Let me tell you what happened to my friend Brad.

Brad’s a digital nomad just like me — smart guy, tech-savvy, been hopping around Latin America for over a year now. He runs his freelance video editing business from his laptop and edits on planes, buses, cafés… wherever there’s decent Wi-Fi and caffeine.

But one day, Brad learned a tough lesson — the kind that only happens once if you’re lucky.

🛫 The Layover That Went South

We were flying from Bogotá to Panama City, with a few hours to kill at El Dorado International Airport. Brad pulls out his laptop to finish a last-minute edit for a client. He’s on a deadline, so he connects to the first network that pops up:

“Free_Airport_WiFi.”

No password. Super fast. Seemed legit.

Five minutes later, Brad mutters, “Weird, my Google account just logged me out.”

Then his Dropbox throws up an “unusual activity” alert. His banking app freezes. A strange email from Apple says someone just attempted a login from Mexico.

That’s when we both knew: Brad didn’t connect to the airport Wi-Fi.

He connected to a rogue hotspot — a fake network likely set up by a hacker sitting just a few gates away.

🧠 What Went Wrong?

Hackers set up “evil twin” Wi-Fi networks that mimic real ones. Unsuspecting travelers connect, thinking they’re on the airport’s system — but in reality, their data is being monitored or captured.

Passwords, emails, session cookies… all up for grabs.

Brad had auto-login enabled on several services. No VPN. No 2FA on most accounts. His session tokens were basically a hacker’s all-access pass.

⏱️ The Aftermath

Within an hour:

  • His Gmail was locked down.
  • Dropbox had suspicious file access.
  • His Stripe account showed failed logins from unfamiliar devices.
  • A $19 charge hit his debit card.

It wasn’t catastrophic, but it was enough to scare him straight.

Brad looked like someone who’d just found out his dog could talk — shocked, confused, and kinda betrayed.

🛠️ How We Fixed It

We sprang into damage control:

  • Logged into Gmail from a secure network and forced sign-outs
  • Changed every password
  • Set up 2FA across all key accounts
  • Installed a VPN and configured it to auto-launch on public networks
  • Turned off auto-connect for all public Wi-Fi
  • Got him a local SIM with a hotspot plan for emergencies

It was a mess — but it could’ve been way worse.

💡 What This Means for YOU

If you’re out here living the remote life and connecting to every “Free_WiFi” that offers a signal, please stop.

Here’s what Brad wishes he knew before this:

Use a VPN every time you're on public Wi-Fi
Avoid networks with generic names (especially ones that don’t require a password)
Turn off auto-connect on all devices
Carry a mobile hotspot or local SIM with data as your backup
Never log into sensitive accounts (banking, email, crypto) over public networks

🧭 Stay Paranoid. Stay Ready.

Brad’s good now. He’s got a VPN, a new sense of digital paranoia, and a lot fewer browser extensions (don’t ask). But he told me he still gets nervous every time he opens his laptop in an airport.

If you’re traveling, don’t make Brad’s mistake.

Don’t let one lazy decision ruin your trip — or your business.

See ya - King Michael