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Happy Tuesday, {{first_name | friend}}. I hope your coffee is strong and your inbox is light. PSA: To help keep this free newsletter totally free to you, please click the links to check out our sponsors. Thank you, now on to the tech smarts.
Starting with Tesla’s top tweeter himself, Elon Musk. He just launched a new AI company that’s both a tech endeavor and a not-so-subtle roast of Microsoft. Take a guess what he’s calling it: A) Macrohard, B) ExcelSword, C) MegaSoftee, D) Clippy’s Revenge. The answer’s teed up at the bottom ... like a well-placed insult in a YouTube comments section.
🤑 Is your cellphone bill too high? Mine was. I switched to Consumer Cellular. Same nationwide coverage, half the price. Keep your phone and number or get a new one. If you’re over 50, two lines are just $60, plus save $25 with code KIM25. AARP discounts, too. Check it out now. You’ll be glad you did. — Kim
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TODAY’S DEEP DIVE
🤖 Cloned and dangerous
Image: Midjourney
Here’s the newest con in town: Scammers are using AI to clone legit websites, and they’re scary good at it. I’m talking about perfect logos, identical layouts, right down to the fonts and buttons.
The crazy part is that they spin these sites up in minutes. Then, they shove them to the top of Google, where you search for your bank, power company or even a government site. One wrong click, and boom, you’ve handed over your login, your info, your identity.
🚨 Spot the fakes
Want to outsmart these scammers? Slow down and study this list I put together for you. Note: Just so the bad links are not clickable, I used the word dot in the URL.
- Check for funky URLs: If your bank’s site is usually mybank(dot)com, don’t fall for mybɑnk(dot)com (that’s a Latin “a,” not an English one).
- Look for sneaky swaps: Lowercase L’s and capital I’s (l vs I) can look the same, but googIe(dot)com is not google(dot)com.
- Watch for extra words or dashes: If the site is verizon(dot)com, skip anything like verizon-help-login(dot)com or secure-verizon123(dot)net.
- Spot the weird endings: Real companies usually use .com or .org. Be suspicious of .click, .online, .xyz or .info tacked onto legit-looking names, like netflix-account-support(dot)xyz.
- Beware of doubled-up letters: Scammers repeat letters to fool your brain – amaazon(dot)com, netflfix(dot)com, paypaal(dot)com. If it looks off, it is.
- Ignore random security warnings in the URL: Some scam sites toss in words like “secure” or “SSL” to look official; for example, secure-update-google(dot)com. Nope.
- Check for missing letters: Typos cost you. Make sure you’re not clicking on instgram(dot)com or facbook-login(dot)com.
- Don’t trust subdomains: Scam links might start with something familiar such as amazon.fakeupdate(dot)com or wells-fargo.loginverify(dot)net. The real domain is at the end, check it.
🔖 Don’t trust Google search
Instead, build a bookmark list for your important accounts: your bank, credit card, cell provider, insurance, utilities, all of it. Open the real site once, click that little star in your browser, and save it. From then on, use your bookmarks, not search results.
Or use the official apps from the App Store or Google Play. You’ll never wonder if you’re logging into a trap.
🔥 These scams are spreading like wildfire. Use the icons below to share this important information with your family and friends, especially the ones who think the cloud is a weather report.
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THE CURRENT POWERED BY KIM KOMANDO
Hackers can unlock 200+ cars with this tool
Stealing your car just got easier. Plus, Elon trolls Microsoft with Macrohard AI, Meta tries smart glasses again, Kanye’s meme coin tanks, and messy garages block EV dreams.
🎧 Subscribe on your favorite platform:
WEB WATERCOOLER
🚨 Google alert: Hackers sent out 115,000 phishing invites to 13,500 orgs that use the Google Classroom platform. They pitched SEO services, then pushed people to WhatsApp to rope them into scams. Reminder: Always verify the sender, especially when they try to redirect you off-platform. That’s a red flag every single time.
AI browser + Reddit = Theft: There’s a terrifying flaw in Perplexity’s AI Comet Browser. Hidden text in Reddit posts can trick the AI into following malicious commands that give hackers access to your email, banking and cloud accounts. Basically, you could lose your entire savings just by scrolling memes. Wow. Make sure you get the Comet update or else you’ll be telling a tail as old as time.
🎂 10 out of 10: YouTube opened the site a decade ago. To celebrate, YouTube Music just rolled out “taste match,” a Spotify Blend clone that fuses your questionable taste with your friends’ also questionable tastes. Fun fact: The YT app hit 125M paying subs with a 300M-track library.
You gave a game. They gave a nightmare: Nearly 400 families are suing Roblox, claiming the company ignored predators stalking kids. One mom says her 11-year-old was groomed on Roblox, lured on Discord, then raped by a 20-year-old pretending to be 15. He’s in prison now. If you’ve got kiddos, this is your nudge to check in. Ask your kids who they’re talking to online, not just what games they’re playing.
🤳🏼 Oops, she did it again: Britney Spears posted a nude photo on Instagram, just boots and a strategically placed rose emoji, and yep, social media exploded. The next day, she followed it with a raw post about her kids, past trauma and trying to heal. Some are whispering a comeback, others say it screams therapy. I think it’s just so sad.
🧬 Cancer vaccine: How about some great news? University of Florida scientists made an mRNA vaccine that cranks up the immune system like a rave DJ, and boom, tumors in mice shrank or disappeared. Pair it with immunotherapy drugs, and it’s even stronger. This is a step toward a universal cancer vaccine. Human trials are next. I hate cancer.
“What did you say?” Barry doesn’t say that anymore since he got hearing aids. Horizon IX hearing aids deliver clear sound, smart comfort and seamless connectivity. Try them risk-free for 45 days, and enjoy lifetime support.*
THE KIM KOMANDO SHOW
He sold his face to TikTok for $750
Now his AI twin is pushing supplements and other weird stuff worldwide. I also cover Gen Z’s new job slang, the next crypto scam wave and how to crack YouTube’s algorithm. Sweet!
DEALS OF THE DAY
Labor Day tech upgrades
💻 My pick: Laptop screen extender (26% off)
What a view! Your laptop just grew two extra screens. Perfect for travelers, gamers or anyone pretending to multitask during video calls. Yea, you!
🖥️ Dual monitor stand (32% off, two-pack): No more hunching. This riser lifts your screens to eye level. Your neck will thank you.
🔌 Cable management box (39% off, two-pack): Cord chaos? Not anymore. Just pop on the wood lid, and act like you’ve always been this tidy.
⌨️ Redragon wireless keyboard (26% off): Creamy keys, hot-swap switches and a control knob will make you feel like a power user.
🎒 Laptop backpack (14% off): One built-in USB port + 17 pockets + 45 color options = 4.8 stars and 8,500+ happy reviewers.
⚡ More deals, more power: The sale’s just getting started. Hit my Amazon page for the whole parade of Labor Day tech steals.
DEVICE ADVICE
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Want to find your phone? Say, “Hey, Siri, where are you?” (or “Hey, Google”), and follow the sound. Magic. 🔍📱
Update apps on Windows fast: No need to check each one manually. In the Search bar, open Command Prompt, right-click it, and choose Run as administrator. Then type “winget upgrade” and hit Enter. You’ll see apps with updates and maybe a few you can delete.
📧 Take back that Gmail oops: Sent the wrong message? Click the Gear icon in the top-right > See all settings > under General, find Undo Send and set the Send cancellation period to 30 seconds. Next time you slip up, just hit Undo in the bottom-left.
Find forgotten 401(k) money: There’s $2 trillion sitting in old retirement accounts. When companies close, merge or lose touch with former employees, those funds go unclaimed. The good news? The Department of Labor runs a “Lost & Found” where you can check if any of it is yours. Worth a peek.
📚 Make Kindle page turns clearer: Ever flip a page and wonder if you went forward or back? Turn on the swipe effect, so it’s obvious. Tap on a page, select the Aa (font) icon, go to the More tab, scroll down to Page Turn Animation and toggle it on.
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BY THE NUMBERS
2.5 million
That’s how many people are stuck on the wait list for Raya. The dating app’s a hit with celebs and athletes, but you have to apply, and some people wait years to get in. And if you do? No screenshots, no bragging about who you’ve seen (paywall link). You might find a cougar or maybe a cheetah.
2 hours
That’s the daily screen-time limit Toyoake, Japan, wants for its residents. Kids would face curfews (9 p.m. for elementary, 10 p.m. for teens), but there are no fines attached. Voting happens next month. Imagine the uproar if any town tried this in the U.S.?
29 minutes, 3 seconds
That’s how long Vitomir Maričić held his breath, obliterating the world record. Fueled by 10 minutes of pure oxygen, the freediver stayed under nearly five minutes longer than the previous champ. That’s double a dolphin, close to a seal and just enough to find out who lives in a pineapple under the sea. (SpongeBob SquarePants)
WHAT THE TECH?
Image: Kraft Auctions
This ride’s a cop-ycat.
A piece of Grand Theft Auto history just drove off the auction block. A 2013 Chevy Caprice dressed as a Vice City PD cruiser, and 3D-scanned into GTA 6, sold at Kraft Auctions for $15,500.
The listing bragged you’ll be able to “drive this exact car” in-game, flashing lights and all. It started at just $10, climbed through 15 bids and ended up with one very committed fan. The rest of us will wait for GTA 6, dropping May 26, 2026.
Oh, someone needs a smile. 🍨 What do you call a robbery of Italian ice cream? Grand Theft Gelato! (lol)
LOGGING OUT …
The answer: A) Macrohard. Yep, Elon Musk’s AI simulation of Microsoft, focused on AI software development, is an Uno Reverse card. “It’s a tongue-in-cheek name,” Musk tweeted, “but the project is very real!” Because nothing says “serious AI research” like a name that sounds like a 2005 gamer tag shouting.
✅ Before you go: Don’t waste money on overpriced Big Wireless phone plans. I cut my bill in half when I switched to Consumer Cellular. Save an extra $25 with code KIM25!
This is the #1 tech newsletter in the U.S. Tomorrow, I’m peeling back the curtain on how Amazon isn’t just charging you for Prime, it’s charging you rent, lunch money, child support and emotional stability.
👏 Until then, remember that your brain is your best app. Keep it updated. — Kim
📣 Don’t keep me a secret: Send your friends to GetKim.com
Photo credit(s): Midjourney, Kraft Auctions
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This newsletter and its content are intended for informational purposes only. They are provided without warranty of any kind. You shouldn’t construe anything provided here as legal, health, medical, technical, tax, investment, financial or any other kind of advice.
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