The U.S. government is suing Apple and Glassdoor’s reviews aren’t anonymous after all. And Jim calls to ask if he can trust a nice woman online who is pushing crypto. Spoiler: No!
FBI warning: Crooks are using this new tech support scam
One of the most important parts of my job is making sure you know what criminals and cybercreeps are up to. Enough people fall for this junk — I don’t want you to be a victim, too.
The FBI is warning about tech support scams that robbed folks of a whopping $542 million in just the first half of 2023. It all starts with a notification that looks like it’s from your bank or even the government warning of a computer hack. You guessed it. They’re fake.
‘Trust me, I’m here to help’
The bad guys are running what’s known as “phantom hacker” scams. The target? Often older adults. The aim? To get them to empty their bank accounts. It’s a wicked twist on a tech support scam that’s been around for a while, where you get a pop-up warning your machine has been hacked.
Scammers are no longer just pretending to be tech support agents. They’re impersonating bank officials or government agents to gain your trust.
It goes like this
You get a call from someone who supposedly works for your bank. They claim a hacker from a foreign country is all over your account. Yikes! Then they say, “Hey, move your money to this ‘safe’ government account.” But — spoiler alert — it’s the scammer’s account.
Just how successful is this scam? The FBI has reported 19,000 complaints related to tech support scams in just the first half of the year — amounting to that $542 million I mentioned before. Almost half of those victims were over 60.
So, what can you do? Here’s your action plan:
- Stay skeptical: If you get an unexpected email, text or pop-up warning about a computer breach, take a deep breath. It’s probably a scam.
- Check the source: Verify the message with the bank or agency directly before acting. Use a known phone number or website, not what’s given in the suspicious message.
- Never wire money: The U.S. government won’t ask you to wire money to foreign accounts or buy gift cards. That’s a scammer move every time.
👉 One final step: Let the FBI know if you’ve been duped. File a report here. If it happened to you, it happened to someone else. The more info the good guys have to go on, the more likely they are to catch the bad guys. I spoke with the head of the FBI and he assured me they read every complaint.
Best tools to check the air quality where you live
Live in Quebec, the Northeast or Mid-Atlantic? I’m thinking of you right now! Smoke from more than 150 Canadian wildfires is causing a big plunge in air quality across the U.S.
It’s not just gross to breathe in — poor air quality can cause several health problems like asthma, allergies and heart disease. Anyone with health issues should limit their time outside.
Red tape tragedy: A U.S. government agency has one of the most accurate hurricane forecasting models, but because of a contract with a private company, that data is locked down until 2025. Hurricane Helene just left an 800-mile trail of destruction, killing at least 130 people. It’s ridiculous they’re withholding lifesaving info when we taxpayers are footing the bill.
Here's what you need to know about TikTok's dangerous reach in the US
Thanks to TikTok’s invasive spying and private data collection, the U.S. government has already started plans to ban it. Here’s what you need to know and how to protect your privacy from the Chinese spy app.
TikTok has over 100 million users in the U.S. alone, many of whom are children. Now, you can watch the videos without creating an account, but does that make you safe? Here’s what you need to know.
What’s in your wallet?
Let’s talk about cash. No, I’m not asking you for any. Here are a few fun facts. Last year, only 20% of all purchases in the U.S. were paid for in cold, hard cash — and nearly half of Americans abandoned Benjamins altogether in a typical week.
🤖 Beware the good idea fairy: The U.S. government will now get access to OpenAI and Anthropic AI models before they’re accessible to the public. The U.S. Artificial Intelligence Safety Institute (wow, sounds fancy) will assess AI’s capabilities and risks. The goal? To keep AI in check and establish safety standards the world can follow (paywall link). There are so many problems with this, I don’t know where to start.
P*rn passport: Spain is testing a new way to confirm the age of p*rn viewers on websites — digital passports. Once you verify you’re over 18, you’ll get 30 tokens good for 30 days. The Spanish government says it won’t track users’ activity or keep records of their identities. You can bet the U.S. government is keeping an eye on how it goes.
Don't miss your chance to shape the future of AI policy in the U.S.
It’s not every day that regular folks like you and me have the opportunity to influence the course of history. But thanks to a recent request for comment from the U.S. government, we have the power to help shape the future of AI. That means you can tell Uncle Sam if you think it’s time to put the brakes on AI. Here’s how.
Do you use these popular apps with ties to China?
While the U.S. government is busy contemplating a ban on TikTok, another popular app has flown under the radar. Turbo VPN has been downloaded over 100 million times — and has had multiple Chinese nationals as directors.
Another country just banned TikTok on certain devices - Is it banned in your state?
Social media and video-sharing platform TikTok is fighting an uphill battle to remain available on mobile devices. Calls to ban the app have intensified over the last few months, even though the company assured U.S. senators that it is committed to protecting user data.
You should remove Russian-based Kaspersky antivirus from your computer - Here's how
You must have antivirus software on your devices to protect against malware and phishing attacks. But there are now fears that the Kremlin could turn one of the most popular Russian antivirus programs into a tool of war. As Russian President Vladimir Putin continues the invasion of Ukraine, there are worrying signs that the battle could shift from ground troops to cyberattacks.
Looking for free COVID tests? Avoid these fraudulent sites
The highly-infectious omicron variant is still rapidly spreading across the country. As a result, millions of people want to know if they are infected and need at-home tests. What are your chances of getting COVID? Tap or click here for a CDC map that charts breakthrough cases.
Suspect someone of hacking the US government? There's $10M in reward money on the line
Hackers are a persistent threat to anyone with an internet connection, but some widen their scope to target companies, militaries and governments. When this happens the risk spreads to anyone connected to that network and beyond.
Be careful what you share if you're searching for a vaccine appointment
For quite a while, Covid-19 vaccines were only available to seniors. Now, more states are lifting age restrictions and most adults can sign up for that much-needed shot. Tap or click here for insider tech tips for scheduling your COVID-19 vaccination.
The COVID relief bill provides free internet access - Do you qualify?
There is no doubt that the ongoing pandemic continues to wreak havoc with people’s finances, household planning and social interactions. For that reason, the U.S. government recently passed another relief bill.
For many, this bill’s passage means a new round of stimulus checks are on the way. Tap or click here to find out when yours will arrive.
Two countries could have your voting records - Watch for fake emails
It finally happened. After months of warnings, foreign attempts at election interference have been detected by American intelligence agencies. And unlike in 2016, these efforts go beyond simple Facebook memes and hacked documents.
The NSA warns against a smartphone setting you probably have enabled
Location services are commonplace on most smartphones today. This location data, which can be tracked and shared with app servers, allows users to do things like navigate through traffic or monitor their exercise. But if precautions aren’t taken, it can reveal sensitive information about where you live, work and travel.
Tax filing deadline moved to July 15 - here's the best DIY software
Updated 03/20/2020 – Since everyone is preoccupied with the coronavirus pandemic, the U.S. government has decided to allow more time to file taxes. Secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin announced the move via Twitter. Tax Day has officially been moved from April 15 to July 15 for all taxpayers and businesses. You can take this additional time to file and make payments without interest or penalties. (Scroll down to see the official tweet.)
Did you receive a strange alert on your smartphone overnight? Here's why
Your phone isn’t just an accessory used to play Candy Crush. It has more important functions too, like receiving emergency alerts.
You might remember receiving a text message from President Trump a while back. That’s because the U.S. government started a text message alert system for all Americans in the event of a national emergency. Tap or click here for details.