alerts Archives

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Massive data leak impacts 1 in 3 Americans

Data broker MC2 Data left more than 100 million records of Americans exposed online for anyone to copy, grab, forward, sell on the Dark Web — you name it. This comes only a month after the National Public Data breach of 2.9 billion records. I’m getting so tired of these data broker companies and people-search sites screwing up, and it’s you and me who have to pay for their mistakes.

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Every home needs one

There’s an emergency and your phone is out of commission. Don’t panic — grab an emergency radio. It can be the difference between staying safe and being trapped with no communication. My husband, Barry, owns several!

The Midland ER310 ($69.66) recharges by hand crank, solar power or battery. It’s got a built-in SOS beacon, weather alerts and an ultrasonic dog whistle so rescue teams can find you more easily.
The Midland ER210 model ($49.99) is a more affordable option with the same features, but it’s smaller and has a shorter battery life.
Want a reliable budget option? Here’s one for around $35 with all the essential features you’d need.

We may receive a commission when you buy through our links, but our reporting and recommendations are always independent and objective.

Useful site: The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission’s list of recalls is worth scanning now and then. Sometimes, you can get a replacement or refund for the recalled product. If there’s a major recall, I’ll warn you here or in my Current Alerts newsletter.

39,000 more vehicles recalled: The latest round includes Volvo C40 electric crossovers, Mercedes-Benz E 350 and 450 models, Ram 1500s, and the Ford F-150 Lightning. Instead of wading through lists, download the free SaferCar app that alerts you to recalls as they happen.

Scam watch: 3 scams spreading like fire across the U.S.

Scammers are clever, but they’re not very creative. Most of their tricks are recycled versions of tricks that worked in the past. There are a few I’ve seen cropping up again because criminals know they work every time.

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National Public Data breach: How to protect yourself and your SSN

National Public Data, a company that collects information from nonpublic sources without consent, according to a class-action lawsuit (paywall link), has been hit by a massive data breach. The company makes money by selling personal data to employers, private investigators and anyone conducting background checks.

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Get sound alerts from your phone: Your phone can alert you to noisy things like barking dogs, crying kids or broken glass. Don’t rely on it to tell you if the baby is crying or to keep your dog safe, but it’s a nice fallback.

On iPhone: Go to Settings > Accessibility > toggle on Sound Recognition. Tap Sounds to customize.
On Android: Go to Settings > Accessibility > Sound Notifications. Turn it on, then tap the cog icon to customize.

✈️ PSA for if your holiday flight is canceled: You’re entitled to a full refund or compensation for any controllable cancellation caused by the airline, like a maintenance or crew issue. The weather, though, is a wholly different beast. Be sure to download your airline’s official app for alerts and notifications about flights and gate changes.

Money move: Sign up for text and email alerts from your bank. Yes, it’s a bit annoying to approve purchases, but this has notified me a few times someone got their hands on my card. In your banking app, go into Settings and look for Alerts or Notifications. Smart move, for sure.

🚨 eBay scam alert: People are buying high-ticket items on eBay, filing returns, then sending back thank-you cards instead of products. Sellers report the scam (with proof, but the return label is on a tiny envelope) and get stuck in an endless appeals process. Find another place to sell your expensive stuff.

Turning off alerts from your video doorbell is a mistake: Instead, set up custom motion zones. On a Ring doorbell, open the Ring app and select your device. Go to Motion Settings > Edit Motion Settings. To go into full don’t-bug-me mode, choose People Only.

Torque of the town: In the EU, all new cars are required to alert drivers when they’re driving too fast. If a bill passes in California, every 2030 and later model would need GPS or a front-facing cam, along with a function to deliver notifications to drivers exceeding the speed limit by more than 10 mph. Wonder where all that data will end up …

Deal or no deal? CamelCamelCamel is an awesome tool if you shop on Amazon. It tracks prices, shows you a product’s price history and lets you set price-drop alerts for something you have your eye on.

Coming soon to your Android: Automatic earthquake warnings. Your phone’s accelerometers can sense vibrations. When enough phones in an area detect shaking, the Android Earthquake Alerts System kicks in. If an earthquake of magnitude 4.5 or greater is detected, you’ll get a “Be Aware” alert (weak or light shaking) or “Take Action” if the shaking is moderate to extreme.

Stop blabbin’: Dropbox’s AI may share your files with OpenAI and other third parties. Don’t remember signing up for that? Me, neither. To turn it off, log in to Dropbox, hit your Account icon, go to Settings, find the Third-Party AI tab and toggle the switch to Off.

Alerts that matter: You don‘t want Gmail informing you of every single email — only the ones you care about. Set it up that way. Open the Gmail app, tap Menu > Settings, and select your account. Tap Email notifications > High priority only. To set an email (and sender) as high priority, star a message or hit Mark as important.

Nerd alert: OpenAI’s Codex (the engine behind GitHub Copilot) provides AI-powered assistance for coding and can help you write, debug and optimize code across various programming languages.

Soap-erstar: Jessica Serfaty of “Days of Our Lives” fame discovered a hidden tracker in her Range Rover. Her iPhone tipped her off about an Apple AirTag nearby that was news to her. She called the cops because, you know, stalker vibes, but they couldn’t find it. Here’s help if you get an alert like this.

Help from afar: Samsung’s new Family Care service helps caregivers keep tabs on loved ones remotely. Set reminders, manage appointments, and get alerts when they arrive or leave a location. Plus, it lets you control smart devices like the stove or check the fridge for groceries. Fine print: Galaxy phones only. Yep, it’s free. Find it in the Life tab on the SmartThings app.