It’s Thursday, friend. Ever notice those tiny bumps on your keyboard’s F and J keys? They serve a legit and genius purpose. 

I’ll give you some hints for why they’re there: A) “Home base” for your fingers, B) Grip for high-speed typing, C) Braille, or D) Random factory defect we’ve all accepted. Go ahead, stare at your keyboard like you just discovered aliens. You can find the answer at the end! 

👉 Stop spam texts and calls right now. Data brokers sell everything from your address to your Social Security number to anyone willing to pay. Enter Incogni. They scrub your personal info from the web. I negotiated a 60% discount just for you. Plus, if you are not totally happy, there’s a 30-day money-back guarantee. More below. Onto the news!

Let me tell you a true story that’ll shake you and hopefully protect someone you love from heartbreak or a well-rehearsed scam call.

It happened to a 90-year-old grandmother in Nashville. She picked up the phone because that’s what she’s always done. On the other end was a young woman, her voice trembling, the connection staticky. “Grandma, help! I was in a car accident. I need you to talk to a lawyer right now.”

Her granddaughter Amanda had just graduated from Auburn University. The voice? Familiar enough, especially with the poor signal. And Amanda calling from an emergency? Of course, Grandma was going to listen.

Next comes the ‘lawyer’ 

He said Amanda needed $6,000 immediately or she could end up in serious legal trouble. So the woman did what any terrified grandmother might do … she complied. She went to the bank and withdrew the cash.

An “errand person” came to her house and picked up the money. Yes, you read that right. Someone came to her front door. That’s how elaborate this scam was.

But later that night, something gnawed at her. She called the number again and said, “I want to talk to my granddaughter.” The scammer hung up. That’s when she dialed the real Amanda and realized the heartbreaking truth.

The good news

Amanda was OK. Her voice was deepfaked by the scammers. The bad news was Grandma was scammed out of $6,000. Lied to. Manipulated. Her family was furious, not at the scammer, but at her. 

She said her daughters made her feel embarrassed, even ashamed, she fell for such a scam. That might be the worst part of this entire story. 

Let me say this loud and clear: It is not her fault. This wasn’t a mistake, it was a targeted heist. A well-rehearsed act designed to prey on love and urgency.

You need to do this

Have a family code word. Pick something simple and memorable. If someone ever calls claiming to be in trouble, they have to say the code word. No code word? Hang up. It could be the thing that stops a scam in its tracks.

Also, if you have older parents or grandparents, change their phone settings so only saved numbers ring through. If it’s urgent, someone will leave a message.

These scams are getting more elaborate by the day. Let’s outsmart them, together. Wonder if you’re getting scammed? Tell me what’s going on, and I’ll let you know.

Here’s a stat that’ll make your jaw drop: Spammers are pushing out over 150% more texts every year. That’s millions of junk texts cluttering our inboxes. Ever wonder how they got your number in the first place?

Your personal info is sold online dirt cheap. Data brokers and people search sites make billions packaging it up and selling to anyone willing to pay. And yes, it’s all legal as long they give you a way to opt-out.

Here’s the catch: They make the opt-out process as difficult as possible and change it up just when folks figure it out. My pro tip: Try Incogni. Create an account, then they scrub your personal details from the web for you. Goodbye, spam texts and calls. Use my link to save 60%. If you’re not happy in 30 days, you can get your money back.

📧 Fake SSA emails: Scammers are sending messages saying, “Your Social Security Statement is now available.” Click download, and you’ll install a remote access tool called ScreenConnect that gives them full control of your computer. Banking info, passwords, everything goes bye-bye. Reminder: The real SSA will never ask you to download random files.

AirPlay or MalwarePlay: Apple patched its side of the AirPlay saga (paywall link), but tens of millions of third-party speakers, TVs and, yes, cars are still left wide-open thanks to bugs in Apple’s developer tools. A hacker might just need Wi-Fi access to hijack everything from the Bose speaker to the family sedan. Check your devices for any updates.

💎 Kim K’s robbery trial update: Not me, silly. That Paris heist from 2016 when she was held at gunpoint and lost $10 million in jewelry. One of the thieves now says he regrets it because of, wait for it, all the media attention. FYI: They tracked her through her nonstop social media posts. She’s still oversharing today. Classic. 

🚗 Big GM recall: General Motors is recalling nearly 600,000 Chevy, Cadillac and GMC vehicles over major engine issues. If you’ve got a 2021-2024 model with a 6.2L V8 gas engine, you might be on the list. Owner letters go out June 9, but don’t wait. Head to your nearest dealer now for a free fix before something blows.

🩺 ChatGPT spotted what doctors missed: A 40-year-old mom couldn’t bend her fingers and was told it was rheumatoid arthritis. Then came stomach pains and weight loss, and she heard it was just acid reflux. She asked ChatGPT, which suggested it might be Hashimoto’s disease. Turns out it was right … and an ultrasound found two cancerous lumps.

🪂 ‘Star Wars’ drops in Fortnite: A new animated series, Tales of the Underworld, is premiering in Fortnite. Yes, like inside the actual video game. It airs tomorrow, May 2 at 10 a.m. ET, two days before Disney+ gets it. Of course, there’s in-game merch for kids to buy. The trailer doesn’t look too bad.

✈️ Heading overseas? Don’t get slammed with roaming fees. I use Saily, the eSIM that gives you secure, affordable mobile data in over 200 countries. Just download the app, choose your destination, and boom … You’re connected. No physical SIM, no hassle. It’s that easy! Grab 10% off your first plan today.*

💝 Forget boring. These ideas are personal and heartfelt.

• Add any text or photo you want on a 40-oz tumbler ($27).
• Hang up to six pics on this family tree frame holder ($30).
• An engraved cutting board ($19) makes for a sweet kitchen gift.
• Put your mom’s name and birth flower on a travel jewelry box ($11).
• A hand-casting kit (30% off) creates a memory she can literally hold.
• Fill in the blanks in this “What I Love About Mom” journal ($10) to share why she’s the best. I gave my mom one from me and Ian. 

🌻 Shop my Mother’s Day Ultimate Gift List now. You’ll find the perfect gift for the special person in your life.

🛒 Visit my Amazon store for more of my recommendations.

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: On Netflix, lock adult profiles with a PIN code to keep little eyes out of your true crime binge list.

🖥️ Clear the clutter: Organize your work into different screens with virtual desktops. On a PC, hit the Windows key + Ctrl + D to create a new desktop. For a Mac, press Ctrl + up arrow to open Mission Control. Then, click + (top right) to add a new space.

🔒 Keep this between us: Need to send a private message on Gmail? Click Compose and select Confidential Mode (padlock icon with a tiny clock) at the bottom. This way, your recipient can’t forward, print or download your email or any attachments. You can even set an expiration date and a passcode.

▶️ Caption that: Subtitles help grab your viewers’ attention, especially when their sound is off. For longer clips, create an SRT file. Open a text editor and write, “00:00:01,000 → 00:00:05,000” (Hours:Minutes:Seconds,Milliseconds). Type your caption below each one and save it with a .srt extension. 

Browse control: Google’s SafeSearch filters out explicit content from search results. But it’s not on by default for anyone over 13. Open Search Settings, click SafeSearch and check the setting you want to turn on. Pro tip: If your teen uses Chrome, you can manage it through Google Family Link. 

🌿 I’m kind of a big dill: If you live in an apartment or want to meet other plant lovers, check out the American Community Gardening Association’s site. Their map shows over 2,100 gardens from urban farms to family plots. You can even add your own local garden to their list.

Watch TV for $0: Clark Howard says, “The hottest thing in streaming right now is free streaming products.” You can stream content from a dozen or so companies that won’t charge you a dime. They don’t even ask for a credit card number. Here’s a list of the best free streaming services. Subscribe to Clark.com’s free newsletter to receive more must-have money tips every day.*

🥁 The answer to the FJ mystery is, drumroll please … A) So your fingers know where to “home”! The little bumps on F and J are like miniature bumpers, guiding touch-typists back to center stage without even looking. So next time you’re speed typing that Yelp review, use the 50-year-old typewriter tech at your fingers’ disposal.

Before you go: Incogni is the reason I have zero spam calls and texts on my phone. They’ve sent over 1,400 requests on my behalf to people-search and data broker sites to remove me. Incredible. Try it yourself risk-free for 60% off right now. 

Wait, what’s your take on the capitalization debate tearing apart the typing world right now? When capitalizing a single letter, do you use caps lock or the shift key? 

The #1 tech newsletter in the United States won’t judge you, even if you’re one of the people using caps lock. Remember, people who type in all caps are … capitalists! Make it a great day. May your Wi-Fi be strong and your coffee stronger. ☕📶 — Kim

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