Watch out for fake hotel Wi-Fi networks!

Hey folks, I was staying at a hotel last month and saw a network called 'Hotel_Guest_Free'. I connected without thinking twice, but then a pop-up asked for my room number and email. That felt off, so I checked with the front desk and they said the real network name was different. Turns out, hackers set up a fake hotspot to grab people's data! I quickly disconnected and changed all my passwords. Now I always ask staff for the correct network before I join anything. Using a VPN on my devices has become a must for me in public places. It's scary how easy it is to fall for these tricks, so stay alert!

3 comments

3 Comments

hart.parker1mo ago

Is this really a common problem though? I travel all the time and have never actually seen a fake hotel network. Maybe it happens, but I feel like the risk gets blown out of proportion.

beththomas1mo ago

Just because you haven't seen one doesn't mean they aren't out there. These fake networks can look real and catch people off guard. A little caution goes a long way when traveling.

bettyg471mo ago

Oh man, I get where @hart.parker is coming from, but I've totally seen this. I mean, last year at an airport, there was a network called "Free Airport WiFi" right next to the real one. It looked totally normal. My friend connected and got a weird pop-up asking for his email password. It's not always a hotel thing, sometimes it's just in busy spots. Maybe you've been lucky, but they're out there for sure.