A 42-year-old man from Western Australia has been charged for allegedly setting up fake Wi-Fi networks at airports and domestic flights.
Australian police have charged a 42-year-old man from Western Australia for allegedly setting up fraudulent Wi-Fi networks at airports and domestic flights. The Australian Federal Police (AFP) claim these fraudulent networks pretended to be real to extract personal information from unsuspecting tourists. The man was due to appear in court in Perth on Friday in connection with nine cybercrime charges.
When users attempted to connect their devices to the network, they were allegedly taken to a fake web page and asked to log in using their email or social media logins.
These details were then saved on the person’s devices and could have been used to access more personal information, including the victim’s online connections, stored photos and videos, or banking details, police said.
The alleged scam was reported to police by an airline in April after its staff identified a suspicious Wi-Fi network during a domestic flight.
According to the news portal, AFP Western Command Cyber Crime Investigation Inspector Andrea Coleman told AFP that internet users should always be cautious when logging into any public Wi-Fi network.
“To connect to free Wi-Fi, you do not have to enter any personal details – such as your email login or social media account,” she said.
Inspector Coleman said those using public hotspots should install a reputable VPN on their device to encrypt and secure their data.
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