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Meet your financial evil twin
A man named William Woods spent years trying to prove he was … himself. Why? Because another man, Matthew David Keirans, stole his Social Security number and birth certificate, built a whole new life with them and lived under Woods’ identity for decades.
The guy really committed to the bit. Keirans got caught only after DNA tests exposed the fraud, and now he’s in prison.
Recently, a woman used my husband’s name and his SSN with her address to get a set of new dentures in Tampa, Florida. Maybe she looks like a guy named Barry?
Law enforcement is also seeing an uptick in kids’ Social Security numbers being used to build fake “Franken-identities.” Why? Children don’t have credit histories yet. By the time families discover it, the synthetic persona has credit cards, loans and debt all tied back to an innocent name.
🔧 Here’s how it works
Criminals stitch together real and fake info, say your SSN with a made-up address, and nurture that “new person” into a believable identity. They start small (a prepaid card or phone plan), then scale up to big loans or credit lines.
When the debt piles up, the synthetic identity vanishes, but creditors chase the real person behind the stolen SSN. Banks call this the fastest-growing type of financial crime.
🚨 Signs of synthetic identity theft
- Strange addresses where you’ve never lived pop up on your credit report.
- New accounts or loans show up in your name, but the contact info (phone, email) isn’t yours.
- Collection calls demand payment for debts you never took out.
- Mismatch alerts from banks say your SSN doesn’t match your name or DOB, even though you typed it correctly.
👉 If any of these hit your radar, it could mean someone’s cooking up a “Franken-identity” with your info.
That’s why I use NordProtect, a sponsor of my radio show. It monitors your most sensitive info like your Social Security number, phone number, email and mailing address, then alerts you the moment something suspicious pops up.
Think: Someone uses your name to try to take out a loan, open a credit card or file for insurance. If it happens, NordProtect doesn’t just notify you, they guide you step-by-step to shut it down fast.
Over-the-top clean for under $30
Get a fresher home for less than the cost of a takeout meal.
👕 SteamLite iron (35% off): Nonstick soleplate and spray features smooth out cotton, linens and your “dry clean only” shirts.
💦 Stainless steel squeegee (32% off): Swipe left on streaky glass. Comes with two waterproof hooks, so it’s always within reach.
🌀 Drain clog remover (30% off, eight-pack): Ditch the plumber, save your cash. These can handle up to 200 lbs of pulling force.
🌬️ Moisture absorbers (35% off, six-pack): Pop one in your closet, by your shoes or in your car to fight those funky odors.
🧼 Washing machine descalers (26% off, six-pack): Extra-large tabs clear out three times more gunk than wimpy little tablets.
✨ Make every corner sparkle: See all the essentials I keep reordering right on my Amazon page.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Guess who’s spying from your bookshelf
With more than 500 million Alexa-enabled devices sold worldwide, odds are you’ve got one sitting on your counter or desk, quietly glowing, always listening. Ever mutter something like, “I need new jeans,” and suddenly your phone’s serving up Levi’s ads? Creepy coincidence or hot mic in action?
💻 Revive that old laptop for free: Got a dusty Mac or PC lying around? Install ChromeOS Flex and turn it into a Chromebook-like machine that runs smoothly on minimal resources. Perfect for email, browsing, calls and streaming. Bonus: Google Docs works offline, too. All it takes is a USB. Here’s how to do it. Yea, this tip alone was worth the price of this newsletter.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
🧻 Pay-to-wipe: Going to China? New viral footage shows a woman in a public restroom forced to scan a QR code to get toilet paper. Over there, you either pay a few cents or watch an ad before the dispenser spits out your ration. The idea is to cut down on toilet paper theft, but this is just Hulu with higher stakes.
Goodbye glass dashboards
After years of forcing us to fumble with glossy touch screens, carmakers are finally listening. Mercedes, Volkswagen, Tesla, and more are bringing back buttons and knobs in 2026 models so drivers can keep their eyes on the road instead of the dashboard.
Am I crazy or has my phone been hacked?
Lilly from Indianapolis thinks her phone has been hacked. Can she prove it? Also, the Secret Service crushes a nightmare cyber plot. Plus, the dark side of Amazon Prime, AI celebrity boyfriends, and digital shoplifting. Don’t miss this!
AI isn’t waiting for you. Download NetSuite’s free guide, “The CFO’s Guide to AI and Machine Learning,” to make informed decisions and ensure your business thrives in the AI era.
Why you should not use WhatsApp
Scammers know exactly how to trap you. When a friendly message on social media suddenly moves to WhatsApp, Signal, or Telegram, it’s a red flag. Here’s how to spot the warning signs and stay safe.
🏴☠️ Streameast resurrected: Remember when that pirate sports site Streameast was taken down last month? Well, it’s back online, using the exact same domain Homeland Security seized just 13 months ago. Turns out, the feds let the domain expire, and the original owners just reregistered it like a normal GoDaddy shopper. The government’s Achilles’ heel? Forgot auto-renew.
Prime time to save big
Why wait for Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days? These tech bargains are already worth clicking “Buy Now.”
🏷️ Nelko label maker (57% off): Print crisp labels straight from your phone. 160+ templates make it easy.
Fire HD tablet (56% off): Stream or read on Amazon’s newest tablet. Snag an extra 20% off if you trade one in.
🖥️ Samsung monitor (45% off): 180Hz refresh + eye-saving mode = hours of gaming or working without the headache.
Acer USB hub (48% off): Turn one measly port into four and keep more of your gadgets connected.
🎃 Halloween lights (17% off): Trick out your treat zone. These 100 mini bulbs will make your neighbors so jealous.
🚀 More gadgets, more savings: Click here for the full lineup before the rest officially land on Oct. 7–8.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Meet the scammers driving your neighborhood
Ever get one of those weird texts that says something like, “Your package is waiting” or “Click here to unlock your cash reward”? We all have. Most people figure it’s just a scammy mass text from some sketchy website.
🌐 Stop overpaying for internet: Run a speed test and check if it matches what you’re paying for. Then Google other ISPs and compare. Call your provider, drop the “I might switch” line and watch them magically lower your bill or bump your speed. Gotta love a little competition.
🚪 Stop and think: A New Mexico woman handed over $60,000 in cash to a scammer posing as the FDIC. He showed up at her door with a fake badge and somehow disabled her phone so she couldn’t call for help. Reminder: No real agency asks you to hand-deliver your life savings. Ever.
🚨 Update your iPhone right now: iOS 26.0.1 is out, fixing Wi-Fi glitches, cell dropouts, camera bugs and more. It also patches a security flaw hackers could’ve used. Go to Settings > General > Software Update to install. PSA: iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV and Vision Pro got updates, too.
Will I be able to sing?
Roger Love, vocal coach to Bradley Cooper and other big stars, turns me into a songbird. Yes, I sing in this show. Then, the U.S. leases China’s TikTok algorithm, sketchy routers, and Facebook Dating’s AI wingman. Plus, why some people turn to the wild world of free sperm donors on social media.
Arizona mom helped North Korea hack U.S.
A woman ran a North Korean hacker hub from her living room, helping infiltrate U.S. banks, tech firms, and even a government contractor. George, your AI host, breaks down that story along with MrBeast lighting a man on fire for clout, Tile trackers leaking your location, Microsoft’s smarter comeback for Clippy, and why Mercedes is ditching touchscreens for real buttons.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Use your mouse wheel button like a shortcut key. Middle-click any link to open it into a new tab, or middle-click an open tab to close it right away.
Looking to grow your team before year-end? Top candidates are seeking to connect on LinkedIn right now. This is the perfect time to find great talent to help your business thrive in 2026. Post a job for FREE using my special link.