Heading Off for March Break? Beware of WiFi Hotspot Scams

It is great to escape from the same-old same-old, but whether you have escaped for March Break or just the office be on the lookout for WiFi hotspot scams.  Lots of us take our laptops with us on vacation or around the corner to grab a coffee.  We get to stay in touch with the office, friends, family or keep up with bills and other business.  But doing so also puts us at risk for security breaches.  One such scam is the “WiFi Hotspot Scam”.

How does the scam work?

• You browse available network connections to find a network in your area.
• A “Free WiFi” appears and you connect.

Here’s the scam – it’s really not a hotspot, but a computer-to-computer network set up as a trap.  You can’t tell that so as you browse the Internet, entering your passwords, perhaps credit card or other sensitive information you are using the fraudster’s connection so they can see everything you are doing.  If your security settings are set-up for file sharing they can access everything on your laptop and even install spy-ware.

What can you do to avoid the scam?

• Avoid free services. Most legitimate hotspots charge a small fee.  Well worth the price to protect your information.
• Never connect to a computer-to-computer network. 
• Whenever possible only access secure sites denoted by https in their web address. 
• Turn off file sharing capabilities in your computer network connections settings. 

The best way to protect yourself is to be aware of the services you are using and only use those from trusted providers, that way you can enjoy your escape without worrying about your internet security.