Let me know if you try this on a flight because I don’t think I could last long.
How to spot a fake retail website before you buy
I got a question this week from Janet in Idaho. She was scrolling Instagram, clicked an ad for a super-cute dress and bought it. Next thing you know, there are bogus charges on her debit card. “How the heck did that happen?” she asked me. “It was a website I’ve shopped on before.”
Oh, Janet, don’t be a Mrs. Potato Head. Only use a credit card to shop online. They have fraud protections that debit cards don’t. And be on the lookout for scammers’ newest trick: Fake websites.
It starts with clicking an ad
This latest nefarious trick works because it’s copying websites you trust. The URL looks fine, the logos and slogans are there, the product pages look normal, and the payment platforms shown are all legit. Some of the sites even have the trusted HTTPS certification and 100% fake reviews.
So, how do you end up there in the first place? The jerk behind the site takes out social media ads and sends emails. You’re then lured by the extra-low prices, special discounts and free shipping.
Spoiler: You aren’t getting that product you ordered, or it’ll be a cheap knockoff. Worse, you may end up with a malware download that steals even more of your personal information.
Spot fake sites, fast
Here’s my quick cheat sheet to check before making a single click. For starters, if the price of whatever you’re buying is less than half of what it normally would be, move on, and ask yourself these questions:
- Is the URL multiple words? Big brands have enough clout to get simple domain names, like Macys.com or BestBuy.com. Fraudulent sites use longer, weirder titles like “MacyOutletShop.”
- Does this trendy boutique even exist? Many scam sites use names that sort of sound real, like “Homitage.” But if you’ve never heard of it, Google it. You should at least come up with reviews, additional landing pages or third-party sites selling the brand.
- Are there pushy pop-ups? Some websites have pop-ups for chats or discounts. But phony sites push pop-ups to ask for your contact or payment information while you’re still shopping.
- Where’s the customer service? Counterfeit sites may have a “Contact Us” email form that goes nowhere, but real sites will have plenty of ways to contact their customer service team.
- How do images look up close? Reliable sites use high-res images that are easy to expand or open in another window. Bogus sites typically use low-quality pics that don’t stand up under scrutiny.
Pro tip: Check the IP
Use this IP address tool to see where the site is located. Look for suspicious signs, like an American business with an IP address from overseas, including spots like China, India, Venezuela and other places that just don’t make sense.
Janet in Idaho, this one’s for you … The other day, I was in Safeway getting ingredients for potato leek soup. Two women were engaged in deep conversation about a friend’s divorce right in front of the leeks. So I said, “Excuse me, ladies, I need to take a leek.” It took them a few seconds to laugh.
Tech prep kit: What you need in an emergency
A few weeks ago, I asked if y’all would be down with my putting together a tech prep list of emergency items and ideas. I really was surprised at how many of you said, “Yes!” So, without further ado, let’s prep for cyberattacks and outages.
📅 Cheaper than a personal assistant: ChatGPT can plan your day for you. Tell the AI your top three priorities, appointments or commitments and how long a task typically takes, then ask it to create a schedule. Bam, a bulleted list, scheduled to the minute.
Some 60% of Roblox’s 70 million active players are under 16: And those 13 and up can buy a ticket to “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” directly through the game. It includes a special game avatar to lure ‘em in. If your kid uses your card for in-game currency, know they’re being heavily marketed to.
540 calories burned
Every 90 minutes, just by watching the Olympics. It all depends on how invested you are. A 176-pound football fan who fidgets, jumps, shouts or punches the air for 75% of a 90-minute game can burn the equivalent of a 45-minute run. Send this one to a diehard sports fan in your life.
VPNs: How they work and how to choose the best one for you
I’m sure you’ve heard me mention VPNs before on my show. With hackers, thieves and scammers constantly out in full force, ready to steal your money, now’s the time to get on board.
VPN is short for virtual private network. What this means is when doing your banking online, hackers can’t step in the middle and steal your account information and drain your money. A VPN also stops your internet provider from tracking you and lets you unblock websites and bypass filters. You need it on your computer, laptop, tablet and phone.
Back-to-school tech: Apps and gadgets to monitor your kid
Parents everywhere are thrilled it’s back-to-school time. How can you keep the kids focused after a screen-filled summer, but also keep them safe? It’s a process, I know. For starters, get my free Kids’ Tech Contract.
Stop yelling at Siri
We all know one person who just can’t use Siri in a calm tone. Is it you?
No more credit card offers in the mail: Visit optoutprescreen.com to stop financial junk mail you later have to shred. Choose to opt out for five years or forever. Opting out permanently? You’ll have to use snail mail, but it’s worth it. Print, sign and mail a confirmation form. I did it.
🔋 More battery in a hurry: You must leave in 15 minutes and your phone battery is hovering around 3%. Plug it in, switch it into Airplane mode and give it as much time as possible. Shutting off extra processes means your phone can focus on charging.
Never lose your car again: Google Maps can keep track of where you parked. On iPhone or Android, open the Google Maps app. Tap the blue dot that shows your location, then Save parking. Steps here to do it automatically every time.
Amazon product safety check: Go to your Amazon account and look under Account & Lists > Account for Recalls and Product Safety Alerts. Click the link, and you’ll see details about recalls for any products you’ve purchased and how to get a refund or return the items.
🎞️ Thanks for the memories: Every year that passes, your physical photos and negatives degrade a little more. Digitize them before it’s too late.
Check your car: Get the free NHTSA SaferCar app. Put in your car’s VIN and receive automatic alerts about any recalls. There have been a ton lately. They don’t make ‘em like they used to.
A full wash: Just because Chromebooks use web apps doesn’t mean they don’t need resetting every once in a while. A reset is called a “Powerwash.” Sign out of ChromeOS, hold Ctrl + Alt + Shift + R, then choose Restart and Powerwash.
No, thanks: Elon Musk wants to use your posts to train his Grok AI. You can opt out. From X on the web, click More > Settings and privacy > Privacy and safety > Grok and uncheck the box.
Voice-to-text: Newer Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy phones have built-in tools to turn voice audio into text via the magic of AI. Check under the Recorder app for Pixels or Voice Recorder app for Galaxy phones, respectively. Apple iPhone peeps, expect something similar in iOS 18, dropping next month.
✌️ Gestures, activate: You can control a Google Nest Hub via gestures — useful if your hands are covered in soap or flour. To enable it, open the Google Home app > tap the gear icon (top right) > tap Quick Gestures on the hub page.
Bet you didn’t know this: You can reset your browser’s settings to wipe out bugs and improve its performance. In Chrome, go to Settings > Reset settings. Look for a similar option in your browser of choice.