Are poor cell signals making your phone calls harder than they need to be? Listen to this one-minute podcast for a simple solution.
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Tired of scam phone calls? Here are the top fake numbers and their associated scams
Are there certain numbers you never answer? If I see one that starts with the same few digits as mine, I know it’s likely a scam. That’s one of the tricks they use to get you since you’re most likely to answer if the number is vaguely familiar.
By now, you have a good idea what the scams are: Failed package delivery, you won a prize, there’s trouble with your student loan! But what about the numbers themselves? Here are a dozen you should never answer calls or texts from.
The dirty dozen
“Where’d these come from,” you ask? BeenVerified (a for-pay people search site) has a reverse phone tool you can use to see who is calling. These are the top 12 of 150,000+ numbers run through the tool over the past two years, along with the scam.
- (865) 630-4266: Text claiming your Wells Fargo account was locked.
- (469) 709-7630: A fake failed delivery attempt.
- (805) 637-7243: You won Publisher’s Clearing House! Not. Also used to impersonate the Visa fraud department.
- (858) 605-9622: Your PNC, Chase or Wells Fargo account is on hold. (It’s not.)
- (863) 532-7969: Call to unfreeze your debit card.
- (904) 495-2559: You won a prize! (You didn’t.)
- (312) 339-1227: Track your delivery … or click the link to lose weight.
- (917) 540-7996: In March, someone could have Ghostface from the movie “Scream” call your phone. It was a marketing tactic … and freaked a lot of people out.
- (347) 437-1689: Used for tax scams and a fake Dyson vacuum bill.
- (301) 307-4601: Your package is on hold! (It’s still not.)
- (878) 877-1402: Your card is locked.
- (202) 221-7923: Uh oh, your student loan forgiveness deadline is looming. (Nope.)
Go further: Forward spam texts to the FCC at 7726 (that’s SPAM). For scam calls where you lost money or have info, go to ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For quicker reporting, go to DoNotCall.gov.
Quickly access the secret menu on your Android phone
When cell phones first came out, they did one thing: Make phone calls. Our smartphones now are supercomputers stored in our pockets, and most of us don’t tap into their true potential. Tap or click here for seven things you didn’t know your Android could do.
Tech tip: How to unsend an email before it goes through
We have an abundance of methods to communicate with each other. Beyond traditional phone calls (which people tend to avoid nowadays), we have texting, video calls, direct messaging through social media, comments and posts, dedicated chat apps, email and more.
Still holding on to that old BlackBerry? It'll stop working this week
For a while in the early 2000s, BlackBerry phones were everywhere. At its peak, around 85 million people sported the popular devices. A company did try to revive the brand recently, but it hasn’t been a great success.
Government-related scams never end - Here are 2 new ones to watch for
Scammers often spoof retailers or tech companies like Amazon and Microsoft to trick you out of your money. But now and again, cybercriminals pretend to be government officials or agencies. Tap or click here for another phony IRS email that is making the rounds.
How to make calls with terrible cell reception
Whether you are a devoted Android user or iPhone enthusiast, you rely on your device to keep you connected throughout your day, regardless of your location. Unfortunately, if you are on the go, you may find yourself in an area with weak or no cell reception.
15 Alexa commands you'll wish you knew sooner
Virtual assistants give us the luxury of a personal assistant without the associated costs. Just think of a question or request and say it.
Like any connected tech, you should exercise caution and know what you’re getting into. While smart assistants such as Alexa are useful and fun to use, they are there to listen and you can’t always know who is listening or what they are doing with that information. Tap or click here for three privacy settings for your Alexa.
How to stop annoying robocalls and scam calls for good
Some robocalls are easy to spot. When a robotic voice warns your car’s warranty is out of date or that a credit card you don’t have has been compromised, it’s obvious you should just hang up.
But what if you got a call from a real person at a hospital, saying there’s been an emergency? That happened to Kim recently. She didn’t fall for it, but it would have been all too easy to let emotion win out over logic.
Watch out! Spoofed Apple phone call is making the rounds again
The COVID pandemic has opened a whole new world of opportunity for scammers. The dregs of society are using people’s fears of the virus against them and creating devious schemes to rip them off.
Phishing emails, text messages and phone calls pretending to be from health organizations or officials are all too common these days. Tap or click here for a recent example of scam calls targeting seniors.
Amazon Echo: 7 common things Alexa can replace in your house
It’s true, smart speakers bring with them a variety of privacy concerns. And since it’s been confirmed snippets are recorded and listened to by humans, you’ll want to be careful of what you say around Alexa.
Concerned about Alexa and privacy? We are too. Tap or click here for ways to stop Alexa from spying on you. However, smart speakers do make a lot of daily tasks much, much easier. Not only that but your Echo device can replace several other common items that you’ll no longer need.
3 reasons you need wireless earbuds
Now that many of us are sheltering in place, finding privacy can be difficult since there’s always someone around. If you’re working from home, there are sure to be business conversations for your ears only.
And if you’re trying to listen to music or on a personal call, what you’re hearing is still for your ears only. There must be a better way! Thankfully, there is. Now’s the perfect time to get a pair of wireless earbuds.
Block your number when making calls
Before the onslaught of the pandemic, you probably didn’t use your smartphone to make phone calls very much. Now, carriers are reporting surges in calls as we seek more personal connections while following social distancing guidelines.
10 ways the coronavirus has changed your daily life
Life has changed significantly since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Our routines have changed, our ways of interacting have changed and our pastimes have gone from having drinks at bars and dinners at restaurants to watching videos on how to make bread with the ingredients you have in your pantry.
Tools to stop harassing phone calls
Open/download audioIt seems like spam and robocalls never stop on landline and mobile phones. There are a few simple ways you can quiet the noise — no downloads, apps or payment required.
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Track GPS, phone calls, text messages and web activity on a phone for free
Keeping your children and grandchildren safe is any guardian’s first priority. Thanks to smartphones, tablets and the internet, there are many potential threats they might see or misunderstand.
They could be using dangerous apps or be in contact with an online predator and you have no way of knowing or stopping these scary situations. That’s why we encourage parents to talk to kids before they use technology and set clear rules. Tap or click here to download Kim’s free tech safety contract for parents and kids.
10 things you didn't know your iPhone could do
Many Apple fans are extremely passionate about their devices. They can tell you every little trick or setting you can get to, from interesting things to do with Siri, to turning on Night Mode. But, there are some things that those experts might not even know. Here are 10 interesting Apple tricks you probably did not know.
Best Apple Watch to buy in 2018 might surprise you
With smart watches, it can be hard to know which one to get. There just seems to be so many options, especially in the Apple Watch world. Well, that’s where I can help. I will break down the best Apple Watch to buy and why it’s worth every penny. I guarantee you will be surprised which one it is.
5 cool Google features that Apple and Samsung will copy
Google held its Pixel 3 event yesterday and the company announced a slew of new products — the new Pixel 3 phones, the Pixel Stand, the Google Home Hub, and the Pixel Slate. But it wasn’t all about the hardware. The event’s focus on the synergy between AI, hardware and software produced plenty of software surprises! Some of these features are so innovative and fresh that it will be inevitable that Apple and Samsung will follow suit. The tech industry is a copycat world, after all.
Google announced 5 new products, #4 is better than Apple
Earlier leaks may have revealed what the new Pixel 3 smartphones will look like but with this event’s focus on the synergy between AI, hardware and software, Google had many surprises on tap. Aside from the new smartphones, get ready for a new kitchen assistant, a premium tablet and one killer accessory! Here are the five Google products that were announced we’re most excited about.