A Canadian news channel went undercover at 100 businesses to see if they asked for tips. They were prompted to tip at fast food joints, jewelry stores, auto shops and even online shops. Two-thirds of employees didn’t know where the tips went. Tip theft is illegal in the U.S., but we all know not every business follows every law.
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How to take the perfect profile pic for social media sites
Your profile picture is more important than you might think. It’s your chance to make a good first impression on the world. That’s why you must know how to take the perfect profile picture for all your accounts.
Say you’re applying for a new job. Potential employers will run background checks on your social media presence. You need to have good pictures that show you at your best.
Clear activity from businesses you visit off Facebook: You read that correctly. With the right permissions, FB can track you IRL.
- Open Facebook on your computer and click your profile pic in the upper right. Tap Settings & privacy > Settings.
- Click View next to Off-Facebook activity, then tap Clear previous activity.
- Next, tap Manage future activity and select Disconnect future activity.
Global tech outage wreaks havoc
A software update by CrowdStrike took down tons of computer systems around the world. Banks, businesses, hospitals, and more were all impacted. Plus, Amazon Prime Day updates and Zoom’s demand for a return to the office.
❌ Big win: The FTC just finalized its click-to-cancel rule, making it easier to cancel subscriptions. If you signed up for an app or service, you won’t need to call a live agent or dig through complicated account settings to cancel. Businesses now have to clearly disclose their subscription terms and get your OK before charging you, too. Not so fast — this won’t happen until July 2025.
53% of businesses
Have been targeted by a financial deepfake scam. Even worse, 43% fell for it. These scams use bogus images, videos or audio recordings to convince people to buy gift cards, wire money or otherwise spend. If you get a random financial request at work, reach out to the person directly to confirm.
PayPal using your data to boost its ad business
Well, well, well … What do we have here? Another tech giant selling your data to make a buck? Shocking, I know.
This time, it’s PayPal. Through the new PayPal Ads network, the company plans to tap into customer transactions to supercharge targeted ads. This feels pretty darn gross if you’re using it to run a business, buy things you don’t necessarily want filling up your ad feed, or know that data being sold to who-knows-who for who-knows-why.
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Dealing with documents in the digital age can feel like a throwback to an earlier, less efficient era. You’re buried in paperwork, navigating tons of files, and manually inputting data. It’s time-consuming, error-prone, and let’s be honest, a bit outdated.
Side biz at your main gig: Amazon is using small businesses as delivery partners — think local coffee joints, florists or yoga studios. They say you can make up to $27,000 a year. Apply here.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
This is a total power move: One solar energy company had the truly bright idea to rent 8.5 million square feet of roof space atop 1,000 self-storage facilities across the U.S. Collectively, they’ll generate at least 100 megawatts of solar capacity, creating discounted energy for nearby homes and businesses, as well. So smart.
🏠 Off the grid: More folks are blurring their homes and businesses on Google Maps. With burglaries and break-ins on the rise, thieves can easily use Maps to scout properties and find the best way in. Protect yourself: Search for your address on Google Maps Street View, click Report a problem in the bottom right, select what you want blurred and answer the questions.
No more free web browsers: Most lack the essential security businesses need, and app integration generally stinks. Enter the new genre of enterprise browsers (paywall link), built to be secure and productive. You’ll have to pay to play, of course. If you have a biz, it’s something to consider. It might even reduce your cyber-insurance costs.
42% of web traffic
Is generated by bots. And 65% of those are for shady stuff like spying on competition, hoarding inventory and making lookalike phishing sites. There are no laws to protect businesses or consumers against the bot army.
Have a Yelp page? Businesses that include their hours, phone number, website and a photo on Yelp get 7.6 times more pageviews per month. Dang. Log in and make sure yours is up to date!
💵 Wads up? Want to pay with cash? You might be directed to a “reverse ATM.” They put your cash on a debit card so you can pay at card-only businesses. It’ll cost you; a man at the newly cashless Yankee Stadium had to pay an extra $3.50 just to buy popcorn, and he was not glovin’ it.
How to find and stop hidden fees
When I’m booking air travel, it seems like the price goes up with every click. By the time I pay to check a bag or two, that “great deal” isn’t looking so, well, great.
So of course airlines are fighting the Biden administration’s “junk fees’” rule, which would make them show their fees upfront for checking bags, carrying on a bag, and changing or canceling a reservation.
If your business accepted Visa and Mastercard between Jan. 1, 2004, and Jan. 25, 2019, you might be eligible for part of a $5.5 billion settlement. It stems from excessive transaction fees, and businesses that have since closed or gone bankrupt can still qualify. File your claim here before May 31. I did.
Small-biz boost: Amazon is giving over $250,000 in grants to small businesses that earn less than $1 million per year. Plus, it’s rolling out a new Small Business Success Studio — think free tutorials on loan applications and website optimization. Applications close May 24.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
An answer to rampant crime?
Ready for facial recognition everywhere? Here’s why it’s the solution for some businesses, in just 60 seconds.