Nifty, affordable gadgets to protect your personal info, devices and even your car from prying eyes and sneaky thieves
Medical insurance fraud could keep you from getting lifesaving care. Here are my tips for avoiding this insurance and credit nightmare.
A Chinese actor was enslaved in a compound running scams overseas. Here’s how he was forced into a life of cybercrime.
Creating a custom ringtone for your smartphone is easy. I’ll walk you through the steps for Android and iPhone.
Roblox has a pedophile problem. Here are my tips to keep your kids safe.
Considering shelling out for Microsoft’s latest line of Copilot+ AI PCs? Here’s why you might want to wait.
Breaking news and tips
How the government spies on you
When I shared my tip on opting out of the Transportation Security Administration’s new facial recognition tech at airports the other week, I got a ton of questions. First and foremost, though, a lot of you said, “I didn’t know I could do that.”
You can and you should (steps below). But your face isn’t the only data metric the government collects about you. Here are a few things we know they know.
What you look like and where you are
Many other places use facial recognition, like grocery stores, banks, sports and concert venues. I’m pretty sure you’ve gone to at least one of those in the past year.
Government AI tools add pictures you’ve shared on social media to a facial-recognition database that’s then paired with CCTV cameras everywhere. This tech can pinpoint your location, associations and activities with creepy precision.
Who you’re talking to (and what you’re saying)
After 9/11, Congress enabled warrantless monitoring of foreign communications. The National Security Agency (NSA) exploits a loophole to conduct mass surveillance of Americans, too.
They copy some info directly from fiber-optic cables (crazy, right?) and get other stuff from companies like Google. They also have access to real-time internet activity with a “secret” program called XKeyscore.
What you’re posting and who you’re following
The government monitors Facebook, X, Instagram and all the rest. Even if your account is private, the government can ask companies for access. Remember, friend: What you post on social media is out there forever.
What you’re buying and browsing
Data brokers buy info from your internet service provider, Big Tech companies and even smart appliance manufacturers. Then, they package it up and sell it to advertisers — and the U.S. government. This is another reason to get your personal information out of all these invasive databases.
Weird-but-cool buys for under $10
- Yeehaw, hydration! Little cowboy hats to cap your Stanley tumbler (or any other travel mug), now four for $7.
- Thin Mints superfans, sprinkle Girl Scout cookie-inspired seasoning (under $5) over vanilla ice cream, yogurt, popcorn …
- Fungi-tional! Cable ties that look like little mushrooms, on sale for $8.
- When bumps and bruises need a sense of humor, emoji bandages will do the trick.
- This magnetic cloud can help you keep track of your keys in small spaces for under $8.
- Love the everything but not always the bagel? Sprinkle everything-bagel-inspired seasoning on wraps, cottage cheese, salads, toast — the sky’s the limit!
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Record your own voice directions
Forget about robotic voices like Siri. You can guide yourself to your destination with your own narration — here’s how.
📲 Like a free assistant: Use a Google Pixel 3 or newer? Open the Phone app > More > Settings > Hold for Me. Turn it on. Next time you call a business or organization with long wait times, tap Hold for me > Start. You’ll get an alert when a rep is ready to talk.
🧈 This gold scam panned out: A 74-year-old Maryland man bought gold bars with his life savings and handed them over to a fraudster to “protect his bank account.” After, he saw a story on the local news about a woman losing $1 million dollars to this same scam. He contacted the police, who set up a trap and arrested the scammer. Unfortunately, the gold was long gone.
How to wipe data off phones
If you’re planning on giving or selling an old phone, make sure you follow all of these steps to completely wipe off your data.
Another health care data breach: This time, it’s HealthEquity, a tech company that runs health savings accounts. Criminals got their hands on 4.3 million people’s names, numbers, addresses and payment info. What’s strange, though, is that no malware was spotted during the investigation, and there’s been no ransom demand yet.
Your scammer could be a victim too
There’s a massive cyberfraud industry exploiting people through slavery and kidnappings. If you’ve got a connected car, your data might be sold for pennies. Plus, we meet Ben Chin, the Candy Crush champ who beat 15 million players to win $500,000!
Google’s Street View relies on cars with multiple cameras for its pics. What was the first animal Google hired to capture a place they couldn’t access by car? Was it a … A.) Bird, B.) Camel, C.) Gorilla or D.) Penguin?
Keyboard shortcut smarts: Attach a keyboard to your iPad (I use this one), and you’ll get a list of shortcuts. Just hold down Cmd while using the app to view shortcuts for that app.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Score eBay deals with this tip
Looking to snag the best prices? Here’s a secret tip the pros swear by — it’s your key to scoring unbelievable bargains.
$4,500 hiking pants
That makes you feel 30 pounds lighter. MO/GO (short for “mountain goat”) pants have an electric motor at the knees that absorbs the impact on downhill trips and helps you feel stronger going uphill.
Virtual cards vs. digital wallets: Which should you use and when?
Your nephew’s birthday is coming up, so you go online and find a $300 Little Tikes playground set on sale for $60. But when the party rolls around, your money’s gone and that gift never showed up. So you head to the grocery store to buy some birthday treats instead … only to get caught by a card skimmer at checkout. Ouch.
🏎️ A Ferrari exec slammed the brakes: A Ferrari C-level exec got a text from his CEO, who wanted to chat on WhatsApp. They were texting about possible mergers when the CEO said, “Let’s talk.” And they did. The C-level exec said it was someone posing as the CEO (paywall link). He tested the caller, asking for the name of a book the actual CEO had recommended the exec read the week before. Surprise, the scammer hung up.
Which Big Tech company’s unofficial motto, written into its code of conduct, used to be “Don’t be evil”? Was it … A.) Apple, B.) Microsoft, C.) Google or D.) Amazon?
This doesn’t make cents: Honda, Hyundai and GM sold driving data for pennies. A letter to the FTC revealed data broker Verisk paid Honda 26 cents per car and Hyundai 61 cents per car. The info was then sold again to auto insurers. Hello, higher premiums. Opt out by going into your infotainment system’s Settings and looking for Data Privacy or Data Usage.
What’s a ‘Coffee Badger?’
Amazon is cracking down on ‘coffee badgers’ because of how many people are guilty doing it. Be careful, Big Brother is watching.
30 grams of xylitol
Made healthy people more likely to have blood clots. The sugar sweetener common in keto and low-carb treats may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke. That amount is common for a single scoop of keto ice cream or a few low-sugar cookies, btw. Read those ingredients!
Water + electricity = Bad: Tesla is warning about a “charging hack” going around on social media. Folks are wrapping damp towels around Supercharger handles, claiming it increases the charging rate. It doesn’t. You’ll just interfere with the system’s temperature monitors.