Another day, another massive data breach. This time, it’s MoneyGram, a global mega-company that handles money transfers, bill pay and other financial services. They have digital platforms and retail locations, and they even power Walmart’s money-transfer service.
There’s no formal statement yet on exactly how many people were impacted, but we do know MoneyGram has over 150 million customers worldwide.
In their official statement, MoneyGram says an unauthorized third party (aka a vendor, hacker or group of hackers) accessed and acquired a ton of personal info between Sept. 20 and Sept. 22. MoneyGram didn’t discover the break-in until about a week later, on Sept. 27.
MoneyGram says the following types of customer data have been compromised:
MoneyGram is working with external cybersecurity experts and law enforcement. It generally takes a few weeks or even months to discover the full extent of breaches like this and all those impacted. In the meantime, they’re providing customers with free identity protection and credit monitoring services for two years.
… It’s always a good idea to take a proactive approach with your credit file. If you’ve used MoneyGram before, place a security freeze on your credit report with each of the three major credit reporting agencies. Here’s how:
Once you’ve placed the freeze, you’ll get a personal identification number or password to temporarily lift or remove the freeze. Make sure you keep this info in a safe place.
So many of the calls, emails, messages and DMs I get are about privacy and security. I can’t remember the last time I had a full day where no one asked me some version of “How do I get all this info about me off the internet?”
Don’t buy these Apple products now: I’m expecting to see new models of the MacBook Pro and Mac mini, along with an iMac with the powerful M4 chip, around Oct. 28 or Oct. 29. Plus, rumor has it an iPad mini 7 is on the way with a faster processor and upgraded camera.
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💖 IRL Tony Stark: A 35-year-old man just became the second person with a titanium heart transplant. With severe heart failure and fluid in his lungs, doctors used a magnet-powered artificial heart as a last resort. The result? Normal circulation, blood flow and blood pressure. The only downside is he says it feels a little “heavier.” This could be the solution to the organ shortage.
Data broker MC2 Data left more than 100 million records of Americans exposed online for anyone to copy, grab, forward, sell on the Dark Web — you name it. This comes only a month after the National Public Data breach of 2.9 billion records. I’m getting so tired of these data broker companies and people-search sites screwing up, and it’s you and me who have to pay for their mistakes.
Another day, another monumental data breach. Just because they’re getting more common doesn’t mean you can tune it out. In fact, it’s time to get even more serious about your private information and what’s posted online.
💳 PayPal update: Starting Nov. 27, PayPal will share your purchasing data with third-party merchants — think products, preferences, sizes and styles. Yes, you can stop it. In the app, tap your profile photo at the top right, followed by Data and privacy. Under Manage shared info, tap Personalized shopping, and toggle off the switch. On desktop, click the settings gear icon in the top right, then select Data & Privacy > Personalized shopping to toggle off the slider. It never stops …
If you donate blood through the American Red Cross. Here’s a link to find a site near you. The giveaway ends Oct. 31, so don’t wait too long.
🥽 So long, farewell: Microsoft is pulling the plug on its HoloLens headsets, once promised to power the future of virtual worlds. Womp, womp. The HoloLens 2 will receive security and software updates until the end of 2027. If you own the original HoloLens, software support ends Dec. 10. Don’t buy one if you see it on sale.
Don’t buy Apple gear right now: Rumor has it their next reveal is Oct. 22, with Macs and iPads on the menu. Expect a Mac mini, MacBook Pro, Mac Studio and Mac Pro with M4, M4 Pro, M4 Max and M4 Ultra chips. Plus, we might see a new iPad and an iPad mini powerful enough for Apple Intelligence.
Ghouls just want to have fun: Ring is giving out $100,000 for camera footage of spooky activity, whether it’s real paranormal stuff like floating orbs or staged shots in costumes. Submit your video by Nov. 1, 2024. Hurry, they’re cutting it off at 5,000 entries.
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A Texas woman took to Facebook after her 9-year-old left his stuffed gorilla at a California hotel. A stranger saw the post, went an hour out of her way to pick it up, then documented the gorilla’s journey home. Absolutely watch this if you need a smile!
🥽 The “future of human connection”: That’s what Mark Zuckerberg will talk about at the big Meta conference this Wednesday and Thursday. Expect updates for Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, along with some AI goodies, a more affordable Meta Quest headset and maybe augmented-reality glasses. You heard it here first, folks.
A guy finally dislodged a little Lego piece he stuck in his nose at age 6. Way back when, he stuck one of the little plastic bricks and a Lego man up his nose. Mom got the Lego man out but didn’t realize the individual brick was still in there. All that time, the 32-year-old dealt with congestion, asthma and sleep apnea. Such a crazy story!
Earth will have a second (mini) moon. OK, it’s actually an asteroid that’ll be pulled into Earth’s gravity for a couple of months. You’ll only be able to spot it with a professional telescope (paywall link). Time to text your space-loving friend.
War in the Middle East: On Sept. 18, Israel detonated thousands of walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah fighters. The devices were booby-trapped in advance by Israeli intelligence and delivered to Lebanon as part of Hezbollah’s emergency communications system. This was just a day after Israeli forces detonated thousands of pagers used by the group. I’m digging deep to learn how this worked and will let you know what I find out.
Spankin’-new Macs and cheaper iPads coming soon: Rumor has it Apple will release the M4 MacBook Pro, M4 iMac and M4 Mac mini, plus the iPad mini 7 and iPad 11, soon. Bonus: Apple’s sleep apnea detection feature just got FDA clearance and will hit the Apple Watch Series 10, Series 9 (25% off) and Ultra 2 later this month.
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Have a spare $300,000 sitting around? Call me: … Or you could spend it on the C SEED N1, a 4K TV that unfolds like a Transformer in 90 seconds. When you’re done binging, it turns back into a funky metal sculpture.
