A buck is a buck: If you stream music on Spotify, you’re most likely on the $11.99-a-month plan that includes 15 hours of audiobooks a month. Go into your account and downgrade to the basic plan ($10.99 per month) if you don’t listen to audiobooks. It all adds up!
Beware: Convincing new PayPal invoice scam
“Reminder: You’ve still got a money request!” That was the subject line of the messages flooding my husband Barry’s inbox all week. He’s not the only one; there’s a sneaky scam going around that looks totally legit … because it actually comes from PayPal.
Let’s take a closer look at how it works so you don’t fall for it:
1️⃣ You receive an invoice via PayPal. It might say something like, “Payment due for a purchase” or tell you a payment was processed due to a technical error. Uh-oh.
2️⃣ It looks real because it was sent through PayPal’s platform. Here’s the catch: It’s a bogus invoice. PayPal allows anyone with an account to send an invoice, which scammers exploit to make it seem legit.
3️⃣ You call the number on the invoice to resolve the problem. They say it’s PayPal’s number, but it’s really the scammer, who has a big bag of tricks once they get you on the phone.
How to spot and stop it
PayPal will never send invoices for random purchases you didn’t authorize. If something seems off, trust your instincts and double-check before taking action.
- Check the details: Look at the sender’s email and transaction history. If it’s not a company or person you recognize, it’s likely a scam. Double-check the invoice recipient, as well.
- Don’t call any of the phone numbers listed: PayPal’s real support number is 1-888-221-1161. They take calls from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT every day.
You can also just ignore the email. If you’re sure the invoice is fake, delete it. But first …
✅ Report it to PayPal. Consider this your good deed of the day.
- Log in to your PayPal account, then visit the Resolution Center, where you can report suspicious invoices.
- Even easier, forward the email to phishing@paypal.com to alert their security team.
Stay safe out there — and share this post to warn your friends!
To do: Change your smart speaker settings before the holidays
True story: Last year, a friend’s toddler ordered 20 pounds of dog food and a karaoke machine using only their smart speaker. Mom had no idea till the Amazon boxes arrived. Voice commands and toddlers? Not a great combo.
Your inner child just fist-pumped: A new Kickstarter lets you scan any object with its forthcoming Brick My World app, and its AI-powered tech will show you what to buy on the Lego marketplace. Don’t waste your money; Brickplicator does the same thing if you upload a 3D model. While Brickplicator isn’t as snazzy as the Brick My World app’s Kickstarter promises, you can use it now.
Why you can’t access some sites while you’re on a VPN and what to do
Let’s say you’re browsing the web with a VPN. You’re protecting privacy, so you’re confident hackers and advertisers can’t track you. Then you try to go to a site, and it just won’t load.
This can throw a wrench into productivity when working. Or it can ruin your mood when trying to have fun online.
Antivirus comparison: Which option is best for your PC or Mac?
If you browse the internet regularly, you can’t get around the fact that you need antivirus software. Viruses can pop up in unexpected places, and you want your device to be able to fight one off if it appears.
Dangerous malware making the rounds is what makes having antivirus software protecting you so critical. But what’s the best antivirus software for a Mac or Windows computer? Keep reading to see the best options.
Instagram parental controls: Review how much time your teen spends in the app (but not what they’re doing), set daily time limits and establish times to put the app in “sleep mode” so they won’t get notifications. In the Instagram app, tap your profile picture (bottom right) > the menu button (top right) > Family Center to connect to your teen.
🔴 How to record a call on your iPhone: It’s built into iOS 18.1. During a call, hit the Start Call Recording button. (It’s not a secret — you and everyone else on the call will get an audio notification.) To stop recording, tap the Stop button or hang up. Recordings are automatically saved to a Call Recordings folder in your Notes app. Neato!
Battle of the betas: Be the first to try Motorola’s and Samsung’s AI features, now in beta. Motorola’s upgrades include notification summaries and meeting transcriptions; Samsung’s update includes call transcriptions, AI writing tools and a revamped camera interface. The betas are open for Razr, Edge and Galaxy S24 smartphones. Have fun! Just remember, beta software glitches out sometimes.
What is that? Right-click on a tab in your browser and select Mute Tab or Mute Site. In some browsers, you can also click the microphone on a tab playing noise to stop it. Ah, silence.
🔐 Streaming security check: See what devices are logged into your account. If you see one you know isn’t yours, reset your password pronto. It’s easiest to do this from a computer. For Hulu, go to Your Account > Watch Hulu on Your Devices > Manage Devices for a list. Steps here for Netflix and Disney+.
Word on the tip of your tongue? Type a description into OneLook’s Reverse Dictionary — say, for instance, “Something that makes you feel entertained and informed” — then hit Search. My name didn’t pop up, so I guess it isn’t perfect.
Iconic: It’s easy to adjust the icon size on your computer. On Windows, right-click on the desktop, choose View, and select from Large icons, Medium icons or Small icons. On Mac, click on your desktop to ensure you’re in the Finder. Then, from the menu bar, hit View > Show View Options, and adjust your icon sizes using the slider. Easy!
Work time-saver: Stop filing emails into endless folders and master your inbox searches. Advanced options let you filter by an email’s sender, subject, keywords or date range. In Gmail and Outlook, hit the three-line icon at the right side of the search bar. Combine keywords with operators like “from:boss” or “has:attachment” for even better results.
🪟 A little fun: Window Swap lets you view the world from another person’s window. I saw a tree swaying in the wind in Warsaw, Poland, and a dreamy ocean view in Honolulu. It’s a lot of fun!
🤓 Phone manuals still exist: They’re just digital now. Hit this link for Apple’s version. It’s trickier for Android since there are so many different phone manufacturers. Your best bet is to search for “[your phone model] + official manual.” I found the Google Pixel and Samsung S24 models for ya.
No-tech zone: A friend did this with her kids and it’s so smart. She made a couple of special areas around their house “tech-free spots.” The family room couches and kitchen table are both no-tech zones. Beware: It only works if adults follow the rules, too.
Rolling out on Android phones now: Google’s Gemini AI will work in more apps, write captions for social posts and photos, combine emojis (Apple did it first), and share QR codes. Pixel phones get exclusives like having Gemini save your info and updates to Pixel Screenshots … which Apple already has. You can also circle something on your Pixel to search for it. It’s pretty sweet.
🛠️ Built-in network helper: Can’t connect to Wi‑Fi? On a Windows PC, right-click the Wi‑Fi icon in your taskbar, select Troubleshoot problems or Diagnose network problems, and let Windows work its magic. On a Mac, press and hold Option on your keyboard while clicking the Wi-Fi icon in the menu bar. Choose Network settings from the menu.
💻 “An unspecified error has occurred”: That Windows message drives me nuts. Over the last few months, Windows 10 has grown in popularity, while Windows 11 has dropped in market share … despite Windows 10’s planned sunset on Oct. 25, 2025. Windows 10’s market share currently stands at 61.8%, compared to just 34.9% for Windows 11. No wonder folks are waiting to upgrade; about 240 million active PCs might not meet the new hardware requirements for Windows 11. Need a new system? Check out my three sweet laptop picks here!