Man charged with ‘evil twin’ scam using fake WiFi networks at Australian airports: Report

According to the report from news.com.authe man deployed the device in various locations, including airports and domestic flights, to replicate legitimate Wi-Fi networks as “evil twin” copies.

Authorities say they have recovered the personal information of many people and forensic analysis of the seized devices is currently underway.

Here’s how the fraud happened

The man allegedly operated a free WiFi device that directed users to a fake website when they tried to connect their devices. According to police, users were asked to log in using their email address or social media login details.

Authorities said the man stored the data on his devices, potentially gaining access to further personal information such as internet communications, stored media and banking details.

The alleged fraud was exposed in April when the airline reported a suspicious Wi-Fi network on a domestic flight, prompting a police intervention.

How was he caught?

The report says Australian Federal Police (AFP) investigators searched the man’s belongings after he arrived at Perth Airport on April 19 following an interstate flight.

They confiscated a portable wireless access device, a laptop and a cell phone from his carry-on luggage. Officers then also searched his residence in Palmyra, near Fremantle.

A second search warrant was executed at the home on May 8, resulting in the man being arrested and charged with a number of crimes. The police say they have recovered the personal data of many people.

“Internet users should exercise caution”

The AFP Western Command Cybercrime Department said internet users should always be cautious when logging onto public Wi-Fi networks. “You don’t need to provide any personal information – such as email or social media logins – to connect to free Wi-Fi,” police said.

Police advised people using public hotspots to consider installing a reputable VPN on their devices to encrypt and secure their data. They also suggested avoiding sensitive activities such as banking while connected to public networks and disabling file sharing. After use, they advised adjusting the device settings to “forget network.”

Additionally, it was recommended to turn off Wi-Fi on devices before leaving to prevent automatic connection to hotspots.

People using available Wi-Fi networks at airports or on domestic flights were encouraged to change their passwords and report any suspicious activity at cyber.gov.au.