Don't charge your phone at the free charging stations at airports and other places

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It is tempting, when low on battery, to take advantage of the free charging stations at airports and cropping up elsewhere.

The problem is, that USB cable that charges your phone, can also be a data cable pulling your data out of the phone. Passwords, credit cards, photos, location history and more can go to who knows where.

I'm not saying airports are evil. Those stations they so generously offer may have been compromised by a bad actor.

Instead, take a power block and look for a regular outlet. Or, and I'm a huge advocate of this, buy a portable charger.  A portable charger is just another battery, a large one as big or bigger than the phone itself you carry in your bag and use when necessary.

The New York Times warned of this in November 2019. (behind a pay wall).

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