Your data: It’s all posted online - But there's a simple way to remove it
A loyal reader, Racquel, emailed me recently after dealing with a very angry customer at work. “Last week, she left me a voicemail and said that I was behind all her problems and she was ‘going to find’ where I lived.”
How to find and stop hidden fees
When I’m booking air travel, it seems like the price goes up with every click. By the time I pay to check a bag or two, that “great deal” isn’t looking so, well, great.
So of course airlines are fighting the Biden administration’s “junk fees’” rule, which would make them show their fees upfront for checking bags, carrying on a bag, and changing or canceling a reservation.
💲 If you put a Ring on it: Ring’s raised its Basic video doorbell subscription costs from $3.99 to $4.99 a month. Always something, huh? More than ever, getting SimpliSafe to protect your whole home is a smarter and cheaper choice.
Mac attack: A new macOS malware called “Cuckoo” is targeting older Intel-based Macs and newer models with Apple chips. It steals passwords and takes over your system. It’s spreading via websites and apps that convert streaming music into MP3s. Stay safe: Use TotalAV to protect your tech — it’s just $19 for a year.
How to deal with a cyberstalker
Let me tell you, more and more victims of cyberstalking are reaching out to me for advice using my Ask Kim page. Here’s one note I received recently from P.W. in Oklahoma:
“I’ve been cyberstalked for three years. I recently discovered it was my roommate. I moved out and he launched another attack. He’s on my and my fiance’s phones, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth — everything. He has stolen financial data, pictures, erased accounts, taken over emails and harassed me through VOIP. … He admitted to sitting outside our house all night. I thought he was spying on me. Now I know he was also gaining access to my Wi-Fi. I can’t do this anymore and need expert advice/help terribly.”
Your data is worth big money — and you can take it back
“Call me for a good time.” That simple message prompted more creepy calls and texts than you can believe. A woman contacted me after someone posted that message — alongside her cellphone number — on a porn site.
5 ways to improve your LinkedIn profile
If you’re trying to find a job on LinkedIn, you’re facing stiff competition. It’s estimated that around 40 million people look for jobs on the site weekly. That means you should do everything possible to stand out from the crowd.
Reader question: 'I want cameras to watch my house when I'm gone, but not when I am home'
In times of crisis, it’s hard to get a clear view of the situation. That’s why irrefutable evidence is so valuable. Say a friend visits for a party, and your favorite vase is missing the next day.
Or maybe two family members get into a fight, and their stories contradict each other. You’ll have a hard time hammering down the facts. Security cameras can tell you what really happened when you have doubts. Tap or click here for five uses for security cameras you never thought of before now.
3 secret uses for your home security system
You buy a home security system to defend against thieves, but there are more threats than just masked robbers outside your home. Garages, sheds, other outside buildings, and vehicles parked long-term can be just as much of a draw to crooks as your main house. To fully protect your home, you’ll need to know some of the best-hidden home security secrets.
Go smish! Texting scams impersonate these brands the most
Here’s a fun fact you can use to win a bet: 19.2 billion spam texts were sent this January. That works out to every person in the U.S. receiving around 19 spammy texts in just one month. Crazy, right?
Crooks have taken full advantage of how much we text by relying on SMS phishing, or “smishing,” the term for scam texts. They often pose as big brands to get you to give up personal info like credit card numbers and passwords.