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ASU Police respond to student claims of ‘tracking’ from Apple devices

Some ASU students say they've been getting alerts on their iPhones showing their devices were tagged and have tracked their every move.

SAN ANGELO, Texas — It’s no secret how smart our smartphones can be. But some Angelo State University students say lately it’s making them feel uneasy and unsafe. 

A few ASU students say they have been getting alerts on their iPhones showing someone was tracking their location through airpods.

ASU police confirm they received a call about alleged “tracking and tagging” on campus, but are still figuring out what it exactly is.  

“We've heard a little bit. I can't speak to any specifics because we don't have any information on those particular incidents,” ASU Police Patrol Lt./Criminal Investigations Marcus West said.

Apple addressed the issue earlier this year after their airtag devices made headlines for the wrong reasons. 

There were reports of people misusing them... often by attaching them to someone without that person's knowledge. 

Apple says this can also happen with airpods. But according to a company statement, this is only the case when an unregistered device is detected. 

Until ASU Police get a better understanding of what may be happening, West wants students and faculty to always be aware of what's going on within their cellular devices at all times. 

“Just be careful what you're allowing access to on your devices. Make sure all your security is turned on. Make sure you're checking those devices regularly. And then just security in general, just just be aware of your surroundings. Pay attention to what's going on. Lastly, of course, don't hesitate to call us if you have some suspicion." West said. 

More cell phone safety tips include resetting your phone at least once a month, making sure your Bluetooth is disabled so it won't connect to other devices, and requiring approval for access to your Bluetooth or your WI-FI.

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