I don’t want you to be a statistic. Google put out a quiet but urgent warning: Online scams are on the rise, and they’re getting harder to spot. Even savvy folks are getting blindsided. According to FTC data cited in Google’s November 2025 advisory, 57% of adults were targeted by a scam in the past […]
A woman in Colorado was falsely accused of theft because a Flock camera that looks like the one in the image above spotted her car near the scene. She wasn’t even close. She had to dig up dashcam footage, GPS, even her outfit to prove it. The charges were dropped, but the stress? Very real. […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
First, look at the handy AI photo. If only, I’d be so good at multitasking. (lol) “Hey, Kim, I just was notified that my personal data was part of the recent SimonMed data breach. My data’s already out there from another breach. Does it even matter anymore?” — Sara in Newport Beach, CA Hearing about […]
I hate passwords. They are a total pain in the butt. Now don’t kill the messenger… Hackers have amped up their game and are using powerful AI software that can rip through millions of password combinations in seconds. Brace yourself, your password really needs to be at least 20 characters, and there should be a […]
Voice cloning has left the lab. Soon enough, you might hear your voice and think, Wait, is that me or an AI? AI isn’t just being used to revive dead rappers or prank your boss with Drake impressions. Scammers are generating voices to fake kidnappings, drain bank accounts and impersonate your kid in crisis. You […]
Every crime has a setup. In five recent cases, scammers turned online breadcrumbs into jackpots. I want you to know how to make sure you’re not their next payday. ❤️🩹 Your relationships Scammers stalk grief like predators. A Pennsylvania widow was conned out of her entire life savings, over $200,000 plus her home, by a […]
This isn’t a ripped-from-the-headlines new Netflix series. This really happened in a quiet neighborhood called Litchfield Park that’s about a 20-minute drive from Phoenix, Arizona. Christina Chapman, 50, looked like your average middle-aged suburban woman. But inside her humble home? A secret cyber ops center built to help North Korean IT workers buy equipment and […]
A man named William Woods spent years trying to prove he was … himself. Why? Because another man, Matthew David Keirans, stole his Social Security number and birth certificate, built a whole new life with them and lived under Woods’ identity for decades. The guy really committed to the bit. Keirans got caught only after […]
Ever get one of those weird texts that says something like, “Your package is waiting” or “Click here to unlock your cash reward”? We all have. Most people figure it’s just a scammy mass text from some sketchy website. You can’t be so sure anymore. What if I told you those shady texts didn’t come […]
“Hi, Kim, I save all my passwords in my browser. So why do I need a password manager? Thanks for your newsletter. I can tell it’s a lot of work. The quality every single day is incredible.” — Robby in South Carolina Thanks for your question and kind words, Robby. Now, l get this question […]
Let’s talk about something no one thinks about when booking a flight: where your travel info really goes. An investigative bombshell from 404 Media just uncovered that the Airlines Reporting Corporation (ARC), a company owned by the biggest U.S. airlines, has been giving federal agencies access to passenger records. No, I’m not talking about flagged […]
I was shocked by this stat the other day. The National Insurance Crime Bureau says identity theft–driven insurance fraud is projected to spike 49% by the end of 2025. Really, insurance fraud? You see, identity theft isn’t just about someone opening a store credit card or taking a car loan out in your name anymore. […]
Using a VPN? Better make sure it’s not on this list. VPNs are supposed to keep you safe. They encrypt your internet traffic and hide your location from hackers, ISPs and creepy ad trackers. But what if the app was secretly collecting browsing data, location, everything you type, anything you do, then selling it all […]
You already know the usual scams. Romance, crypto, tech support, job offers, fake investments, and the list goes on. But what you might not realize is that a growing number of people behind these scams aren’t evil masterminds. They’re victims, too. Across Southeast Asia, scam compounds have become a massive underground industry. These operations run […]
Ashley in Washington asks: “Kim, do I really need identity theft protection? I used to have LifeLock years ago and dumped it because they constantly were selling me other things. I heard you say on your radio show that you use NordProtect now. Why? How is any of this different than freezing your credit? Love […]
