JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — There have been a number of warnings about people using Apple AirTag devices for harm.
Recently, a St. John’s County mom says she couldn’t believe she got a call from her daughter about a possible tracker on her car.
Jessica Egger says her daughter went to the Clay County Fair last Friday and while traveling back home to The University of North Florida campus where she lives, she was alerted on her phone that a device was tracking her location.
“The biggest takeaway is talk to your children, they do listen,” said Egger. “As she was driving from the fair to a safe place because she called me to talk about the pin, she started getting notices on her iPhone that there was a tracking of some sort."
Egger says her daughter took an unplanned route so that she could check out her car.
“She had her friend call 911 while they were driving because she stayed on the phone with me until the police came out and were nice,” said Egger.
Egger says police didn’t find any tracking device on her daughter’s car.
The alerts on the phone read, “unknown accessory detected near you.”
First Coast News spoke with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office about the alerts.
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“With all of these electronic advancements in society today also comes the risk of criminal activity,” said Officer Tami Rush, JSO.
There’s the risk of criminal activity with AirTags, but JSO says there’s also the harmless chance that someone is just in your area with an Apple blue tooth device.
“If somebody gets a ping notifying them that an AirTag has been detected, and they feel they are being tracked and that they are a victim, then absolutely they need to call us and document it and let us know, let us look into it,” said Rush.
As for Egger, she and her daughter filed a police report documenting the potential device, but she says a lot of questions still need answers.
“Not knowing is almost worse because you don’t know if someone is out there,” said Egger.
If you get any alerts about a tracking device near you, and you feel unsafe, contact police immediately.