🧱 Don’t buy a brick: Before you buy a used phone, check its International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) number. Here’s how: Just dial *#06# on the phone to display its IMEI. Now, pop that number into the Stolen Phone Checker to see if the phone has been reported lost, stolen or blocked by a carrier.
Find your family tree without compromising your data
Seven million 23andMe customers thought they were just getting insights into their family history — instead, they got their data hacked.
It went beyond names and addresses. Hackers got their hands on DNA genotypes, predispositions to certain conditions and carrier status. And they were able to hunt down genetic relatives for millions of 23andMe customers. So scary.
Here’s the good news. You can research your family history without handing over your DNA. I found ancestry resources, and none are paid family tree research sites collecting a ton of personal data.
Start with a free site
Get started with these research tools, and remember — you’re in control of what info you hand over.
- AccessGenealogy: An online directory of digital genealogy resources. They specialize in Native American genealogy research and have helpful links for pre-Civil War African-American genealogy research. Some of the sites they link to are paid — but they indicate it with a dollar sign. Otherwise, it’s all free and doesn’t require registration (links to other sites might!)
- The Statue of Liberty — Ellis Island Foundation: Know your family came through Ellis Island? Use the site’s passenger search function to find the tens of millions of Americans who had at least one ancestor pass through the port.
- FamilySearch: From the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, this platform includes a collaborative family tree tool and is free for anyone (regardless of religious affiliation). Note: You choose what data you share — just keep in mind it could be shared with third parties or the Mormon churches near you.
Then, head to these libraries
They’re for more than your next book club read. Local and statewide libraries and historical and genealogical societies host a wealth of knowledge resources.
- HeritageQuest: This tool is offered for free by thousands of public and state libraries. It’s an online database, but you must visit a physical library and use your library card to access it!
- Digital Public Library of America: This one is technically a library, but it’s free to access online, no library card necessary! You can search for family names or ask cool questions like “What did downtown Memphis look like in the 1910s when my family lived there?”
Go deeper with public records and community archives
- The National Archives: These archives include Census, military service, immigration and naturalization records. You might hit gold at county courthouses, which have even more records, such as deeds, wills and land. Some statewide archives have county-level records, too.
- Find A Grave: A subset of Ancestry, browse this free community record of cemeteries and pay your virtual respects. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also hosts a Gravesite Locator for veterans.
So … what about DNA testing?
New spam text can't be blocked - Here's how to protect yourself
Paying your bills on time is something that most of us do without even thinking about it. It is so part of our everyday life that we don’t expect to be rewarded for it. Sure, there could be some occasions where companies might incentivize you for paying early, but that doesn’t happen often.
Pro hacker makes $600K working part-time, stop robocalls, tech trivia
Open/download audioIn this week’s episode of Komando On Demand Insider Edition: Are you sick of those annoying robocalls? Your carrier has ways to shut them down. Kim talks with a pro hacker who made $600K last year working 5 to 10 hours a week. If you’re looking for a job, there’s something employers are looking at much harder than your resume. Plus, don’t miss this week’s tech trivia.
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This doesn’t make cents: Jeff Drobman got a slew of urgent-sounding Bank of America text messages. The Los Angeles man tried to call the bank but had no signal. He’d been SIM swapped, and hackers stole $21,000 from his BofA account. PSA: Choose facial recognition over 2FA in your banking app, and contact your carrier immediately if your signal suddenly drops.
Trading in your Android phone? How to get the most value for it
With the constant churn of technology, it’s rational to want a new phone every year, so you don’t miss out on the latest features with each new model. But if you upgrade to a new phone every year, what do you do with the old one?
Secret text codes you can use with your carrier
Your smartphone is capable of more than you think, and your carrier knows how to unlock all of its secrets by pressing just a few buttons. These codes, called Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), can be used to scan networks and activate service right from your phone’s dialer.
Rich Communication Services: RCS is the new texting standard replacing plain ol’ SMS. It’s built into Apple’s iOS 18 and makes texting your Android pals a lot better. Go to Settings > Apps > Messages. Scroll down, and if you don’t see the RCS option, it means your carrier likely isn’t supporting it yet.
5 ways to block or hide your number when making calls
Robocalls have been an annoyance for years, and with technology constantly advancing, it’s only going to get worse. And they’re not just interruptions these days. Many are calls from scammers looking to rip you off.
That’s why it’s important to be proactive and stop these calls dead in their tracks. You have several clever ways to keep scams and robocalls at bay. Tap or click here to stop robocalls for good. How are these callers getting ahold of your number in the first place?
Android warning: Update now to avoid a serious security flaw
There are tons of reasons to use Android devices. Any Android fan can tell you that having an open-source operating system is a better choice for them over the other, more restrictive options.
That open-source platform means you not only have more app options, but you can also play amateur developer with your device. There are tons of third-party apps available for Android that aren’t available for iOS devices due to the security restrictions — and many more options for customizing your device. Tap or click here to see Android 11 features we’re most excited about.
Block your number when making calls
Before the onslaught of the pandemic, you probably didn’t use your smartphone to make phone calls very much. Now, carriers are reporting surges in calls as we seek more personal connections while following social distancing guidelines.
Will this wireless carrier silence robocalls?
Open/download audioThe robocalls just keep coming. Have you been hit by the influx of phony government agency calls? If you use this a major wireless carrier, you could get some relief — if you wait a few months.
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Making sense of mobile phone speeds
Open/download audioVerizon, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile are the nation’s big four mobile carriers. And if you watch their commercials, they all claim to have the fastest network speed. But according to the website Speedtest, one carrier does indeed rule them all.
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