Have you heard about juice jackers?
No, they’re not evildoers who will steal your Electric Berry Lemonade at Jamba Juice before you can enjoy its refreshing goodness. These are lowlifes that set up portable charging stations in public places, and then steal data from any cell phone connected to them.
What’s Happening?
Sound like an elaborate hoax? It’s not – hackers can build one of these authentic-looking chargers in less than an hour, and set it up wherever there is an unsuspecting crowd. Airports, train, and bus stations rank among the most popular destinations. No one thinks twice about plugging your phone in at these venues – especially when the stations do charge your phone as promised. But while doing so they also steal whatever data they can find, including your home address, email address, and perhaps even your passwords and bank information.
This scam has been around for more than a decade. But after COVID stuck us all in our homes for more than a year, it wasn’t scoring as often because people couldn’t travel. Now that the pandemic restrictions have been lifted and the summer travel season is underway, airline and bus terminals are packed once again, and the juice jackers are ready for them.
What Can You Do?
Fortunately, this is one of the easier threats to avoid before it compromises your private information. A portable charger, available online or at Wal-Mart for less than $50, will keep your phone charged safely.
You can also use a device called a USB data blocker, which will prevent any data from being transferred while your phone is charging – even at a juice jacker outlet. You can pick one up for less than $20.
If you’d rather not add another gizmo to your travel bag, you can always charge your phone through a standard wall socket. This will put some juice back in your phone without putting your home address in the possession of a juice jacker.
Is your home address already available online for anyone to find? IronWall360 can fix that.
