Good morning to you on this Wednesday, friend! We all know Amazon as a super-successful conglomerate, but in 2001, it was on the brink of shutting down. CEO Jeff Bezos met Costco founder Jim Sinegal, who shared a secret with him: “Value trumps everything.” Bezos took that advice, rolling out a paid membership plan for Amazon to give his company its first profitable year. Hot dog! I strive to pack as much value as possible into every issue of this newsletter, and with its 98% positive rating, I couldn’t be prouder!

🤸 Don't let your email provider decide what you see. Reply to this email now and leave me a comment, too. It tells the algorithms you want my content, keeping Big Tech from shoving me in your promotions or junk folders. Make your inbox your choice! Thank you so much. — Kim

🆕 Kim Komando Today: Using ChatGPT to fight and win

⏱️ Daily Tech Update: Why you need an outdoor TV antenna

💡 Digital Life Hack: 3 reasons your internet is slow

The data broker industry is worth almost $400 billion. Whether it's your Google Search history, movies you’ve streamed or a summary of your last doctor’s visit, they’re keeping tabs on your life.

Feel violated? You should. These brokers even sell your data to scammers so they can use it to target you. No wonder most people get overloaded with spam texts and calls every day.

You could spend the rest of your life trying to remove your data, but I found the best way to handle that for me. More on that below.

What data is collected?

It’s way beyond where you live and what you do. They track:

• 🏡 Personal data: Your name, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses are all up for grabs.
• 💲 Financial data: Think credit scores, purchase histories and your mortgage details.
• ❤️‍🩹 Health data: This can include your prescription records and even health conditions.
• 💻 Behavioral data: This covers your browsing history, social media activity and app usage.
• 📍 Location data: Your GPS coordinates and frequently visited places are no secret.
• 🏢 Employment data: Your current and former job titles, salary levels and employment history are all collected, too.

They compile this info into an incredibly detailed profile about you. It’s like they know your wants and needs before you do. Some of the info comes from data breaches and leaks. There’s been no shortage of those.

2024 (dis)honorable mentions

• A database of over 180 million emails went up for sale on the Dark Web.
• A hack leaked 170 million people’s info, including Social Security numbers.
• A breach at Cisco exposed customers of major banks and phone companies like AT&T, T‑Mobile, Verizon, Barclays and Bank of America.

Why are breaches so dangerous?

It’s all about the ripple effect. We’re talking:

• Identity theft: Criminals buy sensitive info to commit fraud.
• Stalking and harassment: Access to your addresses and phone numbers makes it simple for them to get to you.
• Financial loss: Data brokers make credit card fraud and phishing scams so much easier.
• Invasion of privacy: You lose control over how your data is used or who accesses it.

It’s a matter of when your info gets leaked, not if — unless you take action, like I did.

Here’s your best solution

I started using Incogni before they became a sponsor, back when I couldn’t scrub all my personal info off the web by myself. Here’s how they’ve helped me:

• Automated data removal: After I set up an account, Incogni got to work, contacting data brokers to ask them to remove my info. Over 600 sites and companies no longer have my personal data.
• Continuous monitoring: Incogni keeps my data out of these databases over time so these creeps can’t just add me back.
• Timesaving: I wasted over 40 hours trying to opt out of everything, and most of my requests were ignored. Incogni keeps going until it’s done.

They can help remove your data from hundreds of data brokers, too. I’m proud to say I have no more spam phone calls or texts annoying me.

✅ Don’t let data brokers make a fortune off your personal information. Take back control of your privacy with Incogni. Use my link for an exclusive offer: 60% off. Incogni also comes with a money-back guarantee if you’re not completely satisfied.

🎧 Free (malware) to a good home: Cybercriminals are slipping malware into podcasts. They’re targeting podcast-hosting services, inserting links to pirated software and game cheats in episode descriptions and playlists. The links bypass Spotify’s filters and get a nice little boost in search engine rankings. Say it with me: Don’t click on random links, especially for “free” software.

Major lawsuit incoming: A student at a private school in Pennsylvania made AI-generated naked pics of 50 female classmates. It took nearly a year to arrest the creep. Jeez, almost a year … The head of the school and the board’s president resigned. They should’ve been fired.

Kyiv’s cheap drones: Ukraine’s suppliers are ramping up production of super-cheap computer-guided drones. Startup Vyriy’s under-$50 models hop between frequencies and use a digital video link (paywall link). Others let one person control a swarm of drones at once. I hope this war doesn’t drone on for much longer.

🚦 Cop-out behavior: Two Missouri police officers got busted using traffic stops as a way to see naked pics of women. One former officer reportedly searched 20 different phones last year. He told the victims he was looking at their phones for insurance info, then, if he found racy pics on their devices, he snapped photos of them with his own phone. He and another trooper pleaded not guilty.

Shop smarter: Try this Google Lens upgrade next time you’re shopping at a store. On Android or iOS, open the Google app, snap a picture of an item on the shelf, and voila! You’ll see product details, customer reviews, stock and price comparisons (online and nearby), and similar products in the same store. Fun times!

Coming soon to Microsoft Teams: Real-time AI-powered translation to communicate in other languages. It even simulates your voice. Expect the initial version with support for up to nine languages early next year. Bonus: Soon, Teams will recap visual content (like PowerPoint slides) shared on-screen during a meeting. Thank goodness … I hate presentations.

🚨 Black Friday alert: Chinese scammers are imitating big brands like L.L. Bean and Ikea with “deals” up to 80% off. They use tracking pixels in Meta and TikTok to detect your location and translate the site so it looks legit. Don't fall for too-good-to-be-true offers, and shop on official sites only!

🤖 Kim’s new BFF: Nope, not me Kim — the other Kim K.! Kim Kardashian’s showing off her new butt Tesla robot on X and Instagram. In one clip, she makes half of a heart with her hand and the bot completes it. In another, she teaches it to blow a kiss and tries the game Rock, Paper, Scissors. Optimus goes into full production by 2026 for $20,000 to $30,000 a pop. I wonder if this Kim K. can get a freebie …

🤑 Because who doesn’t love lots of bang for the buck?

• The first aid kit they’ll actually use. Slip one into every stocking. Hopefully, they’ll never have to use it.
• Pimple patches are all the rage. These look like little stars and come with a mirror compact. The teen in your life wants this but is embarrassed to tell you.
• A suction phone case mount (under $15!) sticks to walls and mirrors for prime picture-taking. Get it for the butterfingers in your life!
• Two words: Jar openers. They’re under $10 and so helpful, it doesn’t even matter they’re a little boring.
• Cooks can never have enough stovetop spoon rests (under $15 and 30% off!). This one looks like a little crab. It made me LOL!

Anyone can be a math whiz: iPhone’s new Math Notes tool is neat. Open the Calculator app, tap the calculator icon (bottom right corner) and choose Math Notes from the dropdown menu. Say you’re traveling overseas and need to convert the temperature. Write 30 Celsius = and it’ll autofill the Fahrenheit temp for you. This tool works with anything math‑related!

🛑 Stop phone theft: Android’s new Theft Protection feature keeps your data safe if someone grabs your phone and runs off with it. Go to Settings > Google > All services > Theft protection and toggle Turn on to enable the change. You’ll get this feature if your phone’s running on Android 10 or later.

📝 Spellcheck your ALL CAPS: By default, Microsoft Office programs and Outlook don’t spellcheck words written in all caps, so your BIG TITLES might be full of typos. To fix this in Office apps, go to File > Options > Proofing and uncheck Ignore words in UPPERCASE. For Outlook, go to File > Options > Mail > Editor Options > Proofing and uncheck Ignore words in UPPERCASE.

Is your uncle always posting? Snooze him on Facebook so his posts won’t show up on your News Feed. Click the three-dot icon (top left corner) on one of his posts and select Snooze [friend] for 30 days. Don’t worry, you can still pick Unfollow [friend] for a more permanent solution.

You deserve privacy: If you’re fed up with Big Tech, look into StartMail.* It’s a privacy-focused email provider that puts you first — no ads, no tracking and no scummy data collection. Best of all, you can save 60% with my link.

Only you can prevent garbage fires: Batteries, especially lithium-ion and nickel-cadmium types, should be taken to a hazardous waste collection center, not tossed in the trash. Search online for your city or town’s name plus the term “electronics disposal.” Or use this handy site.

Google tracks our locations. From there, their algorithms can predict the best time for you to get gas, head to the airport, buy coffee — whatever. It’s super interesting. See the full list here.

One more comeback story to share: In the ‘70s, FedEx had just $5,000 left in the bank. Founder Frederick W. Smith was desperate to meet payroll, so he took a literal gamble; he ran to a Las Vegas casino and turned $5,000 into $32,000 playing blackjack. That win gave FedEx the lifeline it needed to stay afloat. I’ll tell you one thing — Freddie had big cojones!

😂 Did you hear the news? FedEx and UPS are merging. They’re going to go by FedUp from now on.

On that happy note, I’m outta here. Thanks for letting me in your inbox. It’s an honor. See you right back here tomorrow! — Kim