Tag: privacy

How to wipe your car’s data before you sell it

Selling a car without clearing your info is like selling an unlocked phone. Use these steps to erase your personal data, so no one drives away with it.

You have a secret AI ‘shadow score.’ Here’s how to see it

Kim Komando explains how companies use AI to rank you. Find your secret shadow score and fix your data fast.

Chatbots are outdated: A guide to AI agents from The Current

If your phone starts planning your vacation and grocery shopping without you, don’t panic. Kim Komando breaks down why 2026 is the year of AI agents.

Your phone knows too much

“Kim, I get that there are shady people-search sites and data brokers making money by selling my name, address and shoe size to anyone from scammers, stalkers and insurance companies. Why should I pay to remove this? This should be against the law! Why is the burden on me? How do companies gather all this […]

Data detox: How to wipe your info in 2026

While you’re busy filling your cart, retailers are filling their databases with your personal data.

See if license plate readers are in your neighborhood

A woman in Colorado was falsely accused of theft because a Flock camera that looks like the one in the image above spotted her car near the scene. She wasn’t even close. She had to dig up dashcam footage, GPS, even her outfit to prove it. The charges were dropped, but the stress? Very real. […]

🛣️ Your driver’s license is worth more than you think

Your driver’s license has two jobs: ID and moneymaker. But sadly, not for you.

The loyalty trap: That free coffee cost you everything

Let me tell you something that’ll make you look at your “loyalty perks” apps and programs a lot differently.  You think you’re getting a deal along with points, rewards, a freebie here and there. But what you’re really signing up for is a machine that’s collecting, analyzing and monetizing you. I studied a new report […]

California’s new opt‑out a win (if you live there)

Kim K. in Calabasas, CA, asked if California’s new browser privacy law means she no longer needs Incogni, a sponsor of my national radio show. Great question. First, yes, I did check to see if that “K” stood for Kardashian. No response … yet. 😏 👨🏻‍⚖️ California’s new AB 566 law It forces browsers to […]

Protecting yourself from voice scams

Voice cloning has left the lab. Soon enough, you might hear your voice and think, Wait, is that me or an AI? AI isn’t just being used to revive dead rappers or prank your boss with Drake impressions. Scammers are generating voices to fake kidnappings, drain bank accounts and impersonate your kid in crisis.  You […]

Top scams spreading right now

Every crime has a setup. In five recent cases, scammers turned online breadcrumbs into jackpots. I want you to know how to make sure you’re not their next payday. ❤️‍🩹 Your relationships Scammers stalk grief like predators. A Pennsylvania widow was conned out of her entire life savings, over $200,000 plus her home, by a […]

Guess who’s spying from your bookshelf

With more than 500 million Alexa-enabled devices sold worldwide, odds are you’ve got one sitting on your counter or desk, quietly glowing, always listening. Ever mutter something like, “I need new jeans,” and suddenly your phone’s serving up Levi’s ads? Creepy coincidence or hot mic in action? Alexa is always in listening mode, waiting for […]

Smart glasses are spyware

That’s me, virtually trying on Meta’s glasses on their website, doing my best Tom Cruise Risky Business impersonation. Spoiler, I didn’t buy them. These remind me of Google Glass. Those awkward $1,500 face computers from 2013 that made you look like a cyborg at brunch. They launched with a ton of hype and died just […]

Your phone’s more intimate than your diary

Our phones hold everything: photos, texts, money apps, health info, even our bad selfies. Handing over access to your partner? That’s not just convenient. That’s trust on a whole new level.  Some people think it’s the 2025 version of giving someone a house key. Others worry it’s a recipe for drama, or even the prequel […]

They buried your opt-out button

This is insane. Like almost cartoon-villain-level shady. Say you’re trying to delete your personal information from some shady data broker’s website that’s selling your data to advertisers, marketing companies, stalkers, coworkers or anyone else with the money.  But when you search for their opt-out page on Google? Nothing pops up on the results page. Did […]

Schools spy on kids even at home

School is back in session, but here’s something no one told you at orientation: Your kids may have more eyes on them than just their teachers’. Even if you don’t have kids in school, you really need to know about this. A new study from UC San Diego uncovered what’s really going on with those […]

Your EV battery knows where you’ve been even if GPS is off

You already know your smartphone tracks your every move like a jealous ex. And your car? Duh, it’s been watching you since Bluetooth became a thing.  Here’s the shocker: Researchers at MIT just revealed that your EV battery alone can quietly map your life without GPS, Wi-Fi or cell signals.  Before you even think, “Kim, […]

Why you should not use WhatsApp

“Kim, I heard the call with the man who lost $60,000 in a crypto scam. You said anytime someone wants to move the conversation to WhatsApp, it’s a scam. Why is that?” — Dennis in Washington Thanks for the question, Dennis. I’m glad you heard that call. Heartbreaking. And unfortunately, it’s not rare. When someone […]

F​​our payments and a data leak

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) apps are everywhere. See something shiny? Tap tap, and BAM, you own it in four “easy” payments. Zero interest, no credit card shame spiral. What a dream, right? But here’s what they’re not telling you: While you’re breaking up your payments, they’re also breaking up your data and sharing it […]

Even Queen Bey ain’t safe

You’d think Beyoncé’s secret files crew would be protected by a force field of security, privacy settings and Sasha Fierce energy. But nope, real-world crime doesn’t care how many Grammys you have. Right before her recent Atlanta show, thieves smashed the glass of a rental Jeep used by her crew and made off with two […]