New Yorkers Love Free WiFi But It’s Not Always Safe

We all know the drill. You’re out and about, your data’s almost gone, or your phone’s crawling. So what do you do? You search for public Wi-Fi. Turns out, a lot of us are doing it.

New York Ranks #3 in the U.S. for Wi-Fi Searches

A new study from a travel app called Saily shows that New York is third in the country when it comes to people looking for free Wi-Fi. Only people in Washington, D.C. and Louisiana are doing it more. Between commuters, tourists, remote workers, and students posting at every coffee shop, New Yorkers are trying to stay connected. Free Wi-Fi feels like a win—until it’s not.

Free Wi-Fi Comes with a Catch

Free public Wi-Fi isn’t always as good as it sounds. Experts are warning that getting on open networks, can open the door to hackers. We’re talking about everything from people spying on your browsing history to identity theft.

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According to Saily’s CEO, hackers can set up fake Wi-Fi networks that look like something you’d see at a hotel, coffee shop, or airport. These “evil twins” trick people into connecting, and once you do, they can intercept your data, mess with your device, and you probably won’t even know it’s happening.

What Could Go Wrong?

Best case scenario? Someone sees you looking up cat videos. Worst case? They get your passwords, banking info, or other personal stuff you really don’t want out there. There are also man in the middle attacks and rogue hotspots that spread malware like it’s free samples.

How to Stay Safe

Good news: you don’t have to give up public Wi-Fi. You just need to be a little smarter about how you use it. Here’s what the experts say:

1. Don’t do anything sensitive.
If you’re logging into your bank, buying something, or typing in any personal info save it for when you’re on your mobile data or a trusted connection.

2. Forget the network after you use it.
This stops your phone or laptop from automatically reconnecting the next time you’re nearby. That’s where people get caught slipping.

3. Keep your software updated.
Boring? Yep. But those updates include security fixes that protect you from the latest threats. So hit “update” instead of “remind me later.”

4. Use a VPN.
A VPN (virtual private network) wraps your internet activity in a layer of protection. It’s not just for tech nerds anymore anyone can use one, and it seriously helps.