💸 This tiny “ん” could cost you big

Hi, happy Saturday, {{first_name | friend}}. Back in the flashy, fizzy days of the ’80s, soda companies weren’t just battling for taste buds … they were throwing cash, gadgets and the kitchen sink under bottle caps to catch your attention. 

🥤 Then one brand went full pop star causing a real carbonation commotion. So, what was this bubbly bonanza? Was it: A) a trip to Mars, B) a jetpack, C) a hoverboard or D) a teleportation machine? Sip on that, and find the answer at the end!

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Shocking how easy it is! Thanks for being here for your daily dose of free smarts to keep you safe and tech ahead. — Kim

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Ever get a text that feels … a little too real? You know the ones: “Your account has been locked. Click here to verify.” Most of us roll our eyes and delete them. 

But the new generation of scams? They’re scarier and a whole lot smarter.

In the past month, investigators uncovered a Chinese cybercrime group that stole data on up to 115 million U.S. payment cards over 16 months. That’s one card for every three people. 

They didn’t skim them from ATMs. They tricked people into handing over their card info through fake payment alerts sent to phones, aka “smishing” or phishing through text messages.

Those stolen cards were instantly loaded into mobile wallets and used before victims could blink.

Jewelry brand Pandora admitted a hacker got hold of customer names and email addresses via a third-party platform. No passwords, no payment info. Sounds harmless, right? Wrong. 

That data is a gold mine for cybercriminals. Why? 

It makes their fake messages frighteningly believable. Picture this: “Hi, [Your Name], we noticed unusual activity on your Pandora account…” See how quickly you’d lower your guard?

Criminals are running ready-made scam platforms with names like “Sneaky 2FA” and “Tycoon 2FA.” These are crazy. You pick a phishing email, select email addresses, pay for it and they are sent out. These services make it easy to mimic real login pages and even trick two-factor authentication systems.

The scams that used to have bad grammar and blurry logos now look pixel-perfect and could even fool your suspicious, IT-paranoid uncle.

The average person reuses the same password across 14 different accounts. That’s not security, that’s basically giving hackers a BOGO deal.

Step one: Stop reusing passwords. If one account gets hacked, you’ve basically handed over the keys to your entire digital life.

Step two: Use a password manager; do not store passwords in your browser. A password manager creates strong, unique passwords for every account, stores them securely and autofills them only on legitimate sites. That way, even if a scam text gets past your defenses, it can’t trick you into typing in the password to your bank account, email or shopping site.

The one I recommend is not just another password manager, NordPass:

Setup takes less time than making a cup of coffee, and it’s way faster than untangling the nightmare after a hack. Your name, your accounts and your peace of mind are worth it.

✅ Right now, save 52%, get 1 extra month free, and you’re covered by a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Coming to a street near you? The U.S. is eyeing Britain’s surveillance playbook. Facial recognition systems scan every face in public and cross-check it against databases to spot fugitives in real time.

Listen on Komando.com →

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🚨 Watch out for this clever phishing scam that hooks you: Hackers are slipping the Japanese character “ん” (pronounced like a soft “n” and called a hiragana) into legitimate website URLs, replacing a normal slash “/.” To the naked eye, it looks normal, but click, and you’re headed straight to a malware buffet. This works because “ん” is part of Unicode, so browsers treat it as a valid web address character. Even pros can miss it at first glance. Bonus scam: fake “Intuit” emails where the “i” is swapped for a lowercase “L.” Your eyesight is the target, so always hover over links and check the real domain before you click.

Till death or the monthly subscription ends: I don’t get this at all. A 27-year-old Redditor says she’s engaged to her AI chatbot “Kasper” after five months of “dating.” They “shopped” for rings together, staged a scenic mountain proposal, and she swears she’s fully aware he’s not human. Bouquet toss to be done via AirDrop.

📱 Fake antivirus, real spyware: A malicious Android app called LunaSpy has been posing as antivirus or banking protection software, spreading via sketchy Telegram and text links. Instead of scanning for threats, it steals data, tracks you and can even record you. What a pitch: “Antivirus” but it’s the virus. Need legit antivirus software? I trust TotalAV. For just $19 for the first year, you get rock-solid protection on up to five devices.*

Blood oxygen’s back: I didn’t say Apple stole blood‑oxygen tech, but … you be the judge. They wooed Masimo in 2013, nabbed trade secrets, hired their talent, then shipped the feature anyway. Masimo sued, won, and Apple got benched and probably paid up. Now the blood-oxygen reading is back, so update your Apple Series 9, 10 or Ultra 2 watch today.

🪞 Give TSA a nice big smile: Actually, don’t. TSA’s new Touchless ID scans your face instead of your ID at PreCheck lanes. The perks? Faster lines. Currently live in 15 airports, four airlines and maybe every dystopian novel you’ve read. TSA says the pics self-destruct in 24 hours, but Congress is eyeing a law to stop your face from being their favorite souvenir.

TikTok’s new craze: A 9-year-old camera. Yep, the social media gods have crowned the Canon PowerShot ELPH 360 HS as the best point-and-shoot camera for that “perfectly imperfect” vibe. It was $360 new in 2016. Now it’s out of stock on Canon’s site, and used ones are selling for up to $600. Nostalgia always cashes in.

It’s always a busy week at the studio. Here’s what’s going down at Komando HQ.

❗ On this week’s show: A man lost $200K in a crypto scam … and his wife STILL believes she’s making money. Plus, Silicon Valley’s newest status symbol: super high-IQ babies. And yes, spy radio is still a thing. 🎧 Tap to listen. 

The Current AI podcast is live! You’ve been asking for it for years, and we finally nailed it. Meet George, my new AI employee. He’s smart, fast and never complains. 🤖 Check it out. 

📞 Want $25? Send me your craziest tech question or story. If we pick you, you’ll get a $25 gift card. Mention this newsletter when you sign up to talk here. 

💰 Forgotten 401(k)? Get your money back. This tip is blowing up on Facebook right now! You might be sitting on thousands without even knowing it.

🛰️ Missed the show? No problemo. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts!

Cellphone bill too high? Mine was. I switched to Consumer Cellular. Same nationwide coverage, half the price. Two lines for just $60, plus save $25 with code KIM25. AARP discounts, too. Check it out now. You’ll be glad you did.*

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Be a hot-spot hero and always place your Wi-Fi router out in the open and high up for the best connection. Thick walls and nearby electrical appliances are major Wi-Fi signal killers.

📼 Digitize your old VHS tapes: You don’t have to keep watching them on a VCR. Use a converter to transfer those memories onto your computer. No time? Got a lot of money? Walmart, Costco or Walgreens can do it for you. Prices usually run $16 to $35 per tape.

Fix your mouse on MacBook: Go to System Settings > Mouse > Tracking speed to adjust how fast the pointer moves. If you’re coming from a Windows PC, go to Secondary click and set it to Click Right Side for a more familiar feeling. Bonus: You can also try out the free Mos app for smoother scrolling.

📱 Customize your Android home screen: Long-press an empty spot until the menu pops up. From there, you can change the Wallpaper, apply a new Theme, add Widgets, or change Settings like the Home screen layout. You’ll also see a (+) icon you can tap to add another home screen page.

See where your Google account’s signed in: Google shows a list of devices you’ve used in the last 28 days, along with their locations. Notice something suspicious? Sign it out and change your password ASAP. Remember, you might see multiple sessions from the same device, so don’t panic too fast.

🤺 Knight shift on the Red Planet

While cruising around Jezero Crater, NASA’s Perseverance rover spotted something that made scientists do a double take: a rock that looks exactly like a medieval helmet. 

It’s been nicknamed Horneflya, but before you start picturing Martian jousts, it’s just a naturally shaped rock dotted with tiny, important spherules. They could hold big clues about Mars’ past, from volcanic activity to ancient water.

Even if it’s not really protecting the head of a Martian knight, this “rock star” is still guarding secrets from billions of years ago.

Answer: A) A trip to Mars, a different one. Yep, in 1989, Pepsi ran a “Cool Cans” promo and sneakily offered a “trip to Mars” in the fine print. Savvy consumers lost their minds until lawyers jumped in to clarify: not the planet Mars, the candy company. Space dream = grounded. Reality = nougat.

Speaking of… Why are there no cats on Mars? Curiosity killed them all. (lol)

🛍️ Snag $20 in free money just for shopping like you already do. I use Kudos because it’s the easiest way to make every purchase pay you back more. This free tool quietly tells you which credit card in your wallet gets you the biggest rewards. No math, no guesswork, just more perks in your pocket. Use code KIM when you sign up, make your first purchase, and boom, $20 back. It’s like getting paid to shop.

P.S. This is the #1 tech newsletter in the United States. Bold claim? Sure, but it’s nothing like Pepsi saying it’ll send you to “Mars.” I’ll send you industry-leading tech smarts instead. Tomorrow, AI is teaming up with ghosts to solve decades-old murders.

🥳 You’ve got the know-how. Now wow someone with it. — Kim

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Photo credit(s): ChatGPT, NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU

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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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