Welcome to the start of a wonderful week! Monday’s here, friend. Yesterday, an Amazon driver arrived at my gate with a big smile, wished me a merry Christmas, and even offered to carry a 50-pound bag of dog food to my front door. Afterward, I said, “Alexa, thank my driver,” and Amazon tipped him $5 straight from their wallet, not mine! The first 2 million thank you’s come with a $5 tip for the driver. After that, they’ll still get the gratitude — just no cash. The next time an Amazon driver goes above and beyond, give it a try! 🙌

🚀 Share the know-how. When you see icons for Facebook, X, LinkedIn and email, click one to share it instantly with coworkers, family and friends. Now, get ready to blast off into the latest and greatest in tech. — Kim

I got this note the other day from Mike S. (Hi, Mike! 👋): “Next time you talk about Incogni, maybe you can do a deep dive?”

Mike, you’re not the only reader who’s asked for a more in-depth look at how Incogni works and why I chose it to wipe my info from data broker sites. I picked this service before they became a sponsor. So, without further ado …

It all started with a conversation

My son, Ian, asked me where I used to live in Los Angeles. A few minutes later, he found the address — available free for anyone and everyone on a people-search site. I was shocked to see my date of birth listed, too, along with links to all my relatives, my mother’s landline number, her cellphone number and my own cellphone number.

An estimated 4,000 companies and sites collect personal info, and they make it extremely hard to get your data removed. Why? Because they make a big profit by selling it.

It’s more than your name, address and phone number

Data brokers track and sell details to marketing companies, scammers, thieves and insurance companies. This includes your email addresses, social media accounts, employment history, education, car ownership, court records, shopping habits, political affiliations and even medical conditions. They paint a frighteningly complete picture of your life — and it’s one you never agreed to share.

Data breaches and leaks put everything from your banking info to your Social Security number on the internet and the Dark Web. Search for your name online, and you’ll find yourself listed all over the place.

I went on a mission to delete as much as I could

My first stop: Data broker sites. Here’s a quick look at how to remove yourself:

• Scour the internet for your data. You’ll need to dig through countless people-search sites that bury your personal information on hard-to-find pages.
• Navigate the tedious removal process for each site. Every data broker and people-search site has its own convoluted removal process. Some require proof of identity, notarized documents or snail-mailing forms. Others outright ignore your requests, forcing you to start all over again.
• Meticulously track your removal efforts. Keep a log of every site, submission date and response (or lack thereof). Miss a step, and your data might stay visible or reappear without warning.
• Constantly monitor your online presence. You’ll need to regularly revisit every site you’ve requested your info be removed from, because your data often reappears.

Now, I spent 36 hours trying to do all this myself, and I finally gave up when I realized I wasn’t making any real progress. That’s when I researched services to do this for me.

I tried several but ultimately picked Incogni because it offered the biggest bang for the buck and worked the best. The company finds and automatically pulls your info from data-broker companies and sites that sell it to anyone willing to pay.

How Incogni’s data-broker removal service works

• Sign up and create an account. (Heads-up: This link gets you a year of Incogni’s privacy protection for 60% off.)
• You’ll need to give your full name, email address, home address, phone number and birth date. Sites require this info to remove your data. You’ll also grant Incogni permission to reach out on your behalf.
• After you finish the setup process, you see your dashboard. It lists sites you’ve been removed from, along with pending requests.

Incogni has saved me 735 hours and 45 minutes. I’m out of 981 sites and on 40 suppression lists. (Can you tell I absolutely stand behind what Incogni does?) I have a lot more to say about them, but there’s just not enough room here.

✅ Hit my site for more important things you should know before you use Incogni, plus a full pricing breakdown.

Ready to jump in? Try Incogni for 30 days. If you’re not completely satisfied, you’ll get your money back. Use this link to get 60% off an annual plan. I don’t get any kickbacks; I’m just glad you can stay safe and protect your privacy with the service I use and recommend!

🏠 Housing scam spreading: Criminals are using AI to impersonate real estate agents and lenders in home sales. Chatbots create emails with no grammatical errors and a conversational tone that mimics professionals. Just ask Raegan Bartlo (paywall link) — she followed fake instructions and wired a $255,000 down payment straight to a fraudster. Verify everything.

Never trust a cable that’s not yours: Hackers are leaving ordinary-looking charging cables lying around. Find one and plug it into a computer to charge your phone, and it’ll install malware or steal your data. These cables are fully functional, too. If you’re traveling, get a USB data blocker (4-pack for $10.99; be sure to click the $2 off coupon). It acts as a protective barrier between the cable and your devices.

Geek speak: HDMI 2.2 will debut at January’s tech fest, CES 2025. The new standard promises higher resolutions, refresh rates and transmission quality. Think 8K at 120 Hz and even 10K at higher frame rates. For reference, the current HDMI 2.1b standard only supports 8K at 60 Hz.

🧬 Gene-ius: 23andMe is in freefall, and the genetic data of its 15 million customers might soon be up for grabs. Imagine insurers using your DNA to hike premiums or advertisers exploiting it for targeted ads without your consent. The kicker: It’s all legal. U.S. courts treat biological samples as corporate property, meaning companies can indeed sell them. If you haven’t already, delete your 23andMe account ASAP. Steps here.

20 years in the making: Doctors are using a new treatment called histotripsy to fight certain cancer cells. It works by sending ultrasound waves to a precise point, rupturing the cells and killing them instantly. The best part? There’s no incision required, and, unlike radiation, it doesn’t harm the surrounding tissue. The results are promising — two months after treatment, one man’s liver remains cancer‑free.

Now we’re talking! If you make YouTube videos, you’ll soon be able to earn more money. They’re rolling out an auto-dubbing tool that translates English videos into eight languages. Right now, only creators who focus on educational content can use it. The rest of us will have it in a few months. I can’t wait to try it!

😡 In corporate speak, it’s “rightsizing”: A 60-year-old GM worker was laid off after nearly four decades with the company. The shocking news came via an email sent at 5:07 a.m. last Friday as part of a global mass layoff. Stunned, he shared his story on LinkedIn, and it’s since gone viral, with one video racking up over 1.6 million views. So sad how little loyalty means to some companies.

🚨 Big news! Black plastic household items, plastic cutting boards and most nonstick pans have all been found to contain toxic substances. Let’s fix that.

• If you like a rustic look, this wooden kitchen utensil set ($44) is a smart pick.
• A stainless steel utensil set ($27) is a great heavy-duty alternative.
• For a lighter, more pan-friendly utensil set, go with silicon (7% off).
• I bet you didn’t even think about all your camping cookware! This camping kit (24% off, under $25) comes with an organizer.
• This maple cutting board ($87) is super elegant … and reversible!
• Here’s a nice bamboo cutting board set that comes with three different boards for under $20.
• A carbon steel skillet (12% off) is always a safe bet. This one’s preseasoned!
• This ceramic cookware set ($66) would look gorgeous in every kitchen. Plus, it’s 40% off right now.

It’s Kah-man-do: Tired of Siri butchering names? Just say, “Hey, Siri, that’s not how you pronounce [name].” Siri will ask for the correct pronunciation, and voila — all set. On Android, it’s a bit more complicated but totally doable.

Screenshot upgrade: Windows 11’s Snipping Tool can take data from a screenshot straight to a spreadsheet. Just take a screenshot (hold down the Windows key + Shift + S) and select Copy as table. It’ll preserve the formatting but works best one table at a time. Super sweet.

“Kim, I missed the link!” So many of you asked me to link to my password manager pick. Happy to help! I negotiated a great deal on NordPass just for you — 58% off.* It can import your passwords from any password manager you’re using, btw.

Remember when Google was good? You know, back when there were barely any ads and no AI overview. If you’re not ready to jump ship just yet, I found a website that lets you make your own Google search engine. Customize it to include websites you like (or exclude the ones you don’t), then bookmark your finished masterpiece for your future searches.

Cancel what you’re not using: I use Rocket Money,* an app that finds all your recurring subscriptions and lets you easily cancel those you no longer want. The first time I logged in, it saved me $360!

🤖 “So, uh, where do I find ChatGPT?” I get that in my email every day. Use it on the web or download it for iPhone or Android. You’ll need to create an account. The free tier works for most people.

🛃 Oman, I Kuwait to Rome around: Download the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Global Entry app for iOS or Android. Snap a selfie while in the security line, and you won’t have to do it at the kiosk when returning to the U.S. The catch: You must be registered with the Global Entry program, which costs $100 for five years.

The CEO said, “You don’t draw eyes with boring messages.” Well, yeah, that worked.

Speaking of dogs and delivery drivers: Have you seen this video of a nervous Amazon driver having a conversation with a dog? It’s freakin’ adorable. I’d tell an Amazon joke here, but I’m worried about my delivery.

🐣 I ordered a chicken and an egg from Amazon today. I’ll let you know.

Thanks for reading. This is my friendly reminder you have less than 10 days till Christmas, so it’s high time to make sure the big presents are on their way! Check this list if you’re struggling. Until tomorrow, stay amazing! — Kim