad guys for nefarious purposes. By attaching AirTag to luggage or wallet, users can track the location of the item through the Find My application. Because AirTag uses millions of other Apple devices as reference points, it is quite accurate. Thanks to its compact size and affordable price (29 USD), bad guys can easily put AirTag in a target’s bag, pocket, or car. US police say thieves often hide AirTags in expensive cars to plan car robberies.
In 2022, Lauren Hughes – one of 37 people suing Apple said she was tracked using AirTag. Lauren Hughes’ ex-boyfriend attached an AirTag inside the wheel of her car to find her location, hotel and new home
Previously, an anonymous woman told CBS News that someone inserted an AirTag into her jacket at a bar in New York (USA) in January 2022.
By taking advantage of technology, bad guys can capture the victim’s real-time location information. If the victim’s location is continuously revealed to the bad guys, they have no way to escape.
In 2022, Apple warned users not to use this device to track others without consent because this is illegal. Accessories like AirTag and AirPods will alert users if they are paired with a device that does not belong to them. AirTag will display a notification if the user is traveling with an AirTag that is not his or hers. From June 2021, Apple said that AirTag will beep randomly between 8 – 24 hours after separation from the owner and added a feature to help disable strange AirTags.
However, these safety measures may not be enough. According to KGET, four people used AirTag to track and kill a 61-year-old woman in California (USA). In another case, a woman in Indiana (USA) used AirTag to track her boyfriend and kill him after suspecting she was cheating, according to USA Today