Hello to another wonderful Wednesday, friend. It’s National Dictionary Day, and that calls for some word-nerd trivia. Which of these tech terms is not found in the Oxford English Dictionary? Is it … A.) “Al desko,” B.) “Screenager,” C.) “Egosurf” or D.) “Cloudophile?” Say your answer out loud, and see if you’re right at the end!

📨 I send at least 15 million emails every month. That’s how I know firsthand that Big Tech’s algorithms directly impact what you see (and what you don’t) in your inbox, search results, ads and more. Today, I’m sharing my favorite email option built with you and your privacy in mind. Let’s do this! — Kim

Pig-butchering scams are getting more sophisticated — and more costly — by the day. One report found criminals have swindled an estimated $75 billion from victims. And just recently, a criminal organization in Asia was taken down, adding another $46 million to that tally.

I’m sad to say I’ve talked to lots of pig-butchering victims. One guy called my show because a woman DMed him on Facebook about a crypto investment. He gave her money and did not want to believe me when I told him he was being set up for “slaughter.”

No surprise, AI is making these crimes a lot easier to pull off. I’ve got the scoop on the latest tricks so you don’t fall for them.

The missing link

Pig-butchering scams rely on a formula. It starts all lovey-dovey with promises of quick riches over the course of months to “fatten you up.” Then, once they have your trust, they send you to “slaughter” with a crypto or other financial scam.

In the past, these scammers would say no to video chats so you didn’t know your new “girlfriend” or mysterious financial advisor is really a network of clever criminals. Now, they have deepfake software good enough to face-swap in real time. With just a click, the person on the other end of your video chat can change their appearance and "prove" they’re who they claim they are.

These scams, though, won’t work without a strong internet connection. That’s hard to come by in many of the countries where pig-butchering schemes originate. To solve that problem, crooks are buying Starlink satellite dishes.

The U.N. reports 80 Starlink satellite units were seized in Southeast Asia between April and June of this year. Thai police rounded up 58 devices in June alone. In another bust, law enforcement picked up 10 Starlink satellites and almost 5,000 preregistered SIM cards. Wow.

The chop shop

Pig-butchering schemes come in many shapes and sizes. Here are three wild stories that paint a picture of what to look for.

🔗 Linking up: A 70-year-old Colorado man met a young woman on LinkedIn. When he told “Nicole” he was dreaming of a trip to Scotland, she directed him to a crypto-trading website. Before long, he’d invested his retirement money and taken out a second mortgage on his home.

The website showed he’d more than doubled his money, but he couldn't make any withdrawals and received a warning his account was "flagged for illegal activity." In the end, he lost his life savings … to the tune of half a million dollars.

🙈 Love is blind: A software developer from Santa Monica spent over two months chatting with “Jenny” on a dating app. Eventually, Jenny shared an investment opportunity. What started as $1,000 in cryptocurrency snowballed into a staggering $740,000 down the drain. A friend intervened before the developer lost his house.

🛢️ Absolutely despicable: An Illinois widow met an oil rig worker online. They made their “relationship” official, despite not meeting in person, and he began requesting money. The first time, it was $20,000 to repair a rig. Then, he asked for another $35,000. The requests continued, and eventually, Erika sent him over $1 million.

The man Erika loved left her with a home equity loan, taxes on withdrawn retirement investments and $400 to her name.

You see the through line in these stories, right? The criminal preys on someone’s trust to get to their wallet. You’d better believe kindhearted folks are the biggest targets.

✅ Friend, I don’t share these stories to freak you out. I don’t want you to fall for this stuff! I’ve seen it happen too many times. Now, hit my site for six simple steps to avoid becoming a victim.

🍁 I’m so ready. Cozy mode, engage!

• Soft fleece blankets (44% off) that are way bigger than normal throws for max comfort.
• I like to mix flameless candles like these votives ($13 for a dozen) with real ones. That way, if the real candles burn out, you’re not left sitting in the dark.
• Replace your crusty, old Crock-Pot with a shiny, new one for 40% off right now.
• Gals, if you can’t bring yourself to spend big money on UGGs, this pair of lookalikes is only $40 …
• Dry winter air is no bueno. I sleep with a humidifier in my room.

Americans are banned from using antivirus software Kaspersky: Why? Because of its ties to Putin and the Kremlin. If you’re using Kaspersky, you need to remove it. My antivirus pick is TotalAV. It works continuously in the background on all your devices. Deal for you: Just $19 for your first year of award-winning protection.

🚨 Bad apples? More like bad apps: In just one year, more than 200 malware-infected apps in the Google Play Store racked up millions of downloads. Many were disguised as tools or photography, personalization, productivity or lifestyle apps. Before you download an app, always check its reviews and beware of suspicious permissions, like a photo app asking for access to your messages.

Three words that scream “text scam”: "Would you kindly." It’s not a common phrase in the U.S., so it’s a tip-off you’re dealing with someone from afar. “Kindly settle your balance” is another. One more: A random number texting “Hi, how are you?” isn’t a sign from the universe; it’s a scammer trying to get you to reply so they can steal from you someday.

He’s got big dreams … and nuts: The Optimus robots at Tesla’s big event last week aren’t as advanced as Elon wants you to think. A bunch of attendees posted videos asking the bots if they were human. One hesitantly replied, “Today, I am assisted by a human.” They all have different voices, too. At $20,000 to $30,000 a pop, the final product had better be fully automated. I’d like mine to sound like Sean Connery. Hit the podcast link below to hear more about this one. Spoiler: I laughed so hard, my eyes were watering.

If police try to get you to unlock your smartphone: Say no. Under the Fourth Amendment, they need a warrant to search it. Once they’re in, they can access your private info and, theoretically, use it to pressure you into a confession. That’s where the Fifth Amendment comes in: The government can’t force self-incrimination. It pays to know your rights.

$15 million settlement: Cash App might owe you $2,500. You qualify if someone accessed your personal info or account without consent, there were unauthorized withdrawals or transfers, or there was an issue with how Cash App handled your account error. Submit your claim online by Nov. 18, 2024.

🕵🏼 Both sides are hiding AirTags on political signs: It’s to stop (and catch) thieves. Michigan detectives used one to track 72 stolen campaign signs … and then, they spent hours searching the wrong house. It wasn’t until they brought in the AirTag owner for a more precise location that they realized the signs were at a neighbor’s house, clearly visible through a window. People ...

🔞 OnlyScams: The sexy gal on OnlyFans might just be some dude in another country. To keep up with the huge volume of texts, agencies hire low-paid “chatters” (or even AI) to create the illusion of personal interaction. Cue the class-action lawsuit seeking billions in damages and pushing OnlyFans to be more transparent about who’s really on the other end. Think about those sexy pants.

Tired of Big Tech tracking your every move? Try StartMail, a secure email inbox that puts your privacy first.

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Don't let Big Tech invade your privacy any longer. Your email deserves the best protection.

🔥 Get “50 Smart Ways to Use AI” for FREE! All you need to do is 1.) Copy your unique referral link from the bottom of this newsletter; 2.) Share your link on social media, in an email or in a text; and 3.) Kick back and relax! When someone uses your link to sign up for The Current, I'll send my new e‑book to your email address. Hurry, this is a limited-time offer!

No more passwords, please: Passkeys are becoming the new standard for Windows 11 security. Instead of typing in a password, you’ll confirm it’s you using another trusted device, like your phone, that has access to your biometric data. Fast, easy and less hackable. I’m in.

Get back on the road: If you've got an iPhone 14 or newer, you can get roadside assistance via satellite if you're out of cell range. From Settings, tap Satellite, and follow the instructions to get connected. Choose Roadside Assistance. Wham, bam.

📸 Go, go, Android camera: This works on many Android smartphone models, including the Google Pixel and Samsung Galaxy. Double-tap the power button to launch the camera, then use either the volume-up or volume-down button to take a snap. Easy!

Watch this: Safari on macOS has a cool picture-in-picture mode you can use to watch videos while browsing the web. To launch it, right-click twice on a video and choose Enter Picture-in-Picture. Hold down Cmd, then click and drag the video frame where you want it.

Jan, I’m so thrilled to help you, and thank you for letting us know. Guide here if you need it, too.

The answer: D.) “Cloudophile.” I made that one up. "Al desko" is eating at your desk when there’s no time for a break. "Screenager" is a young person who’s particularly adept with tech (and spends a lot of time on their screens). "Egosurf" is searching for your own name on the internet to see what’s floating around.

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, no scummy data collection. Best of all, save 50% with my link. Check it out right now while you’re thinking about it.

🚂 Be sure to use your unique referral code below to get my free e‑book and jump-start how you use ChatGPT. I appreciate you being here, friend. See you back aboard this tech train tomorrow, where my know-how motives can help keep you on track! — Kim