Hey, hi, it’s a tech-tastic Thursday, friend! Let’s jump in with trivia. OpenAI is releasing a new model in the next couple of weeks that “thinks” more like a person. In nerd speak, it has advanced reasoning and a better ability to process complex info. Is the name of the model … A.) ChatGPT Magnifico, B.) Strawberry, C.) NeuralNet X or D.) Quantum Mind over Matter? Answer at the end!

Get your info off the internet. Incogni contacts all the data brokers and people-search sites and tells them to remove your personal data. No more Kim Komando listed at 380 data-broker and people-search sites. Sweet. Use my link to get 60% off! You’ll be glad you did. On to today’s news! — Kim

Scammers are clever, but they’re not very creative. Most of their tricks are recycled versions of tricks that worked in the past. There are a few I’ve seen cropping up again because criminals know they work every time.

When these hit my timeline, I make sure to pass them on to you. I want you to be prepared and not a victim.

⚖️ Your day in court

Police in several cities are warning about this scam. You get a phone call that looks like it’s coming from law enforcement. The voice on the other end lays it on thick, claiming you've failed to appear for a court date, and — oh, boy — they've got a warrant out for you. Just pay over the phone and this mess will disappear … not.

• Always ask questions: Actual law enforcement officers won't demand payments over the phone.
• Caller IDs can be faked: Spoofing is a common trick to make calls look real.

📦 The delivery text snare

You get a text that appears to be from the USPS. "Click here," it says, adding, "Your package can't be delivered until you update your address." It’s crazy to me these scams continue to work. Folks, don’t believe ‘em, and warn your loved ones.

• No link? No problem: Official USPS communications won't include unsolicited links.
• Check the details: Always keep track of what you ordered, where you ordered it from and how it should arrive.
• Guard your info: Never — and I mean NEVER — give out your personal data through a random text link.

⛽ Gas station skimmer alerts

An email in your inbox warns about gas station credit card skimmers. All you have to do is click a link for a list of affected locations. It’s a trap!

• Just delete: Treat unsolicited emails like uninvited guests. Don't let them in.
• Inspect before you swipe: Always give a visual check to any payment terminal. Pay inside or move to the next pump if yours looks sketchy.

Stay informed, be skeptical and protect your personal info like it's gold — because to you and these scammers, it is.

🦸 Share this important alert with family and friends so they’ll have their scam guards up, too. As I like to say, “Knowledge is power.”

Almost 1.7 million folks just had their data breached by payment processor Slim CD. I can’t tell you how many of these data breach notices cross my desk every week. So often, the companies involved are those you don’t even remember doing business with since they run in the background of transactions or other things you do online.

For me, it’s just one more reason to use Incogni, my online privacy secret weapon. They pull your info from data-broker companies and sites that sell it to anyone willing to pay. Data-broker companies get hacked, so it’s not just stalkers and scammers who have access to your personal information.

So far, Incogni has removed me from 380 data-broker and people-search sites, and they send regular removal requests to keep my info off these sites. Incogni puts your name on data suppression lists, too, so these companies cannot sneak you back on.

Update Chrome now: Google just dropped an update that fixes four high-severity vulnerabilities. No details yet on whether hackers have exploited them, but don't wait to find out. In Chrome, go to Settings > About Chrome, download the latest patch, and hit Relaunch. You should be on version 128.0.6613.137 or 128.0.6613.138, depending on your OS.

🔄 Patch Tuesday: Microsoft rolled out fixes for 79 flaws, including four zero-days. One of the worst is a Windows Update that could roll back security fixes. Yikes. Go to Start > Settings > Update & Security > Windows Update, then click Check for updates.

I pita the fool: Amazon just launched its own food brand: Amazon Saver. They say it’s to fight high grocery prices, but it’s really meant to take on Target and Walmart brands. Most Amazon Saver items are under $5. For example, a pound of smoked ham is $3.79, but dang … there are a ton of preservatives in there. Be sure to check the ingredients. Prime members score an extra 10% off.

⚡ Power play: Ford is partnering with utility company Southern California Edison to pay EV owners for sending power back to the grid. Drivers can earn $1 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Sweet deal, considering fast-charging costs about $0.50 per kWh. The catch: You’ll need V2G (vehicle-to-grid) tech that costs anywhere from $10,000 to $30,000.

Real-time help: Pennsylvania emergency call centers now let people share live video during 911 calls. With a platform called Prepared, callers get a link that starts a live feed and pinpoints their location on a map. AI even transcribes and translates calls made in foreign languages. Look for this in more towns and cities across the country.

Good enough for government work: Instead of requiring a four-year degree for federal cyber jobs, they’re looking for experience, certifications and aptitude tests to fill 500,000 open cybersecurity positions. If you’re smart, we need you to help protect us.

⛑️ Tech to the rescue: A quick-thinking 4-year-old girl saved her mom’s life during an epileptic seizure. With mom’s phone locked and out of reach, she remembered the Amazon Alexa upstairs. She asked Alexa to call her great-grandmother, who rushed over to help. Let this be your reminder to teach your kiddos how to use technology in emergencies.

I love it when things are functional. For this list, I put together a few keychain goodies I’ve bought that fall into this category!

• A universal charging cable, complete with USB, USB‑C, micro‑USB and Apple Lightning adapters.
• An emergency Advil stash for under $9.
• A seatbelt slicer and safety hammer for escaping a wrecked car.
• An eyeglass repair kit (51% off).
• An Apple AirTag holder (26% off). Ta‑da! Now you won’t lose ‘em.

🚀 Looking to hire top talent? Post your next job for free on LinkedIn* and reach a network of over 900 million professionals ready to make an impact. Don’t miss this chance to find the perfect candidate for your team!

Deal or no deal? CamelCamelCamel is an awesome tool if you shop on Amazon. It tracks prices, shows you a product’s price history and lets you set price-drop alerts for something you have your eye on.

Use your spacebar as a scroll wheel: It’s easy. Press your spacebar to scroll down a page and Shift + spacebar to scroll up. You can even use that trick to scroll through this email. Score.

Pro printer tip: If you run out of black ink right before you need to print a doc, change the font color to dark gray or blue. You probably won’t even be able to tell! OK, now order some ink.

I want to help you Excel at work: Hit Ctrl + [ to view where the contents of a cell came from, like a formula or reference. Sweet. A ton more Excel shortcuts here.

So tempted to buy this for the spooky season!

The answer: B.) Strawberry. Most AI models, including the GPT‑4o I use, pull answers from all the info they were trained on. They say Strawberry can solve problems it’s never encountered before and “thinks” about a question before spitting out an answer. Keep an eye out for a new dropdown option in ChatGPT.

🍓 Reminds me … I made strawberry preserves this summer. It was a jarring experience. Sorry, had to.

Before you go, check out Incogni. Since I signed up, my spam calls and texts have dropped to zero, zilch, nada. Barry says the same! I’ll see you right back here tomorrow at the same place, same time. Until then, remain spectacular. — Kim