Authorities Warn Against Public ‘Free Wi-Fi’ Scams Amid Rising Reports of Fraud

The Police Anti-Scam Centre has issued a public advisory urging vigilance against deceptive ‘free Wi-Fi’ offers at public locations, particularly airports, following an increase in reports of individuals falling victim to such scams.

Authorities have warned that fraudsters are exploiting hotspots labelled ‘Free WiFi’ to deceive users, with incidents reported in locations such as airports. Travellers have been advised to verify that the network name matches the official Wi-Fi service and to avoid accessing banking applications, email accounts, or conducting sensitive financial transactions while connected to public networks.

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The police have further recommended the use of reliable Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) when personal information is required to access Wi-Fi services.

The police continue to urge the public to refrain from sharing personal information, to enable two-factor authentication on applications, and to verify the identity of payment recipients before transferring funds.