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Breaking news and tips
For whom the bell tolls unpaid
You’ve probably seen it: a text that says something like, “You have an overdue toll balance. Click here to avoid late fees.” It looks official, urgent and believable enough to make you think maybe it’s legit.
That text is part of a very sophisticated scam run by Chinese criminal gangs, and they’ve already made over a billion dollars ripping people off across the U.S., per the WSJ (paywall link).
🕵️ How the scam works
Here’s the pipeline these gangs use to steal your information and your money.
1. U.S.-based devices
Scammers set up “SIM farms” here in the States. Picture a folding table stacked with dozens of phones and SIM cards blasting out 300,000 fake toll-payment texts a day.
One setup can impersonate 1,000 phone numbers. They spoof area codes to make these texts look like they’re from your state toll authority.
2. Fake sites
Click the link and you’re taken to a website that looks exactly like your real toll agency, down to the logo and colors. You’re asked to enter your credit card info, your name and one-time security code.
Do it and you’ve handed over everything they need to go shopping on your dime.
3. U.S. “mules”
It gets darker. U.S.-based gig workers, often recruited on Telegram, are paid 12 cents per $100 to take those stolen card numbers and buy iPhones, luxury purses and other high-ticket items, but mostly gift cards.
From stubble to sparkle
A few upgrades can take the edge off your morning routine (literally).
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Leave your manual brush in the dust. One charge lasts for days, and it even tells you when you’re brushing too hard.
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🪒 Cut above the rest: Fellas, stock up on some Gillette razor refills (6% off, 12-pack). That’s enough cartridges to last almost a year.
Fuzz be gone: These gentle dermaplane razors (20% off) glide effortlessly to reveal smooth, glowing skin. Makeup goes on like silk afterward.
🛒 Running low? Click here to refill your stash and check if your daily drivers are marked down.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
The day the cloud caught a cold
If Zoom wouldn’t connect, YouTube froze or your smart home went dumb yesterday morning, it wasn’t just you. Over 11 million people reported issues with more than 2,500 big name apps and services.
The reason? A huge outage at Amazon Web Services, better known as AWS. Let me explain what all this means in plain English.
GPT-5’s office gossip: OpenAI dropped a ChatGPT update called “company knowledge,” and it’s like giving your AI an all-access pass to Slack, Google Drive and GitHub. It reads everything, finds what you need and even cites sources. Ask it, “What are 2026’s goals?” and it begins rummaging internal sources. You have to turn on “company knowledge” manually when starting a chat, so it won’t snoop unless you let it.
Did someone hack your toilet?
Kohler’s Dekoda camera snaps onto your toilet to analyze your, let’s call it, daily download. I’d say that’s a little too smart for comfort.
The Amazon outage that broke the internet
Amazon’s cloud crashed and took half the internet with it. Snapchat, Ring, Venmo, even banks went dark. I’ll break down what happens when the web’s backbone fails. Then I talk to one business owner who caught scammers stealing her online brand. Plus, the Louvre heist, a New Jersey “UFO” update, and a smart ChatGPT trick.
Ask ChatGPT to fact-check: You can have ChatGPT verify info by asking it to search the web. For example, prompt, “Is this factually correct as of today? Search the web to confirm.” It’ll pull recent sources, summarize what it finds and share links so you can compare answers from different sites.
The used dryer sheet hack
Got a grimy screen, dusty vent, or smudged keyboard? Don’t stress it. Head to the laundry room for a trick that’ll make you say wow.
♣️ Hackers, hustlers and high rollers: This is nuts. The feds unsealed an indictment straight out of Ocean’s Eleven, full of poker tables with hidden cameras, hacked Deckmate shufflers, even contact lenses that read cards. 30+ people, including the NBA’s Chauncey Billups, Damon Jones and Terry Rozier, were charged in a $7 million poker scam tied to Mafia families. Maybe your uncle blaming the game for being “rigged” was actually onto something. But also, maybe he’s just bad at poker.
Get spooky for under $20
You’ve got seven days. These steals won’t haunt your wallet.
🕯️ Smells like sweater weather: Scented candle (35% off)
Burn this, and your place will feel like an autumn café, minus the wait in line for that latte. Choose from eight cozy scents.
Trick-or-treat comms: Walkie-talkies (30% off, two-pack) keep your kiddos connected while they roam the neighborhood.
💧 Ghost your makeup, not your skin: Face paint? Fake blood? This makeup remover (26% off) erases it all without a trace.
Cover your coffin (er, table): From snack tables to potion stations, black tablecloths (29% off) hide spills and look chic.
💡 Lights that slay: Purple and orange floodlights (41% off) are a quick and easy way to transform your porch.
🎃 Freaky-fast finds: Need candy or a last-minute costume? Grab ’em all here.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Your camera roll deserves a cleanse
I remember my parents saying, “Kim, stop wasting the film.” Oh, yes, this was back when we’d put film in a camera, take up to 36 pictures, then wait for the roll to get developed to see if any of the shots were good. Those days are long gone, fortunately.
Mirror Android to TV: Sharing your phone screen on a smart TV is easy as long as both are on the same Wi-Fi. On your phone, go to Settings > Connected devices > Smart View, then select your TV name > Full screen > Start now.
GM’s hands-free future: Are you tired of driving? GM’s 2028 Cadillac Escalade IQ wants to let you fully check out, literally. The next-gen Super Cruise drives itself (on approved highways) with lidar, radar and cameras, and the dash glows turquoise when it’s safe to let auto drive take over. Oh, and Google’s Gemini AI will chat with you, because silence is awkward.
💄 Google Meet’s AI makeup is rolling out: You can now add virtual makeup during video calls, with 12 options to choose from like eyeliner, lipstick, blush and more. Go to Backgrounds and effects > Appearance > Makeup to try it out. The best part? The filter moves with your face, so it won’t slide off when you sip your coffee. I tried it and looked marvelous!
Meta’s AI trains on your private photos
Facebook wants to scan your camera roll. Yes, the pics you never posted. Creepy? Plus, one caller wants to stop his kid from looking at naughty things on the internet. Then I get into Amazon’s robot army, why being mean to AI work, and how to pay less for subscriptions.
Geocaching turns 25
In this AI-powered podcast, go treasure hunting in the real world with geocaching, then get nostalgic for old school gadgets. Plus, some wild AI fails and helpful tech tips.
Use WhatsApp on your iPad: Yes, it finally works. Download WhatsApp from the App Store, open it and get a QR code. On your phone, go to Settings > Linked devices > Link device and scan the code. Your chats and contacts will sync so you can message or call right from your iPad.
💻 Delete this now: If you see ads or blogs pitching the “Universe Browser” as the fastest and safest one ever, don’t fall for it. Researchers found it secretly routes your data to China, logs keystrokes and installs hidden programs. They probably should have called it “Internet Exploiter.” Millions downloaded it, thinking it was legit. If you’re one of them, I hate to say it, but you need to wipe your system and reinstall the OS. This thing digs in deep.