The list of things to be careful plugging into your devices grows as officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigation warn travelers and shoppers to avoid public free phone charging ports. They warn that scammers or bad actors could use these ports, which usually include USB or USB-C, to install malware or tracking software onto computer and phones using them to charge. 

Free public charging stations have increased in recent years in areas like shopping centers, airports, and hotels to accommodate more people traveling and new devices that require charging. 

Instead of plugging a charge cord directly into a port in a wall or station, folks should bring a power brick with a USB or USB-C adapter and plug the brick directly into a power outlet to charge devices.