A woman has warned her followers after a concerning five-word notification popped up on her iPhone.
.jpg_yW5xf6?tr=w-1024,cr-0.0.1024.686&config=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)
The TikToker, who goes by the handle @bikerxbaddie on the platform, shared her experience in a video, revealing that a strange message on her phone suggested that her location was being tracked by an unknown device.
She wrote in the overlay text: "I think I'm being tracked: women beware" and explained in the clip: "I am going to tell you guys what has been happening since last night at around 11.30PM.
"I don’t know if I am in danger or other people are in danger."
Watch the TikTok below:The woman believes that the device could have been planted on her after she went into a Walmart store in Texas before she flew to Maine.
Speaking to the camera, the TikToker revealed that she was at Boston Logan International Airport retrieving her belongings when she received a notification that read: "Unknown accessory detected near you."
"It was first seen with me at 8.45 in the morning when I was in Texas at Walmart, on the other side of the country. There is an option for me to remove the device," she said, showing another screenshot that stated: "Find my unavailable. Unable to connect to server. Please try again later," which means "it won’t let [her] disconnect the device".
The woman said her phone did give her a small notification at the bottom which asked her to contact local law enforcement "if you feel your safety is at risk due to this item," but she would need the serial number of the device tracking her for police to shut off the device.
She then shared two additional screenshots, one that she received at 12.56AM that claimed that the "owner of the device can see [her] location," and another that displayed a "red dot every time they physically checked my location".
Feeling spooked out by the ordeal, the TikToker looked through all her items and car to locate any device that could resemble a tracker but was unable to do so. She also said that she had heard of a similar issue that occurs with AirPods, but revealed that she did not have hers when she was at Walmart in Texas.
The TikToker revealed that the message on her phone suggested that her location was being tracked. Credit: FreshSplash / Getty
The TikToker revealed that she shut off her location and Bluetooth services after receiving the alarming message, but the problem continued.
"Then I literally just got this notification saying that the owner can see my location again, and when I check it the owner did just check my location again," she told her followers. "So should I go to the police or the Apple store? Because I can’t find the device."
She disclosed that her friend's sister experienced a similar incident. In their case, they found an Apple AirTag hidden under their car’s license plate.
"I don’t know if this is the new sex trafficking method. But please look out for your loved ones. Be extra careful and search your belongings if you get these notifications," she concluded.
The TikToker shut off her location and Bluetooth services, but the problem continued. Credit: Justin Sullivan / Getty
This particular problem seems to persist with many iPhone users as one person shared on the Apple community page: "While I was traveling by car, alone, on Friday night I got a notification 'Unknown Accessory Detected - This item has been moving with you for a while. The owner can see its location.'
"When I clicked through, it said 'Your current location can be seen by the owner of this item,'" they continued. "It followed me across the state and into the next state."
The person was "creeped out" by the message and managed to disable it. "Is there anything else that could give this 'unknown accessory detected' notification?" they questioned.
"This felt invasive and creepy. I really don't want it to happen again, I'd rather just get it figured out, rather than wait to get another weird notification," they added.
Apple AirTags helps people track their belongings. Credit: The Washington Post / Getty
Back in 2021, Apple said in a statement to Engadget that AirTags - which are a small product that helps people track their belongings - had been updated to address privacy concerns.
"Following up on our commitment to continue to improve AirTag’s privacy and security, starting today we will be updating the time period after which an AirTag that is separated from its owner will play a sound when moved," they added, according to The Independent.
