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Breaking news and tips
Stop one-touch theft
Tap-to-pay is slick, fast and super convenient until it isn’t. Scammers have figured out how to use that same technology to steal your money without you even knowing.
It’s called “ghost tapping,” and it’s spreading so fast, the BBB issued a major alert about it.
💳 How it works
A scammer carries a hidden NFC reader, the same tech used in legit payment retail terminals, and bumps up close to your credit or debit card. If your card is contactless and not protected, boom, a payment goes through.
No swipe. No PIN. No clue it happened.
These crooks hang out in crowded spots like malls, airports, festivals and train stations. If your tap-to-pay card is sitting loose in a bag or back pocket, they can charge you by brushing past. It’s that easy.
Even worse? They often start with tiny amounts, so it flies under your radar. A couple bucks here, a coffee there, and they keep draining your bank account.
🛡️ Stay a step ahead
You don’t have to give up tap-to-pay. You just need to outsmart the scammers, especially when you’re in a crowd.
- Use an RFID-blocking wallet or card sleeve. These physically block anyone from scanning your card when you’re not using it. Cheap fix, big peace of mind. Here are some great sleeves (50% off) and wallets for men (60% off) and women (40% off).
- Turn off tap-to-pay if you don’t use it. In most banking app settings, you can turn off contactless features or set a low limit. Do it.
- Watch the screen before you tap. If something looks off, like the merchant name or amount, stop. Don’t tap and hope.
- Add transaction alerts. Most banks and card apps let you turn on push notifications for every charge. If something sketchy goes through, you’ll know right away.
💪 If you found this warning helpful, forward this newsletter to a friend or family member or simply use the share icons below now. This kind of scam hits hard.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
🏠 Deck your yard
Let’s prep your porch for the holidays without blowing a fuse (or your wallet).
🔌 Festive power-up: Outdoor extension cord (33% off, $30)
Playing electrical Jenga? These cords are waterproof, wear-resistant and built with a flame-retardant jacket. Perfect for inflatables or that one reindeer that always droops.
Set it and forget it: This power stake timer (18% off, $24) means no more walking outside to unplug lights at midnight. Comes with a remote that reaches 100 feet.
In honor of Veterans Day: Salute our heroes by upgrading your outdoor American flag ($10, 50% off). Heavy-duty polyester lets it wave, not fray.
Easy on, easy off: A pack of these light clips (8% off, $12) keeps your Christmas lights sturdy without peeling your paint. Your walls (and sanity) will thank you.
🚪 Front-entrance flex: This wreath hanger (15% off, $9) holds up to 20 pounds and adjusts for the perfect placement. Change it up without leaving a mark
Wipe those shoes: Stop dirt before it hits your floor with a new doormat (24% off, $46). The low profile means your door won’t catch and drive you nuts.
🎁 Shop the season: Hit up Amazon’s holiday page for more steals on decor, stocking stuffers and more. You’ll rest easy getting that out of the way now.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Unleash your inner IT overlord
I read every comment you leave at the end of this newsletter, and one theme always stands out: You want to know all the hidden things your tech can do!
Lucky for you, uncovering those “I had no idea!” moments is my superpower.
📖 Screenshot pages on your Kindle: Want to keep a quote or passage for later? Tap the upper-right and lower-left corners at the same time. You’ll see a quick flash, meaning it worked. To find it, plug your Kindle into a computer and open the Screenshots folder (or the Root folder on older models).
💰 Meta’s scam economy: Get this. Meta’s internal docs say it made up to 10% of its 2024 revenue, about $16 billion, from ads for scams and banned goods. That’s 15 billion sketchy ads blasted at users every day. Instead of banning most of them, Meta sometimes just charges scammers extra. It even has an internal “Scammiest Scammer” leaderboard. You can’t make this up. So much for good corporate citizenship, Mark.
This robot does the laundry (really)
The ultimate sci-fi fantasy? A bot that can do the dishes or fold your pants. Hear why, by 2026, that dream is finally within reach.
My daughter is addicted to AI chatbots
Caller Josh says his kid’s obsession has crossed the line and even turned inappropriate. A must-hear for parents. Plus, the NBA’s high-tech gambling mess, OpenAI’s for-profit shake-up, and new scams that can clone your voice in real time.
Organize your Apple Watch: One of the best ways to clean things up is by customizing the Control Center you open every day. Press the Side button, scroll to the bottom and tap Edit. Drag your most-used icons, like the flashlight, to the top, and remove the ones you don’t need with the minus sign. Bonus: The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) is on sale.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Faking receipts with AI
This goes way beyond stealing pens or notepads at work. There’s a new way to cheat the system.
⚖️ Kim K (the other one) vs. ChatGPT: So Kim Kardashian (yes, future lawyer Kim) admitted she used ChatGPT to study for her law exams and bombed. Turns out the chatbot’s confidence didn’t match its accuracy. Been there, right? You ask AI for help, and suddenly you’re in the fast lane to Wrongsville. Bad joke time: What’s the difference between an ancient Egyptian prince and a Kardashian? The Egyptian knew from the start that their daddy would become a mummy. (Told ya!) 🐫
Healthy without the pricey
Ready to upgrade your body like it’s your phone? Start here.
😌 Facial glow-up: Red light therapy mask (31% off)
Forget the salon price tag. Pop this on for 20 minutes, tap the massage mode and relax. Stick with it and you should start seeing smoother, brighter skin after about a month.
⌚ Save $80: Wowza, snag a new Fitbit Versa 4 (40% off) while this deal is still hot. Sync it with your iPhone or Android and see your progress instead of guessing.
Feeling sore? Wrap this heating pad (53% off) around your back, shoulders, waist or wherever you need soothing relief. Bonus: FSA eligible. Here’s how to use it.
🏃♀️ Go the extra mile: Build strength with a weighted vest (50% off). Great if you’re training, doing cardio or adding “oomph” to your strolls around the block.
Little luxuries: From moms to besties, she’ll love this gift set (33% off) that’s got a candle, diffuser and room spray in one box. Comes prewrapped with a bow. Chic and easy.
🎁 Skip the boring stocking stuffers: Check out my holiday gift guide. The “I put thought into this” present takes only two clicks.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Why your car insurance hates you
My car insurance jumped 32%. I didn’t crash. I didn’t speed. I simply exist.
Sound familiar? Full-coverage car insurance rates rose 25% on average last year, and in some states, it was closer to 40%. Overall, rates are up 55% since 2022.
Filter the trolls: Getting rude comments or DMs on Instagram is no fun. You can hide them before anyone else sees. Go to your profile > Settings and activity > How others can interact with you > Hidden Words. Type the words you don’t want showing up and hit Add. Anything similar disappears from your comments and DMs.
💼 Smarter AI, fewer guesses: Every company’s asking how to make AI work, and NetSuite already has the answer. As the #1 AI Cloud ERP trusted by over 43,000 businesses, it connects your financials, inventory and operations into one smart system that knows instead of guesses. Download “The CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning” for free.
🖥️ Snap layouts: Windows 11 has a clever feature that helps you organize apps on your screen. Hover over the Maximize button on any window to see layout options for splitting your screen into halves, thirds or quarters. Click where you want the app to go, and Windows will line up the rest for you. It’s better than manually resizing.
Creeps love their Meta Ray-Ban glasses
Weird guys are using them to record their pickup attempts on college women. Plus, YouTuber Ian Runkle joins me to talk about a lock company that sued an influencer and got roasted. Also: AI in real estate, smart fridge ads, and what’s new with GPT-5.
Is your loyalty card spying on you?
Your fave AI-host Mara exposes the hidden price of loyalty programs (hint: it’s your data). Then, how to turn your closet clutter into holiday cash. Plus, a rapid-fire look at the week’s top headlines.
📱 Free phones aren’t really free: Big carriers bury costs in long contracts that can trap you for years. Consumer Cellular keeps it simple with no hidden fees and no gotchas. If you are over 50, get two unlimited lines for just $30 each and save another $25 when you use my link.
“Dear diary”: Anthropic says its newest AIs, Claude Opus and Claude Sonnet, can reflect on how they think (paywall link). Not in a “Skynet’s alive” way, but more like “Hey, I notice I’m reasoning weird today.” Researchers call it “introspective awareness.” It’s supposed to make AIs safer … or just better at faking it. Sounds harmless enough, but it might be the start of a very polite robot uprising.