Find a Zip Tie on Missouri Car Door Handle? Danger May Be Lurking

Consider this a word of warning that may or may not be a real threat. If you find a zip tie on the door handle of your vehicle or that of a family member or friend in Missouri, it could mean danger is lurking.

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I share this out of an abundance of caution, but I'll warn from the outset that not everyone agrees with this dad's assessment. His video on TikTok went viral as he shared a troubling detail he found on his daughter's car. It was a zip tie that he simply cut off each morning. As he tells it, his daughter's job requires that she works until the middle of the night. She drives alone.

He asked his brother in law enforcement about this strange issue of zip ties appearing on her door handles and he claims that police have seen this as a tag for those who are vulnerable to potential sex trafficking.

It's important to note that not everyone agrees that this is a method for traffickers to target victims. Snopes claims to have debunked it saying that law enforcement agencies have not seen this method in use.

There's a bigger issue to address here and no matter if zip ties are a real sign of danger, devices such as Apple Air Tags being used to track people is. This is especially a problem in Missouri which sadly ranks as the 4th worst state in America for sex trafficking. 

I would argue that every parent should teach situational awareness to their kids and especially their daughters. If they have a job or routine that requires them to frequently drive alone, make sure they understand what to do in every situation and fundamental things to check on their vehicle to make sure they're not being targeted.

Even if the zip tie concern on TikTok is a hoax, sex trafficking especially in Missouri is a real and growing problem.