AI is changing the voices of call center reps. You may never hear a thick accent again. Plus, criminals mail out ransomware, and Gen Z’s dream jobs. Plus, Kelly in Pennsylvania found details of her parents’ nasty court case online and wants it erased.
🪴 I wet my plants: AI-generated houseplant scams, like fake glowing monstera, blue sunflowers and bogus care tips, are spreading online. Real plant nerds are mad. Between mislabeled seeds, floating pots and chatbot advice that could kill a fern in 10 seconds, AI’s turning a peaceful hobby into a digital funhouse of botanical lies.
37.4 terabytes
That’s how much junk data one IP got smacked with, in 45 seconds. Taking the crown as the largest cyberattack in history, the DDoS attack was so heavy, it could’ve streamed 10,000 HD movies simultaneously. Somehow, Cloudflare’s clients stayed online.
Get to the point: Cut to the chase if you’re adding special instructions to your online order. If there’s a gate code, for instance, start the message with “Gate code 1234” (or whatever your code is). Often, those notes get cut short for the delivery person, so put the important stuff right up front.
The Amazon returns side hustle that pays — July 5th, Hour 4
Tons of people make real money reselling Amazon returns online. Here’s how to get started. Plus, your old cellphone can still call 911, AI comes to Disney Parks, and Apple’s folding iPhone.
💵 Bon voyage to car rental fees: Clark Howard has a secret weapon to fight one pesky fee: a portable toll reader. Register online, and it works in 19 states. Subscribe to Clark.com’s free newsletter to receive more must-have money tips every day.
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Shopping online and the price looks weird? Type camelcamelcamel.com and paste the Amazon URL. It shows the full price history.
We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.
Protect your data! I trust TotalAV to guard against viruses, ransomware and hackers in real time. It’s powerful, simple and just $19 for the first year. Stay safe online with TotalAV today.
📝 Need to brush up? Microsoft offers free online training for its Office programs, including video tutorials, interactive guides and practice exercises.
🍏 iPhone manuals still exist: New iPhones don’t come with printed guides, but you can still find them online. Just go to Apple’s website and look up your model (they’ve got everything from the original iPhone to the latest iPhone 16). You’ll find the user guide, info sheet and even the official repair manual.
His dream girl stole $80K– June 28th, Hour 2
Sam from Austin thought he’d found love online. Instead, he lost $80,000 in a fake gold investment scam. Plus, find out why guys are suing OnlyFans, and meet Samsung’s new vacuum: it can answer your calls and texts.
The top three online scams
Think you’re too smart for a scam? Thousands fall for these every day.
Protect your privacy without lifting a finger: Tired of your personal data floating around online? Incogni scrubs it from data brokers and people-search sites. With my exclusive link, get 60% off unlimited plans. Choose which sites to target, and take back your privacy today!
Roblox predator walks free: A mother called the FBI after finding out her 10-year-old daughter was groomed by a man she met in-game. The sicko turned the conversation sexual, asked for pictures over text and even hacked into her online schooling accounts. And yet? Still no charges. Watch your kids.
💻 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.
⚠️ Data fire hose leak: Cybernews found 30 data hoards oozing 16 BILLION records, basically half the internet. Blame info stealers. Some leaks were old, most were new, all were unsettling. The good news: They’re offline now. The bad news: They were online, and no one knows who posted them. Yup, all your account credentials are probably in the leak. Take a deep breath. Here are the links you need to protect yourself.
Gen Alpha side hustles — June 21st, Hour 4
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.
#1
Where America ranks in online vulgarity among English-speaking countries. Yes, “land of the free” also means land of the free to say anything we want. Turns out, 1 in every 2,800 words typed by Americans online is a swear, making us the reigning champs of digital potty mouths.
🕳️ Internet’s new boogeyman: Online predators have gotten a terrifying rebrand. “764” is a nihilistic extremist group targeting kids via Discord, Roblox and social media. The FBI is on it, but that’s cold comfort if your 12-year-old is getting radicalized during Minecraft. Talk early and often with your kids about online dangers. Audit their apps, and maybe uninstall a few.
Terrorism vs. your privacy — June 14th, Hour 4
Terrorism threats are the highest since 9/11. The government’s response? Lots of surveillance. Then I talk to caller Demetra from Kentucky. She says her doctor daughter gets hundreds of mean reviews online. Is there anything she can do? Plus: Your driving app might be spying and how to find your phone on silent.