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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.
From mess to impress
If chaos had a villain, these picks would be the heroes.
💨 Dust-busting dynamo: Compressed air duster (40% off)
Ditch those disposable cans. Zarimi’s rechargeable turbo fan blasts away dust from keyboards, vents, and it even doubles as a leaf blower. Versatile and compact.
🐱 The cat’s meow: Whoa, this pet steam brush (62% off) is a huge steal. With one button, you can tap those fur clumps away. No more manual picking.
Bye-bye bugs: Itching for a solution to mosquito bites? Plug in an LED bug zapper (30% off) and consider them handled. Works indoors and outdoors. Win-win!
✨ Multi-surface magic: The Pink Stuff (47% off) handles grease, grime, stains, you name it, like a champ. The fruity scent leaves everything smelling delightful.
Spin-cycle TLC: Snag a six-month supply of descaler tablets (23% off) for your washer. Keeps it running smoothly and smelling loads better (pun intended).
😍 Peek at your faves: Hit this secret link to check which of your tried-and-true items are waiting for you at a discount.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Stop porch pirates from ruining your holidays
It’s the most wonderful time of the year for gift-giving and the worst time because of gift-stealing. Over $2 billion worth of parcels got stolen in the last three months of 2024 alone. That’s a lot of missing presents and stocking stuffers. With the right gear, you can leave porch pirates out in the cold.
🏠 Home safety made simple: SimpliSafe is running its Black Friday deal early with 60% off any new system. Protect your home with easy setup, live monitoring and award-winning sensors that keep watch day and night. Get started at SimpliSafe.com/Kim.
🌦️ Farewell, farm classic: This is sad. After 208 years, the Farmers’ Almanac is calling it quits. The 2026 issue will be its last, and the site goes down next month. The Maine-based guide says the money isn’t there anymore. It’s been predicting the weather with “a secret formula” involving sunspots and moon cycles, but it couldn’t foresee this storm.
Gen Z’s secret to better online dates
Skip the swiping. The new move is checking someone’s Facebook history before you even say hi.
The 24/7 AI camera network spying on you
Flock cameras, installed by HOAs, apartments, and local businesses, are live feeds police can access anytime. Privacy red flag? Think so. Plus, Neil DeGrasse Tyson deepfakes, Kim K’s AI legal drama, and tap-to-pay scams. I also give advice to Jane from Atlanta who asks: how can I help businesses tap into AI?
Let AI plan your plate: Figuring out meals for the week can be exhausting. Get ChatGPT to handle it by prompting, “Plan a week of simple, healthy meals I can cook, and make a grocery list with the exact ingredients.” You can ask it to include cooking steps and portion sizes to match your calorie goals. Pro tip: Tell it what’s in your fridge for meal ideas. Bon appétit!
60-second fix to secure your home camera
Did you change your security cam’s default password? If you’re like most, maybe not. Here’s why you should and other great tips you need to know about.
Baby-making machine: Here’s a wild one. There’s this startup called Gaia that uses AI to predict whether IVF will actually work before you spend the money. That’s right, child by algorithm. And if it doesn’t lead to a baby, you don’t pay a cent. It’s already helped more than 100 families. AI is turning “hope for the best” into “plan for the best.”
🏠 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.
📧 Fix Gmail notifications on Android: Missing emails? Pull down Quick Settings and check that Do not disturb isn’t on since it silences alerts. If that’s not the issue, open Gmail > Settings > General settings > Manage notifications, and toggle Allow notifications off, then back on. That usually gets alerts flowing again.
💾 Don’t risk it: One crash, one spilled coffee, and everything’s gone. Family photos, tax documents, the works. That’s why I trust Carbonite, my #1 choice for cloud backup. It quietly protects your files in the background and restores them with a single click. Save 50% now at carbonite.com/kim.
Pick your start page: On Chrome, set your browser to open your favorite website every time it launches. Go to Settings > On startup > Open a specific page or set of pages > Add a new page. Type in a URL like komando.com and hit Add. Next time you open Chrome, you’ll get the latest tech news right away.
Facebook made $16 billion off scam ads
Why can’t Meta stop the fraud? Easy. It probably doesn’t want to. Hear how it made billions off scam ads last year. Plus, the Musk-Altman feud and a big Google Maps update. Then I talk to caller Byron, who says scammers drugged him and used facial recognition to unlock his phone. Scary!
VPN myths that need to die
Half the stuff you’ve heard about VPNs is total nonsense. No, they don’t make you invisible online. AI host Rylie breaks down fact from fiction. Plus, how Chess.com became a billion-dollar empire, a teen’s genius and the latest AI fails that’ll make you facepalm.
Speaking of videos: If you have a lot of clips taking up space on your PC or Mac, try HandBrake. It’s free and easy to use. Drag and drop a file, choose where to save it, then pick a preset like Fast 1080p30 and click Start Encode.
Siri’s billion-dollar brain donor: Apple did what every proud parent swears they’d never do: asked Google for help. They’re reportedly paying a billion dollars a year to plug Gemini AI into Siri. Yep, $1 billion to stop saying, “I didn’t quite catch that.” Supposedly, she’ll get better at summarizing, planning and pretending to care what you said. Update hits next spring.