Hello on a lovely Saturday! Let’s chill out and talk tech, friend. Here’s some trivia about something you probably do every day — CAPTCHA. You know, those annoying “tests” to prove you’re a human and not a bot. Which of these words isn’t part of the CAPTCHA acronym? Is it … A.) Completely, B.) Automated, C.) Turing or D.) Hackers? Answer’s at the end!

Keep this free newsletter free. Today’s issue is brought to you by Incogni at PrivacyKim.com. They’ll get your personal info out of people-search sites and data brokers’ databases. Use this exclusive link for the best deal available — save 60% right now. The spam texts and calls have stopped for me since I started using Incogni. — Kim

I’ll never forget the call I took from a woman whose brother was scammed out of over $450,000. I talk to far too many people who've been scammed­­, and in almost all cases, they don’t realize they’ve been taken until it’s too late.

Some scams are obvious, like a new romantic partner you met online who needs money for “surgery.” But some are more subtle, like a friend asking, "What's up with that weird Facebook message you just posted?" or noticing emails you didn't send in your outbox … or, worse, strange charges to your credit card and notices about a loan in your name.

That's why I want you to check your Google account now, while you’re thinking about it. This tip also works for spotting snoops you know, like a friend, family member or ex poking around your Google or Gmail accounts. Let’s sniff them out.

60-second safety check

Expect to see the same device multiple times, because each session or login instance is recorded. That’s nothing to worry about.

You might also see devices that have been inactive for a while, like an old phone or computer you don't use anymore. It's smart to sign out of these devices remotely.

Here’s the red flag

What happens if you see a computer, phone, tablet or device you don’t recognize?

Yep, you guessed it — now, it's time to protect your account. Change your password to make sure whoever logged in can't do it again. Don’t reuse passwords or choose one that’s relatively easy to guess. You need super-hard passwords, but those are so hard to deal with.

✅ That’s why I use and recommend Keeper Security.* It’s just $17.50 for a year, and it means greater peace of mind — and, even better, no more password frustration. Keeper Security has over 275,000 five-star reviews, including one from me and another from our in-house IT genius, John.

Of course, I have to sneak in a password joke … "The Wi‑Fi password is romeamsterdamparis, all one word." "Any capitals?" "Uh, yeah, three."

Here’s a scary picture: In 2023, 2.6 million people were victims of fraud and around 1 million were targets of identity theft, according to a new FTC report. Part of the reason spotting attacks like these is so hard is the sheer amount of information scammers have access to.

That’s why I wanted to tell you about Incogni. They do the hard work of removing you from people-search and data broker sites. Sure, you can do it yourself, but it’s a major pain. With Incogni, just fill in a few details, and they start getting your info taken down immediately.

I negotiated a deal just for you: 60% off. Stop waiting and take back your privacy.

Massive tech ban: Not TikTok — it’s Russia-based Kaspersky Labs, one of the world’s leading brands in cybersecurity. The U.S. government has always been wary that Putin and the Russian government could, at any time, force the company to hand over private data about U.S. users. A ban could come as soon as this month. Time to switch. My pick is TotalAV — just $19 for a year of solid protection.

📻 Catch me on the radio: My national radio show is airing all weekend across the USA. With over 420 stations strong, find your closest one using our super-duper station locator map — or listen commercial-free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or in the Komando Community.

Ruh-roh: Roku leaked info for 576,000 accounts in their second security breach in a month. They've reset passwords and will notify affected users, refund any sketchy charges and make you set up 2FA. Watch out for phishing scams, phony texts and calls claiming to be Roku.

Level up: OpenAI just launched GPT‑4 Turbo, making ChatGPT sharper in writing, math, logical reasoning and coding. It’s now trained on public information up to December 2023. It’s for paying customers only; ChatGPT Plus, Team and Enterprise subscribers will get this upgrade.

🚨 Crypto ATMs: Notice those colorful crypto ATMs in a gas station or convenience store? Scammers direct victims to them because the transactions are anonymous and it's a lot easier than collecting gift cards. PSA: Report scams at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov and https://www.ic3.gov.

🔥 Hot wheels: Millions of 2010 to 2017 Hyundai models, including the Santa Fe and Elantra, and Kia models like the Sportage and Forte are ticking time bombs due to a fire hazard recall. With not enough parts to go around, fixes are delayed until at least June. The current solution? Contact dealers only if you see warning lights or smell smoke. Gee, thanks.

TikTok and they don’t stop: Prepare to be shocked: Here’s everything the Communist China-based app collects.

✈️ Be careful: What you do on airplane Wi‑Fi matters. It’s just not safe.

Lemme upgrade ya: If your router’s more than three years old, kick it to the curb and upgrade to one that’s safe and fast.

Netflix and chill: With a show or movie. Here’s what’s worth watching that’s new to streaming this month.

Use AI in your business: Oracle* makes it cost-effective and simple to use their tech to push your AI implementation to the next level. Take a free test drive of Oracle AI here.

Don’t get fooled: After you download a file online, check out the extension. You’re looking for something like .doc or .pdf. If the filename ends with .exe, delete it — it’s likely malware.

Step inside buildings: Did you know you can virtually visit the inside of places such as stores, airports or hotels? Open the Google Maps app and tap the Search box. Enter a place name or address, then, at the bottom, tap that name or address. Scroll until you see photos, and tap on a 360-degree shot. To see more photos of this location, tap Photos. Cool!

Mouse trick: Zoom in (or out) on whatever’s on your screen by hitting the Ctrl key on Windows (Cmd on a Mac) and spinning your scroll wheel up to zoom in and down to zoom out.

Stop searching: You know you sent someone a pic but you can’t find it. On iPhone, open Messages, tap a convo then the person’s profile photo or group name. Scroll to Photos > See All. On Android, open Messages, then tap the search bar at the top.

Emergency FYI: Your phone can still call 911 even if you don’t have service or a SIM card. Any cellphone tower will put the call through — even if you’re on a competitor’s network.

📺 Catch up on my video podcasts: The best place to do this is my YouTube channel. You have to watch Friday’s show. So funny!

Outlet extenders for every budget — because, really, who has enough outlets or USB ports? No one. Let’s fix that now.

🥇 Top of the line: Belkin is serious about safety. Its $23.99 model has six plugs, two USB‑A ports and 11 safety features, including short-circuit protection.

🥈 Top quality, mid-price: This Anker model comes with two USB‑A ports, a built-in nightlight and a seven-point safety system. It’s normally about the same cost as the Belkin, but right now, it’s 32% off ($16.99).

🥉 Cheap but safe: The reviews are good and so is the price — this one is currently 26% off ($9.97). It’ll give you two-level surge protection, six plugs, two USB‑A ports and a USB‑C port.

I don’t have much to say about planes, so I’m gonna wing it.

The answer: D.) Hackers. CAPTCHA stands for “Completely Automated Public Turing test to tell Computers and Humans Apart.” Yes, it should be “CAPTTTCHA,” but that doesn’t have the same ring to it.

Fun fact: It takes the average person 10 seconds to solve a CAPTCHA, which is usually something like picking out traffic lights. It’s unclear if that figure includes the time you spend deciding whether the pole counts. I’m always wondering if the pole counts. (I think the pole counts.)

👌 “Kim, I got Incogni and I’m out of 112 people-search sites. Amazing!” says Robert in Chicago. Yup, it sure is. Use this link to save 60% right now. Thank you for letting me in your inbox with the best tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim