All tech. No filler.
Join 900,000+ people who stay ahead of the tech curve with The Current, delivered daily. No fluff, no BS.
Breaking news and tips
Scam in the skies
I am hearing more and more reports about a certain travel scam that is not making the tech sites or mainstream news.
A “travel agent” or travel site selling fake plane tickets. You pay real cash for a flight that doesn’t actually exist, like booking a table at a restaurant that burned down in 2006.
Let’s break this down so you don’t accidentally vacation your identity into a black hole.
🚩 Sneaky setup
You search for tickets online or reply to a scam email. Overwhelmed by all the travel sites and apps, you choose what seems like a trustworthy source with awesome prices.
Maybe you end up emailing, chatting or talking to someone who promises they can get you a great rate on a ticket. So you hand over your name, phone number and payment details.
Using your information, they book what you think is a confirmed seat and say you’re good to go. You, the savvy shopper, go to the airline’s website and enter the flight information. Sweet, there’s your seat. You pat yourself on the back for saving money and consider your travel booked.
🥶 Two weeks later…
You try to check in for your flight. Except … you can’t. There’s no ticket. Never was. Turns out these crooks just made a seat reservation — they never paid for an actual ticket.
And now? You’re not going to Cabo. You’re going to Rage Town. Population: You.
Hopefully, you find this out long before you’re standing at an airport customer service counter, suitcase in hand! Either way, you’re out the money and the airline ticket.
😡 Outsmarting human malware
What dreams are made of
😴 Tired of being tired? These sleep helpers are your answer.
- Read with a dimmable wall light (8% off) that won’t wake your partner.
- This bedding sheet set (45% off) has deep pockets and feels breezy.
- Use a wedge pillow ($30) to stop things from slipping behind your bed.
- Too hot? Too hard? A cooling mattress topper (21% off) will fix both.
- Inflate this camping pad (15% off) in a minute, using its built-in pump.
🐞 Don’t let the bedbugs bite: Plug in a pack of indoor fly traps (10% off) so that buzzing turns into zzz’s.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
This is worse than spam calls
Most people have never heard of companies like Mobilewalla or Gravy Analytics, but they know you.
The FTC just clamped down on these two for secretly vacuuming up people’s real-time location data without consent. Not just estimated neighborhoods or passing GPS flickers.
💼 Get your résumé noticed: LinkedIn is the best place to show off your skills, connect with people in the same industry and find new job opportunities. Whether you’re job hunting or branding your company, LinkedIn helps you stand out! It’s not just social media, it’s your digital handshake. Click here to post your job for free!
Safe Wi-Fi anywhere: Public Wi-Fi is public for a reason, anyone can jump on it, and that includes hackers. Doesn’t matter if you’re at a fancy hotel, your favorite local diner or waiting at the gate at the airport. Want to stay safe? Just flip on a VPN. I’ve got a link where you can get four months free.
AI voice scams hit banks
Scammers are using AI to fake your voice and beat phone security. I’ll tell you the right way to lock down your accounts.
$500 million
How much a Bay Area tech trio is willing to spend on a 6% stake in the San Francisco 49ers. Vinod Khosla, Byron Deeter and Will Griffith are dropping half a billion to own a slice of the 49ers, valuing the team at over $8.5 billion. If approved, it’ll be one of the priciest valuations for any sports team on the planet.
Reel look: Want to bring movie magic home? Turn on your TV’s Filmmaker Mode to tweak the color, contrast and frame rate to match the director’s vision. You can find it on Hisense, LG, Philips, Samsung and Vizio. Head to your picture settings and select picture mode. Don’t forget the popcorn.
Hidden cam shocker
Some cams are so small they can hide inside smoke detectors, clocks and remotes. Try these pro tips to spot them.
Cavemen love rock music: Have a teen? Know that TikTok viral videos are telling teens to do absolutely nothing to their face. No products, not even water. The idea? Let the skin barrier heal naturally. But dermatologists say it leads to acne, clogged pores and infections. Cavemen also didn’t have mirrors. Just saying. Can a joke about dinosaurs make you laugh? You bet jurassic can.
Dirt stops here
🧽 Cleaning doesn’t have to suck (unless we’re talking about vacuums).
- Tackle tight crevices with a three-pack of cleaning brushes ($5).
- Stainless steel polish (20% off) makes your appliances shine like new.
- Keep your leather from drying out with a handy care kit (31% off).
- This electric air duster (43% off) is like a tiny leaf blower for your tech.
- Suck all that lint from your dryer using a vent cleaner kit (38% off).
👠 Shoe, don’t bother me: Toss these deodorizer bags ($11) in your gym bag or sneakers to soak up any funky smells.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Scammer ruins a 45-year marriage
What’s worse than your mom leaving your dad for a guy she met on Instagram? Finding out he’s a romance scammer and she knows — but she’s still in love. That’s what happened to Grant Inman. Now, the My Funeral Home Stories host is trying to help his mom see the truth.You, 21 min
40-foot submarine-hunting drone
The “BlueWhale” uses special sensors to spot underwater and surface threats, and can help clear mines. The cool bit? It’s fully autonomous and runs on batteries for weeks. Basically, a Roomba’s scarier cousin with serious military vibes.
🔥 Mac scam spreading: A new phishing scam makes your Mac pretend to freeze, throw a meltdown alert, then sweet-talk you into handing over your Apple ID like it’s a lost kitten. It’s fake. It’s bad. And it’s targeting typo-prone Mac users who think “MacOsHelp.vip” is a real Apple site.
📖 Learn new words on Kindle: Come across a word you don’t know? Long-press it and you’ll get the dictionary definition. Each one you check gets saved to your Vocabulary Builder. To look back, tap the three-dot menu in the top right, select Vocabulary Builder, then Flashcards to run through them. Mark as Mastered when you’re done.
Deepfake Elon stole millions — May 17th, Hour 1
Want billions like Musk? Don’t fall for this crypto scam. Some people are paying $217K to freeze their bodies. I’ll also share five signs your phone might be tapped. Plus, I talk to Randy from Oregon, who wants to cash in on a viral video.
Don’t miss ‘Amazon Pet Day’
🐱 Today’s your last chance to fetch more savings.
- Walk with a no-pull harness (11% off) that won’t choke your pup.
- Muddy paws? This washable doormat (28% off) catches all that dirt.
- Snag a pet door (22% off) with three flaps to lock the weather outside.
- This smart fountain (43% off) tracks if your kitty is drinking enough water.
- Clean your furball with a vacuum (20% off) that comes with seven tools.
- And a pet bed (5% off) shaped like ramen. Weird? Yep. Comfy? Totally.
🐾 More pawsome picks: That’s just a taste. Hit this link for more Amazon pet steals your furry friend will bark (or purr) for.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
🔘 Car buttons are coming back: Studies show touch screens slow your reaction time more than driving drunk or high. Back in the day, changing a setting took 10 seconds (paywall link). Now with touch screen menus? Try 45. Europe’s stepping in first.