Hey, it's a fabulous Monday! Let’s start with the trivia. The inventor of the world’s most popular board game, Monopoly, originally created the game to demonstrate what in 1904? Was it … property ownership, gambling, land overdevelopment or the stock market? The answer is at the end.

🥷 Let’s dive into secret ninja tactics that hackers use to steal from you. Don't be stingy — pass this on to your family and friends. It’s time to turn the tables! 😎 — Kim

You don’t need to be a professional hacker living off the grid in a remote location — in a hoodie and guzzling energy drinks, of course — to scam people. Hacker toolkits are available online for anyone to purchase and they’re shockingly cheap and easy to use.

That’s bad news for me and you. The more available this money-stealing junk is, the more you need to watch what you do online. Don’t worry, I have your back!

A dark marketplace

Just so we’re all on the same page … Dark Web content isn’t indexed by search engines, and you need special software (like the browser Tor) to access it. Some uses for it are legit, like avoiding government censorship and keeping identities private (think journalists and activists).

But the Dark Web is a hotbed for illegal activity, too, like selling drugs and firearms. You can find financial and personal information up for sale. The average stolen credit card sells for just $10. Yes, really.

That’s not the only bargain. Hacking tools known as Crimeware-as-a-Service (CaaS) or Malware-as-a-Service (MaaS) are on sale for as little as $40. It doesn’t take a genius to use them, either. Anyone with even a little tech know-how can deploy them.

They work. Last year, phishing software purchased online targeted some of the biggest banks in the country.

Some malware is available as a subscription service, too. Eternity Stealer — which steals usernames, emails and credit card numbers — goes for $260 per year … only a little more than Netflix.

Everything you do is at risk

Whether you’re buying something online or checking your email, you’re a potential target. With CaaS, the risk is even higher because the crooked tools are more readily available to any scumbag willing to pay.

And, as in any market, competition breeds innovation — hackers compete to make more sophisticated and user-friendly tools. They brag about how good their customer service is — no kidding. 

‘OK, Kim, what the heck can I do?’

Things are bad, but you can’t just avoid the internet. You need to amp up your cybersecurity practices and be smart. Here’s how:

• Multifactor or two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security. It could be a thumbprint, a bit of information only you know or a code sent to a device only you have access to. Use this for any accounts that allow it, but especially anything tied to finances.
• Use strong, unique passwords. (I know it’s annoying!) Here are 10 ways to get started.
• Ditch passwords altogether. Whether you’re Team Apple or Team Android, passkeys can’t be guessed like a password.
• Think before clicking on any link you get through email or text or ones you see on a website.
• Always have a trusted antivirus program updated and running. My pick is TotalAV.* Get an annual plan for only $19 at ProtectWithKim.com. 

And hey, you’re one step ahead already since you read this newsletter. Good reason to pass along this knowledge, right? Share this story with a friend!

🎣 Reminds me of that old saying: “Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day. Teach a man how to phish and he’ll steal your bank password.”

😵‍💫 Cyber-chaos: Russian hackers have been busy. They've just swiped data, including Social Security numbers, from 2.5 million customers of Genworth Financial via the file-transfer software MOVEit. Even California's public pension fund didn't escape, with 769,000 members hacked. If this is you, freeze your credit.

App Store no mo’? As part of a $100M settlement, you might be able to buy apps directly from developers instead of only in the Apple App Store. Benefit? The apps will be cheaper. Case in point: If you pay for Twitter Blue through the iPhone app, it’s $11 per month versus $8 a month directly through Twitter. 

🏫 Teacher’s AI pet: With its newly updated Google for Education App Hub, educators and school admins have, at a glance, 25 apps that let them update class rosters, grade papers and more. My homeroom teacher told me I’d never amount to much because of how I procrastinated. I told him, “Just you wait.”

Let there be (controlled) light: Philips Hue’s latest smart home upgrade lets you control your lights for 10 time slots, instead of just day and night. You can even change the brightness of individual bulbs, so you can dim some of the lights when you want to be a bit … romantic. 

🗺️ Flippin’ cool: Leaks for Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Z Flip 5 reveal its cover display will actually let you use Google Maps. Now, you can flip it closed and keep walking without missing that left turn. Just remember to look up so you don’t run into anything (or anyone).

Amo a Kim: Begone, poorly translated captions on YouTube. Now, you can translate your video more accurately using Aloud, a free AI dubbing tool. In just a few minutes, Aloud can translate English to Spanish or Portuguese. This is amazing!

🧻 Paper chase: Ever try to buy that jumbo pack of TP at Costco online? Costco is changing its website so you’re not limited to only your local store’s inventory when ordering online. PSA: Don’t throw away your receipt before leaving Costco. You can check out anytime you like, but you can never leave.

📺 Runway star: YouTuber Kevin Ray records airplanes taking off from Los Angeles International Airport, and he’s a huge hit. Thousands have checked out hours of his airline vids. For fun and smiles, watch his story in this awesome video.

Every morning, brush your teeth to my Daily Tech Update. You get fresh breath and fresh tech know-how in a minute.

Listen to my podcast, Daily Tech Update, here.

When you’re going on an extended trip, there’s no reason to throw away money for internet service at home. Canceling and reactivating is not the way to go. Why?

• You’ll probably have to pay a cancellation fee.
• It’s frustrating — it takes time, leaves you with many questions, and then you still have to return equipment to your provider.
• Another fee and more time wasted when you reactivate or sign up for a new service.

❗ Here’s my secret: Many ISPs and cable or satellite providers allow you to pause your service. Before you pause, call to make sure you won’t lose any special pricing or features. It’s not worth it to save a few bucks.

Comcast Xfinity: Xfinity charges $8 a month to pause your TV, internet or voice services. If you want to keep your internet, it’s $29.95 for Seasonal Internet Access.

Charter Spectrum: Use the Seasonal Status option to put TV, internet and voice services on hold for a monthly fee. You keep your phone number, email address, voicemail, Spectrum receiver and other equipment.

Cox: Cox’s Seasonal Program allows you to pause your services and keep all your equipment starting at $9.99 a month.

AT&T: Vacation Hold lets you pause your internet, phone or U-verse TV service. It’s $7 per month for each service you put on hold. 

Security warning to keep in mind

If you have a home security camera or other connected monitoring devices at home, make sure you can still access them before putting your account on hold. Some plans have this option, but not all. Check with your ISP to make sure your home is safe and sound.

✅ Head to my site for more details on how to pause your service. Know someone traveling? Pass it along!

Depending on your hearing and the layout of your home, some sounds might get past you. Your phone can help by alerting you to noisy things like barking dogs, crying kids or broken glass.

Don’t rely on it to tell you if the baby is crying or to keep your dog safe, but it’s a nice fallback.

Turn on Sound Recognition on your iPhone:

• Go to Settings > Accessibility > Sound Recognition, then enable Sound Recognition by sliding the toggle to the right.
• Tap Sounds and turn on the sounds you want your phone to recognize.

Turn on Sounds Notifications on your Android phone:

• Go to Settings > Accessibility > Sound Notifications.
• Tap Open Sound Notifications, then Turn on. You’ll need to allow permission to record audio.
• Tap the cog icon. You can choose what sounds you want to be notified of and how.

✅ Have an Amazon Echo at home? It can beef up your home security, too. Here’s how to set up Alexa Guard.

Picking out a new computer is stressful, but you don’t have to go it alone. That’s where the pros at Dell come in, and right now, you can save up to $750.

If you’re shopping for your small business, side hustle, new venture, you name it, you can chat with a small-biz expert to get totally free advice on the right hardware. No obligation to buy, either.

It’s a built-in sneaking-snack alert system.

🏦 The answer: In 1904, Elizabeth Magie patented a board game called The Landlord's Game. It demonstrated the economic consequences of land concentration and overdevelopment. It was adapted into what we now know as Monopoly by Parker Brothers in 1935.

Did you hear they removed some Monopoly game pieces? I guess they were thimbles of an older time.

👍 Forward this newsletter to some folks you know. See you back here tomorrow with the best tech newsletter in the universe! — Kim