ABC57 Investigates: Rental vehicles could put your data at risk

SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- You're on vacation and rent a vehicle and you plug in your phone to stay hands free. What you may not realize is that the car now has access to all of your data.

You are taking a risk if you don't delete your information before returning the vehicle.

"Modern Vehicles, when you connect your phone, it is pulling a lot of information and data from your phone, personal information that gets stored and exists on that car unless it is deleted," says digital forensics expert Lars Daniel.

As the busy summer travel months approach, Daniel's warns that rental vehicles could be an unsuspecting conduit to criminals stealing your data.

"Someone can build a profile of you with the places that you go and use the data to do in depth social media searches to get more information about you and then use that information to spoof, fake, or otherwise try to scam you," explained Daniel.

Some data that could place you at risk when plugging your phone in or connecting to blue tooth.

Your home and work address, your identification, photos, facial recognition, even your medical or financial information.

All that can be used to target you.

"So, if you're using a fitness wearable that connects to your phone that connects to your car, that data could end up syncing there."

There are apps and websites available with a step-by-step guide of how to ensure you to properly remove your data from specific vehicles.

Daniel points out that vehicles of the future will become data hungry, looking for as much information to improve the driving experience.

"All the data from all the areas in your life, your car is going to want that in some way so it can do some really neat things."