Apple AirTag Stalking Lawsuit
Survivors across the country have filed lawsuits in federal court alleging that Apple designed and sold the AirTag without adequate safeguards against stalking, and that stalkers used AirTags to track, assault, sexually assault, or kidnap their victims. Apple disputes these claims. Nigh Goldenberg Raso & Vaughn (NGRV) is investigating these claims and is accepting inquiries from people who were tracked without their knowledge or consent and suffered harm as a result.
Apple AirTag Stalking Litigation Overview
Survivors have filed lawsuits alleging that stalkers used Apple AirTags to secretly track their movements and then followed, assaulted, sexually assaulted, or kidnapped them. Plaintiffs allege that Apple knew its small, inexpensive tracker could be hidden in a car, purse, backpack, or coat pocket and used for exactly this purpose, yet launched the product without adequate safeguards.
NGRV is investigating and accepting claims from survivors of stalking, sexual assault, physical assault, and kidnapping involving an Apple AirTag. Our attorneys have more than 50 years of combined experience, and our founding partners have been appointed by federal judges to leadership positions in major national litigations, including the Uber Technologies, Inc., Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation. See our court-appointed leadership roles. Founding partner Marlene Goldenberg heads the firm’s sexual assault practice group, and our team approaches every client conversation with care and without judgment.
If you or a loved one was tracked with an Apple AirTag and harmed as a result, call or text NGRV at (202) 792-7927 or email Intake@nighgoldenberg.com for a free, confidential case evaluation.
Your safety comes first. If you are in immediate danger, call 911. If you believe you are being tracked, the National Domestic Violence Hotline is available 24/7 at 1-800-799-7233. A legal consultation does not replace safety planning with a trained advocate.
What Is an Apple AirTag?
Apple released the AirTag in April 2021. It is a small, coin-sized tracking device marketed to help people find lost keys, bags, wallets, and other belongings. Each AirTag reports its location through Apple’s “Find My” network, which uses nearby Apple devices around the world to relay the tag’s location back to its owner’s iPhone.
Because AirTags are inexpensive, small, and easy to conceal, they can also be used to follow a person without that person ever knowing. It is estimated that more than 120 million AirTags have been sold since launch.
| Feature | How It Works | Why It Matters in the Lawsuits |
|---|---|---|
| Find My network | Nearby Apple devices anonymously relay the AirTag’s location to its owner | Allows continuous tracking without any cellular plan or account in the victim’s name |
| “Moving with you” notification | Alerts iPhone users that an unknown AirTag is traveling with them | Plaintiffs allege the alert arrives only after tracking has already begun |
| Android Tracker Detect app | Lets Android users scan for nearby AirTags | Plaintiffs allege it must be installed and used proactively, which a victim may not know to do |
| Built-in speaker chime | Sounds to alert people nearby of the tag’s presence | Plaintiffs allege the speaker can be removed or disabled |
Descriptions of Apple’s safety features are based on Apple’s public statements and on plaintiffs’ allegations.
Why Are Lawsuits Being Filed Against Apple?
Plaintiffs allege that Apple designed, marketed, and sold a tracking device that it knew, or should have known, would foreseeably be used to stalk people, and that the safeguards Apple added were not enough. The principal allegations include the following.
1. Defective design
Plaintiffs allege that the AirTag was designed and released without adequate protections against unwanted tracking, even though the use of tracking devices by stalkers was well documented before launch. They point to the device’s low price, small size, and ease of concealment as design choices that made covert tracking cheap and simple.
2. Safety features that fall short
Apple has said it implemented anti-stalking features, including a “moving with you” notification for Apple users, an Android app, and an audible chime. Plaintiffs and outside experts argue these features are intended to deter stalking but have not been proven to prevent it. For example, the AirTag’s speaker can be removed, and the notifications generally alert a target only after an AirTag has already been placed and tracking has begun.
3. Failure to warn
Plaintiffs allege Apple failed to adequately warn consumers about the risk that AirTags could be used to track them, and failed to give people clear, timely information about how to detect and disable an unknown tag.
4. Negligence and consumer protection claims
Many complaints also assert negligence and state consumer protection claims, alleging that Apple marketed the AirTag as safe while failing to address known misuse. In a related California case, a federal judge allowed negligence and product liability claims by three plaintiffs to proceed past the pleading stage in 2024, while noting that the question of what California law required of Apple could not be resolved that early. Apple has argued that it built industry-first safety measures into the device and should not be held responsible when a product is misused by a third party.
Scope of the Problem
Reports of AirTag stalking emerged almost immediately after launch. Security and privacy experts had warned that the device could be used this way. The Surveillance Technology Oversight Project said Apple made it cheaper and easier than ever for abusers to track their targets, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation has said Apple’s mitigations are not enough because they often notify a target only after the damage is done.
Apple added additional safety features in 2022, but AirTags continue to be used to track people. A 2025 SafeAtHome survey found that at least 6% of Americans have received a notification that a tracker was moving with them. An Australian study found that 1 in 4 AirTag purchasers had a history of violence.
Key Developments
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April 2021Apple releases the AirTag. Reports of stalking begin to emerge soon after.
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2022Apple adds additional safety features. In December, two women file a class action in the Northern District of California alleging AirTags enabled stalking and harassment.
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March 2024A federal judge in San Francisco allows negligence and product liability claims by three plaintiffs to move forward in a related case.
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2025A SafeAtHome survey finds that at least 6% of Americans have received a notification of a tracker moving with them.
What Harms Are Alleged in the AirTag Lawsuits?
Covert tracking is often part of a pattern of control and escalating violence. Harms alleged in the litigation include:
- Stalking and harassment: Being followed, monitored, or confronted at home, work, school, or other locations.
- Sexual assault: Assaults committed by a person who located the victim using an AirTag.
- Physical assault: Violence by a stalker who used the tag to find the victim.
- Kidnapping or unlawful restraint: Abduction facilitated by tracking a victim’s location.
- Forced relocation: Moving homes, changing jobs or schools, or leaving a community to escape a stalker, along with the related costs.
- Lost income: Missed work, lost employment, or reduced earning capacity.
- Emotional and psychological harm: Anxiety, post-traumatic stress, depression, fear, and loss of the ability to feel safe.
- Other financial losses: Security upgrades, new devices, therapy and medical costs, and legal expenses.
Who May Qualify to File an Apple AirTag Lawsuit?
You may be eligible to pursue a claim if:
- Tracked without consent: Someone used an Apple AirTag to track your location without your knowledge or consent; and
- Harm resulted: You suffered harm as a result, including physical assault, sexual assault, kidnapping, the need to relocate, lost income, or other financial losses.
You do not need to have the AirTag in your possession, and you do not need to know the stalker’s identity, to speak with an attorney. Helpful documents, if you have them, include police reports, protective orders, screenshots of “moving with you” alerts, photos of the device, medical or counseling records, and records of relocation or lost income. If you do not have these items, our team can help you work out what is available.
Eligibility depends on the facts of each case. Every consultation is free and confidential, and you decide how much to share and when.
What Is the Current Status of the AirTag Litigation?
Lawsuits alleging that Apple AirTags were used to stalk and harm victims have been filed in federal courts around the country, and the litigation is at an early stage. Apple has opposed the claims and contends it built meaningful safety features into the device. The allegations have not been proven, and no settlement or trial date has been announced as of October 27, 2026.
Because deadlines to file can be short, survivors do not need to wait for the litigation to develop before speaking with an attorney. NGRV will update this page as the case progresses.
What Can I Expect If I File an Apple AirTag Claim?
Each plaintiff brings an individual lawsuit, and any recovery is based on that person’s own injuries, expenses, and circumstances. This is different from a class action, where plaintiffs are grouped together and typically receive compensation under a common formula. For more on how complex injury litigation works, see our Case Process Overviews and FAQ.
Overview of the Process
- Confidential case evaluation. A member of our trauma-informed sexual abuse practice group listens to what happened and reviews your situation at no cost to you.
- Records collection. With your permission, our team gathers relevant documents such as police and court records, device alerts, medical and counseling records, and financial records.
- Filing. If your case moves forward, your claim is filed in the appropriate court.
- Discovery. Both sides exchange evidence, which can include Apple’s internal design, testing, and safety documents, company witness depositions, and technology and safety experts.
- Resolution. Cases may resolve through settlement or proceed to trial. No outcome can be guaranteed.
Damages That May Be Available
Depending on the facts and applicable state law, plaintiffs may seek compensation for:
- Medical, counseling, and mental health treatment expenses, past and future
- Relocation costs and housing expenses
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Physical pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life
- Wrongful death damages where a stalking incident was fatal
Time Limits
Every state sets a statute of limitations, and the deadline can be as short as one to two years from the date of injury or from when you knew or should have known the AirTag played a role in your harm. Because deadlines vary and can expire, we encourage you to seek a legal evaluation promptly. See our Glossary for plain-language definitions of legal terms.
Why Choose Nigh Goldenberg Raso & Vaughn?
Litigation against a global technology company requires substantial trial experience, leadership credentials, and sensitivity to survivors’ needs.
- Court-appointed leadership. Our founding partners have been appointed by federal judges to Plaintiffs’ Steering and Executive Committees in national litigations, including the Uber Technologies, Inc., Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation and the Paraquat Products Liability Litigation. View our leadership appointments.
- Dedicated sexual assault practice group. Marlene Goldenberg heads our sexual assault practice, which represents survivors with a trauma-informed approach.
- Confidential, survivor-centered process. We stand with survivors of domestic and sexual violence. You control your story, and we explain every step before you decide whether to move forward.
- Contingency fee representation. NGRV represents clients on a contingency fee basis. We advance litigation costs and expert expenses, and if there is no recovery on your behalf, you owe no attorney fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I sue Apple if someone else used the AirTag to stalk me?
Plaintiffs in AirTag lawsuits allege that Apple is responsible because of how the product was designed, marketed, and warned about, not because Apple placed the tag. Apple disputes these claims. Whether you have a viable claim depends on your specific facts, and an attorney can evaluate them with you at no cost.
Is this a class action?
Not necessarily. In a class action, plaintiffs are grouped together and typically receive compensation under a common formula. In an individual lawsuit, compensation reflects that person’s own injuries and losses. NGRV evaluates each client’s situation individually.
Do I need to have found the AirTag to file a claim?
Not necessarily. Many survivors never find the device, or find it only after they were harmed. Alerts, photos, police reports, and testimony may all be relevant. A consultation can help determine what evidence exists in your situation.
Do I need to know who tracked me?
No. You may speak with an attorney even if you do not know, or are no longer in contact with, the person who used the AirTag. Whether the tracker’s owner was identified may be relevant to the facts of your case, and our team can walk through that with you.
What should I do if I find an unknown AirTag?
Put your safety first. Consider whether it is safe to remove the tag, since doing so may alert the person tracking you, and consider contacting local law enforcement or a domestic violence advocate before you act. If you can do so safely, photograph the device and any notifications, and keep records rather than deleting them. Evidence such as the tag’s serial number and alert screenshots can be important to both a police report and a legal claim.
Has Apple responded to the allegations?
Apple has said it built safety features into AirTags to guard against unwanted tracking and has opposed the claims. The allegations in the lawsuits have not been proven, and the litigation is at an early stage.
How much is my case worth?
Case value depends on your specific injuries, treatment, financial losses, and the long-term impact on your life. Because each plaintiff maintains an individual case, there is no single settlement amount that applies to everyone, and no outcome can be guaranteed. NGRV’s attorneys will evaluate your circumstances during a free consultation.
How much does it cost to hire an attorney for an AirTag lawsuit?
There are no upfront out-of-pocket costs. NGRV represents clients on a contingency fee basis, and attorney fees are owed only if there is a recovery. Details of the fee and cost arrangement are provided in the written retainer agreement.
Sources and References
- Bloomberg Law, Apple must face suit claiming AirTags are weapon of stalkers (March 15, 2024)
- NHPR, Two women who allege they were stalked and harassed using AirTags are suing Apple (December 7, 2022)
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. The information on this page is for general informational purposes and is not legal advice. Allegations described are claims made by plaintiffs and have not been proven. Contacting NGRV does not by itself create an attorney-client relationship.
