Hidden Crime of ‘wi-fi tapping’, only 11 arrests but most of us are guilty

More than half of computer users have illegally logged on to someone else’s wi-fi connection yet only 11 people have been arrested for the crime, an investigation by The Times has found. “Wi-fi tapping” or “piggybacking” has boomed in the past few years as hackers take advantage of unsecured computers to access the internet without paying for it.

Police regard it as a serious offence because intruders can download pornographic materials and illegal images without being caught. Only the legitimate holder of the wi-fi account is likely to be tracked down.

Officers are also worried that criminals can use unsecured wireless connections to steal personal details such as passwords and credit card numbers and use them to commit identity theft.