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Are your carefully crafted social media posts getting the same amount of attention as a tree falling in the forest with no one around? As the French say, that’s no bueno.
There’s a fine line though between “tech that improves your life” and “tech that ends up in a junk drawer next to the USB lava lamp.”
Ever get the feeling someone knows too much about what you’re doing online?
Breaking news and tips
Romance scam victim faces 29 years in prison
Jean lives in the Midwest. She’s smart. She’s done well for herself. The kind of woman you’d think could spot a scam a mile away. Btw, that’s not her picture. It’s what I envision her looking like after talking to her.
But this fraud blindsided her, and four years later, it’s still haunting her.
It started with a man online
She was lonely. He was charming, attentive and said all the right things. Jean, like so many others, was pulled in by the connection. When he asked for help moving some money, she said yes, thinking she was doing a favor for someone she cared about.
Then came the big ask: Could she help him turn a pile of cash into Bitcoin?
It was urgent, complicated and she was the only one he could trust. Over time, Jean moved $300,000 in cash to Bitcoin for him. She didn’t know it, but she had just become a money mule in a massive scam.
The fallout was catastrophic
The Secret Service raided her home. She’s now under indictment for money laundering, facing 29 years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines. She lost $200,000 of her own money to the scammer and has spent another $250,000 in legal fees just trying to stay out of prison.
This wasn’t just a scam
It was a full-blown takedown of her life. Here’s what you need to take away from Jean’s story:
- Never send money or move money for someone you’ve never met in real life. Period. If you haven’t shared fries or made awkward eye contact in person, you definitely shouldn’t be sharing routing numbers.
- If someone asks you to convert cash into Bitcoin, run. That’s a favorite trick of scammers. Once that crypto’s gone, it’s gone.
Face the music
▶️ Ready to hit pause on the chaos and press play on self-care? Start here.
- Try these cooling pillowcases (23% off) for a soft touch on your skin.
- Drift off to sleep to calming music with a Bluetooth headband (38% off).
- Soothe your scalp with a portable massager (10% off) to feel your best.
- This mini fridge (17% off) for skin care keeps your beauty stuff chill.
- Grab a silicone face scrubber (20% off) that’s gentle but works wonders.
💐 Mother’s Day will be here before you know it. These are the gifts I want. Guys, I couldn’t make it any easier, seriously. Speaking of, I’ve totally revamped my Amazon storefront! You’ll find picks like my favorite dermaplaning tool (32% off for a nine-pack) that I reorder all the time.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
A crypto guide for busy people that won’t make you cry
Let’s get one thing straight: Crypto isn’t disappearing into the tech void. Love it, hate it or meme it into oblivion, digital currency is sticking around, and the U.S. is auditioning to become the crypto capital of the world.
🎓 AI free ride: My college readers, you’re in luck. Google is giving away a year of Gemini Advanced for free. It’s part of the Google One AI Premium plan, which means you also get tools like Veo 2 for video, NotebookLM, 2TB of cloud storage and more. This runs until June 30. Just use your .edu email to sign up.
🌳 No green thumb required: Why wait years for your yard to bloom? Fast Growing Trees makes it simple to plant like a pro. They’ll recommend the best trees and shrubs for your exact location and ship them straight to your door. No hauling, no guesswork. Use promo code KIM to save an extra 15%. I got an avocado tree, and it’s thriving!
Avoid this costly internet mistake
Providers want you to lock in a long-term deal. But with speeds rising and prices falling, you could end up paying more than you should.
🚨 Don’t fall for this Zoom scam: Hackers are tricking people into installing malware. It starts with a fake podcast or interview invite. They ask you to share your screen. Then they request remote access but change their display name to “Zoom” so it looks like the app. Click Approve, and they’re in! Tip: Disable remote control in your settings.
About 43.5°F
That’s the average refrigerator temperature in thousands of homes across Europe. The FDA says yours should be at 40°F or colder. Anything warmer, bacteria grows on your ready-to-eat food. So yeah, check your settings. If your cheese grabs you back, maybe turn that dial down.
100% critics’ score for Netflix’s new comedy series
That’s the critics’ score for Netflix’s new comedy series North of North. It follows a young Inuk mom who moves back to her small hometown after leaving her husband. It’s like Gilmore Girls meets snow meets 9,000 percent more gossip. The trailer looks pretty good.
Mess around & find out
🧽 Cleaning isn’t exactly fun. But the right gear? Total game changer.
- Suck up dust mites and allergens with this UV bed vacuum (41% off).
- This double-sided laptop cleaner ($12) digs into tight corners.
- The Pink Stuff ($6) is internet-famous for a reason. It cleans like a pro.
- Grab these tablets ($25) because even your washing machine needs cleaning.
- Microfiber cloths (50% off) handle the smudges without leaving scratches.
- Puppy training? These washable pee pads ($21) help you take care of business.
👱🏻♀️Anna in Miami asks, “Kim, your hair looks so healthy and thick. What shampoo do you use?” This one right here, all the time.
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Let ChatGPT do some cooking
List your ingredients and it’ll come up with a recipe. Salad dressings, full meals, and more.
🏠 Zillow’s new rule: If a home is advertised anywhere online, it now has to be listed on Zillow, too, or they’ll blacklist it. Why? Some brokerages have been posting homes on their own sites first to give their clients early access. Harsh. Long story short: If you’re selling, now you know, thanks to me.
😒 Comcast’s sneaky offer: New Xfinity customers can now lock their internet price for five years. Talking $55/month for 400 Mbps or $105 for 2.1 Gbps. The catch? It doesn’t include taxes or fees. Plus, internet deals will get cheaper with competition from Starlink and AT&T’s satellite service. Locking in your price for five years sounds great, until you realize the fees are multiplying in the dark like gremlins.
Netflix wins (for now)
List your ingredients and it’ll come up with a recipe. Salad dressings, full meals, and more.
514% jump
Taobao downloads spiked this month. The Chinese shopping app is now the No. 2 free iPhone app, behind DHgate at No. 1. Folks are buying directly from China after watching TikToks of luxury items being relabeled and marked up. Now for $12.99, you too can own a “Gucchi” belt with radiation.
32 minutes
How long it takes to cook the perfect egg. If you hard-boil it, the yolk goes chalky. Soft-boil it, and the whites stay wobbly. Why? Yolks cook best at 149°F, whites at 185°F. Scientists found a fix: Switch the egg between boiling water (212°F) and tepid water (86°F) every two minutes for 32 minutes. This isn’t a breakfast, it’s a culinary hostage situation.
Watch out for fake businesses on Google Maps
Just because a place has five stars doesn’t mean it’s real. Here’s how to spot a scam.