Protect your data with these high-tech travel tips

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (7News) — Before you head off on your Labor Day vacation, 7News On Your Side has some high-tech travel tips to help you protect your data and that of your family.

Beware of suspicious travel emails

Scammers run campaigns that look like travel websites and even bombard your inbox with fake confirmation or cancellation emails.

“Instead of going through the message you received, go to the website and read the original email you received when you booked your reservation,” said Nick Biasini, global lead at Cisco Talos Outreach.

CHECK WIFI

Be careful when connecting to Wi-Fi. Many hotels offer Internet access, but you need to make sure it is actually their own.

“If you have to join one, use something like a VPN to have a little more privacy,” Biasini said.

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BLUETOOTH CONNECTIONS

An often overlooked security vulnerability is Bluetooth.

“Think about what you’re connecting to via Bluetooth. Too often I get a rental car and find a huge list of contacts left by the people from the previous car. Think about what you’re sharing and what you’re giving these devices access to,” Biasini said.

Phone shock threat

Check your phone, tablet and laptop settings to make sure you are not accepting file transfers from anyone.

“Make sure you only accept files from people who are your contacts. This will help you a lot to protect yourself,” said Biasini. “But always be careful and pay attention to where your phone is, because an unattended phone is an opportunity for an attacker.”

If you need help with travel or other consumer issues, contact the 7News On Your Side Call For Action team:

Contact the 7News On Your Side Call For Action team here or call 301-652-HELP (301-652-4357).