$1 million a year

What a YouTuber with 1.8 million subscribers makes. Jake Tran, 25, posts documentary-style vids about controversial topics, conspiracy theories and scams. He says he gets “paid for learning how the world works.” I feel the same way teaching you all about tech!

Tags: Conspiracy theories, documentary, Learning, posts, scams, subscribers, tech, YouTuber


Taking a summer vacation? Don't make these dumb mistakes

Did you hear about the woman who was scammed out of her $15,000 Carnival cruise? A day before the family was supposed to board, Tiffany found the trip she’d spent a year planning had been canceled … and not by her. 

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Hackers hope you miss this phone scam warning

You’ve heard the stories … A CEO conned out of $233,000 when someone copied the voice of his parent company’s boss. A 75-year-old woman who nearly lost $27,500, thinking her grandson was in trouble.

With as little as $4, anyone can copy a voice with super-cheap, super-powerful AI software. I’ve got the inside scoop on tricks these scammers use.

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🚨 Major coffee recall 🚨

Look for anything that says “Produced and distributed by Snapchill LLC.” You’ll find this under the nutrition facts.

New travel term to know: Some men are bragging about “rawdogging” flights. This means they forgo all forms of entertainment while in the air. For some, it’s a form of meditation; for others, it’s a challenge to deprive themselves of all creature comforts, including free snacks. Movies and champagne for me, please.

Trivia

The first UPC code was scanned 50 years ago today. Was the product a … A.) Can of soup, B.) Bottle of soda, C.) Bag of chips or D.) Pack of gum?

Find the answer here!

📸 Sayonara, snoops: A Japanese sportswear brand just launched infrared-blocking fabric to protect athletes from creepy photographers looking to take naked pics. Clothes already block visible light, but this new material stops thermal cameras from capturing heat signatures. Neat, right?

Like the plot for 1990’s Schwarzenegger’s flick, “Total Recall”: A scientist wants to implant prisoners with memories of their crimes from the victims’ perspectives. The Cognify system uses a brain implant and VR-like device to induce emotional trauma and physical pain. Ahem, what if the prisoner is a psycho and would enjoy those memories?

America’s water systems are a cyber target: Systems in Kansas, Texas and Pennsylvania have already been hit by hackers in China, Russia and Iran. Blame outdated tech and poor cybersecurity. No joke, some water systems still use default passwords. This scares me and it’s why I keep extra water on hand.

💣 Underwater tech for my history buffs: Remote-controlled German robots are tackling a massive task — clearing WW2 bombs from the North and Baltic seas. As 1.6 million tons of old munitions rust, they’re releasing carcinogenic substances and other toxins.

Glassdoor’s new rule? Full name and job title on your profile. You can still post reviews anonymously, but many folks are jumping ship over privacy concerns. I wouldn’t bet on those reviews staying anonymous.