TrackerSonar

What to do if you find a tracker following you

Finding an AirTag or another tracker that isn’t yours is frightening. These seven steps help you stay safe, keep the evidence and get help.

By Metko Labs, publisher of TrackerSonar · Last updated · How we check our guides

Key takeaways

  • Safety first: if you feel in danger, go to a safe public place and call your local emergency number.
  • Document before you disable: photos, screenshots of alerts and maps, dates, times and places.
  • Identify it: an AirTag shows its serial number and the last four digits of the owner’s phone number when you hold it near an NFC-capable phone.
  • Disabling is a choice: it stops new location updates but may be noticed, and some trackers lose the link to their owner when reset. Ask the police or an advocate if unsure.
  • Report it: police can request owner information from Apple and other manufacturers.

If you feel you are in danger: go to a safe, public place and contact local emergency services (for example 911 in the US, 112 in the EU, 999 in the UK or 000 in Australia). Think before you disable or throw away a tracker: it can be evidence, and once it is disabled its owner stops getting location updates, which they may notice.

Seven steps after finding a tracker

  1. Get safe. If you think someone is following you, avoid leading them home. Go to a busy public place — a police station, shop or café — and call your local emergency number if you feel in danger.
  2. Rule out innocent explanations. Did you borrow the bag, keys or car? Is a family member’s tag or someone else’s luggage travelling with you? On iPhone, items from your Family Sharing group can be silenced from the alert.
  3. Document everything. Photograph the tracker where you found it. Take screenshots of the alert and its map (on Android, Google notes that past alerts are deleted after 48 hours), of scan results, and of TrackerSonar’s sightings timeline if you use it. Write down dates, times and places.
  4. Identify the tracker. See how to identify an AirTag and other trackers below. Take a screenshot of the serial number and any owner information shown.
  5. Decide whether to disable it. Read the pros and cons of disabling first.
  6. Report it to the police. Bring the tracker, its serial number and your documentation. Apple says law enforcement can request available information about an item from Apple; Google says police may ask for the tracker and its identifier.
  7. Get support and keep checking. Contact one of the support organizations below, keep your phone’s tracker alerts on and check your belongings and car regularly — a scanner app such as TrackerSonar lets you check on demand, and its Premium background alerts warn you if a tracker shows up again.

How to identify an AirTag and other trackers

To identify an AirTag, hold the top of an iPhone or an NFC-capable Android phone near the white side of the AirTag until a notification appears, then tap it. A web page shows the AirTag’s serial number and the last four digits of the phone number of the person who registered it. If the owner marked it as lost, you may also see how to contact them.

  • On iPhone, Find My › Items › Identify Found Item gives more information about a found item.
  • On Android, tap the unknown tracker notification and then Next steps for identification instructions; for Find Hub compatible trackers Google says you can find the device identifier and a hidden email address of the owner.
  • Some trackers have a serial number printed on the device. Otherwise follow the manufacturer’s instructions.

A Bluetooth scanner such as TrackerSonar can tell you what type of device it is and where you have seen it, but no scanner can reveal who owns a tracker.

Should you disable the tracker?

Disabling a tracker stops its owner from getting new location updates. That is often the right choice, but think it through first — especially if you know or suspect who placed it.

  • It may be noticed. The owner stops getting updates; Google notes they may still see the last location from before it was turned off.
  • Evidence: Google warns that some trackers are factory reset when turned off and are then no longer linked to their owner, so law enforcement can’t get owner information. Document and identify the tracker before you disable it, and consider asking the police first.
  • Your situation: Google’s guidance says that, depending on your situation, you can keep a tracker switched on if turning it off could be unsafe. An advocate can help you decide.

How to disable an AirTag: press down on the polished stainless-steel battery cover, rotate it counterclockwise until it stops, and remove the cover and the battery. Your iPhone’s alert also offers Instructions to Disable for AirTags, AirPods, Find My accessories and compatible trackers. For other brands, Android’s Next steps screen links to manufacturer instructions.

Turning off Bluetooth, Location Services or Find My on your phone does not stop the tracker; only disabling the tracker itself does.

Contacting the police

Apple states that using trackers to follow people without their consent is a crime in many countries and regions; laws vary, so the police can tell you what applies where you live. When you report it, bring:

  • the tracker itself (or photos if you left it in place),
  • its serial number and any owner information you saw,
  • screenshots of alerts, maps and scan results with dates and places,
  • a short written timeline of what happened.

Where to get support

Apple’s support article lists these organizations for people who feel their safety is at risk:

Elsewhere, local police, victim-support services and domestic-violence organizations can help.

Frequently asked questions

Should I destroy or throw away a tracker I found?

No. A tracker can be important evidence, and its serial number can help police identify the owner. Photograph it where you found it and keep it. If you want to stop it from sharing its location, disabling it, for example by removing the battery, keeps the device intact.

Can I find out who owns an AirTag?

Partly. Holding the AirTag near an iPhone or NFC-capable Android phone opens a page with its serial number and the last four digits of the registered owner’s phone number. Apple says law enforcement can request further information from Apple.

Will the owner know if I disable the tracker?

They stop getting new location updates, which they may notice. Google notes they may still see the last location from before it was turned off. If you are worried about how the person will react, talk to the police or an advocate before disabling it.

Is tracking someone with an AirTag illegal?

Apple states that using its trackers to track people without their consent is a crime in many countries and regions. Laws differ from place to place, so ask your local police or a lawyer about your situation.

What if the police don’t take it seriously?

Keep your documentation, write down the report number, and contact a victim-support or domestic-violence organization, which can help you approach the police again and make a safety plan.

Sources