Hello, Sunday tech stars! Since so many of you loved that browser tip yesterday, here’s a tip to make browsing itself faster — 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.

Support this free newsletter by checking out our innovative sponsor, RYSE, whose SmartShade turns your existing window shades into smart shades. It’s pretty sweet when you can open and close your shades right from your couch or, better yet, on a schedule. Now, on to expanding your tech horizons! — Kim

Not long ago, a woman named Robin was sleeping beside her husband, Steve. They live in Brooklyn with their two young kids. No, this isn’t the setup for a joke; it’s the setup for a nightmare scam that’s becoming way too commonplace.

Robin was awakened by a phone call from her mother-in-law, Mona. “Must be a butt-dial,” she figured. Then the phone rang again. When she picked up, she heard Mona sobbing, “I can’t do it, I can’t do it.”

Then, a man she’d never heard before came on the line. “I’ve got a gun to your mom’s head, and I’m gonna blow her brains out if you don’t do exactly what I say.”

I’ll cut to the chase. It was a deepfake. Robin’s in-laws were never in danger — but she didn’t know that.

What should you do if this happens to you?

These criminals bank on you losing your cool. They use every scare tactic in the book to keep you on the phone and doing exactly what they want. They almost always want money — as was the case for Robin.

Say you get a call telling you your daughter’s being held for ransom. Your immediate priority should be to try to contact her directly. These scams fall apart quickly since the person was never in danger — but you won’t know that until you can confirm.

This isn’t the first time … or the last time

I’ve been writing about this type of scam for a long time, and I’m seeing more reports of it in the news. It’s frightening to think that just a few seconds of your voice can lead to a horrible situation for your loved ones.

I mean it when I say “a few seconds,” by the way. Think about your voicemail messages. Leaving “Hello? Is anyone there?” or recording an outgoing “Hi, you’ve reached Jon! Please leave a message” is plenty for a cybercriminal to train AI to sound exactly like you.

That voice profile can be used in classic scams targeting older family members or grieving relatives, too. It’s nasty stuff.

So what’s the quickest and easiest way to avoid all this?

The FTC has another piece of advice: Don't say a word That means if you get a call from a number you don’t recognize, wait for the caller to speak first to see if there’s a human there. If not, hang up — even if they talk and you think it’s a scam.

✅ This is important stuff, folks. Use the sharing buttons below to pass it on to the people you care about.

RYSE is on the cusp of making automated smart shades a staple. And if you missed investing in their previous opportunity, it’s not too late.

Along with their recent launch in over 120 Best Buy retail stores, they’ve just opened a new public offering. You can invest in their company at just $1.50 per share.

The smart home industry is booming, with double-digit growth projected until 2033 — and billion-dollar acquisitions for companies like RYSE with retail distribution and patented technologies.

Early investors have seen their shares grow by over 20 times. Don’t miss out on another opportunity to become a shareholder.

SSN sharks: The FTC says Americans lost over $126 million to Social Security scams last year. Reminder: The real SSA won't slide into your DMs, rush you or threaten to suspend your SSN. Stay sharp, folks.

💸 Free filing: The IRS is testing a free tax filing tool called Direct File in 12 states. Finally! Of course, there's a catch: It's only for folks in certain areas with specific incomes. Want in? Check here to see if you’re eligible.

🛑 Screenshot snitch: Tempted to screenshot a “disappearing message” on Facebook Messenger? Think again — the app will now notify the other user. Imagine all the uncomfortable moments ahead for anyone who doesn’t read my free newsletter!

⚠️ Deadly trend: An 11-year-old boy tragically lost his life to a TikTok challenge called "chroming," which is huffing toxic chemicals to get high. The nightmare unfolded at a sleepover. He went into cardiac arrest and couldn't be revived, despite doctors' best efforts. This has to stop.

Know your Airbnb: Picking out the best (and worst) spots on Airbnb is about to get easier. Look for labels that highlight the top 25%, top 1% and bottom 10% of properties based on ratings. No more nasty Airbnb hidden camera surprises, I hope.

I know you can just glance at your phone for the time. But what fun is that?

Do the math: On Amazon, go to a favorite product and you’ll see how many times you’ve bought it — and when you click, you’ll see how much you paid before. This is worth doing now and then to see if your favorite hair conditioner has doubled in price — like mine did!

💰 I helped a listener find $25,000: And I didn’t even get a cut. Maybe you can discover money, too. Find the link for your state’s treasury website with the National Association of Unclaimed Property online. If you have a frequently misspelled name or variations, search for those, too. And don’t forget former names or nicknames!

Talk to me: If you use the ChatGPT app on your iPhone, you can now get the AI bot to read its answers aloud. It'll save you some time, but use it with caution on the subway ... unless you want everyone to hear your existential debates with AI.

📖 Word up: You can open Word docs on the Kindle Scribe. From the Microsoft 365 Word app, hit File > Export > Send to Kindle. If you’re still using the same decade-old Kindle, it might be worth upgrading to this new version.

Listen to my show for fun and knowledge: Catch the show commercial-free (plus an extra hour only people in Chicago hear!) in Apple Podcasts, Spotify or as a perk of your Komando Community membership. (That link is a 30-day free trial — after that, just a few bucks a month!) Your support makes a difference.

Plan: A visit to Kentucky to stay in a real bourbon barrel, starting at $220 per night. That’s on your bucket list, right?

Play: A fun browser game. Combine the different elements to see what you can make. Hint: Water + wind = wave.

Learn: To cook like a pro with Jacques Pépin. The famous French chef shares his at-home recipes on YouTube. While you’re there, follow me.

Read: “Remarkably Bright Creatures.” I asked for book recs and this popped up a lot!

Set sail at a bargain price: Calling all cruise lovers. These are the best times to book to score a deal.

But just imagine breathing through a goat.

One last tech tip: There’s a shortcut to the emoji menu on your computer. Mac users, press Ctrl + Cmd + spacebar to find that cute little slice of 🍕. Windows users, hold Windows + . (period). Betcha didn’t know this one! 🎉

🌅 Don’t forget to help keep this newsletter free to you and click the link to today’s sponsor. RYSE is changing the smart shade game, and you can be one of their investors.

I’m flying home from Japan today. I didn’t have any jetlag at all when I arrived, and I sure hope it doesn’t hit me tonight at home. The time difference was 16 hours ahead of Phoenix! See you tomorrow here with a viral smartphone privacy concern you should ignore and one you should def pay attention to. Until then, stay your amazing self, and thanks for enjoying the best tech newsletter in the USA! — Kim