r/techsupport • u/LordAndSaviorElon • 12d ago
Open | Phone Air tag alert?
I just got an alert on my galaxy phone (late) that at 11:20 those morning it detected a air tag. The map shows the path in middle of the street and goes and goes for a couple miles to my house. It then detected at my house again when I got home from work at 1050pm and shows on the map my house. I attempted to connect to the air tag and it said it was to far multiple times and then it would allow me to connect and then it again says its to far. Same with my wofes phone. No one in our house has apple products.
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u/ricardopa 11d ago
These notifications are designed to be extra sensitive and prefer to err on the side of false positives rather than missing a potential case of one actually being with you.
Try some of the third party scanning apps and if it’s not with you in or around your house or car it’s likely a false positive.
Could be a neighbors pet, or in their car you were driving close to, or other things like that.
I can’t recommend a specific app because I’m not an Android user.
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u/Lust4Dusk 12d ago
Check your vehicles, seriously if you're being steaked out for a robbery or if you've caught the eye of a trafficker, they use air tags to track victims. Google it. Probably not what's happening, but rather safe than sorry.
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u/LordAndSaviorElon 12d ago
Uses the security settings on the phone and it says its to far away
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u/Lust4Dusk 12d ago
There should be a tracker detector app from apple that you can download, use it to check your belongings and vehicles. Also if someone slipped one on you, they SHOULD make a faint beep when they are moved, after being separated from the owner for too long.
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u/Lust4Dusk 12d ago
They can be programmed to respond that way. Idk how it works exactly but I know it can be done, it will only work with the device that set it up basically. And any other device will say "too far" "can't connect" etc. Because, from my understanding of it, they basically flip the signal to trick your device into not connecting. Like even though it shows up, it wont connect Because it thinks the connection is where ever the users phone is, instead of the device.
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u/Complex_Solutions_20 11d ago
Seems fairly common these days...I've had them go off when I'm at a convention because it thinks stuff is "following me" when it just so happens that I'm near the same people some randomly in the convention center and also happen to be near them in adjacent rooms or something.
Its kinda like on the highway its not uncommon to be "following" or "followed by" the same vehicle for a very long time (hour or more) because you just so happen to be going the same way. I've sometimes even had where driving for 3-4 hours stumble onto the same people I was next to while packing my car up in the parking garage because they were taking the same highway and picked the same popular rest-stop (truck stop) for a break. Doesn't mean we were intentionally following, just happened to be the same places at the same time by luck.
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u/LordAndSaviorElon 12d ago
Samsung has a built in system they work with Apple that detects the air tag and it allows me to force it to play sound, it doesn't register as close enough to force the sound
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u/JusticeMKIII 11d ago
If it's not a modified air tag. People have opened them up and removed the piezo speaker. Modified tags are mostly used for unlawful things.
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u/LordAndSaviorElon 11d ago
My phone hasnt auto scanned and found it yet, but I do a manual and it picks something up and I cant play the sound to find it. So either my phone is bugged or there is a modified one and I get to crawl around my truck to find it
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u/JusticeMKIII 11d ago
The quickest way to figure out if it's on your vehicle, drive someplace away from any other possible signal interference. I don't know where you are, but for me, I'm in AZ, so I'd head out to a desert location away from homes, businesses, etc. then scan for the tag. If you're picking it up still, it's on your truck.
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u/LordAndSaviorElon 11d ago
Im in az also, thats the thing, I've driven other places and it doesn't bring up a map showing it's tracking me using the built in glaxy air tag tracker, but when I manually scan it detects one but then I cant force it play sound to find it
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u/JusticeMKIII 11d ago
Do some deep searching to see if there's a chance for a false positive
Also, see if a friend, family member, or coworker that has an iphone, if they can help you scan to see what their device detects
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u/Lust4Dusk 12d ago
This could also be it, but notice I'm where it says it could still be with you? That could mean you're being tracked. The app is just under 25$ it looks like. Found this on google:
If you receive an unknown tracking notification but see an error like "AirTag Not Reachable" or a message saying it's too far to connect, it usually means your iPhone is logging a past tracking event rather than a real-time signal. [1, 2, 3] The notification system uses data that may have been collected minutes or hours ago. The following steps explain why this happens and how to resolve the issue: [1]
1. Check the Tracking Map
Open the notification to view the Find My App tracking map. [4]
Look at the Red Dots: The red dots show exactly where your phone detected the AirTag.
If the lines stop at your current location: The AirTag is likely still with you, but a physical obstruction (like a car chassis or deep bag) or Bluetooth glitch is blocking the live connection.
AirTag If the lines stop miles away: The AirTag is no longer near you. You likely crossed paths with it earlier (e.g., sat next to someone on a bus, or stood near a lost item), and your phone finally processed the safety alert after you walked away. [1, 3, 5, 6, 7]
2. Force a Live Reconnection
If you suspect the tracker is hidden nearby but your phone won't connect, try resetting your wireless radios: [2, 8]
- Toggle Bluetooth: Go to Settings > Bluetooth, turn it off for 10 seconds, and turn it back on.
- Move Around: AirTag Bluetooth signals are weak (roughly a 30-foot range). Walk around your immediate area or car slowly. Moving just a few feet can bring you back into range.
- Restart the App: Force-close the Find My app and reopen it to refresh the radar. [2, 3, 8, 9]
3. Check for the "Delayed Notification" Loop
If you have verified that no tracker is physically on you, you might be experiencing a common Apple bug. If a neighbor's AirTag is parked close enough to your home or office, your phone may repeatedly flag it as "moving with you" when you are stationary, but throw a connection error when you try to ping it from inside. [6, 7] Does the map show a trail following you all the way to your current location, or did the tracking dots stop somewhere else? If it followed you home, we can look at the most common physical hiding spots to check manually.
[1] https://support.apple.com [2] https://www.youtube.com [3] https://www.switchingtomac.com [4] https://www.go2g2.com [5] https://www.reddit.com [6] https://www.airalo.com [7] https://discussions.apple.com [8] https://www.youtube.com [9] https://support.apple.com
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11d ago
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u/LordAndSaviorElon 11d ago
What?
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u/Lust4Dusk 11d ago
I don't know what to tell you dude that was a simple Google search, you're capable of doing them yourself. 🤷♂️ search the same thing but for Android instead
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u/LordAndSaviorElon 11d ago
Well no shit, I just simply said I dont have a iPhone cause your copy paste google search was for iPhone
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u/Empty-Elk6536 12d ago
Maybe a cat or dog that is just passing through? I know a lot of people put airtags on their collars in case they escape or go too far.