Creeps are hiding cameras in dressing rooms, bathrooms and worse

Stories like this make my blood boil. Some creep was caught taking pics up a woman’s skirt at a Target store. Let’s give a big cheer to the woman who called him out and filmed it.

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Peeping Toms and tech are a match made in you-know-where. They use everything from smartphones to hidden cameras to get their fix. Luckily, I’m on your side to keep you and your loved ones safe.

Skirting around the issue

On an otherwise ordinary day in Greenville, North Carolina, a woman took a trip to her local Target. She noticed a 21-year-old man getting a little too close for comfort — crouching down on the ground near her.

When she moved, so did the man. Then she noticed his cell phone on the floor. That’s when it clicked: She was wearing a skirt that day, and this creep was trying to slide his phone underneath to get a photo.

Caught red-handed

Another Target shopper spotted the creep, too. She started filming the peeper after noticing him following the victim around the store. She captured him putting his phone on the floor and posted it to social media.

Ultimately, that video is what led to the peeper’s arrest.

Of course, when the cops picked him up, he denied it all and gladly handed over his phone. Authorities got a search warrant to dig deeper, and fortunately, they didn’t find any inappropriate photos of children.

The peeper was released on bond, and his fate now rests in the courts. He also won’t return to his job anytime soon. Where’d he work, you ask? An elementary school.

Protect your privacy

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LinkedIn's verification methods let you identify yourself and your employer

LinkedIn is the world’s largest professional network, with nearly a billion members worldwide. While this offers job seekers and recruiters many opportunities, it also makes the site a prime target for cybercriminals.

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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.

Trying to sell online? You're a theft target

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Criminals no longer need to stake out your house to case it; they can simply browse your online listing.

Hacking on a budget: For $20, criminals buy ransomware tools on the dark web. Their target? Smaller companies and individuals — those least likely to have the resources to defend themselves. Unlike “ransomware-as-a-service,” which forces hackers to share profits, these tools have no strings attached. If you’re a small business owner, beef up your cybersecurity.

$49 for Target Circle 360

The annual fee goes up to $99 on May 18. A membership will get you same-day delivery in as little as an hour with no extra charge. Eh, I’ll stick with Amazon Prime.

Get instant disposable email addresses

Apple and Google let you create “burner emails” to save your inbox from spam. I choose this over giving out my real email address when I’m trying to score a coupon code or a site I’m just browsing requires contact info.

Got an Apple device? The Hide My Email feature lets you generate random email addresses when you fill out an online form or sign up for a website. 

  • It pops up when you fill out online forms or sign up for a website.
  • Emails sent to the generated address go to your iCloud account.

Using Gmail? To create an alias in Gmail, add a + (plus sign) after your address, followed by the name of the site, like first.last+target@gmail.com. If you start getting spam, delete that email address. That’s it!

🗺️ Just got an email from Google detailing how they’ve devised a way to read maps backward. Turns out it was spam.

Your Facebook got hacked. Now what?

Benjamin in Huntsville, Alabama, emailed me with a question I get often enough. I thought, “Ya know, I should write about this in the Current.” Someone hacked his Facebook — taking with it 16 years of treasured memories.

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3 LinkedIn security features to stay protected

Your parents or grandparents may have told stories about looking for work and how they knocked on doors until they were hired. Well, it hasn’t worked that way in quite a while. You’ll be stopped by security in most office building lobbies before you can get anywhere.

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Peeping Tom caught in the act

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Target shoppers saw him slip a phone under a woman’s dress (ew). Plus, get updates on the TikTok ban, dark web blackmail, and a major ground beef recall. We also talk with popular YouTuber Kitboga about taking on scammers by wasting their time.

Under siege: Change Healthcare, the hacked UnitedHealth Group company that processes insurance claims, already paid $22 million to a ransomware crime ring. It’s no surprise they’re a big target since they’re used by about 94% of hospitals, plus pharmacies and medical offices. Another group called RansomHub says they’ll sell the same data that was stolen during that massive February cyberattack unless they get paid in five days. We’re all screwed.

Tax scams are at their peak

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This Monday is Tax Day. Be cautious — if you’re rushing to file, bad actors may target you.

☕ Add a latte: Target is luring people into using its app and Drive Up curbside service with caffeine — and I bet it’ll work. At more than 1,700 locations, you can add a Starbucks drink to your order. Yep, you stay in the car, and someone will bring out your toilet paper and a frappuccino.

Roblox scams that target your kids

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More than 70 million people play Roblox daily. Find out why some are fraudsters targeting children.

1 in 3 Gen Zers prefer self-checkout — because it makes shoplifting easier

This blows me away. Nearly half of Gen Zers surveyed who said they plan to steal will target the most expensive item in their carts.

Taylor Swift gotchas

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Are you a Swiftie? Here’s why you’re a scammer’s big target online.

Charging and travel: 5 malware mistakes most people make

The airports? Crazy. The weather? Unpredictable. Travel is tough enough … and then your phone dies. Those charging kiosks in airports, hotels and malls can be big timesavers. Their owners promise they’re safe, but the FBI disagrees — and so do I.

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Get Amazon, Target, Walmart good for cheap

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Curious about where holiday returns go? I’ll reveal where to snag them at great prices.

Bin stores: Hidden shops full of Amazon, Target, Walmart and Wayfair returns

I went to a bin store the other day. I bought a completely sealed two-foot by two-foot box for $10. Inside my mystery box were four pairs of men’s black socks, a cat bell, two potato peelers, an iPhone stand and a Dallas Cowboys women’s shirt that I got a kick out of. Someone must have made a snap decision to return that.

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Overwhelmed with spam texts? Do this now

Ever replied to a spam message with STOP or UNSUBSCRIBE? If so, you’re setting yourself up for even more annoyance. You rightfully think that you’re ending the noise, but you’ll make it worse.

Why? Spammers are hitting up as many people as possible, searching for working contact information. When you interact, you’re saying, “Yes, this phone number belongs to someone!” That’s great news for them. It lets them know you’re a real person they should target more often.

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