✈️ PSA for if your holiday flight is canceled: You’re entitled to a full refund or compensation for any controllable cancellation caused by the airline, like a maintenance or crew issue. The weather, though, is a wholly different beast. Be sure to download your airline’s official app for alerts and notifications about flights and gate changes.
Tags: airlines, alerts, apps, cancellations, download, flying, travel
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.
I’m proud to say that I built my multimillion-dollar enterprise with no debt and no investors. It’s rewarding for me to help the many small business owners who call and need a hand getting their company off the ground or breaking past a big hurdle. I’ve been there myself.
“People are not ready”: We have a whole generation of iPad kids, and now, an ex-Google CEO is warning about AI kids. Eric Schmidt says your child’s future bestie could be a bot. He also said “normal people” don’t get AI. Good point, but that’s why you have me! If you’re wondering about AI, I can help.
📶 Let go: D-Link’s VPN routers have hit their end-of-life, making it an easy way for hackers to enter your network. No security patches are coming. If cybercriminals get in, they can spy on your activity and steal your passwords or credit card info. Unsure if you’re affected? Contact D-Link.
🚨 Use Gmail, Outlook, Apple Mail or Yahoo? No joke, three out of every four Black Friday-themed emails are scams. The scammers’ goal? To steal your credit card info or plant malware. Brands most impersonated include Amazon, Shein and Costco. Stay safe: Always double-check the sender’s email address (not just the sender’s name) before you click.
You heard it here first: In May 2023, I told you about TSA’s facial recognition program. Basically, you look into the camera and it takes your pic to verify you. Now, some senators are saying the TSA wants it mandatory in over 430 airports, but we don’t know where this data is going or how it’s protected. You can opt out: Step back from the camera, politely tell them you decline facial recognition and present your ID instead.
💸 Thinking about opening an e-commerce store? Be careful who you trust. One guy lost $56,000 after paying Ascend CapVentures Inc. to open and manage an Amazon storefront on his behalf. They dangled six-figure sales projections but didn’t deliver. Even worse, they stocked his store with counterfeit products that got him banned.
Another scam heading our way: Cyber authorities in Switzerland are warning about malicious QR codes being sent through snail mail. Fraudsters are urging people to scan and download a new Severe Weather Warning app, but it’s actually malware. Once installed, hackers can take over your phone, steal info from your banking apps and stay hidden from detection. If it’s working there, it’s coming to the U.S., too.
👥 Your body = Their revenue stream: You know that health tracker you’re wearing? The companies behind these trackers and wellness apps are selling your body-centric data to third parties, leading you to have higher insurance premiums, receive more targeted ads or worse. Current laws offer little protection, and you opt in when you agree to use the apps. You might want to pretend to be someone else if you have health issues, just sayin’.
Nice try, Microsoft: The new Bing Wallpaper refreshes your desktop daily, but it’s also pulling some shady, malware-like moves. Hidden tricks include auto-installing Bing Visual Search, pushing Edge as your default browser, and decrypting cookies from Chrome and Firefox. Don’t use it.
