‘Extremely unsettling’: Consumer claims portable tracker found in car he just bought (2024)

ORLANDO, Fla. — Small devices, like the Apple AirTag, that can track your every move are becoming increasingly common, inciting fears about how they’re being used.

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Tim Noftsinger thought he’d picked out the perfect car.

“I have a four-year-old daughter, and so I wanted a car that was kind of safe for her,” Noftsinger said.

He liked the way the vehicle rode and looked, so he made the deal with CarMax in Orlando.

Noftsinger said it didn’t take long before there was a big bump in the road. “As soon as I came in the house, I noticed a notification on my phone, saying I had an unknown AirTag following me.”

Action 9′s Jeff Deal tested an AirTag to see how long it would take to get a notification that he was being followed. He placed an AirTag that was not registered to him near his location and was alerted after 6 hours.

Often people will attach them to keys or luggage, items they could easily lose.

Read: Man tracks down stolen truck using Apple Airtag; shoots, kills alleged thief, police say

Noftsinger never expected to have a tracking device hidden in his car. Using Apple’s Find My app, he was able to locate the general vicinity of the device. He believes it’s somewhere in the rear body of the car.

The problem is he can’t find it so that he can remove it.

CarMax told Deal that it doesn’t place AirTags in vehicles it sells, and the privacy of its customers is extremely important. It says it offered to place the vehicle on a lift for further inspection or to cover the cost of an inspection by a third-party company, but Noftsinger declined.

“Leaving the original owner with the ability to continue to track his car is extremely unsettling,” Eva Galperin said.

Galperin is with the Electronic Frontier Foundation and has been at the forefront of a push for better industry standards and regulation of tracking devices. She says they’ve been known to be abused by stalkers who hide them in backpacks, clothing or even attach them to cars.

In fact, last year a class-action lawsuit was filed against Apple for people who have been stalked or who are in danger of being stalked.

The suit claims, “With a price point of just $29, it (the AirTag) has become the weapon of choice of stalkers and abusers.”

Galperin says it’s easier for Apple device users to find out they’re being followed by an AirTag since it will eventually alert them.

For Android device users they would have to download Apple’s app, Tracker Detect, and activate it each time they want to scan to see if they’re being tracked.

Read: Action 9 confronts manager at restaurant over complaints of unauthorized charges

“Yes, AirTags do place Android users disproportionately at risk,” Galperin said.

Apple sent Action 9 a statement that reads in part:

“AirTag was designed to help people locate their personal belongings, not to track people or another person’s property, and we condemn in the strongest possible terms any malicious use of our products.”

While Noftsinger doesn’t believe the previous owner of the car is stalking him, he is concerned that whoever controls the AirTag could know where he lives, where he parks his car, .and even where he drops off his daughter.

“So, it’s actually showing you the path that I took to drop my daughter off at school,” Noftsinger explained to Deal.

According to CarMax, it reminded Noftsinger in January that he could have taken advantage of their 30-day money back guarantee and said the offers to inspect the SUV still stand.

CarMax statement:

CarMax does not place Apple Air Tag devices in the vehicles it sells. The privacy of our customers is extremely important, and we take this situation very seriously. When Mr. Noftsinger alerted us to his concern in January, we searched the vehicle but were unable to locate an Apple Air Tag device. We then offered to put the vehicle on a lift for further inspection or to cover the cost of an inspection with a third-party company that specializes in Air Tags. These offers still stand. We also reminded him that he could take advantage of CarMax’s 30-day money-back guarantee and offered to help him find a different vehicle, but Mr. Noftsinger declined these options. He has not contacted us since January but we would be more than happy to continue to work with him to find a resolution.

Apple response:

“AirTag was designed to help people locate their personal belongings, not to track people or another person’s property, and we condemn in the strongest possible terms any malicious use of our products. Unwanted tracking has long been a societal problem, and we took this concern seriously in the design of AirTag. It’s why the Find My network is built with privacy in mind, uses end-to-end encryption, and why we innovated with the first-ever proactive system to alert you of unwanted tracking. We hope this starts an industry trend for others to also provide these sorts of proactive warnings in their products.”

“We design our products to provide a great experience, but also with safety and privacy in mind. Across Apple’s hardware, software, and services teams, we’re committed to listening to feedback and innovating to make improvements that continue to guard against unwanted tracking.”

‘Extremely unsettling’: Consumer claims portable tracker found in car he just bought (1)

Airtags: How to protect yourself from unwanted tracking devices Airtags the size of a quarter have become the weapon of choice for stalkers. (WFTV)

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‘Extremely unsettling’: Consumer claims portable tracker found in car he just bought (2024)

FAQs

What to do if you find a tracking device in your car? ›

Third, we recommend involving the police before you deactivate or remove the GPS tracker if you believe that you are in danger. The removal or deactivation of a tracker will alert the person who placed it to your discovery, which could put you in more danger. It's better to ensure that you have protection on your side.

Can I sue someone for putting a tracker on my car? ›

The legality of using a GPS tracker on another person's vehicle without their permission is clear—it is illegal in all 50 states. Not only does this act violate legal standards, but it also exposes the individual to potential civil lawsuits for privacy infringements.

Can you get in trouble for removing a tracking device from your car? ›

Removing a GPS tracker from a financed car without the dealership's permission is illegal. Doing so violates the terms of the loan agreement and could result in legal action by the dealership, including repossession of the car.

What can the police do if you find a tracker on your car? ›

The police can monitor the person who installed the tracking device and may be able to get a warrant to search their property.

How to find the owner of a GPS tracker? ›

4 Simple Steps To Find Out Who Installed A GPS Tracker On Your Car
  1. Check the serial number on the tracker.
  2. Look up the tracker's brand name on Amazon or Google.
  3. Contact the device's maker or any resellers who might have such information.
  4. Give the manufacturer the device's serial number and inquire about who bought it.
Mar 15, 2022

Can I legally remove a GPS tracker I find on my car? ›

If you find yourself at the receiving end of illegal tracking, it is advisable to seek professional help, such as mechanics or other electronic technicians, in finding the tracker and disposing it. You can also seek help from law authorities to find who placed the tracker there.

Is it illegal to track someone without their permission? ›

The unauthorized use of GPS devices for tracking purposes violates California Penal Code Section 637.7. Those who infringe on this code section may face civil penalties.

Can you sue someone for tracking you? ›

She can have you arrested for placing a tracking device on her car and “stalking” her. Oh yes, this qualifies as stalking and courts do not find it humorous at all. You need to distance yourself from this person before they decide to do something about you. Of course you can be sued for anything at any time in the US.

Is it illegal for someone to put a tracker on you? ›

It is legal for a person to use a GPS device to track someone for a lawful reason. It is unlawful for any person to use an electronic GPS device to track someone without consent. Stalking is a course of conduct where someone uses a GPS tracker to monitor someone without their consent.

What does a dealership tracker look like? ›

Compact Design: Wireless GPS trackers are small and discreet, often resembling matchboxes or decks of cards, making them easy to hide within a vehicle's interior. Magnetic Casing: Many trackers feature magnetic casings, allowing them to slide under the vehicle and attach to the frame securely.

How do you know if your car has a tracker from the dealership? ›

First, check with the salesperson or manager who sold you the car. They may be able to tell you if a tracker was installed during the sale. If not, they should be able to give you the contact information for the person who installed any tracking devices on the car. Next, take a look around the exterior of your car.

What is the legality of law enforcement using GPS tracking devices on vehicles? ›

You must get consent from a vehicle's owner before installing a GPS system. Law enforcement must get a court order before tracking vehicles or people with electronic devices.

What does a police tracker look like? ›

Police GPS trackers are small, wireless, waterproof, and can easily be attached to a suspect's car or a law enforcement vehicle to track movement. Wireless GPS car trackers can be small and discreet (roughly 1-3 inches in size), making them difficult to detect with a visual inspection.

Who can remove a tracker from a car? ›

If you want to remove a hardwired GPS tracker from a car, the best option is to ask your local auto repair mechanic to help you out. They will ensure that the tracker is uninstalled properly and is viable for further use.

What is a tracking warrant? ›

Scope of warrant. (3) The warrant authorizes the peace officer or public officer, or a person acting under their direction, to install, activate, use, maintain, monitor and remove the tracking device, including covertly.

Can a cell phone detect a GPS tracker? ›

You can detect trackers that are currently near you and separated from their owner's device with manual scan. It's possible that the trackers found in a manual scan are simply misplaced or temporarily separated from their owner's device.

How do you tell if your car is bugged? ›

How to Tell If Your Car Is Bugged
  1. Signs Your Car Might Be Bugged. ...
  2. Checking for Bugs and Trackers. ...
  3. Strange Noises and Buzzing Sounds. ...
  4. Inspecting the Interior and Exterior of Your Car. ...
  5. Looking for Wires. ...
  6. Looking for Out of Place Everyday Items. ...
  7. Checking Under the Hood and Behind Your Radio. ...
  8. Checking the Data Port.

Is there an app to detect tracking devices? ›

Tracker Detect looks for items that are separated from their owner and that are compatible with Apple's Find My network. These items include AirTag and compatible devices from others. If you think someone is using an AirTag or another item to track your location, you can scan to find it.

What does a tracking device look like on a vehicle? ›

Compact Design: Wireless GPS trackers are small and discreet, often resembling matchboxes or decks of cards, making them easy to hide within a vehicle's interior. Magnetic Casing: Many trackers feature magnetic casings, allowing them to slide under the vehicle and attach to the frame securely.

References

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