Fake Free Wi-Fi Scam Targets Australian Airports, Flights: Report

A 42-year-old man from Western Australia has been charged by Australian police for allegedly setting up fraudulent Wi-Fi networks at airports and on domestic flights. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) claims that these fraudulent networks pretended to be real ones in order to obtain personal information from unwary tourists. The man was supposed to appear in court in Perth on Friday in relation to nine allegations related to cybercrime.

According to News Corp Australia, police allege the man, 42, used a device in a number of locations, including airports in Perth, Melbourne, and Adelaide, and on domestic flights, to create "evil twin" copies of legitimate wi-fi networks.

When users tried to connect their devices to the networks, they were allegedly taken to a fake web page and required to sign in using their email or social media logins.

Those details were then allegedly saved to the man's devices and could be used to access more personal information, including a victim's online communications, stored images and videos, or bank details, police said.

The alleged scam was reported to police by an airline in April after its employees identified a suspicious wi-fi network during a domestic flight.

As per the news portal, AFP Western Command Cybercrime Detective Inspector Andrea Coleman said internet users should always be cautious when logging on to any public wi-fi networks.

"To connect to a free wi-fi network, you shouldn't have to enter any personal details - such as logging in through an email or social media account," she said.

Inspector Coleman said those using public hotspots should install a reputable VPN on their devices to encrypt and secure their data.

"When using a public network, disable file sharing, don't do anything sensitive - such as banking -while connected to it and once you finish using it, change your device settings to 'forget network'," she said.

"We also recommend turning off the wi-fi on your phone or other electronic devices before going out in public, to prevent your device from automatically connecting to a hotspot."