Why you should never make payments using public WLAN networks.

We are mobile and we use our smartphones for many tasks. Public WLAN and free hotspots are a tempting way to complete any outstanding tasks we failed to complete before setting out on our travels.

But be careful: Public networks are not secure, even if you do have to enter a password to log in. Fraudsters exploit this, for example by setting up fake hotspots. The moment as you connect to one of those, the trap snaps shut. Fraudsters can intercept your online traffic and steal valuable information such as login details or card numbers, and even go as far as to steal money.

To protect yourself on public networks, observe the following rules:

• Use a virtual private network (VPN) to secure the connection
• Do not pay bills or make purchases
• Visit only secure websites with the abbreviation https://
• Deactivate the automatic network search
• Switch off the automatic connection feature
• Use privacy filters on all screens
• Switch off file sharing
• Use two-factor authentication to protect your online accounts
• Keep your software and operating systems up to date
• Positively log out of all services after use