A Cup of Coffee, and a Costly Click

Maya loved her little corner café. She had spent years perfecting the atmosphere—exposed brick walls, warm lighting, and the scent of freshly roasted beans that greeted anyone who walked through the door. She was proud of her business, but like many small business owners, she was trying to cut costs on marketing. instead of paying fees for official app stores, she had a developer friend build a "direct download" app for loyalty points. She was prepping the counter, ready for the afternoon rush.

A Normal Morning

Enter Alex. He was just looking for a quiet place to escape the city noise and check his emails. He spotted Maya’s café through the window and liked the vibe. He found a seat by the window, enjoying the soft afternoon sun. He wasn't looking for trouble; he was just looking for caffeine.

Maya walked over to take his order. "Welcome! What can I get started for you?" she asked with a bright smile. "Just a cappuccino, please. Extra foam," Alex requested. They chatted briefly about the weather and the cozy interior. Maya was charming and professional, making Alex feel instantly at home. He pulled out his phone, ready to relax while he waited.

When the coffee arrived, it was perfect. The foam art was precise, and the temperature was just right. Alex took a sip and genuinely enjoyed it. "This is actually a really nice one," he muttered to himself, smiling. It was the best coffee he’d had all week. He was relaxed, his guard was down, and he was happy with the service.

Seeing that Alex was enjoying his drink, Maya returned to the table with a proposition. "I'm so glad you like it!" she said, holding out her phone to show him a mockup of a review screen. "We’re trying to build our community. If you rate us five stars right now, the next coffee is on the house."

Alex pulled out his phone to search for the shop. "Sure, are you on the Play Store?"

"Actually, no," Maya explained, a bit eagerly. "Google and Apple charge too many fees. We have a direct download link. You just have to enable 'Install from Unknown Sources' in your settings. It’s totally safe, it's just our loyalty app."

Seeing that Alex was enjoying his drink, Maya returned to the table with a proposition. "I'm so glad you like it!" she said, holding out her phone to show him a mockup of a review screen. "We’re trying to build our community. If you rate us five stars right now, the next coffee is on the house."

Alex pulled out his phone to search for the shop. "Sure, are you on the Play Store?"

"Actually, no," Maya explained, a bit eagerly. "Google and Apple charge too many fees. We have a direct download link. You just have to enable 'Install from Unknown Sources' in your settings. It’s totally safe, it's just our loyalty app."

"Whoa," Alex said, turning the phone toward Maya. "Your app just triggered a massive security warning. It says it's malware."

Maya crossed her arms, looking annoyed and defensive rather than concerned. "That's impossible. My developer said it's fine. Your phone is just being over-sensitive because we aren't paying the big corporations."

She didn't understand that "unknown sources" are called that for a reason. She was unknowingly pushing a compromised file to her customers.

Alex looked at the camera, realizing how close he came to having his banking info and passwords stolen over a free cup of coffee.

The Lesson: Social engineering doesn't always look like a hacker in a dark hoodie. Sometimes, it looks like a friendly business owner who doesn't understand the tech they are using.

• Never install apps from outside the official Google Play Store or Apple App Store unless you are 100% certain of the source.

• "Unknown Sources" warnings exist to protect you.

• If a business asks you to bypass your security settings to rate them, don't do it.

Stay safe, and enjoy your coffee—but keep your data encrypted.