It’s a beautiful Saturday, friend! Let’s start with a dose of tech trivia. The world’s first website, created by Sir Tim Berners-Lee, is still online today. In what year did this website launch? Was it … 1965, 1978, 1983 or 1991? Answer’s at the very bottom of this newsletter in a new spot, so keep scrollin’!

Need a laugh? I keep calling him Kawabunga, but his name is Kitboga — and he scams the scammers. Watch our chat on YouTube. You’ll def get a kick out of it if you’ve ever been trapped on the phone with a pushy telemarketer. On to the news! — Kim

“You coming?” “You’re owed $23,060!” “Your package is stuck at the warehouse.”

I’ll give you one guess what these lines have in common. Yep, they’re scam texts — and the scariest part is these kinds of cons work.

Americans lost $2.7 billion to imposter scams last year. Think any time someone is pretending to be someone they aren’t. Texts are a common way in, especially since so many folks have stopped answering calls from unknown numbers.

Don’t let yourself become a statistic. I have a list of sure spam signs to watch for and my secret weapon for stopping spam in the first place.

They have a lot of ways to fool you

It’s no wonder scam texts are so popular. The FTC says text open rates are as high as 98% (compare that to just 20% for email). Dang. Here are a few scammy messages police, government agencies and news outlets are warning about right now:

• “Beautiful weekend coming up. Wanna go out? Sophie gave me your number.” They’re hoping your curiosity will get you to click an included link. Don’t.
• “Click to pay your toll road fee.” Oh, shoot, a bill? Yeah, it’s not.
• “We received your payment. Here’s a thank you gift.” Scammers pretend to be providers like your cell company. Ignore this junk.

A hard and fast rule

Never reply to a spam text. That confirms your number is active and you’ll start getting even more scammers hitting you up. And don’t try replying “STOP,” “NO” or anything else, even if that works on legitimate subscriptions. It’s not worth the risk.

Spam texts stopped coming to my phone …

… After I signed up for Incogni. They find all the people-search and data broker sites where your info is listed, then they submit requests to remove you. It all happens automatically after you set up your Incogni account.

I regularly get emails from Incogni about its progress. They’ve submitted the removal of my info from 450 sites so far. I had no idea it was spread across so many data brokers. Even better, they make sure my info stays off these sites for the long haul. If you go the DIY route, be prepared to keep fighting the same fight.

✅ Right now, while you’re thinking about it, let Incogni do the work for you. You really can remove yourself from the internet. I negotiated a deal on Incogni just for you: 60% off. Stop waiting and take back your privacy. I love not getting spam texts and calls, and you will, too.

Mother’s Day is around the corner. Today, I’ve hand-selected some gifts for the mom who loves relaxation, meditation and treating herself — or the mom who never makes time for it!

• A mulberry silk pillowcase will keep her hair shiny and skin crease-free, plus it feels great (15% off!).
• These glam and fuzzy no-slip house slippers are 47% off. Dang!
• Most heating pads look clinical, but this plush plug-in model is printed with daisies.
• Daily meditation cards, with prompts for mantras and breathing techniques. They’re 36% off.
• This ceramic essential oil diffuser doubles as cozy mood lighting, and it’s 23% off ($22.99). Add a high-quality essential oil blend like Plant Therapy’s Blissful Dreams ($13.99).

🌐 Net neutrality's back: The FCC voted to restore net neutrality, saying ISPs can't speed up, slow down or block access to specific sites or services. The FCC also wants to stop ISPs from selling customers’ personal info or using this info to train AI models. Now, the pros and cons of net neutrality are a 20-minute lecture starting with: Do we really want to open the door to government interference and regulation of private enterprise? Drop me a note here if you want to talk about net neutrality or another burning tech topic.

🚨 Heads-up: Hackers are using Google ads for "Facebook⁠.⁠com" to steal login details. Click one of the ads, and you'll be redirected to a dodgy site filled with malicious pop-ups. Remember, anyone can buy Google ads. Don’t search to get to a site; if you know the URL (and we all know Facebook’s URL), just type it in.

Am I a robot? CAPTCHA tests are getting tougher. Gone are the good ol' days of scrambled letters and clicking crosswalks. Now, companies are outsmarting bots by making you move a puzzle piece or pick out the "nonaquatic animal." Bots can’t do that … yet.

Side hustle: An Airbnb host got the shock of his life when his guests used 15,000 gallons of water during their stay. Why? They were running a full-blown laundry business from his property. The water bill was around $375 … They paid about $1,000 for their weeklong stay.

✈️ About time: Soon, airlines will have to refund you in cash or directly to your original payment method if they cancel or delay your flight. Same goes for if you paid for checked bags or in-flight Wi‑Fi. These rules will roll out over the next six to 12 months.

Tech on a budget: You don’t have to spend $200 or more for high-quality earbuds. Raycons have studio-quality sound and a whopping 32 hours of battery life, and they fit comfortably in every ear with precise fittings. Grab ‘em for 20% off (and free shipping!) at BuyRaycon.com/kim.*

Science says counting sheep doesn’t work. My secret weapon: Sleep podcasts. Works like a charm every time.

No snooping. The more crooks know about the layout of your house, the easier it is for them to break in. Here’s how to remove pics from real estate sites.

2024 smarts: Did AI or a person write that? Here’s how to spot the bot.

Using Temu? The “deals” aren’t worth it. Yes, I still have folks asking me about it!

On the road again: If you’re living that RV life, here’s how to get Wi‑Fi.

So long, farewell: Anyone who upgraded to Windows 11 on an old PC that technically doesn’t meet the latest operating system requirements is out of luck. Folks are reporting their tech dinos are stuck in a reboot loop. If you’re in the market, our IT genius, John, recommends this solid PC for under $650 that’ll last for years. If you edit video or need more power, here’s his pick for well under $1,000.

Waiting game: The wired model of Google’s Nest Doorbell is glitchy. After lots of complaints, it’s finally getting a fix. No confirmation on when, but it’s still good to know, in case you were considering replacing yours.

Boost your Mac: Widgets put reminders, appointments, birthdays, the weather, top headlines, notes and more right on your desktop. Scroll to the bottom of the Notification Center and click Edit Widgets. Click the add button in the corner of any widget, and drag it around to reorder.

Goop, begone: 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. Gross, I know.

Shopping sites don’t want me to tell you this: Prices change on some online retailer websites depending on where you live. Use the VPN I use, ExpressVPN,* and switch servers until you find the lowest price. Buy through there, then ship it to your home address.

This was me last weekend.

👀 The answer: The world's first website launched in 1991 to give details about the “World Wide Web Project.” It looks pretty darn boring, but it’s still online here.

Take control of your online life. Start by wiping out all the info about you on data broker and people-search sites with Incogni. Go to PrivacyKim.com to stop the spam. I did! See you back here tomorrow with jobs of the past, jobs of the future and jobs of today that are — poof! — simply disappearing. — Kim