reviews Archives

6 signs your vacation rental is a scam

It’s that time of year when so many of us are planning vacations and booking a rental. Sadly, scammers are very aware of that, and they’re always changing their tricks to fool people out of their money, rentals — or worse.

One of the most prolific thieves scammed people out of $7 million over just two years. He listed 100 properties across the U.S. and accepted 10,000 offers. His bait-and-switch schemes worked … till he got caught.

Being familiar with the red flags can save you from being a victim. And that’s why I’m here today — to give you the know-how.

1. Suspicious photos

Does the picture of that beachfront property look like it’s straight out of a pricey photoshoot? Images that are just a little too polished should raise your eyebrows. Try a reverse image search to see if a pic pops up elsewhere online. How? Open a pic, right-click on it, then choose Search Image or similar in your browser.

2. That doesn’t add up

Some hosts list a property at different price points on multiple platforms. The highest bidder wins, so your stay could get canceled if they find someone who’ll pay more. But wait — it could also be a “phantom rental.” In this scheme, crooks cook up a completely fake listing using a bogus address and photos and run away with your money.

3. Under pressure

When you’re rushed into making a decision, you’re more likely to overlook serious flaws in the listing. A legitimate host won’t rush you into sealing the deal.

4. ‘Can you send me a gift card?’

Always pay through the rental site. Secure payment methods include debit, credit and sometimes a direct bank transfer. Never pay using gift cards, a cash app, crypto or a certified check.

5. Too good to be true

Continue reading →

Best (and weirdest) tech of CES 2025 so far

Swippitt.com, Amazon.com, Lenovo.com

The annual CES show is underway, so let’s dive into some of the coolest (and, yes, weirdest) gadgets I’ve come across so far.

Foldable phones are so 2024: I told you this would be announced. I’m talking about rollable laptops. Lenovo’s ThinkBook Plus Gen 6 Rollable has a screen that extends from 14 inches to 16.7 inches when you need more space. Neat! Too bad it starts at $3,499, oof.

Continue reading →

Gift a little bit of luxury

💅 Treat them (or yourself) to something nice.

PSA: Check the shipping date! When I did, these all arrived before Christmas.

The right body wash is a game-changer. This one is under $10.
For the girl boss, a leather laptop bag in lots of colors ($35; click the coupon box for 15% off).
Everyone looks good in a classic pair of Ray-Bans (27% off).
This Korean face mask set ($35) has a ton of five-star reviews.
There’s no world in which a Le Creuset cast iron skillet wouldn’t be the best gift they get this year. Plus, it comes in 13 colors!
Just look at these gel nail polish (15% off) colors. If she doesn’t have a UV lamp for the polish, this one’s under $20.
Draw a bath, pour a glass of wine, grab a good book and relax. Add a snazzy bath tray for under $50.
If they don’t have a pair of over-the-ear headphones yet, change that ASAP!

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

🚲 Wheel-y safe: Registering your bike with your local police makes getting it back easier if it’s stolen. Just search online for “bicycle registration” plus your city name and look for an official website ending in .gov. Pro tip: Wire locks are easy to cut, so go for a U-lock instead. I found one (15% off) that has great reviews.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

Fake reviews are now illegal

Open/download audio

Businesses are paying big bucks to flood sites with fake reviews and the FTC’s had enough. Here’s how to spot the fakes and what you can do about it.

💸 Budget iPhone? Rumor has it Apple will drop the iPhone SE 4 next week for around $429. It’s packing a 6.1-inch OLED screen, a 48 MP camera, an A18 chip and 8GB of RAM, and it can even run Apple Intelligence. Pretty tempting, but I’d still wait for reviews to see how well it actually performs. For all the bells and whistles, consider spending a little more on a renewed iPhone 15 Pro instead.

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

$60 billion in losses

For Meta VR tech over the last five years. Zuck told investors their investments would pay off eventually. Definitely related: After February performance reviews, the bottom 5% of workers, or 3,600 folks, are getting the boot.

Fix your website! 4 ways to get more people to your site using SEO

A savvy business owner knows the value of website optimization. In today’s cutthroat digital marketplace, an SEO-friendly website with solid keyword research, meta tags, good page speed and backlinks helps you stand out. If you want to know how to improve search engine rankings for small business websites, you’ve come to the right place.

Continue reading →

Practical gifts everyone will love at $10, $20 and $50

Amazon.com

Thank goodness I’m almost done shopping! I’m here to help you be a hero on Christmas morning at whatever budget floats your boat. Psst, if you need stocking stuffers, use this link.

⁉️ “Hey Kim, I still need to find the perfect gift for …” Worry not! I have hundreds of ideas for you right here. You’ll get it done in a jiffy with my picks!

Continue reading →

We may earn a commission from purchases, but our recommendations are always objective.

20 years ago

Yelp launched. Over 300 million reviews later, it’s still one of the first places most of us go to check out a restaurant or bar. They just rolled out an AI assistant that gives recommendations and weeds out phony reviews. A restaurant owner offered me a free calamari appetizer if I gave him a good review on Yelp. It was squid pro quo. (I saw you smile!)

The state of our country: Scumbags are selling merch glorifying the UnitedHealthcare CEO killer. Amazon had the decency to pull “Deny Defend Depose” shirts, but they’re still on eBay, apparently because they don’t break any rules. Really? Trolls review-bombed the McDonald’s where the guy was caught, too, calling workers rats and snitches. What is wrong with people?

Small-biz tip: Don't overlook this digital danger

Photo © Megaflopp | Dreamstime.com

Are you the type of business owner who forgets about ex-employees as soon as they’re gone? Failing to remove former employees’ access to your systems and data could lead to security breaches. Don’t let poor offboarding practices be the weak link in your cybersecurity chain.

Continue reading →

Small-biz tip: How to onboard a remote employee

If you’re a small business owner, onboarding a new employee virtually can be a huge undertaking. Taking a new hire out to lunch, giving them a tour of the office and introducing them to coworkers is often an integral part of the experience, but that might not be possible if you hire remote employees.

Continue reading →

October 26th, 2024

Open/download audio

They have feelings, too: Being polite to a chatbot can get you better results. Plus, Apple Intelligence is coming next week, celebrity Venmo accounts and the FTC bans fake online reviews. Also, I talk to a woman whose daughter, a medical professional, is dealing with false, nasty reviews online.

5 things you should never put on a resume

In life, few rewards come without risk. Take your dream job, for instance. If you want to land that position you’ve been dreaming about, you’ll need to make a great first impression.

When you’re applying for jobs, that all comes down to your resume. Every little detail makes a big difference. For example, a small mistake could take you out of the running for a job you’re qualified for.

Continue reading →

5 free resources to grow your business

Entrepreneurs and small business owners need all the help they can get. When you’re a self-starter, you’re constantly on the go, multitasking and doing all you can to grow your company quickly. Luckily, there are a ton of free small business resources that can help you along the way.

Continue reading →

The FTC bans fake online reviews

Open/download audio

Using bots to boost social media followers and influence is off the table, too. Disney+ adds Hulu shows, sparking parental outrage. Plus, Waymo horror stories, Facebook rental scams, and tips for your next mechanic visit. And Earl from Chicago needs wedding help for his daughter.

Marketers, Oct. 21 is the day: The FTC is banning fake online reviews, AI-written testimonials and sabotaging competitors with phony negative ratings. Using bots to boost social media followers and influence is off the table, too. If you spot any of this, report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Violations can cost up to $50,000 a pop.

FTC cracks down on fake followers and reviews

Open/download audio

Fake followers? Fake likes? The FTC is done playing around. I’ll tell you why the crackdown could mean big fines — or worse — for influencers and brands pulling these tricks.

Toxic chemicals found in Temu products

Open/download audio

Officials flagged sandals with 11 times the legal lead limit! Google’s forcing your site to train its AI if you want it searchable. Plus, the FTC is cracking down on fake reviews, and a hack to find cheap flights online.