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The FBI has warned travelers that public phone charging stations may not be safe to use. Criminals have figured out a way to use these charging stations to steal information from connected phones and how to install malware on them, the bureau warned.
While the FBI didn’t give specifics or say an incident had been reported, it did say it was possible. The action even has a name: “juicing.”
It’s certainly possible, but luckily Apple has security measures in place to warn iPhone and iPad users that the information on their devices is at risk.
If you plug your phone or tablet into a charger with a USB cable, you might see an on-screen warning or prompt asking you to “Trust this computer.” If you see this warning, you’re not plugging your phone into a charger, but into a computer or device that can access and transfer data.
If you’re using a free charging station at an airport, train station, hotel, or library and you see this warning, you should click “don’t trust” and quickly unplug your phone.
The Android phones I’ve tried don’t have this security measure.
If you’re traveling and your phone or device might need charging, what are your options other than free charging stations?
Another, possibly better, option is to pick up a portable battery charger. These are now less than $20 and widely available, and can charge or recharge multiple times before the phone needs to recharge itself.
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