It’s a tech-tacular Saturday, friend! As always, we kick things off with a fun fact. A few years after GIFs were invented, the PNG file (Portable Network Graphic) came along and offered a brighter image than GIFs. How do you pronounce this abbreviation? Is it one letter at a time (PEE‑en‑JEE) or like the word ping? The answer’s at the end.

🍑 Win an official Kim Komando Show fanny pack! You know fanny packs are back in style, right? You can win a super-exclusive, ultra-hip and groovy Kim Komando Show version (a $24.95 value). How? Just reply to this email with the word “Fanny.” That’s it! I’ll pick a winner on Tuesday. Good luck! — Kim

It’s beyond frustrating when your phone is blowing up with spammy, fake texts, all trying to scam and steal from you. The callers pretend to be anything from your bank to an old high school friend, usually with a clever trap included. Their texts can be so convincing!

There’s a right way and a wrong way to handle text spam, and far too many people end up making things worse instead. I don’t want you to be one of those people. Here are the answers everyone with a phone (including kiddos) needs to know.

Before we get to that, I don’t get any — as in, zero — spammy texts. I signed up for Incogni, and all that crap just stopped. Use this exclusive link to get 60% off. Incogni removed me from those privacy-stealing data-broker sites that sell your private info to anyone who flashes a little cash. More on that below.

So, where are all these spam texts coming from?

With robocalls decreasing, scammers are now relying more on texts, which shot up to over 12 billion monthly in 2023. Yep, everyone is getting more robotexts. You may be targeted because:

• Your data was breached, then compiled into a huge list sold on the dark web or through a people-search or data-broker site.
• You’re in a hacked database, like a list of homeowners or app subscribers.
• Yours is one of countless autogenerated numbers scammers took a shot on. After all, it’s not that hard to come up with a list of phone numbers.
• You downloaded malware that dug into your contacts.
• You installed an app that sold your phone number.
• You replied to a spam text (see below).

‘Should I answer a text and ask them to stop?’

No! Never reply to a spam text. That confirms your number is active and you’ll start getting even more scam texts.

‘Can I block spammy texts permanently?’

Maybe not entirely, but you can make a big difference! A couple of quick ways to stop the spam storm:

• See if your phone provider lets you forward texts to 7726 (SPAM) to auto-block them. Most do, including Verizon, T‑Mobile and AT&T.
• Look in your message app settings for a spam filter. On Android, you can find a Spam Protection feature. On iPhone, open Settings and tap Messages, then enable Filter Unknown Senders.
• There are a few more tricks to try here if you need ‘em.

This stopped spam texts for me

I’ve told you about Incogni before. They pull your info from data-broker sites that sell it to anyone willing to pay — including spammers. No joke, since I used it, my spam texts totally disappeared. I just don’t get them anymore.

Don’t just take my word for it. Here’s an email I got from Jeff in Salem, Oregon: “I signed up for Incogni, and the results so far are pretty impressive. They are working their way through 127 data brokers and are about half done. I could have never done this myself. Well worth the price.”

✅ Use this link to get 60% off when you sign up. Nope, I don’t get any residuals or kickbacks. It worked for me, and I know it will work for you. I’d love to see how many data-broker and people-search sites Incogni removes you from!

Here’s the deal. You can try Incogni for 30 days, and if you’re not completely satisfied, you can get your money back. You literally have nothing to lose.

If you know someone who might fall for spam text messages, use the share icons below so they don’t lose money on these types of scams.

Good news! Things are on sale so you can treat yourself.

• Apple’s 2nd-gen AirPods Pro earbuds are 24% off. I love mine.
• Sweet Anker wireless earbuds for under $25? Yep.
• The Pixel 8 is a super-duper Android if you need a new phone … and it’s $150 off.
• The Apple Watch 9 is the latest and greatest. The safety features are stellar for older adults.
• OK, the Kindle Paperwhite isn’t on sale, but you can get 20% off if you trade in an old e‑reader.

🛒 You see me rollin’: Instacart's side business? Smart shopping carts that flash ads on a big screen where you’d typically seat a child. Toss in kale, and boom, an ad for salad dressing pops up — because who can eat kale without it? These ad delivery and data tracking marvels are coming to a store near you.

Eye don't think so: TikTok is loaded with vids about people changing their eye color. Surgeries like keratopigmentation (lasering dye into your cornea for $12,000) and iris implants (inserting a silicone iris that’s illegal in the U.S.) are on the rise. These non-FDA-approved procedures can lead to corneal disease, cataracts or blindness. Warn your kids.

Page not found: Google is phasing out websites made with its Business Profile feature starting in March. Got a site ending in business⁠.⁠site or negocio⁠.⁠site? It’ll redirect to your Google Business Profile until June 10, then poof, gone! Try a website builder tool like Wix and Squarespace — fast.

🆘 Text 911 for discreet help: In an emergency situation where you can't talk on the phone? Start a new text, type “911” in the recipient field, add your location, and press “Send.” A dispatcher will respond via text with instructions. Keep it under 160 characters, and don’t include pics or emojis. If this feature’s unavailable in your area, you’ll receive a reply text alerting you. Def one to share with everyone you know.

These smishing scams never stop: Watch out for legitimate-looking text messages saying they’re from your state’s Department of Transportation or DMV. They’ll ask you to turn over your Social Security number and driver’s license number to fix a problem before you get pulled over by the cops. Don’t do it — they’re why I told you to check out Incogni!

Too long; won’t read: I’ve got smart shortcuts to see what you’re agreeing to next time you click “Accept” on an online privacy policy.

Binoculars that identify birds: OK, these are sweet — but $4,799? Dang!

Whoa: AI search tool Perplexity really impressed me. Give it a try and let me know what you think. Btw, there’s a free version and a paid version. Stick with free.

It never surprises me: How far lowlifes will go for money. Warn the older folks in your life about this kidnapping scam.

Oh, my achin’ wallet: Streaming prices are up, up, up. Make sure your bank account isn’t down, down, down.

Find your angle: I’m just going to say it — selfies taken from below are unflattering. For adults, shoot from eye level or, better yet, slightly above to cut out the double chin. For kids and pets, low angles at their level make super-cute pics!

Check your Netflix account: Let’s say you used the same password on Netflix as some account that got hacked. Make sure there’s no one mooching off your subscription. Open your account and look for “Sign out of all devices.” If you see any devices you know aren’t yours, change your password ASAP.

Morning news, your way: If you ask Alexa for the news, the default is an NPR briefing. You can change that. Open the Alexa app, then go to More > Settings > News. Options include ABC, Associated Press, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal and others.

📧 Dear Kim: Write that hard email in the right tone. This AI tool can transform it for you. Choose from tones like professional, emotional, to the point, easier to read, more sarcastic and lots more.

Find the hidden gems: Next time you search for deals on Facebook Marketplace, OfferUp or another site, type in the name of a brand you really like. Say I want an outdoor couch. I might search for “Restoration Hardware outdoor” instead of scrolling endlessly through junky, old stuff.

You mean snow much to me!

The answer: The pronunciation of PNG is similar to the "to‑MAY‑to” versus “to‑MAH‑to" debate for the word “tomato.” You can say each letter individually or like the word ping. But just know the inventor wanted it pronounced as ping. Btw, when you save an image as a PNG, it doesn't lose any quality, no matter how many times you open and save the file.

One for the road: My friend, Tom, was taking our picture at a dairy farm in Wisconsin when he was crushed by a giant wheel of cheese. We tried to warn him. (Ha, good one, right?)

Privacy in 2024 is complicated. It can feel nonexistent, I know, but there are ways to get yours back. That’s why I recommend Incogni and why I negotiated a 60% discount for you to try it, too. Their 30-day refund policy means you have nothing to lose. Love that.

👋 Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you back here tomorrow! You’re awesome. Hope you know that. — Kim