Laura Hobson, Co-Founder & COO, YoursGlobal · · 4 min read
You found an AirTag under your bumper, a Tile in your bag, or a Bluetooth device where it should not be. Your first instinct may be panic and your second may be to destroy it. Both are understandable, but preserving evidence and getting somewhere safe matters first.
If the tracker is on your car, do not drive home or to work. Go to a police station or busy public place and call for a ride. If the tracker is on your person or bag, go somewhere with security and do not go home directly.
Take a photo exactly where you found it. Include context, the date, time, and location. Do not remove it immediately.
Write down what the device is, its color and markings, where it was found, how you discovered it, when you first suspected being followed, any suspicious incidents, who might have placed it, and who knows you found it. Do not rely on memory.
Call 911 if you are in immediate danger. Otherwise use the non-emergency line and explain that you found a tracker and need a report and evidence documentation. Ask officers to photograph it, preserve it, record your timeline, provide a report number, and explain next steps.
Realistically, police may only take a report at first. Even so, documentation creates a paper trail.
Let police document and remove the tracker when possible. Removing it yourself can contaminate fingerprints, DNA, or chain of custody. Once it is documented, have a locksmith inspect your vehicle and change your routine.
If you know who placed the tracker, ask your courthouse about a protective order and include the police report and timeline. If you do not know, give all evidence to police and ask whether the serial number or manufacturer records can help identify the owner.
Have your car inspected, vary routes and parking, inspect your locks, change mechanical locks where possible, install door and window alarms, tell trusted neighbors, limit social-media location sharing, enable two-factor authentication, and review your phone for stalkerware. Use another device to change passwords if your phone may be compromised.
Domestic-violence organizations can help even when there has not been physical violence. In the US, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is 1-800-799-7233. The Cyber Civil Rights Initiative and trauma-informed legal and mental-health professionals can also help.
Finding a tracker is actionable evidence. Use it to build a record, get support, and protect yourself at your own pace.
If you're in immediate danger, call 911. Your safety is more important than evidence.