📬 Did someone forward this to you? Sign up here. Tomorrow: I’ll answer the question, “What if your password manager got hacked?” Spoiler, it’s complicated.
Let’s get rocking on this Monday, {{first_name | friend}}. The internet promised us flying cars and unlimited knowledge. Instead, we got password resets, fake delivery texts and “Hello, this is Special Agent Katy Perry with the FBI. I need you to send me gift cards.” I dug into FTC’s fraud data, millions of reports a year.
💰 Guess which group reports losing money to scams most often? A) People in their 70s, by a mile, B) People in their 20s, at nearly twice the rate of people in their 70s, C) Dead even between 20s and 70s, D) 5-year-olds with iPads? Don’t scroll too smugly, the answer is tucked at the end.
🎤 Miss my show on 450+ radio stations this past weekend? A mother took on Meta over her daughter, and the bill came to $18 billion. Also: an Amazon drone dropped a package straight into a swimming pool, AI renamed Kentucky "Venecky" (I wish I were kidding), and one family turned down $26 million for the farm. I got you. Missing the live show is fine. Missing the replay? That's a drone-in-the-pool level mistake. — Kim
TODAY’S DEEP DIVE
Take out the trash
Image: ChatGPT/Kim Komando
🤯 WOW! Twenty-eight apps named some version of “Call History of Any Number” took money from 7.3 million downloads and delivered random junk. Five “document readers” installed a Trojan that fakes the login screens of 831 banks. Fifty planted a rootkit that survives a factory reset. All suspect apps are gone from the stores. But they’re still on phones.
The Short Version: If the app name starts with “Call History,” delete it. Then run the five-minute check below and scan the delete list on my site.
📖 Read time: 2.5 valuable minutes
How do you decide if an app is safe? I see you. Check the reviews. Four stars, a few thousand ratings, looks fine. Boom, download it and trust it on your device.
Here’s the problem. Those reviews are for a different app.
The crooks ship something clean and boring, collect the stars for a few months, then push an update that turns it into a bank account thief. Every one of those honest reviews was left before the app went bad.
Make sure none of these are on any of your devices.
🗑️ Four kinds of Android nasties
The “Call History” scam. Twenty-eight apps, 7.3 million downloads, all named some version of Call History of Any Number. They charged $6 to $80, promising to show you anyone’s call log or WhatsApp history, took the money, handed back gibberish. The rule: If the name starts with “Call History,” it’s a scam. Delete it.
The bank thieves. Innocent PDF readers (Document Reader – File Manager, StellarGrid, File Horizon, Cleanova and more) quietly downloaded Anatsa, a Trojan that lays fake login screens over 831 banking apps and reads your texts for the codes. Tell: a reader that asks you to “install an update” inside the app.
The rootkit. Operation NoVoice spread malware through more than 50 apps, 2.3 million installs, including Storage Cleaner, WiFi Finder, Gallery App and a 2048 Game. It rewrites a core Android file, so every app runs the crooks’ code and survives a factory reset. It only works on phones with no security update since 2021. That’s your grandma’s phone.
The subscription signers. Nineteen “cleaners,” “messengers” and a Reel Drama app signed you up for premium services on your bill. You never need a third-party cleaner. Ever.
🍎I hear you say, “Kim, I have an iPhone, and Apple vets all the apps for us.”
Nope, you’re not off the hook. A wallet app called LeddgerNew (note the typo) was one of 26 crypto thieves, and a fake Sparrow Wallet is in a lawsuit over $1.8 million.
✅ The five-minute check
Scan. Play Store > profile > Play Protect > Scan. Google says it auto-removes apps once flagged. iPhone has no equivalent, so delete anything you don’t recognize.
Check who can see your screen. Settings > Accessibility > Downloaded apps. Anything enabled that isn’t a screen reader or password manager: off, then uninstall.
Never update inside an app. Updates come from the store. Period.
Patch or retire. No security update since 2021 means the phone is the target.
Delete the boring stuff. Cleaners, PDF readers, “call history” finders, wallet look-alikes.
Consider it a gym session for your phone. It only loses the bad weight.
✅ Check this list of offenders, with names, on my site: Delete these apps.
These apps were taken out of the store. Now take them out of your pocket. The only cleanse I’ll ever endorse.
🎯 Send this to someone who has a “cleaner” app on their phone and thinks it’s helping.
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ON SALE RIGHT NOW!
⚡ The outlet shortage ends today: Nuetsa Power Strip (22% off, $13.98)
Count the outlets behind your desk. Two, right? Now count your gadgets. Exactly.
This is my kind of fix: 8 AC outlets plus 4 USB ports (one USB-C) in a single, tidy strip. Phone, laptop, lamp, printer, holiday lights... plug it all in and stop playing musical chargers.
The smart USB ports detect your device and deliver the right charging speed automatically. The 6-foot heavy-duty cord reaches the outlet the couch has been hiding for years. And with 2,700 joules of surge protection, a power spike hits the strip, not your expensive electronics. Look for the glowing "Protected" light.
It's ETL safety certified, built with flame-resistant housing, and backed by a 12-month warranty plus a 30-day return window.
🔌 Grab yours for $13.98 (that's 22% off the $17.99 list price) while the deal lasts. Now that's what I call power to the people.* →
WEB WATERCOOLER
📸 Cities are firing the plate cameras, fast: 214 cities and counties have dumped Flock's license plate readers since 2021, and 90 of them quit in August alone. That's three a day, four times July's pace. Why: cost, data sharing and flat-out misuse, like officers running plates on exes (two Florida cops were just arrested). Flock says new sign-ups outpace quitters 10 to 1. Your move, go to DeFlock.org, see your route and find another one. Democracy: the original opt-out button.
Thanks for the memory, prices: For 40 years, computers got cheaper every year. That era ended. AI data centers are gobbling the world's memory chips, and Big Tech's orders cut the line. PC prices are up 8% this year, IDC warns of 10% to 20% jumps on computers, tablets AND phones, and Dell and Lenovo already raised up to 15%. Need one? Buy sooner, not later, and check the specs: makers are quietly shrinking RAM at the same price. Shrinkflation's eating the spec sheet.
✅ Here’s a privacy tip: Gmail and Yahoo aren’t really free. They track your activity to sell ads. I use StartMail because it blocks trackers, never scans my email content and keeps my information private. Plus, you get an extra 25% off when you add accounts. Try it free for 7 days, and when you sign up, you’ll get my 60% off deal for the first year!*
GTA 6 fans got 26 extra minutes: Rockstar dropped a 26-minute gameplay special, streaming now on Netflix, and fans immediately spotted 20+ hidden details before the Nov. 19 launch: six-star wanted levels are back, and a new "criminal profile" judges your behavior. You can improve your standing by throwing trash in a garbage can. A crime game that rewards not littering. Miami has never felt more realistic.
🗺️ One lake, three apps, three answers. Google Maps now shows Lake Ontario as "Lake America" for U.S. users, after an executive order and a federal name-database update. Canadians still see Lake Ontario, and everyone else sees both names. Meanwhile, Apple Maps hasn't budged, and MapQuest flat-out refused ("We're not changing it"). Sound familiar? Same drill as the Gulf rename, when reviews got so spicy Google shut them off. FYI, your GPS still knows the way. The lake, for its part, declined to comment.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY
Image: Samsung
🖼️ That’s not a picture frame
It’s a 4K TV hiding in plain sight. And one of the smartest-looking ones I’ve ever seen.
Samsung’s The Frame (27% off, $798) blends into your home like wall art. When you’re not watching, Art Mode shows paintings, photography or your own pictures instead of a big black screen. The slim fit wall mount keeps it flush against the wall. Guests probably won’t know it’s a TV until you turn it on.*
Then, with a click, the gorgeous 4K QLED screen comes to life. Samsung Vision AI automatically fine-tunes the picture and sound, and Alexa is built in, so your voice can control the show.
Not sure if it’ll fit? The Frame comes in eight sizes, from 32 inches all the way up to the 85-inch Pro. There’s one that’ll look right at home in almost any room.
DEVICE ADVICE
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: YouTube will tell you how much of your life it’s eaten. 😬 In the mobile app, go to Settings > Time management. You’ll see today’s watch time, your daily average and the whole week, even what you watched on desktop. Mine was honestly kind of shocking. Bonus: You can set a Take a break reminder there.
🔓 That hotel safe? A stranger might already know the code: Many hotel safes have a master override code, and housekeeping-level staff or anyone who's watched a YouTube video may know it. Safemark units often answer to 999999, Burton to 000000. Home safes are no better out of the box; SentrySafe and First Alert models ship with 1234. Test yours on your next trip: lock it, try the master code, see if it pops. If it does, tell the front desk and keep the passports on you. At home, change that factory code today.
Five clicks could call for help: Your phone can contact emergency services without you fumbling through menus. On iPhone, go to Settings > Emergency SOS > Call with 5 Button Presses. On Android, try Settings > Safety and emergency > Emergency SOS. Once it’s set up, rapidly press the side or power button five times. Learn it now, not when your hands are shaking.
🟢 Turn a Google Doc into a mini project tracker: Working with a few people? Type @dropdown, choose New dropdown, then make labels like Not started, In progress, Done and give each one a color. Drop them next to tasks or sections, and everyone editing the doc can change the status with one click. Better than “Any update on this?” comments.
🧠 Claude keeps notes on you: Its memory is on by default, so things you tell it can carry across chats and shape future answers. Here’s the twist: Sensitive stuff, like health details, needs a separate opt-in. So yeah, it might forget that medical condition when you ask for a diet plan. Check Settings > Memory to turn that on, or switch memory off entirely. More tips like this in my free Splash of AI newsletter every Thursday.
KIM’S TRAVEL PICK DEALS
As an Amazon Associate, some links pay us a commission at no extra cost to you. Keeps this newsletter free. Thank you.
✈️ Traveling this Labor Day?
Your long-weekend packing list starts here.
🧳 Roll like a pro: Carry-on luggage (22% off, $66)
4.4 ⭐ 1,500+ reviews
Skip the baggage carousel. The hard shell and TSA-approved lock keep your stuff safe. Overpacked? Pull the zipper to expand it for 20% more room. Plenty of space for those vacation souvenirs.
Image: BAGSMART
👕 Smooth operator: Give shirts, dresses or pants a quick refresh with a handheld steamer (10% off, $30). Heats up in about 20 seconds.
Glow on the go: Kintion’s rechargeable pocket mirror (40% off, $9) packs bright LED lights. Two zoom levels help you catch every detail.
💰 Secret stash: This money belt (17% off, $15) has a hidden zipper pocket for cash or small valuables. Thieves won’t know the difference.
Case protection: These combination locks (28% off, $10, two-pack) are also TSA-friendly, so agents can inspect your bag without cutting them off.
😎 Worth the trip: Shop all my travel picks before the holiday weekend. →
Prices and deals were accurate at the time of publication.
WHAT THE TECH?
Image: Daxbot
🤖 Walk this WALL-E
Cities found a robot job nobody's mad about: staring at cracked sidewalks all day. Meet Dax, a 35-inch sidewalk inspector rolling through Bangor, Hoboken, Hollister, Tyler and Hilton Head, measuring slopes, widths and trip hazards so crews know exactly what to fix first.
That's real help if you use a wheelchair, a walker or a stroller. Bangor's fleet alone is covering about 150 miles of walkways. Kids adore the little guy, and some cities encourage selfies.
Turns out the secret to robot acceptance was making them short, cute and obsessed with potholes.
Check them out here. And when Dax flags a busted slab, city hall can't argue. He's got concrete evidence.
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LOGGING OUT …
😣 The answer: B) People in their 20s. Bet you thought it was the other direction. Younger adults who run into fraud report losing money at roughly double the rate of folks in their 70s.
The twist? When older adults do get hit, they lose far bigger amounts. So the kids get hit often, the grandparents get hit hard and everyone needs the same 24-hour pause rule. No legitimate business or agency needs money within the hour. Urgency is the scam.
🚨 Money-movement red flags: gift cards, wire transfers, crypto, “keep this secret.” Any of those = done, goodbye.
Make it a family policy, all generations. Forward this to your kid and your mom. Somebody at this table thinks they’re immune, and that’s exactly who gets got.
If you ever get scammed from someone in Cairo, guess you could say that you’ve been E-gipped. (lol)
🔐 Put a lock on the love you feel for a person, pet or sunset. Isn’t life amazing? — Kim
Kim Komando • Komando.com • 510+ radio stations • Trusted by millions daily
🏆 THE KIM CHALLENGE: Forward this to ONE person who needs to hear it today. Pick the person who popped into your head while reading. You know who it is.
Photo credit(s): ChatGPT/Kim Komando, Samsung, BAGSMART, Daxbot
Companies and products denoted by an asterisk (*) within this publication are paid sponsors or advertisements. As an Amazon Associate, the publisher earns from qualifying purchases. Statements regarding products denoted by a double asterisk (**) have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration; such products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This newsletter is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, medical, or professional advice of any kind. Readers should consult with a qualified professional before making any decisions based on this content. The publisher disclaims all liability for any loss, damage, or injury resulting from the use of or reliance on the information contained herein.