Frederick Jace
You probably think nothing of joining your favorite coffee shop’s free Wi-Fi network. It’s a free and convenient way to bypass your data limits, so you can catch up on reels and the group chat without fear of penalty.
But when it comes to performing certain chores online, you should think twice before you join an unsecured public network. These free connections have the potential to expose you to fraud.
What’s the Danger of an Unsecured Connection?
There’s nothing inherently wrong with the Wi-Fi provided by airports, libraries, and cafés. These networks may provide a quick, convenient way to get onto the web.
Bear in mind that you aren’t the only one using this connection. Anyone within range can access the same unsecured, free network and use the Internet. If one of these people is technologically inclined, they have the know-how to hijack this connection. They can exploit your shared connection to track all your activity.
4 Things You Should Never Do on Public Wi-Fi
Given that someone could be secretly observing your browsing, you should never do anything that involves sharing personal information. Here are four things you should never do on an unsecured network.
1. Open a Line of Credit
When times are tough, many people open a line of credit. This financial account can help you handle unexpected expenses you can’t afford on your own.
You should wait to apply for a line of credit loan online until you are on your home network, even in an emergency. Why? Because you need to share your contact, bank account, and employment details in this app, along with your Social Security Number. You don’t want anyone but a legitimate lender to see this information.
Waiting until you’re on a secured network won’t interfere with how quickly you can get a line of credit because most online lenders provide quick and convenient borrowing processes.
2. Pay Your Taxes
With the thought of a juicy tax refund waiting for you, you might be anxious to complete your taxes as quickly as possible. But like applying for a line of credit, filing your taxes requires sharing confidential information online. You should only share this information with a credited tax filing company or the IRS while using a trusted network.
3. Check Your Account Balances
Checking important accounts can be risky on public Wi-Fi, even if you don’t have to fill out an application or other documents. Logging onto your accounts requires you to share confidential login credentials. If someone is eavesdropping on your connection, they can see the email and password combination you use to access financial and medical accounts — plus the contents of these accounts!
4. Shop Online
Suppose your child dropped their phone in the lake. You go to the mall to pick out a new handset, but the model that’s in your budget isn’t available in person. The phone rep says you have to buy it online. Rather than wait until you get home to pick out the replacement phone, you think of joining the mall’s Wi-Fi to buy it right away.
Online shopping requires you to share your financial information to finalize your purchase, and you have to input your full contact details. When someone’s potentially watching you input these spending details, they can use your information to make purchases and borrow money using your identity.
While it’s unlikely a fraudster is watching every free hotspot, the risk is never zero. So, why chance it? Wait to do these four chores until you trust your network.
