Beware of public charging stations
By 965koit on November 14, 2019
We have all been stuck in an airport when our phone gives us that 10% power warning. Luckily, airports and public places have been installing charging stations so that we can plug in and keep playing. As with every good thing though, there is always someone that takes advantage of it.
According to the Los Angeles County District Attorney s Twitter page, scammers have found a way to download all the information on your phone without you knowing. Just by plugging into the port, if they have hijacked it, they can download or even clone your phone. They cannot do this unless they have secretly connected the port to a device that can copy your info. However, unless you have been watching that charging station all day and night you never know.
The safest thing you can do is by your own portable recharging device and keep it with you. Another way to be safe is to bring a wall charger with you. The direct USB connection is the one you have to be cautious about.
There will be a lot of delays and cancellations during this busy travel season. Expect to be sitting in an airport a couple hours longer than you originally planned. Also, books don’t need to be recharged.
#ICYMI: Avoid using public USB charging stations at airports and other locations. Deputy District Attorney Luke Sisak explains how the “juice jacking” scam works#FraudFriday #fraud #fraudalert #crime #scams #scamalert pic.twitter.com/0UcEp1J9wB
— Jackie Lacey (@LADAOffice) November 12, 2019