Open Wi-Fi networks at cafes, airports, and hotels are convenient, but that convenience comes at a cost: most of them offer little to no protection between your device and everyone else on the network.
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No password, no encryption. If you didn't need a password to join, your traffic likely isn't encrypted at the network level.
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Duplicate network names. Attackers sometimes set up a fake access point with a name nearly identical to the legitimate one.
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Login pages that ask for too much. A captive portal asking for your email is normal; one asking for a password you use elsewhere is not.
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Unusually slow or unstable connections. This can indicate someone is intercepting and relaying your traffic.
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Apps behaving strangely. Unexpected certificate warnings are a strong signal something is intercepting your connection.
The simplest fix: turn on your VPN before you join any public network. It takes the guesswork out of the equation entirely.