WTH do I do now? Jim in Philly wrote to me because he downloaded an app that totally screwed up his phone — random ads everywhere. Sorry, Jim, but you need to do a full factory reset. It’s a royal pain in the rear, I know, but it’s the only way to ensure your phone is clear from adware and malware. After that, do like I do and get a solid AV software on your phone.
Hackers hope you miss this phone scam warning
You’ve heard the stories … A CEO conned out of $233,000 when someone copied the voice of his parent company’s boss. A 75-year-old woman who nearly lost $27,500, thinking her grandson was in trouble.
With as little as $4, anyone can copy a voice with super-cheap, super-powerful AI software. I’ve got the inside scoop on tricks these scammers use.
5 popular tactics
In the age of TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn and YouTube, where we broadcast our lives (and voices) to the world, scammers are having a field day.
They’re extracting voice samples, feeding them into their AI machines and producing chillingly accurate voice clones. With that, the stage is set for a scam that’s as emotionally brutal as it is ingenious.
🛑 Here’s a rundown of popular scams so you can spot this crap before you get taken:
- Kids’ summer camp upset: There’s been a gas leak and they need to evacuate immediately. The camp counselor wants you to pay for a hotel room and bus ride for your child.
- Charity request: A voice you’ve definitely heard on TV called you, looking for cash to help disaster victims. What’s your credit card number?
- Neighbor needs help: She’s crying that your dog was hit by a car and she took him to the vet. You’ll pay the bill now, right?
- Auto parts emergency: Your trusty mechanic calls with bad news: Don’t drive your car, because there’s been a major recall and you need to buy the parts now!
- Help me now: It’s someone you know and they’re in jail/selling an heirloom/diagnosed with a terminal illness. You’ll help out, won’t you?
These are just a few examples. There are thousands more where these came from.
Your plan of action
Before you consider selling the family silver or clearing your savings account, let’s talk strategy. You need to know about this now, before something scary happens, so you’re prepared.
- Check the caller ID: If the call’s coming from a number you don’t recognize or, even worse, a blocked or hidden number, that’s a big red flag. Even if it sounds like your kiddo or mom on the other end, hang up, then dial them on their cell.
- Verify with video: In high-profile cons like those involving a business, scammers have used AI video, too. But most low-budget cons won’t go that far.
- Buy time: If the voice on the other end claims they’re in a jam — say, an accident or they’ve been detained — tell them you’ll help but want to check things out first. Immediately try to reach that person through other means or contact someone who might know their whereabouts.
- Money talks: If someone’s demanding a wire transfer or bitcoin payment, your scam alert should be blaring. Authentic emergencies don’t come with specific, shady payment demands.
🎤 I promise, people fall for this stuff every day. Take care of the folks in your life by sharing this story using the links below. It could save someone’s financial future.
Ask Kim: 'Help! My brother-in-law is spying on us'
“Dear Kim,
“My brother-in-law has our family cottage wired with a Ring security system. He is not to be trusted as he has been unfaithful to his wife and she has filed for divorce. My family is very suspicious that we are being watched or listened to all the time.
Change Healthcare hackers stole your data. What should you do?
The Change Healthcare hack in February was entirely avoidable; the company neglected basic software updates. So, what does this hack mean for you? Spoiler: a lot.
Apple’s working on a little surprise: It’s an iPad 7 mini! A coder found clues to a new release hidden in Apple’s backend software. Insiders say it’ll have an 8.3-inch display, a better chip and a front-facing camera (finally). Plus, you’ll be able to use it with the fancy, new Pencil Pro.
This week in 1997, a group of hackers cracked code written in Data Encryption Standard, which was designed to be impenetrable. Oops. How long did it take the hackers to crack? Was it … A.) Five days, B.) Five weeks, C.) Five months or D.) Five years?
$5 billion
Investment in Rivian EVs … from Volkswagen? Yep, Rivian stock shot up over 50% following news about the two automakers teaming up. Investors are hoping Rivian will benefit from Volkwagen’s manufacturing know-how and Rivian will give them a leg up on software.
Sick of QuickBooks? There’s a better way!
Stop fighting with spreadsheets and trying to figure out what the heck you did with last year’s inventory list. I have the solution — my sponsor, NetSuite by Oracle.
You get visibility and control of your financials, inventory, HR, planning, budgeting, and more — all from one easy dashboard. Don’t just take my word for it — over 37,000 businesses already use NetSuite.
Bad ads: Fake Google ads for browser company Arc are routing people to a landing page that looks nearly identical to the real one. When you install the software, malware sends your data to a shady IP address. Tip: If a download tells you to right-click to open instead of just double-clicking, it’s a scam. That’s a trick they use to bypass macOS security.
🛩 Air taxis: As soon as 2025, we might see Joby Aviation’s ultra-quiet eVTOL (electric vertical takeoff and landing) aircraft in the skies. An eVTOL takes off and lands like a helicopter but flies like a plane. Joby just received FAA authorization for a new software system, including an app you’ll be able to use to hail a flying taxi, just like an Uber. I’m not going to be first in line.
Kaspersky’s kaput: The U.S. has officially banned Kaspersky antivirus software over its shady ties to Russia. Officials say it poses a national security risk due to the Russian government’s influence. If you don’t have an antivirus solution (or you need a new one), TotalAV is my pick.
⚠️ Recall alert: Nearly 1.2 million Jeep, Ram, Chrysler and Dodge SUVs, vans and pickups have been recalled. A software glitch disables rearview cameras. The good news is there’s no dealership visit required to fix it! You’ll get an update on your car’s media screen. Full list of impacted models here.
Use your inside voice: SoftBank Corp. had a big problem, with its customer service employees stressed out from getting yelled at. So, the company created AI that turns angry voices into calm ones. The software lowers the pitch of customers’ voices and slows down angry rambling. The actual words stay the same. Genius.
Apple’s WWDC 2024 is all software: Next week, Apple won’t announce new gadgets, focusing instead on major updates for iOS 18, iPadOS, macOS 15, watchOS 11 and visionOS. You can expect hardware updates this fall. So, say it with me now: ���I will not buy an Apple iPhone, laptop, AirPods, Vision Pro headset, watch, iPad or iMac right now.”
🚚 If only Red Bull gave you wings: An 18-wheeler loaded with Red Bull got stuck on a muddy mountain road after the driver followed Google Maps’ instructions to Utah. Reminder: Google Maps is optimized for cars. Giant trucks need special navigation software that considers their dimensions and cargo size. For that, Garmin is a solid pick.
A 30% pay gap: No, not between men and women (that’s still about 16%) — between engineers. AI software engineers now make a median salary of $300,000, or about $100,000 more than other software engineers. Meanwhile, non-AI computer science grads say the job hunt is tougher than ever. Never thought I’d see the day.
🤖 AI is coming to our military in a big way: Palantir’s mixed-reality headsets let soldiers see the battlefield in 3D, while new software can spot hidden cargo ships in shipping lanes. Older weapons aren’t going anywhere, though — just getting more efficient.
My fave price is free: Pro video-editing software usually comes with a pro-level price — unless you know the best freebies. Kdenlive is free and open-source, and it gets new updates all the time. It works with Windows, Mac and Linux.
Office freebie: Unless you absolutely need Microsoft 365, don’t waste your money. I’ve recommended LibreOffice, the free, open-source office software suite, for years, and it just got a major update. Plus, it works on Windows, Mac and Linux.