FBI Warning! Do not use public battery charging stations

April 2023

Cyber crime is growing and causing grief to many.  Many of our community members have fallen victims to scams.  It is important to be extra careful with your devices.  E—mail scams are common.  Now the crooks are getting creative and using various other means to cheat the public.  As everybody is very dependent on cell phones for sensitive bank transactions it is important to protect your phone. 

Recently, warnings have been shared about WhatsApp hacks.  Don’t click a link unless you are sure even if it from one of your contacts.  Links to join unknown groups comes with huge risks. Just don’t do it.  

The FBI has issued a warning the consumer to not use free charging stations at malls, hotels, airports and other public places.  Crooks are using these USB ports to inject malware into your phones, tablets, computers and other devices to capture all the secure information. 

Lately, thousands of people have been victimized.  FBI also warns against using public WI-FI networks for sensitive transactions on your devices.  Especially while travelling it is common to use free WI-FI.   Try to use your phone’s data plan instead.

If you are the victim of an online or internet-enabled crime, file a report with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) as soon as possible.

Crime reports are used for investigative and intelligence purposes. Rapid reporting can also help support the recovery of lost funds.

Visit ic3.gov for more information, including tips and information about current crime trends.