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.
🌐 Major Wi-Fi upgrade: Eero is releasing a powerful Wi-Fi system that covers up to 15,000 square feet with speeds up to 2.1 Gbps. With an IP66 rating, it’s tough, too, and capable of withstanding rain, wind and extreme temps. Preorder it today for $349, and you should get it by Nov. 13.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
🚜 Agricultural revamp: Carbon Robotics just raised $70 million for AI-powered robots that help farmers blast weeds with lasers. The LaserWeeder attaches to a tractor and uses AI to detect and zap weeds without disturbing the soil microbiology. Bonus? It could reduce the need for harmful herbicides. No word on the cost yet, but the video sure looks cool.
🏈 Tackle this: During one of this week’s Monday Night Football games, maybe you were one of the folks watching who was thrown off by the NFL’s onside kick rules, thanks to Google Search. Tampa Bay’s coach mentioned trying another kick, but Google claimed the teams were limited to one or two onside kicks per game — both totally wrong.
Listen up: Soon, Apple will drop a free software update that adds a hearing test and hearing aid features to the AirPods Pro 2. Keep in mind only those with mild hearing loss can benefit from AirPods as hearing aids. You’ll also need iOS 18.1 on your iPhone or iPad for these new features to work.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
🍏 Green apples good for you? That’s a granny’s myth: Apple Intelligence should hit our devices on Oct. 23, when the new iPad mini with the A17 Pro chip drops, or Oct. 28, when the new M4 Macs hit the shelves. Apple Intelligence will be in “beta” with iOS 18.1, so expect a few bugs along the way.
$15 million settlement: Cash App might owe you $2,500. You qualify if someone accessed your personal info or account without consent, there were unauthorized withdrawals or transfers, or there was an issue with how Cash App handled your account error. Submit your claim online by Nov. 18, 2024.
The site of the former 23-story, 917,400-square-foot hotel is becoming a Major League Baseball stadium for the Oakland A’s, who are relocating to Las Vegas. The controlled demolition used 22,000 lineal feet of detonating cord, dang.
🚀 Touchdown complete: SpaceX nailed the upright landing of one of its massive Starship rockets. As it fell from the sky, thrusters slowed it down before it was caught by two “chopstick” arms attached to a giant metal tower. Why’s this a big deal? It’s a step toward reusable rockets. The video is incredible.
💸 Bots mark the spot: Starting Nov. 8, X will stop paying accounts for showing ads. Now, you’ll only make money based on how much engagement — replies and retweets — your posts get from Premium (aka paying) subscribers. The bots are going to be busy!
I know you’ve seen it all over the news: Elon Musk recently took to the stage at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank to spotlight what he says is the future of transportation — and show off his army of cowboy hat-wearing robots. Will any of this make it to production and into our driveways? Well, we’ll see.
Green Day is going all out: To celebrate their “Dookie” album’s 30th anniversary, the California punk rock band has released “demastered” versions of their songs played on some hilariously inconvenient formats, including “Pulling Teeth” on a toothbrush, “Chump” on a Teddy Ruxpin and “Welcome to Paradise” on a Game Boy cartridge.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
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.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
💖 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.
💳 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.
