packages Archives

Porch pirates are getting smarter – here's how to keep your packages safe

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are less than a week away, and I’m planning to finish up the rest of my shopping list. I’m also watching my deliveries and so should you.

Porch pirates are going all out to steal your stuff this year. One thief even disguised themself as a bag of trash to swipe someone’s orders. That’s pretty funny, but what’s next sure isn’t.

Pirates are hacking tracking numbers

Thieves are hacking into AT&T and FedEx records to watch tracking updates and swoop in on your packages minutes after they arrive. Apple iPhones are their No. 1 target, because AT&T doesn’t require a signature to deliver them. (I share how to change that below.)

Plenty of thieves just wait and watch or follow drivers and strike once the truck stops. The average gift stolen this year is worth $204. That’s way more than a stocking stuffer.

Free ways to protect your packages

Request a signature: Have someone home to receive the package, especially if it’s something expensive. Amazon can email you a secure passcode you have to give to the delivery driver in person for pricey deliveries. Here’s how. A thief won’t have that code!

👉 Use these links to manage your FedEx and UPS delivery preferences and opt into tracking updates.

Get it right to the garage: With Amazon In-Garage Delivery, drivers scan your package for a one-time access code to open your garage door — no repeat access allowed. All drivers undergo a background check; see if it’s available in your area.

Send it to the office: If you can get packages sent to the front desk at work, do it. Just make sure you’re not getting anything delivered you wouldn’t want your coworkers to see. 😳

Try an Amazon Locker: It’s like a smart P.O. Box. Choose a locker, and when your package arrives, Amazon sends a one-time code to your phone to access it. There are 40,000 of them across the country, and they’re in most cities. Use this map to find one near you.

Outsmart ‘em

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We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

The future is here: Amazing robots that cook, clean and carry your stuff

Did you ever watch “The Jetsons” and wish the robotic maid Rosey was real? She was responsible for many household tasks, including cleaning, cooking and caring for the family — George, Jane, Judy, Elroy and their pet dog Astro. And boy, oh boy, Rosie was built.

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They made too much

Amazon has a hidden overstock outlet section. Items up to 70% off? Yes, please!

Nice power strip with four outlets, four USB ports, a 6-foot cord and a wall mount, if you’re feeling fancy, for 50% off.
Mount your phone in the car with this holder that goes right into the air vent (just $13). Works with bigger phones or your chunky case.
Sweet laser distance-measuring tool that’s 26% off. It works up to 328 feet!
Set of six mini box cutters for packages and envelopes for 50% off (only $4).
Big, bright flashlights (990,000 lumens!) with impressive battery life. A two-pack is 50% off.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Ho-ho-hope your packages arrive on time: Gmail’s package tracking now includes real-time updates. On your phone, tap Menu > Settings. Look for General settings (Android) or Data privacy (Apple) and toggle on Package tracking at the bottom.

Protect your deliveries from sneaky theives

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Your front doorstep is a landing pad for all your deliveries — and porch pirates. Here’s how to protect your packages.

📦 Arrr, matey: A California woman turned the tables on USPS mail thieves. She mailed herself a package with an Apple AirTag in it. After crooks snatched the package from her P.O. Box, she called the cops. The tracker led police right to their hideout, where they found more stolen mail and packages.

310 miles

Of conveyor belt could replace 25,000 cargo trucks in Japan. The zero-emissions solution could connect Tokyo and Osaka by 2034. Why? Japan’s population is shrinking so quickly that they’re running out of truck drivers to deliver packages.

Is your Amazon account protected? Use this guide to increase security

Dr. Cindy Smith started getting so many random packages from Amazon that they blocked her front door. We’re talking over 100 Amazon boxes filled with random stuff like 1,000 headlamps, 800 glue guns and dozens of pairs of kids’ binoculars. Everything was addressed to Lixiao Zhang.

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6 ways to use your car to make some cash this summer

Your car is just sitting in the driveway or garage, costing you money. Maybe it’s paid off (hooray!), but gas and maintenance add up. You might as well use those four wheels to make some cash. Here’s how.

Uber and Lyft are at the top of the rideshare game, and it’s worth considering if you enjoy driving and are a people person. Don’t get too chatty, or your reviews might not be great. You’ll have to pass a screening, and then you can work on your own time to generate cash from your ride.

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Now, that’s sharp!

This veggie chopper is 50% off and has a bunch of different dicing blades. No more onion fingers.
Henckels makes some of the best knives out there. This 15-piece knife set and block is 62% off.
Stop opening packages with a kitchen knife. Score a three-pack of minis for only $5 so you can have one in the garage, one on your keychain and one wherever else you want.
The best knife is a sharp one. This one (under $14) has different slots to get your blade back to tiptop shape and comes with a cut-resistant glove to wear.
Promise me you won’t cut anything on the counter with that newly honed knife. Love these pretty cutting boards in great colors.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

750,000 Amazon robots

It’s using them to move packages around warehouses. Amazon’s robot count doubled between 2021 and 2023, and its human workforce shrunk by 6% over the same period. The company says its robots are job helpers. Yeah, sure, OK.

Attention, shopper: Liquidation.com hawks packages and undelivered goods from Amazon, Target, Walmart and the Home Depot. You can filter by brand or retailer. Shop carefully — there are no returns.

The worthless product scam from Amazon merchants

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Imagine receiving thousands of packages from Amazon that you didn’t even order. In this one-minute podcast, I’ll share how this exact scenario unfolded for a woman in Virginia.

Best free video editing program for Windows, Mac, Linux

Look up the most popular video editing software, and you’ll find enormous price tags. If you have to edit videos for work, you need something affordable and dependable — preferably without the high costs. DaVinci Resolve 18 is a great free option that works just as well as expensive apps from Adobe or Corel.

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Free stuff you get with your cable subscription

Here at Komando HQ, we’ve written a lot of guides about cutting the cord. Here’s a five-step plan you can follow to ditch cable and start streaming. But sticking to cable has its upsides.

In fact, some cable packages include free streaming subscriptions, which means you can enjoy the best of both worlds. Unfortunately, it can be time-consuming to research all the cable TV perks out there.

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Annoyed by your video doorbell's notification? Check this setting now

A video doorbell is a great tool to see who’s at your door. When it rings, you don’t even have to get off the couch as you can easily open your mobile phone and take a look at the camera. It also keeps an eye on your porch, helping you keep tabs on packages and visitors.

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These 5 tech tricks will make your life easier

It’s easy to be drawn into buying the latest and greatest tech. One of my goals is to give you ways to get more out of the tech you already own. Take Amazon Prime.

If you signed up to shop for this year’s Prime Day sales, don’t miss out on all the perks that come with your membership. Here are my favorite hidden Prime benefits.

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Your new holiday gifts attract thieves - 3 tips to protect your stuff

The joys of Christmas morning, when you finally get to tear the wrapping paper from packages waiting under the tree. Now that Christmas 2021 is officially in the books, you might have spent the last few days setting up your new tech … without putting much thought into what to do with its packaging.

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Get pictures of your USPS mail before it's delivered

Snail mail is famous for being inferior to email. Now, the speed gap will grow even further, thanks to a plan from Postmaster General Louis DeJoy. In order to cut costs, the U.S. Postal Service’s three-day delivery for first-class mail will now take around five days.

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Easy way to see everything you've ever ordered on Amazon

With free and super-fast shipping on millions of products, Amazon has become a convenient place to get, well, everything.

However, if you are ordering from Amazon constantly, it’s easy to forget about a package or two. You might not notice when one package goes missing if it’s an insignificant item. So how do you keep track?

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