Bluetooth Trackers Are Being Used to Stalk People — Check Yours

Freedom of information data from police forces in England and Wales shows an 896% increase in stalking reports involving AirTags and GPS trackers between 2018 and 2024, with cases rising from 57 to 568. In coercive control cases, the figure jumped from 38 to 431 — a 1,034% increase (The Independent, 2026). Apple received over 40,000 stalking reports related to AirTags between April 2021 and April 2024. The devices designed to help you find your keys have become one of the cheapest and most effective tools for tracking someone without their knowledge.

The problem is not limited to the UK. In Japan, police provided advice to victims of stalking via electronic tags in 592 cases between January and November 2025, up 1.6 times from the whole of the previous year. Misuse rose from 3 cases in 2021 to 370 in 2024 (Japan Times, 2026). In the United States, police records reviewed across multiple cities found that women are overwhelmingly the targets, with ex-partners and current partners identified as the primary suspects in the majority of cases (Vice/Motherboard, 2022).

• 40,000+ stalking reports received by Apple between April 2021 and April 2024.
• Japan saw cases jump from 3 in 2021 to 370 in 2024.
• AirTags retail for as little as $29, making them the cheapest tracking tool available.
• Over 30 individual lawsuits filed against Apple over AirTag stalking in May 2026.

How are Bluetooth trackers being used for stalking?

The mechanics are straightforward. A stalker purchases an AirTag — or a cheaper Bluetooth tracker — and plants it in a victim's car, bag, coat pocket, or even their children's backpacks. The tracker broadcasts its location through the owner's Find My network, using millions of nearby Apple devices to relay position data without any cellular connection. The victim does not need to know the tracker exists for the stalker to see their every movement in real time.

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, a UK stalking charity, told The Independent that perpetrators have been using the coin-sized devices alongside apps designed for parental control, such as Mspy, to track ex-partners at their workplaces and monitor their locations. Some survivors have been forced to flee their homes and change jobs to avoid detection. Others have been placed in safe houses (The Independent, 2026). The technology is cheap, the harm is severe, and the response from police has been inconsistent.

What is Apple doing about AirTag misuse?

Apple has implemented several anti-stalking features since the AirTag launched in 2021. The device now emits a sound when separated from its owner for a period of time, and iPhone users receive notifications when an unknown AirTag is detected traveling with them. Apple and Google also collaborated on an industry specification that enables cross-platform tracking alerts between iOS and Android. Android users can download the Tracker Detect app to scan for nearby AirTags.

Critics argue these measures are insufficient. The class action lawsuit Hughes v. Apple, filed in December 2022, alleges that Apple released AirTags without adequate safeguards against stalking. Internal documents cited in the suit show Apple acknowledged its safeguards would only deter rather than prevent malicious use, and that the company should have consulted domestic abuse organizations before shipping. Apple also admitted it knew the beeping sound could be muffled or suppressed. The class action was denied certification in early 2026, prompting at least 22 individual lawsuits to be filed in May 2026 (MacRumors, 2026).

How do you detect a hidden Bluetooth tracker?

Both iPhone and Android now offer automatic detection of unknown trackers traveling with you. On an iPhone running iOS 14.5 or later, go to Settings, then Privacy and Security, then Location Services, and make sure Location Services and Significant Locations are on. Under Notifications, enable Tracking Notifications. If an AirTag or compatible tracker is detected moving with you, your phone will send an alert within hours, not immediately (Apple Support, 2026).

On Android, go to Settings, then Safety and Emergency, and enable Unknown tracker alerts. You can also run a manual scan at any time by tapping Scan now. For additional coverage, download Apple's free Tracker Detect app from the Google Play Store. It looks for AirTags and compatible devices within Bluetooth range. If a tracker is detected, you can play a sound to help locate it. The Electronic Frontier Foundation also recommends AirGuard, a third-party app that works across both platforms for broader tracker detection (EFF, 2026).

What do you do if you find a tracker on you?

If you receive a tracking alert or find a device, Apple and law enforcement recommend specific steps. First, move to a safe or public location if you feel at risk. Do not confront the person you suspect may be responsible. Preserve screenshots of the alert and any location map, and record the date, time, and circumstances. Follow the phone manufacturer's instructions to locate the device where it is safe to do so (Apple Support, 2026).

• Move to a safe, public location if you feel at risk.
• Do not confront the suspected stalker.
• Screenshot the alert, location map, and save all evidence.
• Use Play Sound or Find Nearby to locate the physical device.
• Call police if there is an immediate threat or suspected stalking.
• Hold the AirTag near your phone to reveal the owner's partial phone number.

Why are police not taking this seriously enough?

In its 2022 super-complaint to UK police forces, the Suzy Lamplugh Trust raised concerns that police were failing to recognize the impact of cyber stalking and that evidence was not being sufficiently gathered. Charlotte Hopper of The Cyber Helpline described instances where victims were told to throw tracking devices away or leave them by the side of the road, with no consideration that this could escalate behavior. In other cases, officers took the device without turning it off, alerting the perpetrator that it was held in a police station (The Independent, 2026).

The responses vary by country and jurisdiction. Japan's revised antistalking law, which took effect in December 2025, now explicitly bans attaching tracking tags to another person's property without permission and allows police to issue warnings on their own authority. In the United States, laws against tracking someone's location vary from state to state, either as part of broader stalking laws or in terms of tracking a car without the owner's consent. Deputy Chief Constable Sarah Poolman, the UK's national policing lead for stalking, admitted there is more work to ensure consistency across forces.

Are Bluetooth trackers legal?

Buying and using a Bluetooth tracker on your own property is legal in most jurisdictions. The illegality arises when someone uses a tracker to monitor another person without their consent. Japan's December 2025 law is among the most specific: it explicitly criminalizes attaching a tracking tag to someone else's property. The UK and U.S. rely on broader stalking and harassment laws, which vary in specificity and enforcement. The fundamental tension is that the same $29 device used to find lost keys is indistinguishable from the one used to track an ex-partner.

What should you do right now to protect yourself?

The most immediate action is to make sure your phone's tracker detection features are actually enabled. On iPhone, verify Settings > Notifications > Tracking Notifications is on, and that Location Services is active. On Android, check Settings > Safety and Emergency > Unknown tracker alerts. Run a manual scan periodically, especially after visiting locations where someone had access to your belongings. The EFF recommends doing this away from other people, since manual scans can show trackers that belong to strangers nearby.

• Enable tracking alerts on both iOS and Android — check settings today.
• Download Tracker Detect (Android) or AirGuard for broader coverage.
• Run manual scans after social gatherings, dates, or shared transportation.
• If you find a tracker, preserve evidence and contact law enforcement.
• Do not throw away or destroy the device — it may be needed as evidence.

Bottom line: Bluetooth trackers are cheap, effective, and being used to stalk people at an alarming and growing rate. Apple's safeguards exist but have gaps — the 4-to-8-hour notification delay, muffled speakers, and Android's delayed alerts mean a stalker can track someone for hours or days before detection. The best defense right now is enabling tracker detection on your phone and running periodic manual scans.

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• Apple Support: Unwanted Tracking Alerts
• The Independent: How stalkers weaponize AirTags (2026)
• EFF: How to Detect Bluetooth Trackers