A woman issues a PSA after leaving her car in a parking lot and coming back to find a strange object on the back of her car. She adds that you could be in real danger if it happens to you.
In a short video, Jackie A.X. (@artemis_meafter) shares the details of what she says is a common trick used by traffickers. She says she parked her car and went into a store for 10 minutes. When she returned to the parking lot, she noticed something strange.
What did she find on her Toyota?
“As you can see, I kind of parked in the back of the parking lot here. But this was not on the back of my car when I went in,” she says.
She then turns the camera around to reveal a single blue latex glove on the rear bumper of her Toyota.
“This is something we do not touch,” she says as she zooms in. She then explains what the presence of the glove could mean.
“This is an identifier to be followed, or it’s full of a substance. You see that, don’t touch it. Get rid of it and take off,” she says as she kicks the glove off the car with her foot.
Later, from the inside of her car, Jackie clarifies what she means by “substances.”
“When I say ‘filled with a substance,’ I mean you touch it and then you OD on something and then someone comes and ‘rescues’ you and is like, ‘Oh that’s just my sister, or my wife, or my daughter. I’m helping her to the hospital,’” she says.
In the caption, Jackie acknowledges that the glove was not a certain indicator that she had been tagged by traffickers. But she still urged people to take care.
“Don’t touch things on your car, especially if it’s placed near your trunk for you to see it and touch it to remove it,” Jackie reiterates at the end of the video.
Are traffickers really marking cars in parking lots?
Human trafficking is common topic on social media, with users sharing similar stories and tips on platforms like TikTok. Most recently, a woman named Jenna Lee (@jlee2.07) went viral after she shared a warning about kidnappers marking gas pumps.
However, the Guardian Group reports that such claims are simply untrue. The organization aims “to prevent and disrupt the sex trafficking of women and children in the United States,”
According to their report, “this specific method of marking vehicles has been proven false.” The organization adds that while kidnapping does happen, it is much more common for traffickers to build up trusting relationships with their victims in order to gain control over them.
A local news report from Albuquerque in 2022 also debunks a theory about zip ties being used to identify targets. Both the Albuquerque Police Department and the FBI told the outlet they had received no reports of zip ties being used in such a manner.
“No, we have not seen cases and I have not received any complaints from individuals who have come across this,” said New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas.
‘Take 4 rights’
Despite the fact that such tactics are likely not being used by traffickers, Jackie’s viewers were just as concerned as she was about the mysterious glove on her car. Numerous viewers added to her advice and shared their own tips to keep safe.
“I would to also recommend to not touch your door handle bare handed after you see something [like] that on your car either,” one person said.
“As a South African, this way of marking vehicles or occupants, is big here. Get it off your car as quick as possible and be very weary of who’s walking around you. You’ve been marked,” a second said.
“Also if you pay attention and feel followed, take 4 lefts, or 4 rights and [if] they still follow you know to drive to police station instead of home,” said a third.
Several people also advised Jackie to scan her car for unknown AirTags or similar tracking devices.
@artemis_meafter quick PSA if anyone doesn’t know this trick by traffickers… not saying it was, but always be careful. #women #womensafety #sketchy ♬ original sound – Jackie A.X.
The Daily Dot reached out to Jackie via Instagram direct message for further details.
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