Happy Friday the 13th, friend! Let’s kick things off with a little trick to terrify a Gen Zer instantly. Text them two simple words: “Call me.” Suddenly, they’re imagining the worst possible emergency, so always include a smiley face to calm them down.

🎸 Speaking of … Watch out for this scam phone call: “You’ve won $1,000 or tickets to an Elvis Presley tribute concert. Press ‘1’ for the money or ‘2’ for the show.”

Are you ghosting me? Don’t miss out on the security alerts, tips and fun I post on social media. If you’re not following me already, hit these links for Instagram, X, YouTube and Facebook, and say, “I go Komando!” 🙈 Now, let’s do this! — Kim

I’ll bet your insurance company has sent this one your way: “Drive safely, get rewarded. Sign up for our smart driving program today!” You’ve got a squeaky clean driving record, so what’s the harm?

Smart driving programs track your driving habits and give you discounts for being a good driver. But there’s more to it than just saving a few bucks. Buckle up — I’ll break it down for you.

Know what’s being tracked

These programs monitor your driving habits using an app on your phone or a small gadget installed in your car. That data is combined with other factors, like your age, ZIP code and driving history, to calculate a score.

If the score is good enough, you might get a discount — think anywhere from 10% to 30% off your premium. Pretty sweet, right? But the discount comes with hidden costs.

They watch your every move

State Farm dings you if you go 8 miles per hour over the speed limit. So what happens if you floor it to avoid an accident?

GEICO and Allstate both tell you to avoid late-night driving since it’s the riskiest time for fatal crashes. But what if you work late or your kid has soccer practice that finishes after dark?

Ask your insurance company exactly what data they collect and how it’s used. Look for details on:

• Speed, braking and acceleration habits
• Late-night driving penalties
• Phone usage tracking

Maybe more importantly, what happens to your driving data after it’s collected? Does your insurance company share it with third parties or use it for marketing? Can it be sold or handed over in legal situations? Review those details before you agree to anything.

Your data could work against you

App-based programs track if you’re using your phone while driving. State Farm, Allstate, GEICO, Progressive and Travelers all monitor phone distractions. You should never text while driving, but it’s not as simple as that.

Say your phone screen turns on in your pocket or detects any movement. Boom, you’re marked for distracted driving. There are a few ways to avoid accidental “dings.”

• Keep your phone secured. Stick it in a compartment or use a phone mount. This is a solid option under $10.
• Turn off notifications or enable Do Not Disturb while driving.

You might pay more

Some companies, like GEICO and State Farm, may raise your rates if they flag your driving as “risky,” and Allstate could hike your premiums for bad habits they spot over time. The catch? They don’t spell out how each behavior impacts your rates.

Read the fine print: How long are you locked in? Ask if your data can still be used to raise rates later, even after you leave the program.

There are other ways to save

If handing over your driving data feels too invasive, consider a different way to trim your insurance bill:

1. Bundle up. Combine your home or renters insurance and your auto insurance with the same company to save.
2. Ask about options. Look for pay-per-mile plans if you don’t travel far. Defensive driving courses can shave 5% to 20% off your premium, too.
3. Shop around. Compare rates annually to see if you’re still getting the best deal. Tools like Progressive’s AutoQuote Explorer and Policygenius cut out some of the legwork.

🚘 Did you hear about a new university program for used car salespeople? It’s a B.S. in Car‑deal‑ology. (Admit it, you laughed.)

🎁 These are way more memorable than a gift card or Robux.

• If you ever need space from your little ones, turn on a star projector (30% off, $35). They’ll be over the moon. 🌝
• An LCD doodle tablet ($20) is basically a fancier, way cooler Etch‑A‑Sketch. Click the box for 10% off!
• A slime kit ($9) is the perfect gift for a fidgety kid (or adult — I don’t judge).
• I used to love these rubber band bracelet kits (18% off). I’m so glad they’re still around.
• Minecraft Legos — need I say more?
• This DIY kit ($10) keeps ‘em busy making cute mini donuts.
• Kinetic sand ($14) is so much fun. Bonus: It’s way easy to clean up.
• Indisputable fact: Every girl wants pink hair at some point in her life. This temporary hair chalk ($15) even works on dark hair.
• A bath bomb potion kit ($20) is basically a bathtub science lab.

The state of our country: Scumbags are selling merch glorifying the UnitedHealthcare CEO killer. Amazon had the decency to pull “Deny Defend Depose” shirts, but they’re still on eBay, apparently because they don’t break any rules. Really? Trolls review-bombed the McDonald’s where the guy was caught, too, calling workers rats and snitches. What is wrong with people?

Not a joke: Two teenage boys in Pennsylvania thought it’d be fun to grab nearly 350 videos and photos of their female classmates from social media, use AI to make the girls appear naked, and then spread the pics around. They’re now facing 59 child porn charges. This is just getting worse.

💿 Let it go: LG is done making Blu-ray players, joining the likes of Samsung and Sony. Some Blu-ray player models are still available until they sell out. If you want a soon-to-be artifact, get moving.

🏴‍☠️ Yarr, the booty: Bitcoin millionaire Jon Collins-Black set up a real-life treasure hunt to promote his new book, “There’s Treasure Inside.” He buried five treasure chests worth over $2 million across the country. They’re filled with actual treasure, too — items owned by Pablo Picasso and George Washington, shipwreck bounty, gold, and rare Pokémon cards. Such a great marketing idea!

Look at these numbers! General Motors is calling it quits on its Cruise robo-taxi project. All told, they invested $10 billion in self-driving tech, including $3.48 billion in 2023. Btw, GM was recently fined $500,000 for lying to feds about a crash that happened last year … one of the many reasons I still won’t ride in a robo‑taxi.

📱 Update your iPhone now: Apple iOS 18.2, the update that superpowers Siri with AI, also fixes 21 security issues. That includes a major flaw in Apple’s Passwords app. Still on iOS 17? There’s a fix for you, too. Go to Settings > General > Software Update.

Microsoft’s very bad advice: Some 240 million active PCs are too old to update to Windows 11. After years of telling us otherwise, Microsoft now says you can go ahead and update your incompatible PC. The big disclaimer: Your computer might not get every security patch and update, so it’s not worth the risk.

What’s next for “Yellowstone”: I’m bummed about the series finale of the mega-hit “Yellowstone” this Sunday, but it’s not the end of the Duttons’ story. Beth Dutton and Rip Wheeler will be back for a new spinoff. Every girl needs a Rip in her jeans, just sayin’.

When I started my business, I lived off my credit cards and even had a car repoed. That’s such a bad feeling. If you’ve been there, you know. That’s why I went looking for a service that can help. I wish PDS Debt was around when I couldn’t pay my bills.

• PDS Debt offers personalized plans for anyone struggling with debt from credit cards, personal loans, collections or medical bills.
• Everyone with $10,000 or more in eligible debt qualifies and there’s no minimum credit score required.
• Bad and fair credit are accepted.
• PDS Debt has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. I checked!

If you’re making payments every month on your debt and your balances aren’t going down, do something about it. The first step only takes 30 seconds.

#BigChange for Instagram: As of today, you can no longer follow a hashtag (e.g., #healthycooking). Instagram pulled the plug, saying its hashtags are a mess of spam, bots and irrelevant posts. Try the “Explore” tab instead.

👀 For your eyes only: The holidays mean a house full of family, friends and curious little ones. With all the hustle and bustle, get into the habit of locking your computer every time you get up. On Windows, press the Windows key + L. On Mac, hit Ctrl + Cmd + Q.

Holiday shopping hack: Prices change on some websites depending on where you live. The fix is a VPN. Turn on ExpressVPN* and switch servers until you find the lowest price. Buy through there, then ship it to your home address.

What the heck is that? Use Google Lens to find out. Think of it as a smarter version of Google Image Search you can use IRL. Open the Google app on your phone (links here iPhone and Android) and tap the camera icon next to the microphone. Snap a pic and Google will search the web for matches.

📺 For your weekend binge: Check the time commitment before you let someone lure you into the extended-cut “Lord of the Rings” trilogy. Bingeclock is great for movies. Tiii.me has TV show times. Btw, 11 hours and 22 minutes for LOTR.

That’s rich: Spend Bill Gates’ Money is a funny browser game that shows you just how much $100,000,000,000 can buy. Oof, 109 Super Bowl ads, a couple of yachts and 250 McDonald’s franchises didn’t even make a dent.

The world’s longest thumb. Watch the vid to see how he scrolls!

Have an amazing weekend! I always read your lovely comments, and I know some of you are missing trivia. Don’t worry, I hear you! Did you know you can have ChatGPT play trivia with you? I even had it run through a whole “Jeopardy!” round. Pro tip: Tell it not to spill the answers right after each clue. I have no idea why it does that, but, hey, it’s still pretty fun!

😂 My friend is an EMT, and she’s amazing on trivia night. She’s usually the first responder.

Porch pirates are busy: Keep an eye on your deliveries and go to sleep each night knowing your whole home is protected with the security system I use and trust. Hit this link to save 60%* on SimpliSafe’s award-winning tech.

That’s all, folks! Be sure to use the ratings below and leave a comment, too. I read them all! See you back here tomorrow with another issue of the best tech newsletter in the USA. — Kim