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Check your kid’s phone for this app now
Briana from Houston is like so many moms I know. She’s busy, loving and doing everything she can to raise smart, safe kids in a digital world that changes faster than you can hit “update.”
She told me that when her 12-year-old daughter asked to download an app called Zepeto, it seemed harmless enough. Create a cute avatar. Dress it up. Play games. Chat with friends.
A digital Barbie? Not even close
Zepeto carries a 12+ age rating, the kind of label that gives parents a false sense of security. Briana trusted it. Why wouldn’t she? That rating implies it’s safe and age-appropriate.
Narrator voice: It was not harmless.
Within days, her daughter was receiving explicit messages from a stranger pretending to be a teenager.
He asked: What do you like to do? Do your parents check your phone? Have you ever had sex?
That’s not harmless chat. That’s grooming. And it was happening right under her mom’s nose inside what looked like a sweet, sparkly avatar world.
Mash-up of Roblox, Snapchat and The Sims
Zepeto, developed in South Korea, is a metaverse-style app where kids create 3D avatars, explore virtual spaces and chat with others. It has bright colors, customizable outfits, dance moves and digital selfies.
But behind the filters and fashion lies a darker reality.
Apps like Zepeto are wide open to abuse:
🛜 Sluggish internet? Don’t ignore it. Someone could be freeloading off your Wi-Fi. Click here for my tips to check who’s connected to your network. If you spot a gadget you don’t recognize, it could be a Wi-Fi moocher. Your signal isn’t a community service.
How to spot hidden spyware, and kick it out for good
ChatGPT
Ever get the feeling someone knows too much about what you’re doing online? I’m not talking about the sarcastic “My FBI agent is amused” way, but in the “Why did my phone just text my ex and order dog food at 2 a.m.?” kind of way.
💍 Diamonds aren’t forever: What if a mystery red box with a diamond ring arrived in your mail? Ask Tiffany Grove. She got one from the “Global Gemological Research Academy,” did some digging and realized it was a scam. It came with a QR code for a “warranty” that leads to a phishing site. Apparently, the only gem they’re offering is emotional damage. Don’t scan it, just report it.
🔎 I spy a virus: If your connection’s dragging, a virus might be the culprit. I trust and recommend TotalAV. It’s just $19 a year to protect up to five devices on Windows, Mac, Android and more. That’s total peace of mind for your phone, laptop and tablet.
Tax scams 2025: Tricks, tactics and how to stay safe
The phone rings, and it’s an agent from your local IRS office with bad news. Someone filed in your name. But don’t worry, they can help you sort it out in just a few minutes. Now, what’s your Social Security number?
💔 When will people wake up? A 63-year-old woman was ready to leave her husband for a scammer pretending to be Enrique Iglesias. Over two years, he talked her out of thousands of dollars. When her cash dried up, he told her to steal it. Hubby traced the messages to Nigeria and begged her to stop. She even went on TV and still swears it’s Iglesias. So sad.
Safe Wi-Fi anywhere: Using public Wi-Fi is risky no matter where you go. It doesn’t make a difference if you stay at a five-star luxury hotel, have lunch at your hometown diner or you’re at the airport. The easy way to protect yourself? Turn on a VPN.
💸 IRS scam link: It never stops. This time, if you Google how to get a business tax ID, the top results look official, but they’re not (paywall link). They’re ads from companies that charge you over $300 for something the IRS does for free. The real IRS site ends in .gov. Anything else? Fake.
Do you bank on your phone? What about checking email and shopping? If you said “yes” to any of those, you’re a target. A keylogger captures everything you type, including your account numbers and passwords. Encrypt your keystrokes with EndpointLock. Hit this link for 10% off.
⚠️ Your browser is a big honkin’ target: Reading this on Chrome? Hackers are sending phishing links via email that infect your system with malware as soon as you click. A fix is coming soon, so restart your browser when you see the update icon near the URL bar. Sigh, just one more reason you need solid antivirus protection.
🚨 Hackers can steal your home without you even knowing: With just a forged signature, cybercriminals can take out loans in your name, drain your equity and leave you with the mess. Home Title Lock monitors your title 24/7 and alerts you to any tampering because your biggest investment deserves the best protection. Click here to get a free home title history report, using code KIM250.
🫨 Gone phishing: If you use Gmail or Outlook, watch out for deceptive emails asking for sensitive info or trying to trick you into clicking a malicious link that takes over your computer. Make a mistake and the hackers will hold your PC or data hostage until you pay a ransom. This one’s spreading, so watch out!
Don’t fall for this! Fake CAPTCHA tests are popping up. They’ll ask you to do three things: Press Windows Key + R (opens the Run command box), then Ctrl + V (pastes “I am not a robot – reCAPTCHA Verification ID: XXXX”) and hit Enter. You’ve just executed a hidden prompt that downloads malware onto your computer. Snap.
There are over 1 billion malware programs: Antivirus software scans your system for viruses, ransomware and other threats and removes them before they cause damage. Protect five devices for only $19.
Don’t use a free VPN: Many log your keystrokes, track your activity and even sell your data, making you less secure, not more. Stick with a trusted, no-log VPN instead. Get four months free from the VPN I trust.
Your boss sent you a Word doc again … And you don’t have the program installed. Not all is lost. Get a basic, free version of the Office app on the web, as long as you have a Microsoft account (yes, this is free, too).
Do you bank on your phone? What about checking email and shopping? If you said “yes” to any of those, you’re a target. A keylogger captures everything you type, including your account numbers and passwords. Encrypt your keystrokes with EndpointLock. Hit this link for 10% off.