Kim Komando

You can keep the wizards and aliens. Give me a movie or series where something unbelievable actually happened. Back by popular demand, I put together this list for you as proof that tech isn’t only lines of code and shiny gadgets. It’s ambition, hype, brilliance and, yeah, sometimes a total train wreck. You’re gonna want […]

I just read a jaw-dropping research paper out of Cornell University that hasn’t hit the headlines anywhere yet. Welcome to our new world. Scammers are using AI photos to create fake car accidents. I’m talking crash photos, damage reports, even fake driver’s licenses all crafted by AI in minutes. Fraudsters are submitting fake claims to […]

Quick question: When’s the last time you really knew if you were chatting with a real human on a customer-service call? Turns out, in more places than you think, it’s not a person at all. It’s AI. That might be fine when you’re asking a dumb question like, “What time do you close?” But what […]

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 […]

Here’s a story that stopped me in my tracks. A grieving family was hit with a $195,000 hospital bill for just four hours of their loved one’s care in the ICU. No surgery. No five-day extended stay. Now imagine going through the worst moment of your life and getting a bill like that. Instead of […]

I got an email from a listener named Jim K., and it’s the kind of note that sticks with you. “I checked Have I Been Pwned and found one account breached twice, another nine times, and another five times. I keep my usernames and passwords in Notes. I don’t let websites store my credit card […]

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.  […]

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.  🪟 Secret Windows restart trick Frequent shutdowns can fix most computer issues, […]

My car insurance jumped 32%. I didn’t crash. I didn’t speed. I simply exist. Sound familiar? Full-coverage car insurance rates rose 25% on average last year, and in some states, it was closer to 40%. Overall, rates are up 55% since 2022. 📈 Why rates keep rising It’s the tech. Modern cars are rolling computers […]

If you read one thing today, let it be this, because the rules of ransomware have officially changed, and not in a “Yay, innovation!” kind of way. For years, the scam was simple: Hackers locked up your computer, holding your files hostage and demanding a ransom in Bitcoin for a promise to give your data […]

You know I love a good tech takedown, and this one is peak internet.  Meet Trevor McNally, a former U.S. Marine staff sergeant turned full-time YouTuber with a very specific hobby: lock picking. On his channel, he tests locks the way most of us test leftovers, with low expectations and a lot of curiosity.  He’s […]

Nicole from Washington, D.C., recently wrote, “Hi, Kim, I love your shows on WTOP. I read your article about how to use AI to write a book. I want to write a children’s book. But I’m no artist!” Nicole, I love this idea. But you absolutely don’t need to be an artist to pull this […]

Barry and I play chess a few times a month, and he’s always completely floored when I win. Why? He plays everyday on Chess⁠⁠.com, and I only play with him. Here’s a business success I bet you didn’t see coming, I know I didn’t. Chess. Yes, the game that’s been around for about 1,500 years […]

It’s Saturday, which means two things: So let’s channel that procrastination energy into productivity. I’m talking about the satisfying kind where you fix stuff in under a minute and feel wildly accomplished. Here are tech issues you can squash today. No tools, tech support or curse words required. 1. Fix your smart TV Screen flickering? […]

You’ve probably seen it: a text that says something like, “You have an overdue toll balance. Click here to avoid late fees.” It looks official, urgent and believable enough to make you think maybe it’s legit. That text is part of a very sophisticated scam run by Chinese criminal gangs, and they’ve already made over […]

Let me guess, you’ve got a few mystery boxes in the garage, a closet that could double as a thrift store, and a drawer of random chargers for devices you haven’t seen since the Obama administration. We all hold onto stuff we might use again but never do. That clutter? It could be worth real […]

Let me tell you something that’ll make you look at your “loyalty perks” apps and programs a lot differently.  You think you’re getting a deal along with points, rewards, a freebie here and there. But what you’re really signing up for is a machine that’s collecting, analyzing and monetizing you. I studied a new report […]

If Zoom wouldn’t connect, YouTube froze or your smart home went dumb yesterday morning, it wasn’t just you. Over 11 million people reported issues with more than 2,500 big name apps and services. The reason? A huge outage at Amazon Web Services, better known as AWS. Let me explain what all this means in plain […]

I know that many of you are afraid that AI is going to take your job. And you might be right. The 2025 Global State of AI at Work report just confirmed what we’re all sensing. AI isn’t the future. It is now. But before you panic, let me offer a new way to look […]