How Apple AirTags are being used by criminals

[AzScorpion]

Be careful if you park your Ranger or any vehicle outside now. Darn thieves are getting sneaky now and using these Air Tags to steal vehicles.

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[Jason B]

Ah! I see! He's talking about criminals trying to steal your car, not the criminals at Apple.

 

[AzScorpion]

lol yeah they both are criminals. But no ones making people overpay for their junk, they just fall in line. Now I do have an iPhone but I usually wait and get one that's a year or two old so it's cheaper. They have gone so far downhill though I'l be looking to possibly change next time.

 

[MountainGoat]

So it looks like that TrackerDetect app won't run in the backround so you'd have to manually scan your vehicle all the time. Not really practical but I'll give it a go.

A decent camera system with one pointed at where you park is probably the best bet.

 

[mtsoxfan]

I know I'd heard them breaking into garage. I'd have my gun pointed at them before the gargage door was fully open...

With push button start, how do they steal?

 

[Trigganometry]

I know I'd heard them breaking into garage. I'd have my gun pointed at them before the gargage door was fully open...

With push button start, how do they steal?

Push start is easier to hack than using a key. Keep your fobs in a Faraday box or pouch when at home to thwart that from happening. All you need is a repeater and your in and driving away

 

[mtsoxfan]

Is that like scanning garage door opener codes? And what is the range? As in, if I keep 25' away or whatever?

 

[AzScorpion]

Is that like scanning garage door opener codes? And what is the range? As in, if I keep 25' away or whatever?

It's based off of the find my iPhone system so the range is basically unlimited. So someone could put one on your vehicle while you're out shopping then track it back to your house. I've read where they're now slipping these into peoples (mostly woman's) bags and using it to follow and locate where they live. Supposedly Apple is aware of this and is adding extra security to them now. Kind of creepy if you ask me but that's the digital world we live in now.

AirTags do not have a defined range because they work within the range of Apple's Find My network. This means as long as an AirTag is within Bluetooth range of anybody's iPhone (or other Apple device), it can passively communicate with it and then help you locate it. For example, you can locate an AirTag that's hundreds of miles away so long as somebody with an iPhone walks near it. However, if you lose an AirTag in a remote-but-nearby place that nobody is likely to walk by, like the woods behind your house, you're unlikely to locate it as quick.

 

[Langwilliams]

So there isn't an app that alerts you to an active air tag near your phone? That sounds like the easiest solution.

 

[Squatchranger]

So there isn't an app that alerts you to an active air tag near your phone? That sounds like the easiest solution.

Iphones do that automatically

 

[Langwilliams]

Iphones do that automatically

I have one an didn't know that

 

[Squatchranger]

I have one an didn't know that

Yep if its with you for a while and not registered to you it pings you that there is an unauthorized device near you and it can help you find it as well.

 

[AzScorpion]

Looks like there's been a new update for the AirTags.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/apple-quietly-rolls-updates-could-163500968.html

On Wednesday, Apple’s Support page added details about its latest two firmware updates, namely 2.0.24 and 2.0.36. While the latter update says it fixed the AirTags accelerometer not working in “certain scenarios,” the former update is very interesting. The update “enables Precision Finding to help locate an unknown AirTag detected moving with you.” In addition, a user’s iPhone will notify users when an AirTag that’s no longer with its owner is on your person. The iPhone will also emit a sound to make it clear it’s been moved.

Any paired AirTag should automatically download the update when it’s within 33-feet of Bluetooth range with the iPhone, though the feature only works on iPhone 11, 12, 13, and 14 models. The iPhone also needs to be running iOs 16.2 or later. These updates add to an earlier firmware update that included “tuning the unwanted tracking sound to more easily locate an unknown AirTag.”

 

[Rangerguy]

Picked up a friend the other day to do a job. He had an air tag on his keys. I got a message on my iPhone from Apple saying an air tag not registered to me appeared to be travelling with me, along with a map showing the route we took.

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