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NEW YORK — A Sports Illustrated swimsuit model was alarmed after a stranger reportedly stalked her for five hours by slipping an Apple AirTag tracker into her coat pocket.
Brooks Nader, 26, says the disturbing incident occurred Wednesday night while she was out in New York City. She didn’t realize the device was on her person until her iPhone alerted her to the fact that an “unknown accessory” was moving with her, the New York Post reported.
Apple first released the AirTag last April. It is a nickel-size electronic tracking device that retails for $29.99, and was designed to assist owners with lost property.
However, there have been many reports of abuse with the gadgets, from stalkers following people to thieves waiting for the perfect opportunity to strike.
According to Nader, she is the latest victim to surreptitiously get followed as she relayed her experience to her 827,000 followers on Instagram.
“This ‘device’ followed me for the last five hours to every location and [it belonged to] no one in my ‘network.’ It also wasn’t a phone or tablet, it was an ‘item,’” she explained.
Brooks Nader shared the terrifying tale with her 827,000 followers on Instagram. (Instagram / @brooksnader)
The Sports Illustrated model subsequently shared a screenshot of an AirTag via Instagram Stories: “@Apple, did you take into consideration the danger and potentially fatal consequences this device has?”
According to the news outlet, she added: “For those asking, it’s not my AirTag, it’s someone randoms, who must have slipped it into my belongings while out. Thank you all for checking in and sending helpful articles. I want this to be a PSA to all my ladies to please please check your belongings.”
According to Apple, it could also help prevent stalking as it notifies user if they have an AirTag device on their person that isn’t registered to them, the Post reported.
“AirTag is designed to discourage unwanted tracking,” the tech company states on its website. “If someone else’s AirTag finds its way into your stuff, your iPhone will notice it’s traveling with you and send you an alert.”
The alert is what tipped Nader off to the fact an AirTag was in her coat pocket.
However, it’s unclear what happens if a person does not carry an iPhone, thus unable to receive a notification of the presence of a tracker. Therefore, they would presumably be susceptible to the device without warning for a period of time.
“Apple tried to get ahead of this problem at AirTag’s launch in April with some security measures meant to discourage this practice,” according to verifythis.com.
“If an AirTag remains separated from its owner for eight to 24 hours, the AirTag will begin making a sound to alert people nearby of its presence, Apple says. When it does so within that time period is randomized, Apple says, to make it more difficult for bad actors to use AirTags to track others.”
A spokesperson for Apple told the New York Post, “We take customer safety very seriously and are committed to AirTag’s privacy and security. AirTag is designed with a set of proactive features to discourage unwanted tracking — a first in the industry — and the Find My network includes a smart, tunable system with deterrents that applies to AirTag, as well as third-party products as part of the Find My network accessory program.”
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Source: www.lawofficer.com