We talk to Darius from Incogni, who tells us how you can remove your personal data from the internet. Plus, a family claims an Amazon driver stole their cat, people are yelling a lot at Siri, and there’s a new sober dating app.
Elder fraud is exploding: Your data is making it worse
ChatGPT
I’ve got bad news: Today’s online scammers know everything about you. They’re scraping your info and everyone else’s from the web and buying the rest from data brokers and people-search sites.
📈 The stats are scary
Folks age 60-plus are the biggest target. Almost 72% of scams start with personal data grabbed online. Data brokers vacuum up your info like phone numbers, emails, past addresses, income, favorite takeout spots and then auction it off like eBay for creepers.
With this data, they use personalized weapons.
🎯 Criminals know who to target
Study this list. Here’s what these attacks look like:
- AI phone calls that sound like your grandkids.
- Medicare fraud quoting your last doctor visit.
- Calls from “your bank” that know your address.
- Investment traps tailored to your retirement income.
- Romance scams where your “lover” has the same interests.
Live in a state with higher retirement incomes?
You’re in the bull’s-eye. Texas seniors lost an average of $51,700 per complaint. My state, Arizona, had the highest elder fraud rate per capita (3.5 cases for every 1,000 seniors). Yikes.
🛡️ How to fight back
1. Freeze your credit:
Even if you’re not worried about identity theft, a credit freeze keeps crooks from opening accounts in your name.
2. Use call filtering apps:
Try tools like Hiya, Nomorobo or your carrier’s spam call protection. And never answer unknown numbers, voicemail is your friend.
Your privacy restored
© Eduard Goricev | Dreamstime.com, © Tero Vesalainen | Dreamstime.com
Ever Googled yourself and thought, “What the heck is that doing online?” Old addresses, phone numbers and even the car you drive are all out there. Worse, it’s probably on some sketchy people search site or buried in a mountain of search results.
Get your info removed from the internet: Data brokers sell your info all the time without your knowledge. Incogni helps to delete your private information online automatically. So many readers and listeners say it’s worth every penny. I definitely agree. Get 60% off with code KIM60 today!
What you need to know about DeepSeek
© Rokas Tenys | Dreamstime.com, play.google.com
I’ve been saying it for years: The country that masters AI will dominate the world economically, politically and militarily. Since ChatGPT dropped, the U.S. seemed untouchable. Most of us Americans assumed we were a couple of years ahead of China in terms of AI, but the game has changed — and fast.
Why I used Incogni to wipe my info off the internet
I got this note the other day from Mike S. (Hi, Mike! 👋): “Next time you talk about Incogni, maybe you can do a deep dive?”
Mike, you’re not the only reader who’s asked for a more in-depth look at how Incogni works and why I chose it to wipe my info from data broker sites. I picked this service before they became a sponsor. So, without further ado …
Shortcut to reading annoying privacy policies
© Fairoesh N. | Dreamstime.com
Tech privacy policies are confusing on purpose. I know, big shocker! But I’m always surprised by just how difficult these things are to comb through and what they hide.
Today, I’m calling out the biggest offenders — and sharing one of my favorite, easy-to-use privacy tools.
Are your smart devices tracking too much?
© Wittaya Pinpan | Dreamstime.com, © Veranika Semchanka | Dreamstime.com
Your smartwatch is great for tracking steps, but have you ever thought about where all that personal data actually goes?
From sleep patterns to calorie intake, it’s like a digital diary — and it’s worth billions to insurance companies, marketing outfits, advertisers and, of course, hackers. Don’t panic! I’ll walk you through how to lock down your privacy.
How to remove personal data from data-broker sites (Spoiler: I use Incogni)
© Eduard Goricev | Dreamstime.com, © Tero Vesalainen | Dreamstime.com
I’ll never forget when my son, Ian, asked me where in Los Angeles I lived. I told him I couldn’t remember — it was 30 years ago, and I lived there for maybe six months. A few minutes later, he called and had the address. It was available for free to anyone on the internet on an online people search directory.
Data brokers are selling your life. Here’s how to stop them.
© Dark1elf | Dreamstime.com
The data broker industry is worth almost $400 billion. Whether it’s your Google Search history, movies you’ve streamed or a summary of your last doctor’s visit, they’re keeping tabs on your life.
Feel violated? You should. These brokers even sell your data to scammers so they can use it to target you. No wonder most people get overloaded with spam texts and calls every day.
Area codes and numbers that are probably spam
© Kukurund | Dreamstime.com
Whew, the election’s over. The onslaught of robocalls and texts is over, too … right? Nope.
There are fewer political calls and messages, sure, but there are always scammers and spammers. It may be easier for these creeps to get a hold of us now that our phones aren’t constantly lighting up with election-related notifications.
Best way to stop spam texts for good
© Fizkes | Dreamstime.com
“Official notice from USPS. Your delivery is on hold.” I wonder why …
“Hi, how are you?” Who could this be?
Stop annoying political texts
© Abscent | Dreamstime.com, © Yuri Arcurs | Dreamstime.com, Traditional-Dog9242 via r/newhampshire on Reddit.com, © Mustafaferhatbeksen | Dreamstime.com
I’ve heard from the presidential candidates, their families and every politician within a 100-mile radius. The texts don’t stop in October of an election year, especially when it comes to a presidential election.
I wasted 36 hours trying to do it myself
© Fizkes | Dreamstime.com
So many of the calls, emails, messages and DMs I get are about privacy and security. I can’t remember the last time I had a full day where no one asked me some version of “How do I get all this info about me off the internet?”
AT&T data breach: Who’s at risk and what to do now
© Weerapat Kiatdumrong | Dreamstime.com
AT&T dropped some big and very bad news this morning: “Nearly all” customers had text and call data leaked in a massive cyberattack. We’re talking 95 million people.
“Kim, really? Another data breach?” I know, but don’t tune this one out. It has scary implications for your privacy.
How to deal with a cyberstalker
Let me tell you, more and more victims of cyberstalking are reaching out to me for advice using my Ask Kim page. Here’s one note I received recently from P.W. in Oklahoma:
“I’ve been cyberstalked for three years. I recently discovered it was my roommate. I moved out and he launched another attack. He’s on my and my fiance’s phones, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth — everything. He has stolen financial data, pictures, erased accounts, taken over emails and harassed me through VOIP. … He admitted to sitting outside our house all night. I thought he was spying on me. Now I know he was also gaining access to my Wi-Fi. I can’t do this anymore and need expert advice/help terribly.”
Your data is worth big money — and you can take it back
© Milkos | Dreamstime.com
“Call me for a good time.” That simple message prompted more creepy calls and texts than you can believe. A woman contacted me after someone posted that message — alongside her cellphone number — on a porn site.
How to delete yourself from the internet
© Rawin Tanpin | Dreamstime.com
I feel lucky to have the job I do. Every day, I help folks stay up to date on tech and help solve all those digital-life problems Google just can’t answer.
And after all these years, I’ll toot my own horn a little and say there’s not much that stumps me anymore. I did get a question recently, though, on my daily podcast that had a not-so-happy answer.
How to remove yourself from US Search
Like it or not, your personal information is online for anyone to find. This can include your full name, address, phone number, police record, employment information and more. People search sites scrape this information from public records, court records, social media and other sources.
Overwhelmed with spam texts? Do this now
© Antonio Guillem | Dreamstime.com
Ever replied to a spam message with STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE? If so, you’re setting yourself up for even more annoyance. You rightfully think that you’re ending the noise, but you’ll make it worse.
Why? Spammers are hitting up as many people as possible, searching for working contact information. When you interact, you’re saying, “Yes, this phone number belongs to someone!” That’s great news for them. It lets them know you’re a real person they should target more often.