New Google alert you NEED to look out for could mean someone is watching you

GOOGLE is working on a special warning that will reveal if someone is stalking you.

The alert flags if you’re moving with a Bluetooth tracker – one that allows someone else to follow your live location.

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These tags – which can be bought cheaply online – can be hidden in a coat, bag or car for nefarious purposes.

Apple has already faced its own crisis with people using its AirTag trackers for stalking.

Now Google is readying a warning feature for Android phones.

The feature was uncovered by tech site 9to5Google, who delved into hidden lines of Google code.

It appears to scan for nearby tracker tags using Bluetooth.

However, the feature is described as being “very much in early development”.

That could mean it’s weeks, months or even years away – depending on how high a priority it is for Google.

In the meantime, what options you have?

Thankfully Apple has already built an app for Android to help you uncover rogue AirTag trackers.

It’s called Tracker Detect, and will flag if a nearby AirTag is following you.

Longstanding tracker company Tile has also launched a similar app.

Apple’s AirTags were unveiled in April 2021, and are small electronic tags that can be attached to keys, backpacks, suitcases and more.

You can then use Apple’s Find My app to locate these items if you ever lose them.

They tap into the Find My network of devices, which flags up if an AirTag is near one of the millions of gadgets in the ecosystem.

And when you’re near an AirTag, you can use iPhone’s technology to accurately find the tag in a small space.

If an AirTag registered to someone else is moving with you consistently, your iPhone will warn you.

It could be harmless, like you’ve borrowed a set of keys.

But this will alert you if someone has placed an AirTag on your person without your knowledge.

Of course, this alerting system doesn’t work if you’re not using an iPhone or iPad.

That’s why Android users have to install Tracker Detect to find hidden AirTags.

However, there’s another neat feature that could help you out.

If an AirTag has been separated from its owner for a while, it will begin making an alert sound.

This is ostensibly to help reunite lost belongings with their owners.

But it would also flag to an Android phone user that there’s an AirTag nearby that isn’t near to its owner.

The sound means that even if the AirTag is hidden deep inside a bag or coat, it would be exposed to a potential victim.

It’s not a foolproof system, and sophisticated stalkers could still find ways to monitor you.

But ultimately, it’s possible that someone stalking you might prefer to use a third-party GPS tracker that has significantly fewer checks and balances than Apple’s gadget.

That’s where Google’s upcoming tracker-spotting feature would come in.

If you think you’re being stalked, you can contact your local police, or dial 911 (US) or 999 (UK) if you or someone else is in immediate danger.

You can also get advice from the National Stalking Helpline on 0808 802 0300, which operates Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4pm (except Wednesday 1pm to 4pm) in the UK. In the US you can contact Victim Connect on 1-855-484-2846 for advice.

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