‘Kim, can people see what I do on public Wi-Fi?’ Here’s what a stranger at the coffee shop can see.

October 24, 2026

By Kim Komando

“Hi, Kim, I was interested in what you said about how when you are using public Wi-Fi, anyone can see what you do. How is that possible? Will NordVPN protect me from that? I do my banking and email on the public Wi-Fi.” — Ed in Minnesota

Ed, let me clear something up first. Your password isn’t floating through the coffee shop for anyone to read. Most websites and banking apps scramble what you send. Chrome warns you before opening a site that doesn’t.

The problems? Plenty.

☕ What can still go wrong

• The fake network. A crook names a hotspot “Coffee_Shop_Guest.” Your phone joins. Now your traffic runs through his laptop, and he can steer you to a look-alike bank login.
• The trap page. Many networks make you click through a sign-in page. A fake one can ask for your email password or a card number. Real ones don’t need either.
• The padlock lie. Nearly all phishing sites have one. Google dropped it from Chrome because people thought it meant safe. It only means private, even on a fake.
• The names still show. Even on a secure connection, the network can see which sites you visit and when.
• Old apps and devices. Not everything encrypts, especially that app you never update.

Before your next latte:

• Check the exact network name with an employee.
• Turn off auto-join for public Wi-Fi on your phone and laptop.
• Bank on cellular data instead.

🔒 The easy fix for public Wi-Fi

Yes, Ed, a VPN closes most of these gaps. It wraps everything leaving your device in an encrypted tunnel before it ever hits that sketchy network. The coffee shop sees you’re on a VPN. Not your bank. Not your email.

I tested the big ones before choosing the official VPN of The Kim Komando Show. That’s NordVPN. My whole family uses it.

Here’s what you get:

• Auto-connect turns it on by itself when you join Wi-Fi, so you never forget.
• Threat Protection blocks known dangerous sites and trackers.
• Kill Switch cuts your internet if the VPN drops, so nothing slips out unprotected.
• One account covers up to 10 devices.
• Independent auditors at Deloitte checked its no-logs policy for the sixth time.

✅ Get up to 78% off a 2-year plan, from $3.37 a month, plus 4 extra months. Grab the deal here.

Why did the computer go to the coffee shop? It needed a little Java.

🗣️ Text/post this stat: Google pulled the padlock from Chrome because nearly all scam sites have one, too. A padlock means private, not safe. GetKim.com

📩 Send this to someone who checks their bank account at the airport gate.