Getting ready for vacation? Remember when traveling and using Wi-Fi hotspots, never assume they are safe. Most Wi-Fi hotspots don’t encrypt the information you send over the Internet and aren’t secure. Protected sites are indicated by https before the web address. The “s” stands for secure and indicates that the data is encrypted for more protection.
What about using a mobile app when traveling? Unfortunately, when using mobile apps there is not a way for you to see the start of the web address to know if there is an https indicator. So, for the most part using a mobile app is a bad idea if you are conducting sensitive transactions. If you need to use an unsecure wireless network for transactions, use the company’s mobile website where you can check for the https at the start of the web address.
If you have any questions or would like more information about secure websites, give us a call at 1.800.687.3222 we are always happy to help. For more detailed information about Wi-Fi hotspots and other consumer information please visit https://www.consumer.ftc.gov.