Whether it’s Sports Illustrated swimsuit model Brooks Nader or Elon Musk and his private jet, celebrities have the public’s attention which sometimes becomes obsession. And obsession can be fed through both legal and illegal tracking of such celebrities. But what happens when an unknown stalker’s threats cannot even be proven?
Just this past week, Days of Our Lives star and social media influencer, Jessica Serfaty contacted police to report an unknown device tracking her. That unknown device was apparently identified by her own iPhone as an Apple AirTag placed somewhere in her Range Rover as she drove around with her young son. However, as originally reported by TMZ, when “Sheriff’s deputies showed up and searched the vehicle, but couldn’t find the AirTag. It’s unclear if it fell off, or someone removed it.”
The distraught actress claimed to have never put any tracking device in her own vehicle so not only is she left with a mystery as to where the tracking device went, but she also does not have a real motive or possible stalker to even avoid or guard against. Could a passenger or passerby have placed the AirTag to simply steal the car at a more convenient time or place? Perhaps she has an unknown stalker trying to keep tabs on her whereabouts.
Another rumor involves an allegedly abusive fiancé that she recently posted about on social media. According to PerezHilton.com, Jessica quickly retracted her abuse allegations but this wouldn’t be the first time a victim protected their own abuser from consequences.
As a wireless cybersecurity expert, I feel like I’ve now overstayed my welcome at the Hotel California with all its glamour and scandals. However, I do feel confident in speaking to the fear that victims of stalking have to endure and the difficulty in sometimes convincing authorities and even friends of that clear and present threat. I receive calls and emails every week from people claiming to be tracked by the government, by jealous ex and by complete strangers.
The dramatic increase in wireless tracking technology and decrease in the price has allowed anyone with $20 and a free iCloud account to track anyone, anywhere in the world at their leisure. So while beautiful and famous starlets tend to make the stalking headlines, regular folks also feel the threats in a very real way. Apple has added some anti-stalking tech into their devices letting users know when an unknown tag has been tracking them for an extended period of time. The problem is that these stalking alerts rely upon physical movement and time durations in order to trigger an alert. Sometimes it can take days or even hours to reveal a hidden AirTag in your car or purse.
Because of the potential warning delays, my company has developed, BlueSleuth-Lite, a pocket-sized tool that immediately alerts users to all nearby tags including Apple’s AirTag, Samsung’s Smart Tag, Tile trackers and many other hidden trackers. Bodyguards, private security and executive protection service providers rely on immediate feedback for their high profile clients, but they’re not the only ones who have come to us for help. Anyone with something to lose including their privacy or safety has the right to protect themselves and loved ones.
Jessica Serfaty recently posted “Courage doesn’t mean you don’t get afraid. Courage means you don’t let fear stop you”. She has not issued any further statements about her stalking scare, but her somewhat cryptic message on her social media seems to indicate that she feels safe to move about freely in her life again.
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