Gen Alpha isn’t only glued to the iPad. They’re making real money online. Here’s how. Then I talk to a caller who learns his sexy pics were part of a scam. Facebook fraud is exploding (shocker: Meta’s cashing in), and your printer is secretly tagging every page you print.
Might be owed money? Here’s how to find it (for free)
ChatGPT
I’ll never forget helping Robert from Virginia find $24,578 sitting in a bank account he didn’t know existed. He heard me talk about how to find hidden money on my national radio show.
Every year, I shout about this from the rooftops (and my national radio show). Lost money isn’t a myth. It’s trillions just chilling in government vaults and banker spreadsheets, waiting for someone like you to claim it.
Unless you’ve kept flawless records since the womb, it could absolutely be yours. And no, this isn’t a scam, it’s your money.
We’re talking about forgotten paychecks, closed bank accounts, unused refund checks, overpaid bills, life insurance payouts, security deposits, retirement accounts like 401(k)s, and even savings bonds.
If you’ve ever moved, changed jobs or had a relative pass away, sit up and pay attention. Look up your name and others you know. This tip is mint.
Start with the big one
Go to MissingMoney.com, a free site backed by the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators. Type in your name and any states you’ve lived in.
If there’s a match, you can usually file a claim right then and there. Just be ready to upload proof of identity. A driver’s license or utility bill will do.
If your state isn’t listed there, check Unclaimed.org. It links you directly to every state’s own unclaimed property site.
Your 401(k)
At least $1.7 trillion languishes in lost or forgotten 401(k) accounts. That’s enough to buy several billion avocados or one small California studio apartment. The average unclaimed balance is $56,616!
Check the National Registry of Unclaimed Retirement Benefits to see if your money’s ghosting you. If you left a job and forgot to roll over your 401(k), your money might be sitting in a holding account.
It’s rough out there: You need to be proactive. This is one of the smartest things you can do to protect your identity. Don’t wait till it’s too late, sign up for NordProtect today and get 65% off. Bet you save a ton of money making the switch to NordProtect, too!
$32,000
That’s the life savings scammers stole from a schoolteacher in North Texas. They called pretending to be Chase Bank, saying his account was compromised and he needed to move his money to a “secure” one. It was all fake. The worst part? Chase only refunded about $2,000 since he wasn’t covered by fraud protection.
💸 Old electronics lying around? Costco’s revamped trade-in program lets you swap them for a store gift card, no membership needed. The trade-in values aren’t small potatoes, either; you can get up to $1,080 for an old laptop! Go to this portal for a quote. If you’re cool with their offer, the shipping’s free, and you’ll have your money in under three weeks. PSA: Amazon has a trade-in program, too, so compare both to see which gives you the better price.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Find the subscriptions you forgot about: I use Rocket Money, an app that finds all your recurring subscriptions and lets you easily cancel anything you don’t want. The first time I logged in, it saved me $435!
Don’t miss rewards: From groceries to travel, Clark.com has a list of the best credit cards to help you maximize every dollar you spend. Subscribe to Clark.com’s free newsletter to receive more must-have money tips every day.
🎮 Set Fortnite parental controls: Worried your kid’s spending too much time (or money) on Fortnite? They are. Log in to their account at the Epic Games portal. Go to Parental Controls and set a PIN. From there, you can limit playtime, control who they chat with and require the PIN before any in-game purchases are made.
💻 Israel vs Iran online: The conflict isn’t just happening on the ground. It’s playing out in cyberspace, too. A hacking group linked to Israel apparently hit an Iranian bank, cutting off access to people’s money. Then, fake texts were sent to Israelis, warning of terror attacks on bomb shelters to stir panic. Tense times.
Grand Theft Grandma: An elderly Montana woman thought “Amazon” was helping prevent ID theft. Instead, scammers made off with nearly $1M by spoon-feeding her a crime thriller plot starring fake marshals, dirty gold and suspicious cash pickups at her house. She eventually snapped, and helped bust the scammer herself with a Trojan money box.
💻 Save big money on Office apps: Skip the subscription and try LibreOffice instead. It’s totally free and comes with Writer (like Word), Calc (Excel) and Impress (PowerPoint). The best part? It also works with Office files, so you can open and save .docx, .xlsx and .pptx. Go to libreoffice.org > Download.
💸 Declutter and save: Don’t toss your old gadgets. Trading them in can get you Amazon credit or discounts on your next purchase. Head to Amazon’s Trade-In page to see what your gear is worth. Easy money!
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Car scam alert: A Nebraska man with terminal cancer tried to buy a $12K 1955 Chevy for one last summertime cruise. Instead, he wired money to a fake escrow site. Now the website, the cash and his dream are long gone. BBB says the site was a mirage. I hope these scammers rot in hell.
54%
The percentage of recent grads who say salary talks are scarier than breakups. More than half of recent graduates would rather say, “It’s not you, it’s me” than ask for more money. Nothing beats the panic of discussing 401(k)s with a hiring manager who calls you “buddy.”
🪙 Retail crypto grab: Walmart and Amazon are both reportedly exploring launching brand-backed crypto stablecoins. Insiders say it could let them ditch banks (and bank fees), process payments faster and soak up even more of your money. Finally, you can pay for eggs with Jeff Coins™.
🚨 Precious metal scams: A Florida couple lost over $2 million after fraudsters told them there was a warrant out for their arrest. The fix? Buy gold bars and coins in exchange for their freedom. They handed it to a courier and only found out months later it was all a lie. Folks, police will never ask you for money or gold.
Google’s eating itself alive — June 14th, Hour 1
Google’s new AI-powered search is tanking its own traffic. Plus, your ChatGPT chats live forever, a job offer scam, and a car rental side hustle making real money. Then I talk to Holly from Kentucky, whose kiddo ordered 70,000 suckers on Amazon.
Cancel what you’re not using: I use Rocket Money, an app that finds all your recurring subscriptions and lets you easily cancel anything you don’t want. The first time I logged in, it saved me $435!
Lost retirement money? Here’s how to find it
Nearly $2 trillion is sitting in forgotten 401(k) accounts. Yours might be one of them. Here’s how to check.
Cash in on your old cell phone: This tip will show you how to get the most money out of your old phone by selling it to reputable companies. Subscribe to Clark.com’s free newsletter to receive smart money tips every day.