A young woman in Chongqing, China, has come forward to clear her name after her boyfriend broke up with her during a trip, believing she had been unfaithful. The man ended the relationship when her phone automatically connected to the Wi-Fi at a hotel they were visiting together for the first time.

As per the South China Morning Post (SCMP), the incident took place over the May Day holiday when the couple checked into a hotel in Chongqing. As the woman, surnamed Li, searched for her digital ID to check in—after forgetting her physical ID—her phone unexpectedly connected to the hotel's wireless network. Her boyfriend, also from Chongqing, questioned her on the spot, asking if she had previously been to the hotel with someone else.

Li insisted it was her first time there and was unable to explain the connection. Despite her explanation, the man concluded she had been dishonest and decided to break up with her on the spot.

Li Investigates the Technical Glitch

According to Li, even her close friends doubted her explanation, which left her feeling deeply humiliated. Determined to prove her innocence, she began researching possible reasons why her phone would connect to a network she had never knowingly accessed.

Li eventually discovered that the Wi-Fi at a former workplace—another hotel in Chongqing—used the same network name and password. Smartphones often store credentials from previously connected networks, and if a new location uses the same SSID and password, the device can auto-connect without user input.

TV Report Confirms Her Explanation

In her effort to set the record straight, Li contacted Chongqing TV to help verify her claim. A reporter from the station tested her explanation by connecting a phone at the reception desk of Li’s former workplace. The device connected to the hotel’s Wi-Fi automatically when they visited the hotel where the incident occurred. This test supported Li’s claim that the connection was not evidence of past visits, but instead the result of overlapping Wi-Fi credentials.

A cybersecurity expert surnamed Liu explained to the TV station that phones may auto-connect to Wi-Fi networks with identical names and passwords if saved credentials match. He advised users to disable auto-connect features to avoid such confusion and potential security issues. The story triggered widespread discussion online, with many criticizing the ex-boyfriend’s reaction.