🛑 Stop phone theft: Android’s new Theft Protection feature keeps your data safe if someone grabs your phone and runs off with it. Go to Settings > Google > All services > Theft protection and toggle Turn on to enable the change. You’ll get this feature if your phone’s running on Android 10 or later.
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
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Turn on your phone's theft protection
Your phone is very valuable in the wrong hands — and not just if you have a snazzy, new iPhone 16 Pro Max that costs as much as a mortgage payment. Even a cheap smartphone is loaded with logins, personal data and financial info. Think of it as instant access to everything.
25% of kids' IDs stolen before 18
When you think of identity theft victims, you might picture someone older. But the reality is, the targets are getting younger.
🏴☠ Hands off my treasure: Porch piracy is so out of control, you can now pay for stolen package insurance. PorchPals covers up to $2,000 of deliveries (or three claims a year) for $120 annually. Don’t bother. Save your money. Sign for your packages or have them delivered to a locker. Steps here!
Anti-theft software patch available for 8 million Hyundai and Kia models
Viral TikTok videos have shown vulnerabilities in millions of Hyundai and Kia vehicles that have led to many thefts. Several models were sold missing critical anti-theft software. That made it easy for thieves to steal those cars without needing a key. A software patch is finally rolling out to help stop auto thefts.
If you get an email with this phone number, don't call! It's a money-stealing scam
Thieves are out in full force during the holidays looking to rip off people shopping for gifts. Some have even gone so far as to devise elaborate schemes to trick you out of personal information and steal your money. Tap or click here for details on holiday scams making the rounds and how to outsmart them.
“I took it personally”: When cybersecurity expert Grant Smith’s wife was tricked by a phony U.S. Postal Service text, he made it his mission to get justice. A few months later, he’d cracked the case, recovering over 390,000 stolen credit cards. He handed the info over to authorities. And they say chivalry is dead!
Porch pirates are smarter than ever: Across the U.S., they’re stealing AT&T iPhones delivered by FedEx. They’re using tracking numbers to get real-time updates and swipe packages in seconds. Even worse? The info might be coming from rogue AT&T employees. Get a lockable porch box and a video doorbell.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
I had a joke, but someone stole it: I thought this was interesting. Radio-emitting threads could replace metal tags to stop shoplifters. A company called Myruns is behind the tech. The threads are five times thinner than a single human hair. Special ink inside the threads would transmit signals to set off alarms.
🚨 Be smart; don’t put anything in your cart: A Chinese fraud network is using thousands of fake online stores to steal credit cards. They’re impersonating brands like The North Face, Ikea and Wayfair with (fake) massive discounts. Red flags? Many sites have “blackfriday” in the domain name and end with .shop, .store, .vip or .top.
Ever wonder what happens to the massive amounts of U.S. military data stolen by Communist China’s spies? Its newest jet fighter aircraft (bottom pic) is a nearly identical design to America’s new F-35 stealth fighter (top pic).
It took the U.S. over 20 years and $2 trillion to produce theirs; China duplicated it in less than five years, using hundreds of terabytes of stolen U.S. military secrets.
🕵🏼 Both sides are hiding AirTags on political signs: It’s to stop (and catch) thieves. Michigan detectives used one to track 72 stolen campaign signs … and then, they spent hours searching the wrong house. It wasn’t until they brought in the AirTag owner for a more precise location that they realized the signs were at a neighbor’s house, clearly visible through a window. People …
Toss porch pirates overboard: Nationwide, thieves are nabbing expensive new iPhones just seconds after they’re dropped off. AT&T sends theirs via FedEx and usually doesn’t require a signature for deliveries, so they’re the biggest target. If you’re ordering an iPhone, pick it up in-store or get a lockable porch box and video doorbell.
We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.
Drive-by theft: Thieves are snatching $550 AirPod Max headphones right off people’s heads. As your music blasts, they sneak up on a peddle bike or moped, and before you realize it — poof! — those pricey headphones are gone.
AI theft - let the lawsuits begin
The music industry says AI systems like ChatGPT are using their copyrighted material without asking. Now, they’re taking it to court.
Sam’s Club is rolling out AI to stop theft: After you check out, you’ll pass through a big, blue gateway where cameras snap pics of your cart to compare with your order. It’s supposed to make shopping 23% faster. Expect it in stores nationwide by the end of the year.
15 million vets’ health data was leaked: It was part of the recently reported Change Healthcare and UnitedHealth ransomware data breach. Supposedly, patients’ “full medical histories” weren’t compromised, but with more dirt coming out about the breach almost every day, who’s to say how deep this rabbit hole goes? Watch out for medical ID theft.
Trying to sell online? You're a theft target
Criminals no longer need to stake out your house to case it; they can simply browse your online listing.
Journalistic Integrity vs AI
Is AI innovation or theft? Hear why some are taking a stand against it, in 60 seconds.