Lawsuit Alleges Apple AirTag Tracked Vehicle Location for Months

AirTag lawsuits allege Apple was warned the devices could facilitate stalking before their release and received more than 40,000 reports of unwanted tracking between 2021 and 2024.

A Texas woman has filed a lawsuit alleging she was secretly tracked through an Apple AirTag hidden in her vehicle, potentially allowing her movements to be monitored for months before the device was discovered.

The complaint (PDF) was brought by Rachel Fox in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas last month, naming Apple Inc. as the sole defendant.

Fox alleges Apple knew AirTags could be concealed and misused to secretly track individuals, but failed to build adequate safeguards into the devices to prevent prolonged stalking and unwanted surveillance.

Apple AirTag Stalking Risks

Apple launched AirTags in April 2021 as compact Bluetooth tracking devices intended to help users keep tabs on items such as keys, bags and other personal belongings.

AirTags rely on Bluetooth technology and Apple’s “Find My” network to report their whereabouts. When an AirTag comes within range of another Apple device, its location can be anonymously transmitted through the network, allowing the owner to see updated location information.

However, concerns quickly emerged that the technology could also provide an inexpensive and discreet method for monitoring another person without their knowledge. AirTags have since been linked to reports involving stalking, domestic abuse, violent assaults and fatal incidents.

Those concerns have led to a number of Apple AirTag lawsuits, which allege the company was warned about the potential for the devices to facilitate stalking before they were released. The claims point to concerns raised by technology experts and domestic violence advocates, as well as allegations that Apple received more than 40,000 reports of unwanted AirTag tracking between 2021 and 2024, averaging roughly 1,000 reports per month.

Apple AirTag Vehicle Tracking Allegations

According to the complaint, Fox returned home after having dinner with friends in August 2023 when she was alerted by her phone that an AirTag had been tracking her. The notification showed she had been tracked at least from the restaurant to her residence, revealing the location of her home to whoever controlled the AirTag.

The filing indicates that Fox followed her phone’s instructions and caused the AirTag to emit a sound, which indicated the device was somewhere inside or on her vehicle. She thoroughly searched the vehicle but could not find it. Fox then called police, and a responding officer also spent significant time searching the vehicle without locating the AirTag.

Fox alleges she spent several days experiencing panic and anxiety while trying to determine how to stop the tracking. She claims she even researched whether she could remotely deactivate the AirTag but learned she needed physical access to the device to disable it. At this point, Fox indicates she bought an endoscopic camera and stethoscope to search small or inaccessible areas of her vehicle.

In the lawsuit, Fox says she spent about eight hours searching the vehicle before finding the AirTag concealed in foam inside the driver’s seat and removing its battery. She indicates she then contacted the police, who allegedly attempted to obtain information from Apple about the AirTag’s owner. However, the company would not reveal that information.

Fox claims she still does not know who placed the AirTag in her vehicle and believes it may have been hidden there for months before she received the first tracking alert. She says the experience has left her fearful that additional AirTags could be tracking her without her knowledge. These fears have resulted in panic attacks and prompted her to install a security camera at her home.

“Apple must be held accountable for its continuing failure to adequately protect members of the public from being stalked with its AirTag.”

— Rachel Fox v. Apple Inc.

According to Fox, Apple is responsible for designing and selling a product it allegedly knew could be easily misused for stalking. She claims the company “rushed” AirTags to market without adequate safeguards, despite the foreseeable risk that their location-tracking capabilities could be exploited to monitor individuals without their knowledge or consent.

The complaint asserts claims of negligence, design defect, intrusion upon seclusion, unjust enrichment and violations of California business laws. Fox is seeking damages, as well as injunctive and declaratory relief that could require Apple to change practices involving the design, manufacture and sale of AirTags.

Apple AirTag Lawsuits

As the number of AirTag stalking lawsuits continues to grow, plaintiffs have asked the U.S. Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation (JPML) to consolidate federal claims in an Apple AirTag MDL, or multidistrict litigation, before one judge for coordinated discovery and other pretrial proceedings. Apple opposes the consolidation.

More than 20 AirTag lawsuits are currently pending in at least 17 federal court districts, and additional claims are anticipated. Many of the cases were filed individually after a federal judge declined to certify a proposed nationwide class of AirTag stalking victims earlier this year.

With litigation involving location-tracking devices expanding, lawyers are reviewing potential claims for individuals who allege they were secretly monitored through an Apple AirTag, Samsung SmartTag or similar product.

Apple AirTag lawyers are investigating claims nationwide involving allegations that tracking devices were improperly used for:

• Stalking
• Harassment
• Domestic violence
• Other criminal activity

Potential cases are being handled on a contingency fee basis, with no upfront legal fees or expenses. Attorneys are only paid if they obtain compensation for the individual.

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