The spy in your rental car

You land after a long flight, drag your bag to the rental counter and finally hop into that Chevy Malibu or Ford Explorer. The first thing you do? You pull out your charging cable and plug your phone into the USB port.

You need Waze to find the hotel and Spotify to keep you awake. The screen pops up: “Sync Contacts?” or “Allow access to data?”

You’re in a rush, so you hit “Yes.”

Congratulations. You just uploaded your digital life to a car you don’t own.

⚠️ It gets everything

When you pair your phone via Bluetooth or plug in for CarPlay/Android Auto without being careful, the car doesn’t just play your music. It gets your entire contact list, your recent call history, your text messages and your navigation history.

I can’t tell you how often I get into a rental, press the “Phone” button and see the previous renter’s entire life, entries for “Mom,” “Hubby” and “Boss.” I once saw that a person called their cardiologist three times in a 10-minute span. I hope they made it. 

I hit the “Nav” button and see a stored location for “Home.” If I were a creep, I’d know exactly where that person lives and that they are currently out of town.

🧻 The digital wipe

If you rent a car this December, follow my rules:

1. Never hit “Sync Contacts”: If the car asks to download your phonebook, say no. You can still use CarPlay for maps and music without giving the car your Rolodex.
2. Charge dumb: If you simply need power, do not use the built-in USB data port. Bring a cigarette lighter adapter (20% off, $40) or a portable power bank (22% off, $19). These provide power without a data connection.
3. The final scrub: This is the step everyone forgets. Before you hand the keys back to the attendant, sit in the car for one extra minute.
   • Go to Settings on the infotainment screen.
   • Find Phone, Bluetooth or Device List.
   • Find your phone’s name.
   • Hit Delete or Forget Device.

You wouldn’t leave a credit card in the cupholder. Don’t leave your digital life in the dashboard.

🚙 Know someone traveling this month? Use the share icons below. I slammed my finger in a rental car’s door once. Damn, that Hertz.

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Tags: Android, history, home, play, settings