iPhone users BEWARE of Silent AirTag Stalker; Don't let danger near you, just do THIS

In a shocking development, it has been revealed that Apple AirTag tracking devices are being sold with a scary modification that can harm iPhone users.

Sellers are selling Silent AirTag, a scary modified version of Apple’s tracking device. It can be used to stalk iPhone and Android users (Anastasia Gepp/Pixabay)

Apple AirTag is a great utility tool that can help users find important things that they keep losing. The device can be very useful to track down missing keys, wallets, the latest iPhone 13, that you may have misplaced, or any other previous iPhone iterations that you may have, or even your pet. Yes, Apple AirTag can track animals and humans too! Unfrtunately. in a shocking development, it has been revealed that a dark side exists to such an innovative device. AirTags have been in the news recently due to concerns over their use by stalkers. Yes, AIrTags are being misused as stalking devices too. All a person needs to do is clip in AirTag under the victim's car or inside the bag or pocket and then track their location. The fact that it is so simple to do is a very scary thing. And if AirTags themselves were not bad enough, now there is a scarier modified version of the device available in third-party marketplaces like eBay and Etsy - Silent AirTag.

In all fairness, Apple has added several features to ensure that no one gets tracked without their express knowledge. The first of them was a beeping sound that these devices produce after being away from the owner in a window between 8-24 hours. And the timing is completely random, so the stalker cannot take any preventive measures. Apart from that, Apple has also released a Tracker Detect app for Android users to track if an AirTag is around them. And iPhone users get a notification whenever an unknown AirTag is near them. So, while Apple has taken measures to discourage stalkers and abusers, this new third-party modification to AirTag is very problematic.

Silent AirTag - how does it work

Online platforms like Etsy and eBay have recently witnessed a product called Silent AirTag being listed. The product description says that “it looks just like a regular AirTag but has a hole under the battery side to disconnect the speaker”. This is the same speaker that would beep to alert anyone around them that an AirTag was near. Now, with this hardware modification, AirTags can be used in stealth mode, allowing greater power to stalkers and more concerns to iPhone and Android users.

According to another listing on eBay, “this [is] so it doesn't keep beeping when away from you, e.g if left in a car or bike or with a family member! Reduces the chance of a thief being notified of its hidden location!”. While the products have been removed from the platforms, they may reappear again or find a separate platform all together to conduct business as usual. However, do not worry. There are still certain measures you can take to protect yourself against any incident of stalking from these Silent AirTags.

How to protect yourself from Silent AirTags

Step 1:

While it is as basic as it gets, manually search yourself everytime you go outside. Just a brief search of pockets, wallets and bags, and, if possible, under the car should suffice. 

Step 2:

If you are not an iPhone user and use an Android device, install the Tracker Detect app to know if you are being tracked

Step 3:

If you manage to find the AirTag and own an iPhone, you can download Find my app and hold the tracking device up close to find out the serial number. This is helpful if you decide to file a complaint to the police. 

Step 4:

Otherwise, you can rotate the white side of the AirTag anti-clockwise to remove the battery and disable it to stop the stalker from knowing your location.