Why Charging Your Phone In A Rental Car Might Be A Bad Idea

Whether you're renting a set of wheels on your dream vacation or sharing a rental with co-workers on a business trip, there are plenty of reasons why you may plug in your phone to the vehicle's USB port. Perhaps your phone needs to charge after a long day of travel, or you need GPS directions to your hotel. You may just want to listen to your favorite tunes. Whatever your reason, if you have the right type of USB cable, it's easy to plug in. But you never should.

Many USB outlets and the cables that you use not only charge your device but also sync to the car's infotainment system, allowing for two-way data transfer. When you plug your phone into the rental car's USB port, it essentially reaches out for a handshake with the vehicle's operating system. Unless you're using a charging-only USB cable, you may unknowingly and unwillingly transfer private information from your phone to the car's memory. There, it may be stored for future renters to see — and steal. The next driver would have to know that your data was there and how to download it, which is unlikely, but this is still a risk that most people would rather avoid. Some rentals may ask for permission to access data when you sync your phone, but many don't.

Plugging in your phone to your rental vehicle does not mean merely exposing your music preferences. You could potentially risk transferring personal data like your contacts, GPS data, passwords, text messages, and even financial information. Just exposing your phone number is risky, opening you up to phone and text scams and identity theft.

Simply disconnecting your phone from the USB outlet will not erase your data from the car. Unless you're particularly tech savvy, you'll likely need to crack open the vehicle's manual to figure out how to delete your phone and its corresponding data from the system. Luckily, there are more secure ways to use your cell phone in a rental vehicle. Keep a portable power bank with you that will allow you to plug your phone in via USB to charge on the go. Many will allow you to recharge your device multiple times per day, and some are even wireless. You can also purchase a USB data blocker, which you plug into the USB port in the car before plugging in your phone, or a charging-only USB cable that does not transmit data.

If this seems like overkill, remember that most rental car companies do not have policies in place to protect your personal data. Some of the top-ranked companies, including Avis and Enterprise, lay the legal burden on the customer, and their company policies do not require them to wipe your personal data after you return your rental.