CONSUMER ALERT: Attorney General Moody Recognizes Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Warns Floridians of Evil Twin Scam

View PDF

TALLAHASSEE, Fla.-October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and Attorney General Ashley Moody is issuing a Consumer Alert warning Floridians about Evil Twin cyber scams. This scam involves hackers creating fake Wi-Fi networks with similar names to trusted networks in the hope that users attempt to connect and provide personal information. Evil Twin scammers may also create fraudulent mobile apps to steal user information. In one case earlier this year, a scammer used a portable Wi-Fi hotspot on an airplane with the same name as the legitimate onboard Wi-Fi network.

Attorney General Ashley Moody said, "October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and we are warning Floridians about an online threat called Evil Twin scams. Cybercriminals can use this scam to target victims both through fake Wi-Fi networks and imposter mobile applications to steal personal information. To avoid this scheme, verify the Wi-Fi network is legitimate with the provider before connecting and check reviews of apps before downloading them to your phone."

Here are two ways the Evil Twin scam works:

• Wi-Fi Networks: Hackers create fraudulent Wi-Fi hotspots that look identical to legitimate networks in public places, such as coffee shops, airports or hotels. Once a victim connects to the network, the hacker can monitor activity and steal sensitive information.
• Mobile Apps: Cybercriminals may create malicious apps that closely mimic popular, legitimate apps. Once downloaded, these fake apps can steal login credentials, financial data or install malware on the user's device.

Attorney General Moody offers the following tips to help Floridians avoid Evil Twin scams:

• Always verify that the Wi-Fi network is legitimate with the provider before connecting by checking the exact name with a real person or written instructions;
• Ensure any websites visited use https:// instead of http:// in the URL, or a padlock, showing that the website is protected;
• Only download apps from official app stores, and carefully review the app's publisher and user reviews to ensure authenticity;
• Consider using a virtual private network to encrypt data and make it more difficult for cybercriminals to access personal information via public Wi-Fi;
• Turn off file sharing and automatic Wi-Fi connections on devices; and
• Avoid conducting financial transactions or logging in to personal accounts when connected to public Wi-Fi.

Victims of Evil Twin scams should report incidents to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement's Computer Crime Center.

Anyone who encounters an Evil Twin scam can also file a complaint with the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.

To view other Consumer Alerts, visit MyFloridaLegal.com/ConsumerAlert.

# # #

The Florida Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division issues Consumer Alerts to inform Floridians of emerging scams, new methods used to commit fraud, increased reports of common scams or any other deceptive practice. Consumer Alerts are designed to notify Floridians about scams and available refunds in an effort to prevent financial losses or other harm caused by deceptive practices. Anyone encountering a scam should report the incident to the Florida Attorney General's Office by calling 1(866) 9NO-SCAM or visiting MyFloridaLegal.com.