Dark Web deep dive: Hitmen, hacking and credit cards

Yesterday I told you all about the Dark Web. Missed it? Part 1 is here. As expected, so many of you asked me, “Why the heck would you even go on the Dark Web?”

It’s my job

No, really! The fine folks at the Daily Mail asked if I’d do a Dark Web deep dive and report back. The reason is probably the same one you had for opening this email: It’s intriguing.

I’ve been doing this long enough that I can bring you all the Dark Web craziness without putting myself at risk. I’m not recommending you go digging around. I’m sharing for the curious among us who know better. 

There’s a whole network of aggregators that list marketplaces, Dark Web versions of media outlets and everything else, with names like The Hidden Wiki, Onion.Live and Dark.fail. I started on Reddit with a search for “.onion search aggregators.”

Finding live sites takes trial and lots of error since they refresh their URLs all the time to evade law enforcement.

Now, let’s jump into what else I found.

👉 Are there hitmen for hire?

In theory, absolutely. In reality, you’d have to dig deep to find a real person willing to commit murder or another heinous crime on your behalf. I have to assume most of what pops up in Dark Web search engines are scams or honeypots meant to lure in someone up to no good.

One site I found had a list of rates posted for arson ($10,000 to $20,000), assassination ($10,000 to $50,000), assault ($1,000 to $5,000) and kidnapping ($15,000 to $25,000). Wild that the starting rate for assassination is less than kidnapping.

👉 They’ll hack anything

One full-service group I found says they’ve been around since 2007, and “we have worked hard every single day to improve our skills.” If it can be hacked, they’ll do it.

Continue reading

A clutter-free inbox: Your simple guide to email zen in 2025

Right now, I’m sitting here beaming because my inbox is empty. Really! Did I read and reply to every single message? Well, no. I’m not an “Inbox Zero” person. Watch this quick video if you have no clue what that means.

Continue reading

📅 Who needs to go where? A shared Google Calendar is a smart way to keep track of everything you, your spouse and the kids have going on. Just click the + (plus icon) under Other calendars at the bottom left. Choose Create new calendar and fill in the details. Then, hit the three dots next to your new calendar and select Settings and sharing. Scroll until you see Share with specific people. Add your family’s email addresses and click Send when you’re all set.

Find out who's selling your Gmail with this simple trick

Open/download audio

Getting flooded with spam? Companies might be behind it. Here’s how to find out who’s sharing your email.

Use ChatGPT Premium? Watch out for an email that says, “Action Required: Secure Continued Access to ChatGPT with a $24 Monthly Subscription.” It looks official, logos and all, but it’s not.

$0

To stream Super Bowl LIX on Tubi. All you need to sign up is an email address (no credit card, yay!). Kickoff is 6:30 p.m. ET on Feb. 9. No idea who’s playing yet, but I know you love it when something’s free!

Echowriting: That’s teaching AI to sound like you. Feed in a piece of writing (an email, a blog post, a text, whatever) and say, “This is my writing. I want you to analyze it, so you can sound more like me in the future.”

🚨 PayPal alert: A new phishing email from “service@paypal.com” claiming a new address was added to your account is making the rounds. It says you bought a MacBook M4 or another pricey item. They’re trying to scare you to call the number in the email. Don’t.

Do you bank on your phone? What about checking email and shopping? If you said “yes” to any of those, you’re a target. A keylogger captures everything you type, including your account numbers and passwords. Encrypt your keystrokes with EndpointLock. Hit this link for 10% off.

🚨 Etsy sellers, watch out: A new scam starts with an email from “support” and a PDF invoice hosted on a legit domain: etsystatic.com. The goal is to get you to fill out fake identity verification requests on a cloned Etsy site. Official Etsy emails always end with @etsy.com.

Your email signature isn’t just for your name: It’s a free marketing tool for your biz or side hustle! In Gmail, go to Settings (the gear icon) > See all settings > Signature. Add a short, compelling CTA, like “Get my free newsletter here!” Highlight the text, click the link icon to attach a URL and save. Easy-peasy.

🍏 Party on! I don’t think I need to use Evite anymore. Apple rolled out Invites for iCloud+ subscribers. This all-in-one event planner is the place where you can track RSVPs, set up shared albums, and send everything by text or email. It’s in every plan, from 50GB (99 cents per month) to 12TB ($59.99), plus the Apple One bundle. Sweet.

Don't open an email with these 2 words

Open/download audio

The FBI warns that scammers are using these phrases to scare you into action. Here’s what they are and how to avoid the trap.

Locked up tight: In Gmail, click the little padlock icon at the bottom of a new email for Confidential mode. Set an expiration date and a passcode for your recipient to open the email. You’ll both feel like James Bond.

No, you didn’t miss jury duty: This scam is spreading across the U.S. It starts with a call or email from a “court official” saying you’ve gotta pay up via wire transfer or gift card to avoid fines or arrest since you were a no-show. Delete the email or hang up the phone. Then, if you’re still concerned, call your county’s courthouse. Heads-up: Real government websites end in .gov.

Too long; won’t read: Eight sentences or longer, and 57% of people skim or ignore parts of your email. Pro tip: Put the most important info in the first line or write in bullet points to save time.

The email trick that keeps Nvidia’s CEO on top

Open/download audio

Jensen Huang uses a “top five emails” system to manage 60+ direct reports, stay informed, and get results. Here’s how it works — and why it’s a game-changer.

Free templates: The ones built into Google aren’t lame anymore. Really! Start a new Google Doc. (Shortcut: In your browser’s address bar, type doc.new and hit Enter.) Then, click Templates, Meeting Notes or Email Draft to browse the options. Once you choose one, hit the menu in the upper left to see all the pages and options.

Email your future self

Open/download audio

Send your future self an email with your hopes, dreams, and maybe a reminder to stop doomscrolling. It’s easier than you think!

Your very own free assistant: Say you have messy notes from a meeting. By hand, you’d spend 15 minutes turning those into an email fit for your boss or team. Instead, open a chatbot (I use ChatGPT) and say, “Turn these notes into a professional, friendly email to my team. Point out any missing info I need to fill in.” Paste your notes at the end and voila.