TOKYO (TR) – A loss-prevention tag is a tool that when linked to a smartphone can allow a consumer to know its location. The are a handy means to forestall loss and and theft.
However, the elevated use of the tags has been accompanied by a surge in stalking circumstances, which reached a document excessive final 12 months, studies TBS News (Mar. 19).
On March 19, the National Police Agency introduced the variety of consultations concerning acts of misuse of loss-prevention tags reached a document excessive of 679 circumstances in 2025. This is almost double the quantity from the earlier 12 months, with stalking utilizing the tags being a rising downside.
“Compared to the period between and January and March 2025, the number of requests increased by about 1.5 times,” says Toru Tamura, the CEO of TryAgent, an organization that focuses on safety points.
Conceal them
Tamura says that individuals misusing the tags usually conceal them inside or on autos.
“The underside of the vehicle,” says Tamura. “They’re usually attached using magnets, whose batteries could be changed many times, and there winds up being considerable wear and tear on the double-sided tape or magnets.”
Such use can result in tragedy.
In December 2025, a girl was murdered in Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture. Police later revealed that the ex-boyfriend of the sufferer had despatched a stuffed animal containing a loss-prevention tag to the lady’s dad and mom’ home. Police imagine the person might have recognized the lady’s residence utilizing the tag’s location data.
Earlier this 12 months, a person in custody for dumping the corpse of a girl in Saitama Prefecture has additionally been accused of stalking her. According to police, he affixed a loss-prevention tag to her automobile earlier than abducting her.
Smartphone
As prevention measure, smartphones might be set to inform a consumer if an unfamiliar tag is close by.
Tamura says, “The person who sets a trap is likely to be someone you’ve had contact with before. If you’ve had trouble, don’t accept things from people.”
As effectively, for those who discover an unfamiliar tag at residence, it’s necessary to seek the advice of the police, says Tamura.