Happy techno Tuesday, friend! In San Madre, California, Jason Wightman was washing the dishes when a 300-pound bear strolled into his kitchen. In the viral video, Wightman asks the bear, "Hello, are you nice?" and then, "Bear, bear, bear, be nice!" as the animal licked its lips. Jason sprayed the bear with water and followed it outside, where he saw another bear hanging out in his backyard. I’m not sure I would be so calm.

🐻 On that note, I’m trying to “bear” with the fact Big Tech keeps putting my newsletter into your junk folder. Please reply to this email with the word “bear,” and I’ll pick five people to win an official Kim Komando Show ball cap (a $25 value). You see, when you reply, it tells Big Tech’s algorithms you want my email. That would be beary nice. — Kim

How often do you buy a bunch of stuff online, planning to only keep your favorites? I shop for clothes this way, for sure — and I’m not the only one. Returns cost retailers $743 billion last year.

If you’ve ever wondered, “What happens to all those returns?” the answer is pretty darn interesting. We did the research and found the best places where you can score deals on other people’s “no, thank you” items.

Wait, how does that work?

Let’s take Amazon as an example. Any package that’s undeliverable and unclaimed for 90 days is fair game. Amazon sells unclaimed stuff right on its website. Pro tip: Some items have crazy delivery charges tacked on, so check before you get excited about a deal.

The same goes for packages from other retailers sent through the U.S. Postal Service. After 90 days, they’re sold to the highest bidder.

Like a garage sale but better

The USPS contracts with a website to auction off things postal workers can’t deliver. Go to GovDeals.com to browse everything from TVs to vehicles to kitchen appliances.

Liquidation.com hawks packages and undelivered goods from Amazon, Target, Walmart and The Home Depot. You can filter by brand or retailer.

Note: Many of these deals are for items sold in lots, like this lot with 57 pairs of Sony headphones. The current bid is just $100 — hello, side hustle! You'll see plenty of finds like this.

Feeling mysterious?

Some returned and undeliverable merch is packaged into “mystery boxes,” which are like grab bags. You don’t know precisely what you’ll get, but the idea is you’ll find a valuable item you want to keep or sell.

Sound like fun? Try Poshmark. Search for “mystery box” and you’ll find listings for returns from retailers like Walmart and Amazon, ranging in price from a few bucks to over $500. For $50, this seller will send you eight items and let you make requests from their 20,000 listings.

✅ Facebook Marketplace and eBay are solid places to check, too, but I can’t fit all the details here! Read about them on my site.

💰 Want to make money? Buying and reselling items is a smart way to do it. We put together a step-by-step guide to help you out. (It’s totally free!)

These kitchen tools and gadgets will make your life easier … and they’re all under $10. Sweet.

• Chop-chop: This onion (or lemon or egg) holder lets you slice and dice with ease. It’s 38% off now and only $9.98. Click the coupon for an extra 20% off, too.
• Just beat it: That is, your eggs, the easy way. Get this stainless-steel eggbeater for $9.99.
• So long, twist ties: These sturdy bag clips will keep your bread fresh, produce bags tied and snacks closed, at $6.99 for eight. Lifetime warranty, too!
• Hydration organization: Keep all your reusable water bottles in one place. This organizer is 17% off, at only $9.99.
• Strain in a snap: Why get out the colander if you’re keeping your pasta in the pot? Love this snap-on strainer. It’s on sale in a summery green for $7.99.

With all these deals, you could say I’m on a roll. I know, I’m sorry.

🚨 Hospital nightmare: Last month’s Ascension hospital cyberattack shut down computers for weeks, and it all started with one employee who mistakenly downloaded a malicious file. Ascension handles roughly 3 million emergency room visits and performs nearly 600,000 surgeries per year. They paid a $22 million ransom to hackers. So far, two deaths have been directly attributed to the cyberattack.

Smart TV scam alert: You log in to a streaming service and a pop-up message appears, saying there’s a problem and you need to call a number or visit a website to resolve it. The crook you talk to will ask for remote access or tell you to pay a fee. Don’t fall for it. If a service isn’t working, log into your account online or via the app to fix it.

✈️ Emotional baggage: A man at Orlando International Airport was banned from his flight after trying a TikTok “packing trick.” He stuffed a pillowcase with his belongings to dodge carry-on fees. After a heated argument with airline staff, police escorted him out. Yeah, skip that one.

Well, this is a first: Facial recognition app Clearview AI, known for scooping up photos from the web, might owe you a piece of … itself? Facing a privacy class-action lawsuit, they're strapped for cash and have agreed to a strange settlement: A 23% stake in the company, valued at $52 million, for those affected. Approval is pending. I'll keep you posted on how to claim your share if it goes through.

The damage is done: The U.S. surgeon general is asking Congress to put warning labels on social media, like those found on cigarettes. With 95% of kids using social media and more than one-third addicted, this is way too little, way too late.

🤖 Glimpse into the future: AI has replaced 52% of copywriters, but there's a new role to fill: Making content sound more human. ChatGPT and others generally sound too formal, choose odd words and invent facts. Writers, all is not lost!

Stalker alert: A North Carolina man used Snapchat’s live location feature to track down a woman in an attempted kidnapping. He found her in a parking lot and held her at gunpoint before she convinced him to let her go. The creep has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. Please, turn off location sharing in your apps.

Don’t use this word when texting: Replying with only the word “sure” in a text is now seen as sarcastic, rude or dismissive. The younger crowd expects a bit more enthusiasm in those replies. It's safe for agreeing to errands, but for invites? Try "Absolutely!" Bonus points for adding emojis. 😃 Fo shizzle!

Stop letting Big Tech decide what emails you see: StartMail* is my pick for privacy-first email. It’s super easy to switch over your contacts and mail, or you can treat it as a fresh inbox for only your VIPs. Save 60% now with my special link. Btw, I get no residuals if you buy.

Use Google Photos? Browse your pics from a computer. It’s so easy and there’s nothing to download. Just go to photos.google.com. Nice to sort and clean out junk and a lot faster than swiping on your phone.

It’s hard to remember to take your meds: If you or someone in your life is struggling, having an iPhone can help. Open the Health app > Browse > Medications > Add a Medication. From here, you can set reminders that pop up as phone notifications. You can also get this monthly pill organizer with talking alarms that has great reviews.

Wi-Fi master: Angry IP Scanner keeps track of everything connected to your network. It scans for IP addresses and other information about the devices connected. It helps troubleshoot tech issues and catch hackers or moochers since it pinpoints unknown or suspicious devices.

It’s not a typo: Your phone always gets a name or word you type wrong. Here’s a trick: When it pops up (usually in quotes) above the keyboard, tap the word. This adds it to your phone’s dictionary. Works on iPhone and most Androids!

If you haven’t so far this year … Get your free credit report. Go to AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1‑877‑FACTACT (1‑877‑322‑8228). And tell everyone you know to stop paying for this!

The only way to keep it your business do that is with a VPN. A virtual private network encrypts your data and hides your IP address, giving you an extra layer of protection from snoops, advertisers and Big Tech companies looking to profit off you.

Some VPNs slow your connection or, worse, track your internet activity and compromise your security. Not ExpressVPN. Plus, you can connect in just one click from a Windows PC, Mac, iPhone, Android, iPad, you name it.

🚨 Deal alert: Get an extra THREE months free since you subscribe to my newsletter.

My favorite Dolly quote: "If I see something saggin', baggin' or draggin', I'm gonna have it nipped, tucked or sucked!"

One more deal before we go … A couple of times a year, kitchen and cooking brand All-Clad has a major sale. Most of the items have slightly damaged packaging (who cares?) and you can get them for super cheap. Happy shopping!

🛟 Have tech troubles? Curious about the latest gadgets? Need a hand fixing something? Drop your questions in my members-only Q&A Forum, and let me and my team of tech wizards guide you! Because you’re a reader, enjoy a 30-day free trial of the Komando Community on me. After that, it's just $3.75 a month. Thank you for your support of all we do. Appreciate you! — Kim