AirTag and Tracker Stalking
Apple AirTags, Tile trackers, and similar devices can be misused to secretly track children, ex-partners using shared family devices, or anyone the abuser wishes to monitor.
What is this?
Bluetooth trackers like AirTags and Tiles are designed to help find lost items, but they can be planted on people without consent. This is a recognised form of stalking and a safeguarding concern, particularly in cases of domestic abuse, contentious separations, or grooming where a perpetrator wants to know a child's location.
How it works
Trackers are small, inexpensive, and can be hidden in school bags, coat linings, or vehicles. They use the wider device network (Apple's Find My, Google's Find My Device) to report location continuously, even when the owner is far away. Detection alerts have improved on iPhones but remain inconsistent on Android.
Warning signs
In your child's behaviour
- • Receiving a notification on their iPhone that an unknown AirTag is travelling with them
- • Discovering an unfamiliar small disc in their bag, coat, or possessions
- • An estranged parent or ex-partner appearing to know the child's whereabouts unexpectedly
On their device
- • iOS "Item Detected Near You" notification appearing repeatedly
- • AirGuard or Tracker Detect app showing nearby unknown trackers
- • Find My app showing devices the family did not register
Prevention steps
Install Tracker Detect on Android devices
Apple's free Tracker Detect app for Android scans for nearby AirTags. AirGuard is a community-built alternative that runs continuously. iPhones detect AirTags automatically but only after several hours of co-travel.
Teach children to check bags after visits with anyone they don't fully trust
Particularly important in custody disputes, after sleepovers, or following any contact with an estranged adult. A quick visual check of school bag linings, jacket pockets, and the bottom of rucksacks takes less than a minute.
Disable AirTag notifications only with full understanding
Some children mute notifications because they're annoying. Discuss why these alerts matter and how to investigate one calmly rather than ignoring it.
What to do if it happens
- 1If an unknown tracker is found, do not destroy it immediately — the serial number is evidence. Use the iPhone Find My app to make it play a sound and disable it, and document where and when it was found.
- 2If you suspect deliberate stalking, contact the police on 101 (or 999 if you feel in immediate danger) and refer to the Suzy Lamplugh Trust National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300.
- 3If the suspected stalker is an ex-partner, contact the National Domestic Abuse Helpline on 0808 2000 247 — tracker abuse is a recognised pattern of coercive control.
Related topics
This is practical educational content to support families. For case-specific concerns about a child's safety, contact the NSPCC helpline on 0808 800 5000 or your local safeguarding team.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Last reviewed: 2026-04-19