A tech-lovely Thursday is here, friend! Remember when Throwback Thursday was hot on social media? Let’s reminisce for old time’s sake. It took radio 38 years to reach an audience of 50 million and just 13 years for television to hit that mark. How long did it take Facebook to reach 50 million users? Was it … A.) 6 months, B.) 1.5 years, C.) 3 years or D.) 5 years? You’ll find the answer at the end.

🥳 Brand new! For the first time, you can now catch my award-winning national radio show anywhere, anytime, as a podcast. You’ll be tech-smarter, and if you listen every week, it’ll make your hair thicker and your thighs thinner, too. Now, on to the news. — Kim

From big banks to canned tuna, companies are paying out huge money to settle some pretty fishy business. I've rounded up a few of the biggest class-action lawsuits and how to grab your slice of the pie.

This is your reminder I’m not a lawyer, this is not legal advice and a company paying out a settlement doesn’t mean they’re admitting, “Yeah, we messed up.”

💰 I like big bucks and I cannot lie

Payment app and debit card company Cash App is paying out $15 million. According to a class-action lawsuit, Cash App failed to protect consumers from two different data breaches — one in 2022 and another in 2023.

Individuals can get up to $2,500 for documented losses, including credit costs, bank fees, travel expenses and up to three hours of lost time (at a rate of $25 per hour).

Who's eligible? Current and former Cash App customers impacted between Aug. 23, 2018, and Aug. 20, 2024.

Deadline: Submit this claim form by Nov. 18, 2024.

🐏 Ram, bam, thank you, ma’am

Start your engines … and make sure they run properly. FCA (a mega car manufacturer that includes Dodge) and Cummins (diesel engine manufacturer) agreed to a $6 million settlement to resolve claims certain Dodge diesel engines are defective.

Don’t expect a ton here — we’re talking an estimated per-person payout of $100.40.

Who's eligible? Anyone who owned or leased a 2013-2015 Dodge Ram 2500 or 3500 truck with a Cummins diesel engine between Nov. 26, 2014, and July 13, 2016, in Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia or Washington.

Deadline: Settlement payments will go out automatically after the final approval hearing on Oct. 10, 2024. Sweet!

🏠 What does a house wear? Address

If you listed a home on a multiple listing service (MLS) between Oct. 31, 2017, and July 23, 2024, and you paid a real estate broker commission, you may be eligible for a piece of a $730 million settlement. A group of class-action lawsuits claims multiple brokers and agents worked together to hike up commission fees.

Who's eligible? Several big-name real estate brokers, including Compass, Inc., and Redfin. Visit RealEstateCommissionLitigation.com for the full list.

Deadline: Submit a claim form by May 9, 2025.

🏦 I’ve lost interest

There's nothing worse than an unexpected bank fee, especially when it's bogus. Bank of America apparently charged a hidden $15 fee on incoming wire transfers to make some extra cash. They’re paying out $21 million total, with payouts based on how much you lost.

Who's eligible? Anyone with a Bank of America consumer checking or savings account who was charged certain wire transfer fees between March 8, 2019, and Aug. 31, 2023.

Deadline: Settlements go out automatically after the final hearing on Oct. 21, 2024.

🛑 “Kim! None of those impact me.” Lucky you, but I’ve listed five more class-action suits on my site that you still should check.

Did you hear about the lawyer who sued the funeral company over the coffin? It was an open-and-shut case. Ack, I’m sorry for that one.

I don’t want to alarm you, but look down at your keyboard or take off your phone case. Oh, the filth! Let’s fix it.

• You can make a cleaning solution with vinegar or alcohol, but why? I use premoistened electronic wipes — specifically, this big pack from Care Touch. They’re cheaper that way and last a long time.
• For TVs and bigger monitors, these wipes from Weiman work like a charm.
• This gel dust cleaner is a simple, easy way to get the junk out of your keyboard, printer, camera or anything else with small openings.
• Your computer, TV and other gear have small ports that collect dust and dirt. Cotton swabs leave fuzz and lint, so try a phone-cleaning kit.
• Grab a ball of Blu-Tack and press it into your earbud speakers. Pull it away, and all the junk inside comes out with it.

💸 Someone's getting fired: Texas-headquartered company Orion lost $60 million in a bank wire transfer scam. Details are scarce, but these schemes usually involve someone tricking a finance department employee via email. The FBI warns it’s becoming a multibillion-dollar problem. Here are tips for how to stay safe if you run a biz or ever need to make a wire transfer.

Lettuce us all pay attention: Grocery chain Kroger is under investigation for shady dynamic pricing. Their electronic price labels can change based on time and demand, like during the after-work rush. It gets worse (paywall link); they’re working with an AI company that uses personal data to figure out how much you’re willing to spend.

⚖️ Google busted up? The U.S. Justice Department is considering breaking up Google after a ruling the tech giant monopolized the online search market. Options include forcing Google to divest the Android operating system and Chrome browser or sell off Google Ads, its search ad program.

Bad Mickey: A woman with a severe​​ dairy and nut allergy died after eating at a Disney restaurant earlier this year, despite assurances her meal was safe. Now, Disney is asking a judge to throw out the case. Her husband signed up for Disney+ in 2019 and, in the terms, agreed to settle disputes out of court through arbitration. No kidding, it was just a free trial account.

🚴‍♂️ Not wheelie good: Researchers found a way to hack bicycle wireless gear shifters with just a few hundred bucks of tech and a laptop. The trick works on Shimano Di2 shifters, which are used by top cycling teams worldwide. A patch is rolling out in late August.

🚨 Final warning: Ford and Mazda issued a do-not-drive alert for anyone ignoring the Takata airbag recall. These faulty airbags have killed 27 and injured at least 400 in the U.S. alone. Check if your vehicle needs this free repair using the Ford and Mazda portals.

‘90s party at Polly’s: New to Airbnb, a life-sized Polly Pocket house in Massachusetts to celebrate her 35th birthday. You can try on clothes, make bracelets, and glam up with press-on nails and butterfly hair clips. The catch? Just like Polly’s house, there’s no roof, shower or blankets. You’ll be roughing it on a pullout couch.

🦇 Bat to the bone: Taxidermied bats are all over online marketplaces. They’re trendy Halloween decor, and some people actually wear them as jewelry. Scientists are warning it’s not just unsafe (hello, diseases), but it’s also cruel. These bats are harvested in questionable ways, and rarer species are in danger.

For all these years, I’ve kept my national radio show radio only. But so many of you have asked that it felt like time: Yes, you can now listen to The Kim Komando Show as a podcast on your schedule wherever you want.

That’s right, it’s my entire radio show, featuring tech news, tips and calls from folks just like you, right in your favorite podcast app.

• iPhone users: Listen on Apple Podcasts
• Android users: Listen on YouTube Music or Listen on Spotify

▶️ Or hit this link for a bunch more options, including Amazon and other popular podcast players! Easy‑peasy.

🖨️ Print from your iPhone or iPad: If you have an AirPrint-compatible printer, open your doc and tap the Share button. Scroll to Print > Printer Options > Print. FYI: Both devices need to be on the same network, either via Wi‑Fi or an ethernet cable connected to your router.

Keep your Android automatically unlocked: Go to Settings > Security > Smart Lock. You can set it to stay unlocked when it's on you, near a trusted device (like your laptop) or in a trusted place (like your house).

🔗 Facebook snoop: They say Link History is a handy tool for saving your browsing. Privacy concern? Absolutely. FB tracks and sells all your clicks. Here's how to turn it off. Open the Facebook app, tap Menu > Settings & Privacy > Settings > Browser, and toggle off Allow link history.

Inspector Gadget: Get paid to review a website's usability or find glitches in an app. Payouts vary, but most are between $3 and $60. Pro tip: Sign up for multiple platforms. UserTesting, TesterWork and Userfeel are all good places to start.

Hackers have no morals: They took down a blood bank that serves 250 U.S. hospitals. Don’t take chances — protect your computer and smartphone with the award-winning antivirus software I trust: TotalAV.* The first year is just $19 for up to five devices.

I hope you're not lactose-intolerant, because I have some cheesy pickup lines.

The answer: C.) 3 years. After launching in 2004, Facebook took just three years to hit 50 million users. These days, over 3 billion folks use it at least once a month.

It would be so great to meet Mark Zuckerberg. He knows everything about you, your friends, your family, your likes and more! Maybe I can get Zuck to tell everyone on Facebook to try my free newsletter … On second thought, he’s not going to do that.

🫶🏻 How about you help me grow this email? Share it with a friend! It helps us grow and means the world to me. I’ll see you right back here tomorrow with the intel on how to hide from prying eyes. 👀 — Kim