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🎥 She rang his doorbell. Smiled. Took his bank card. Then drained his bank account.
Scott Merovitch did everything right, or so he thought. A longtime Wells Fargo customer, he got a call that seemed totally legit. The person on the line knew his recent transactions. They said his debit card had been compromised and the bank needed to send someone to his house to collect it.
A woman actually showed up. Professional. Calm. Friendly.
She took Scott’s debit card, cut it in half right in front of his Ring doorbell camera, then left. Within an hour and a half, over $20,000 vanished from Scott’s account.
They hit up local ATMs at grocery stores, withdrawing cash like it was Monopoly money. Gone.
⚠️ Why this scam is different
This isn’t your usual sketchy email or random text with broken grammar.
These scammers:
- Spoof real Wells Fargo phone numbers.
- Know your account activity.
- Sound exactly like a fraud rep you’d trust with your taxes.
- And yes, they literally walk up to your front door like they’re returning your lost dog.
By the way, this can happen with any bank. It’s not limited to just Wells Fargo.
💔 The cost can be more than money
This scam has claimed more than cash. In Florida, 52-year-old Paul Schendel lost $6,800 to the same scheme. He was told the bank wouldn’t refund him.
His family says the stress was too much. The very next day, Paul died of a heart attack. So sad.
The right ‘pour’ decisions
👩🍳 Big flavor doesn’t need a big footprint, just these handy tools.
- ☕ Sip happens: Keep your coffee or tea piping hot with a smart mug warmer (50% off).
- 💦 Pitcher perfect: Snag this 10-cup pitcher (20% off) with 4.6 stars and 15,000+ rave reviews.
- 🥫 Can-do attitude: One touch and this electric can opener (40% off) handles any lid size.
- 🍱 No microwave? No prob. This heated lunchbox (21% off) serves a toasty meal in 30 minutes.
- 🥬 Lettuce stay fresh: These fridge containers (20% off, three-pack) double as strainers. Neat.
😋 Stir up some more: Hit this secret link for more extra-hot deals. Then, browse my Amazon shop for a full buffet of clever kitchen gear.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Old-school static wins the spy wars
This is one of the coolest things I’ve learned recently: Foreign intelligence agencies still use good ol’ radio to share top secrets. Even with all the powerful tech at their fingertips, radio use in espionage has actually gone up in popularity since the 2010s. Pretty wild.
🚑 Add emergency contacts to your lock screen: This lets first responders call important numbers without unlocking your phone. On iPhone, go to Health > Medical ID, add your emergency contacts, and enable Show When Locked. On Android, go to Settings > Safety & Emergency > Emergency Contacts and add them there.
📅 Hookups now have time stamps: College students at schools like Cornell, USC, Duke and UC Berkeley are scheduling everything via Google Calendar. I mean every single thing such as crying, dates, teeth-brushing, you name it. Seriously. GCal is a second brain, and spontaneity is dead. Imagine missing your scheduled breakdown because of a time zone error.
Old fashioned job interviews are back
Gen Z is getting a rude awakening! AI’s taking jobs, remote work’s over, and cheating through interviews won’t cut it. Here’s how to stay ahead.
$34.5 billion
How much Perplexity just offered Google to buy Chrome. Just for comparison’s sake: Perplexity is worth $18 billion, and Google is worth $2.5 trillion. Chrome isn’t exactly on the clearance aisle, especially not for couch cushion change (paywall link) from a competitor. Either way, looks like a bad deal. I got Chrome for free!
🎮 Check your kid’s gaming console: You can save electricity (and money) by changing the power-saving settings. On PS5, go to Settings > System > Power Saving. On Xbox Series X/S or One, go to Profile & system > Settings > General > Power options and select Shutdown (energy saver).
Tech travel tips to keep you sane
Flight delays, bad Wi-Fi and language barriers. Traveling is tough! Here are three smart tech hacks to make it way easier.
Earhart on Google Earth? British pilot Justin Myers says he’s “99% sure” he’s found Amelia Earhart’s missing plane off Nikumaroro Island, using only Google Earth images. The shapes match her Lockheed Electra’s dimensions. Nobody’s funding his dive yet, but a rival November expedition might beat him to it. Historic aviation meets the “zoom in and squint” method.
Adapt with the times
👩💻 Complicated setups are out. Simple, smart solutions are in.
- 🛜 Bye, buffering: Boost your signal up to 12,880 sq. ft. with a Wi-Fi extender (64% off).
- Transfer like lightning: This card reader (23% off) handles MicroSD and SD at once.
- 📱 Solid hold: Keep your phone handy on a sturdy dock (20% off). 4.7 stars and 101,000+ reviews.
- Label like a boss: From logos to QR codes, this Bluetooth printer (39% off) does it all.
- 🔊 Beats on the go: A waterproof portable speaker (21% off) makes a great gift year-round.
🤖 Skip the endless scrolling: I’ve put today’s top tech deals all in one place … aka my Amazon storefront. That click will save you a ton of money!
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Free airport Wi-Fi is a trap
So you’re checking email before your flight? Bad move. Scammers could be stealing your data. In this episode of The Current, my AI employee George and I dig into the latest tricks thieves use to target travelers.
Charlie Chaplin’s in theaters after 100 years
Charlie Chaplin famously rereleased his 1925 silent classic The Gold Rush in 1942 with new narration and edits, believing it would connect better with modern audiences. Now, thanks to film archivists and AI, the silent masterpiece has been painstakingly restored. The 4K version just premiered at Cannes and hit 250 theaters worldwide.
🔥 Labubust: The BBB is warning shoppers to beware fake Labubu products flooding online stores. These $60 toys are the “must-have” item of summer, so of course, swindlers are crawling out of the woodwork. Look for misspellings, busted websites and prices that are too good. Oh, the humanity! Not the Labubus, anything but the Labubus!
💸 Buy cheaper tech: Big brands sell open-box, pre-owned or refurbished gadgets through Amazon Renewed. You can score iPhones, laptops, printers and even power tools at major discounts. Everything’s tested, inspected and should look almost new. Bonus: There’s a 90-day guarantee, so you can return the item if it doesn’t work.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
AI brings back a school shooting victim
Jim Acosta interviewed an AI avatar of Joaquin Oliver, a 17-year-old killed in the Parkland shooting. Was that too far? A listener uses ChatGPT to get better at painting. Plus, Zuckerberg’s Hawaiian compound, a scary new bank scam, and AI wedding vows.
Feel better for under $25
💪 Because staying healthy shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg.
- 📉 Hit your goals: Track BMI, muscle mass and more on a smart scale (10% off). 4.7 stars & 111,000+ reviews.
- 😁 Smile saver: This water flosser (35% off) keeps your teeth sparkling. Your dentist will be impressed.
- 🌡️ Feverish? Find out fast with a no-touch thermometer (20% off). Makes late-night temp checks easy.
- ☑️ Soreness solved: Microwave or freeze these reusable gel packs (15% off) for quick pain relief.
- ❤️🩹 First aid in a bottle: Bactine’s cleansing spray (28% off) is a must-have for cuts, burns and bug bites.
🏃 Keep the good vibes going: You’ve seen the short list, but there are 25 more feel-good finds waiting for you on my Amazon page.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
📺 Calibrate your TV: Most TVs come way too bright out of the box. Go to Settings > Picture (or Display) and switch to Movie or Cinema mode instead. Then adjust the Brightness, Contrast and Sharpness to match your room’s lighting. Warmer color tones are easier on your eyes.
Ctrl + Alt + Goodbye: If you’re using Windows 11 Home or Pro (version 23H2), you get no more security patches or bug fixes on Nov. 11, 2025. Go to Settings > Windows Update > Check for updates to upgrade. FYI: Enterprise and Education editions get support until Nov. 10, 2026.