Phone trackers, search deletion, checking strange links and more: Tech Q&A
Each week, I receive tons of questions from my listeners about tech concerns, new products, and all things digital. Sometimes, choosing the most interesting questions to highlight is the best part of my job.
This week, I received questions about hidden phone trackers, ending robocalls, checking strange links, and more.
Do you have a question you’d like to ask me? Tap or click here to email me directly.
Find hidden phone trackers
Q: My ex is a total geek who is completely obsessed with me. I think he put a tracker or something on my phone. How can I tell for sure?
A: The street term for this is “stalkerware,” and it’s more common than ever partly because the technology is so easy to obtain. Software is installed on your phone that tracks and reports back every single thing you do on your phone and where you go.
A simple way to check whether this software has infiltrated your device is through data usage: this kind of program requires data to report back to whoever is behind it continuously. If your data usage has mysteriously skyrocketed, you may be onto something. Tap or click here for more ways to see if stalkerware is on your phone.
End robocalls
Q: I am so tired of robocalls. Is there anything I can do to make them stop? They are driving me crazy!
A: Many robocalls originate overseas. Robocalls may come from legitimate organizations, but they’re frequently scams or phishing schemes. Whatever you do, don’t interact with a robocall, because they often have special software that will record your voice and use it for identity theft.
Your best tactic is just to block the number if you can. This is a good technique to learn because it’s easy and can prove useful in many different situations, including friends and exes you want to keep at arm’s length. In the past, people have changed their numbers to avoid unwanted calls, but this is becoming a rare last resort. Tap or click here for the best ways to block unwanted calls.
Smart TV hacking risks
Urgent! Update to iOS 12.2 now – It has 50-plus critical security patches
If you’re an Apple fan, it’s an exciting time. Earlier this week, the company held another reveal event. But this time, it didn’t focus on all of its new shiny gadgets.
Instead, we learned about a bunch of new services. AppleTV+, Apple News, Apple Arcade, and there’s even a new Apple credit card in the works.
Best internet browsers: Comparing Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge | Digital Life Hack from Kim Komando
How to make money selling your photos online
There are many amazing views in the world that make for spectacular photos. Whether you’re on vacation and capturing a beautiful sunset or just out on a local hiking trail, the opportunity to take some great pictures is out there.
Apps known to track you and steal your data
Have you ever had an app ask you to access your phone’s location? Of course you have, we all have. How about those apps that want access to your smartphone camera and contact list?
If you think about why they do this, it might creep you out. In this Komando on Demand podcast, you’ll learn the dirty secrets that some app developers don’t want you to know.
Find nearly anyone online
Do you want to connect with old friends? Perhaps a long-lost classmate from your childhood or a former neighbor or co-worker who moved on years ago.
Whatever the reason you wish to track down an old acquaintance, searching on Google or Facebook might not always bring up the best results you want. But I found a cool website that could be a better way for you to find people online.
Is your browser secure? See if it needs updating
Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Microsoft Edge, Safari and Opera. What do all these things have in common? They’re all web browsers, and they all need to be kept up to date to stay safe online.
Each browser has multiple versions out there at any given time. Why? Because when updates are released, some people choose not to install them. This is not a good idea.
Remove yourself from people search sites
Want to hear something a little bit creepy? Anybody who’s willing to pay online information brokers – aka people-search sites – can learn your phone number, address, criminal record and a lot more. Even more creepy? This information doesn’t always come at a price. You could be giving it away.
Get hired as a transcriptionist
Are you a quick typist? With a computer and a pair of high-quality headphones, you can get an at-your-own-pace job as a transcriptionist with relative ease.
TV shows, doctors and industries all over the world need to keep a well-documented record of their activity. Instead of transcribing the text in-house, however, they’ll usually outsource their transcription to a third party.