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Breaking news and tips
Elder fraud is exploding: Your data is making it worse
I’ve got bad news: Today’s online scammers know everything about you. They’re scraping your info and everyone else’s from the web and buying the rest from data brokers and people-search sites.
📈 The stats are scary
Folks age 60-plus are the biggest target. Almost 72% of scams start with personal data grabbed online. Data brokers vacuum up your info like phone numbers, emails, past addresses, income, favorite takeout spots and then auction it off like eBay for creepers.
With this data, they use personalized weapons.
🎯 Criminals know who to target
Study this list. Here’s what these attacks look like:
- AI phone calls that sound like your grandkids.
- Medicare fraud quoting your last doctor visit.
- Calls from “your bank” that know your address.
- Investment traps tailored to your retirement income.
- Romance scams where your “lover” has the same interests.
Live in a state with higher retirement incomes?
You’re in the bull’s-eye. Texas seniors lost an average of $51,700 per complaint. My state, Arizona, had the highest elder fraud rate per capita (3.5 cases for every 1,000 seniors). Yikes.
🛡️ How to fight back
1. Freeze your credit:
Even if you’re not worried about identity theft, a credit freeze keeps crooks from opening accounts in your name.
2. Use call filtering apps:
Try tools like Hiya, Nomorobo or your carrier’s spam call protection. And never answer unknown numbers, voicemail is your friend.
Sip happens
😋 Only food and drink upgrades that slap.
- An automatic dispenser ($20) does the pouring for you.
- These metal straws (22% off) come with a carrying case.
- Get a coaster set (10% off) for no more rings on your table.
- Dull blades? This sharpener (30% off) makes them like new.
- A sandwich cutter (30% off) slices crusts and seals edges.
- Keep your snacks fresh with a container set (20% off).
🎁 Got your Father’s Day gift? Shop my ultimate gift list now, so it shows up by this Sunday.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Make a movie in a minute
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, AI is changing everything. And now it’s coming for video. This is the future, and it’s so fun to play around with these new tools.
Forget editing software, green screens or even a camera. Now your keyboard is the director, the producer and creative partner. All you need to do is type what you want to see, and AI will turn it into a slick, high-def video.
Facebook on mute: Whether you’re sneaking a scroll at work or just want things silenced, it’s easy to stop videos from auto-playing with sound. On your phone, go to Menu > Settings & privacy > Settings > Media and toggle Videos Start with Sound off. Ah, much better.
💸 Thrift of the year: An Arkansas man spotted a $120 coffee table on Facebook Marketplace and decided to do a reverse image search. Turns out, it was made by an Italian company in the 1990s and listed on auction sites for up to $8,250. It’s now in his living room, glued to the floor.
Can your phone bring down a plane?
You’re still told to switch on airplane mode before takeoff. What really happens if you don’t? Here’s the truth.
1 second
That’s all it takes for your body to freeze under stress and start making smarter decisions. In a wild twist on the panic playbook, Dutch professor Karin Roelofs says freezing under stress is your nervous system’s version of going into “emergency focus mode.” Not stuck, strategizing. Less deer in headlights, more sniper on a mission.
Make a Father’s Day card with AI
Ditch the cheesy store cards. Use ChatGPT to turn your favorite photo into a custom keepsake.
🧗♂️ Cliffhanger stupidity: Two Seattle tourists got stuck on a San Francisco cliff trying to retrieve a dropped phone. Fire teams spent over an hour rescuing them with ropes and helmets. Nobody died, but they did get handed a $300 “what were you thinking?” fine. PSA: Going off-trail is a Darwin test.
My heart is racing
🔎 Think size matters? These tiny tools work hard.
- This wrist brace (29% off) is like a hug for your hand.
- Make your feet baby soft with a callus remover ($20).
- Grab a variety pack of bandages ($10) to cover up cuts.
- Headache? Pop on this relief cap (26% off) and chill out.
- Get an armband monitor ($45) for a cheaper fitness tracker.
🏃♀️ Go the distance: Get your steps in without leaving home on this smart treadmill (9% off) that folds up for easy storage.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
WWDC 2025: iOS 26, Live Translation, and Apple’s next AI moves
Is Apple running out of new ideas? We break down everything from WWDC 2025, what’s legit, and what’s noise. Plus: A cyberattack takes down a major food supplier, AI goes head-to-head with cancer, and ChatGPT loses at chess to a console from 1977.
Storm streamers are taking over
Folks like Ryan Hall are going live on YouTube to warn people about extreme weather, sometimes faster than the National Weather Service. They’re using radar tools, storm chaser feeds and AI bots that chat with viewers and give 24/7 updates. His setup is wild!
Android 16 is officially rolling out: Only for Pixel phones. But the biggest glow-up, the visual facelift of the Material 3 Expressive design, is delayed until later this year. So yes, security’s tighter. Battery’s better. But your lock screen still looks like 2021.
Ads begone: Windows 11 sneakily puts ads in your Start menu, but you disable ’em. Go to Start > Settings > Personalization. Hit Start and toggle Show recommendations for tips, shortcuts, new apps, and more off.
Collecting data on all Americans — June 7th, Hour 1
Palantir is a data analytics giant. Is it building a massive government database with your info? Here’s fact vs. fiction. Plus: a North Korean smartphone, a viral math trap, and 93 billion browser cookies for sale. And I help Steve from Phoenix edit his podcast with NotebookLM.
Tech me with you
🤖 These make working, creating and staying connected easier.
- Carry a laptop backpack (32% off) with a built-in USB port.
- Plug in a Bluetooth transmitter (21% off) for your old gear.
- A stylus (5% off) that feels like a real pen? You betcha.
- Spot issues fast with a refrigerant leak detector ($27).
- This cordless hot glue gun (33% off) has an anti-drip nozzle.
😎 Your eyes = upgraded: Save big on AI-powered Ray-Ban Meta glasses (20% off). Classic look, high-tech features.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
🖱️ Drag URLs on Mac: In Safari, you don’t need to copy and paste. If you want to share a link, just left-click and drag the address bar straight into your email. It works for links on a page, too. Want to share a restaurant menu? Just drag the link into the message without opening it.
🚖 Tesla Robotaxis are coming: If you’re in Austin, you might see them on June 22. Musk says the launch is “tentative,” and it’ll start small with just 10 to 20 Model Ys. They’re being extra careful, too, with employees watching remotely and geofencing to keep cars within certain areas. Fingers crossed.