{"id":860598,"date":"2026-08-19T08:24:11","date_gmt":"2026-08-19T08:24:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/860598\/"},"modified":"2026-08-19T08:24:11","modified_gmt":"2026-08-19T08:24:11","slug":"travelling-overseas-scammers-are-waiting-for-you-to-make-these-5-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/860598\/","title":{"rendered":"Travelling overseas? Scammers are waiting for you to make these 5 mistakes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Free airport, hotel and restaurant Wi-Fi may be convenient, but security experts are warning travellers not to treat it as automatically safe, with compromised networks potentially exposing passwords, payment details and other personal information.<\/p>\n

The issue was brought into focus by Microsoft\u2019s disclosure of a hacking campaign called CaptiveCrunch<\/a>, which targeted networks using the captive portals commonly found in hotels and other hospitality venues.<\/p>\n

Microsoft said it had observed malicious actors manipulating internet traffic from affected networks since early May 2026, redirecting users through attacker-controlled infrastructure. Some attacks led travellers to fake Microsoft pages designed to steal login credentials or delivered malware disguised as a software update.<\/p>\n

The findings do not mean every hotel or public Wi-Fi network is compromised, but they show why even a network that appears familiar should be approached cautiously.<\/p>\n

The warning comes as business travel continues to grow. The Global Business Travel Association forecasts<\/a> 1.84 billion business trips globally in 2026, around 25 million more than in 2025, while spending is expected to rise 7.2 per cent to US$1.71 trillion.<\/p>\n

Vodafone senior customer security, fraud and scam governance manager Amelia Limbrick said travellers could become less cautious about their digital security once a trip was underway.<\/p>\n

\u201cTravelling overseas often means letting our guard down<\/a>, but that\u2019s exactly when scammers are looking to strike. Hotel and public WiFi networks are a common target because people assume they\u2019re safe to use for everything from checking emails to online banking. But these networks can be easily compromised, giving criminals a direct line to your personal and financial information.<\/p>\n

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\u201cOur advice is simple: treat public WiFi the same way you\u2019d treat a stranger asking for your password \u2013 with caution. A few small habits, like using your own mobile data instead of hotel WiFi, and updating your passwords before you leave, can make a real difference in keeping your information safe while you\u2019re away.\u201d<\/p>\n

Five digital safety tips<\/p>\n

1. Stop shoulder snoopers<\/p>\n

A privacy screen for a phone or laptop can make it harder for someone nearby to view passwords, banking apps, booking details or work information. Travellers should also avoid opening sensitive accounts where a screen can be easily seen, particularly on public transport and in airport lounges.<\/p>\n

2. Choose mobile data over public Wi-Fi<\/p>\n

Where possible, travellers should use their own mobile data or personal hotspot after checking their roaming plan and destination coverage. If public Wi-Fi is unavoidable, confirm the correct network name with venue staff, turn off automatic connection settings and avoid online banking or other sensitive activity.<\/p>\n

Travellers should also be wary of any unexpected prompt to download a software update after connecting. Disconnect from the network and install legitimate updates through the device\u2019s settings using a trusted connection instead.<\/p>\n

\"SecuritySecurity experts are warning that everyday phone use while travelling can expose passwords, payment details and other personal information.<\/p>\n

3. Bring a charger or power bank<\/p>\n

Travellers should carry their own wall charger, cable or power bank rather than relying on public USB charging ports. The Australian Cyber Security Centre advises<\/a> that public charging stations and ports could put data at risk if they have been compromised.<\/p>\n

4. Secure important accounts before departure<\/p>\n

Review key email, banking and social media accounts before leaving, replace any weak or reused passwords and enable multi-factor authentication. Real-time banking alerts can provide an early warning of unexpected transactions, while a backup payment method gives travellers another option if their primary card or account is blocked or compromised.<\/p>\n

Travellers relying on SMS authentication should also check that they can receive messages overseas. The Australian Cyber Security Centre recommends using an authenticator app or another stronger form of multi-factor authentication where possible.<\/p>\n

5. Save the real-time holiday updates<\/p>\n

Posting flight details, hotel check-ins and a precise location can reveal more than travellers intend. Limiting real-time posts and sharing the holiday photo dump after returning home can reduce both digital and physical security risks.<\/p>\n

KARRYON UNPACKS: This is a simple pre-departure value-add for travel advisors, particularly when clients will be working abroad or relying on airport and hotel connectivity. Adding a short digital safety checklist to final documents can help clients protect their accounts and payment details while reinforcing the advisor\u2019s role beyond the booking.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Free airport, hotel and restaurant Wi-Fi may be convenient, but security experts are warning travellers not to treat…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":860599,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[64,63,105],"class_list":["post-860598","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-technology","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-technology"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/860598","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=860598"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/860598\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/860599"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=860598"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=860598"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=860598"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}