Don’t you look smashing on this Wednesday, friend. You know how we lovingly slam the remote when it doesn’t work, as if we’re some kind of violent tech whisperer? Turns out, the remote that rules the living room also inspired another gadget we now take totally for granted. 

Guess what gadget the everyday TV remote led to: A) Wireless keyboards, B) Cordless phones, C) Roombas or D) Garage door openers. See if you’re right by checking the answer at the end! 

🙏🏻 I could use a quick favor. Hit reply to this email, even if it’s just to say hi (or send a blank one!). Why? That simple reply tells your email provider you want my messages, keeping them out of your spam or junk folder. Now, let’s get to the good stuff! P.S. Thank you for the birthday wishes yesterday! Loved them all! — Kim

I don’t mean to be a downer, but I need to warn you that tens of thousands of Americans, folks just like you, are getting duped into buying worthless Chinese stocks. 

The Wall Street Journal (paywall link) found even seasoned investors are falling for this scam, losing big bucks in the blink of an eye. 

How the scam goes down 

Fraudsters hype obscure Chinese companies using flashy but totally fake online marketing. We’re talking bogus financial reports, glowing endorsements from so-called “experts,” and completely made-up news stories claiming revolutionary breakthroughs. 

It’s like the Netflix Original version of Wall Street. Investors think they’ve discovered the next Tesla or Amazon. Fraudsters generate online buzz like it’s a Marvel premiere. 

You’ll see anonymous Reddit accounts praising a “groundbreaking diagnostic technology” that cured their dog’s cousin’s gluten allergy. Influencers squeeze out TikToks looking like TED Talks, promising, “You’ll 10X in 3 days or I’ll eat this protein bar on camera.”

Then the scammers quietly cash out, the stocks crash, and everyday people are left holding worthless paper.

• Mike from Texas dropped over $40,000 after he followed advice from an online forum screaming success about a so-called groundbreaking Chinese biotech company.
• Emily, a teacher from Florida, poured her entire retirement savings into a Chinese company promoted by a convincing finance influencer. Turns out, the company didn’t even exist. Her retirement vanished almost overnight.
• Jim from Illinois? Fell for sleek emails teasing “exclusive tips.” The only thing exclusive about it was how fast his kids’ college fund evaporated chasing a Chinese electric vehicle startup that disappeared overnight.

So, what do you do?

Be smarter. Please.

1. Steer clear of “secret tips”: If someone promises huge returns on a secret investment, walk away. It’s all smoke and mirrors.
2. Do your homework with trusted sources: Cross-check on Bloomberg, Yahoo Finance or the SEC. Can’t find details? Run. If you’re sourcing from a comment section, stop. 
3. Watch out for social media buzz: Hype on Reddit, Twitter and Discord is a huge red flag. Influencer-driven frenzy rarely points to solid investments.

Don’t let scammers ride off into the sunset with your life savings while you’re left in an empty Reddit asking, “Wait, did anyone else lose everything?”

🔮 What do you call a giant psychic who manipulates the stock market? A tall medium who shorts. (lol)

🎆 Take your backyard bash from “meh” to “heck, yeah.”

• 🔥 Hotter than the 4th of July: This smart air fryer (30% off) packs dual heaters. Bonus: It’s PFAS-free.

• 🌡️ Is it done yet? Poke it with a digital food thermometer (20% off). No more guessing if your chicken is still clucking.

• 🧊 Cooler + seat = genius: It’s a chair, cooler and backpack (24% off) that holds 40 cans and keeps ’em frosty.

• 🍋 When life gives you lemons: You squeeze every drop with a stainless steel citrus juicer (21% off). Built to last.

• 🍾 Cheers to this: Flat fizz? Not with this champagne stopper (13% off) made in Italy.

• 😋 Save your leftovers: Pack up Grandma’s cherry pie in these glass containers (38% off). 4.5 stars and 17,000+ reviews.

✅ Hungry for more? There are plenty of kitchen must-haves in my Amazon store.

📞 Press 1 to scream: This drives me nuts, and now we know it’s on purpose. The customer service endless holds. The loops. The “wrong department” reroutes. Turns out it’s not a glitch, it’s the point (paywall link). These systems are designed to wear you down until you give up and hang up. You’re not crazy. You’re just trapped in the admin-industrial complex. 

Spies on the road: Washington State’s using motion data from your phone — yep, the same one in your car’s cupholder — to find speeding hot spots. A Michelin-backed system anonymously logs braking and acceleration, then tips off the State Patrol. The upside? Fewer crashes. The downside? Your commute just joined the surveillance state. Not tracked personally, but just enough to ruin your shortcut.

🏡 Zillow bans hidden listings: Into real estate? You need to know that Zillow now blacklists home listings that agents publicly market (think “For Sale” signs or Instagram posts) without first putting them on a local MLS database. It’s the real estate equivalent of “pics or it didn’t happen.” Compass, a major brokerage, is suing, calling the move anti-competitive.

AI-proof, for now: Turns out some white-collar gigs are harder to kill than expected. Looks like we’re gonna need tens of thousands more accountants, CEOs and financial advisers by 2030, even as AI keeps eating jobs like it’s at a buffet. AI also can’t replace CEOs because it hasn’t learned golf yet.

🖨️ Oh, Brother! Millions of Brother printers have default passwords that hackers can reverse-engineer using the serial number. Brother can’t fully fix it via firmware. For the love of toner, change the admin password so your printer doesn’t get hacked.

Google’s Veo 3 is out: The new AI video generator creates lifelike eight-second clips from just a prompt. It’s amazing. You can try it free through Vertex AI on Google Cloud by signing up for a trial and using the $300 in credits. FYI: This thing was trained on millions of YouTube videos. Here’s a peek.

🚀 NASA+ is coming to Netflix: Starting this summer, you’ll be able to stream rocket launches, astronaut spacewalks and views of Earth from the ISS right on Netflix. More details and schedules will drop closer to launch. Psst, you can watch NASA+ for free on the agency’s website with no ads.

By age 60, collagen drops by half! Hello, joint pain and wrinkles. NativePath Collagen is my secret weapon. Just two scoops a day, and boy, what a difference! Get 45% off, free shipping and a bonus gift!*

Finding the perfect candidate for an open job can feel like hunting for a needle in a haystack. Enter LinkedIn.

With millions of job seekers at your fingertips, LinkedIn is a treasure trove of skilled folks ready to make a difference. I’ve used LinkedIn to assemble my standout team who help put together this newsletter, my national radio show, our podcast and everything else we do.

LinkedIn’s advanced tools make the hiring process smoother than ever. They even help you put together the ideal job description so you can focus on what matters — growing your business.

☁️ Back it up, or risk losing it: Keep your family photos and important tax documents safe in the cloud, safe from fire, theft, floods and thieves. Total Drive has your back, and so do I. Just $18 for 10 TB is a no-brainer.* 

⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Shopping online and the price looks weird? Type camelcamelcamel.com and paste the Amazon URL. It shows the full price history.

🤖 Ask for up-to-date answers: ChatGPT can sometimes give outdated info, especially on recent events. Try saying, “Can you search the web and verify with 2025 sources?” If it does, you’ll usually get clickable links. PSA: Double-check the sources, too. If a website looks unfamiliar, give it a quick Google to make sure it’s legit.

Clean up your Chrome bookmarks: If your favorites bar is filling up, save space by removing the bookmark name. Right-click a bookmark, select Edit, delete the Name and hit Save. You’ll still see the icon. FYI: If you have multiple links to the same site, they’ll all look the same now. Just rename them.

🚐 Hitting the road? Try Sēkr, a travel planner made for road trippers seeking a great van life destination. You’ll find scenic routes and reviews for campsites off the beaten path. Plus, there are even van life events to meet fellow travelers.

🛍️ Prime perks for Gen Z: If you’re 18-24 or know someone who is, Prime for Young Adults is a deal. Get all the Prime benefits with a $0 trial for six months, then it’s 50% off. For a limited time, earn 5% cash back on faves like beauty, tech and personal care. During Prime Day next week, that jumps to 10%. Don’t miss out.

Turns out the latest psych-rock obsession, The Velvet Sundown, is about as real as your third grade imaginary dragon band. The weird part? The AI group has 474,000 monthly fans swaying to digital ghost tunes.

Their biggest hit? “Dust in the Wind.” Give them (it?) a listen here. Maybe there’s hope for a “Kim Komando’s Top 10 Christmas Songs” digital release yet. Actually, I wrote a song about a sandwich. Well, it’s more of a wrap really.

Answer: D) Garage door openers. Early garage door openers used the exact same frequency as some TV remotes, which led to a few unexpected mash-ups. Yes, there were reports of neighbors accidentally opening each other’s garages or changing their channel when they pulled in.

🚪 Speaking of … Someone broke into my garage and stole my limbo stick. I mean, how low can you go? (I heard that groan!)

This is the #1 tech newsletter in the United States. Tomorrow, I’m talking about a place you might be owed more than you think: the airport.

Spoiler: Delays could mean $$$. Lost luggage? Refunds. I’m giving you tech-powered tricks to get what the airlines won’t volunteer, don’t miss it!

Look at you. You’re smarter already, just for reading this! 💡 — Kim

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