FBI warns: Never use public phone charging stations at airports and hotels

Recently, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warned people not to use those free charging stations, but instead remember to bring a charger and USB cable to plug into power outlets in public places.

FBI (USA) warning about public phone charging stations.

There's no denying that charging stations are convenient when your phone or electronic device needs a charge, but they pose risks even if you're very careful about protecting your personal information.

The FBI's reasoning is that free public charging stations in the US have become the "latest weapon" for cybercriminals to spread malware and tracking software onto users' devices.

Once they have penetrated people's devices, bad guys will take personal information, such as account logins, passwords, credit card details and photos. even back up all the data on your phone.

Public charging stations have become the "latest weapon" for cybercriminals to spread malware.

Here are some more troubleshooting tips to protect yourself from falling victim to a juice scam:

• Bring a portable charger or external battery.
• Bring your charging cable.
• If you have to use a public charger, you should not send or receive data while it is charging.
• Never plug your device into an existing cable, as authorities warn that in some cases criminals have intentionally left those cables in place to trick you.

Too many tricks in the digital age

"Your everyday tasks — such as opening email attachments, clicking on links in text messages, making online purchases — can expose you to online criminals who are plotting to steal your assets," the FBI website reads .

"Preventing internet crime and cyber intrusion requires awareness and vigilance on our part."

The agency urged people not to conduct sensitive transactions, such as purchases, on devices before connecting to the public internet.

Hackers have become incredibly creative over the past decade. They are constantly finding new, stealthy ways to break into people's devices and steal personal information.

The FBI urges people to check email addresses in all correspondence, carefully review website URLs and not click on links in unsolicited text messages.

Recent data shows that Americans are being bombarded with more than 376 million scam text messages every day, impersonating Netflix, Amazon, and banks to steal money.

These fake messages claim the user's account is frozen or credit card has expired, prompting them to click on a link that asks for personal information.

'If you receive a text message asking for some personal or financial information, do not click on any links. Legitimate companies will not ask for your account information in writing ,' the Federal Trade Commission warns. 'If you think the message might be real, contact the company using a phone number or website that you know is real. Not the information in the text message you received.'

Mobile devices have transformed our lives in ways we never imagined, but they have also become an important tool for scammers to exploit.

The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reported that from 2015 to 2022, the number of complaints about scam messages skyrocketed from 3,300 to 18,900 per year.

And Americans lost $10 billion to these scams in 2021 alone.

'Scammers have discovered that sending us a message about a package you never ordered or a payment that was never made along with a link to a shady website is a quick and easy way to get us to fall prey,' FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement .