Hello and welcome to Monday, my friend! Last Friday, I alerted you to the massive data breach affecting “nearly all” AT&T customers. Yesterday, I learned AT&T paid the hackers to delete the stolen phone records. Did they pay … A.) $370,000, B.) $780,000, C.) $1 million or D.) $10 million? You’ll find the answer at the end!

🔔 All hail Big Tech’s censoring algorithm: Carroll in Austin, Texas, wrote, “I have to look for your newsletter every day, and most of the time, it’s in the Trash folder.” That’s Big Tech’s nasty email algorithms deciding what mail you get to see. Reply to this email with a “Hello, good-looking” or “I got it.” This tells Big Tech you want this email. Every reply makes a difference. — Kim

You already gave your bank your DOB, Social Security number and your mother’s maiden name. Now, they want your voice.

Banks say it’s an extra layer of biometric protection against fraud and cybercrime. But with the rise of hackers stealing voice data for deepfakes, is it worth the risk?

The identity arms race

Hackers are always one step ahead. If you're skeptical of your bank having your voice data on record, you're not crazy — you’re smart. A voice can be cloned using AI with as little as 10 seconds of audio. Frightening.

No matter how much money you have in the bank, a hacker or scammer wants it. Call your bank’s customer service line that you see on its website and ask to opt out of voice authentication. It takes two minutes.

Make the hackers ‘loan‑ly’

Of course, because you’re smart, you use strong unique passwords, you enable 2FA, you don’t bank on public Wi‑Fi, and you always monitor your accounts. But it might be worth a phone call or trip to your local bank branch to ask if they offer extra security features.

Secure keys: This physical or digital device generates one-time passcodes that are usually only good for 30 seconds for safer online banking.

Banking alerts: Set up text or email notifications for various real-time account activities, such as large transactions, failed login attempts and account changes.

Account lockout features: Many banks offer options to automatically lock your account after a certain number of failed login attempts.

Advanced access: This is enhanced security for certain activities using additional verification steps. For example, Morgan Stanley asks me for a one-time passcode if I log in at a new location.

🌀 Help me get the word out. Share this story with friends and family to keep them safe before the tsunami of voice-cloning scams hits. They’re coming!

Speaking of voice scams, here’s 60 seconds about how you’re being targeted by voice right now.

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🇺🇸 Disinformation spreading on social media after Trump rally assassination attempt: Some posts, including those from elected officials, baselessly claimed President Biden ordered the shooting or the incident was staged. Do your best to avoid sharing unverified information. No matter which side of the political fence you’re on, it was a very sad day for our country. Prayers up for all.

A new level of AI: OpenAI says it’s close to the second of five levels of artificial intelligence, called “Reasoners.” That’s AI that can solve basic problems like a human with a Ph.D. The next three levels? “Agents” that can operate independently for days, “Innovators” that can invent new ideas and “Organizers” that can do the work of an organization. AI is moving so fast!

When a Superhost is super creepy: Airbnb Superhosts have high ratings and low cancellation rates. One in Texas recorded over 2,000 images using security cameras of adults and children sleeping and undressing. He got a year in jail for it.

Talk to the kids: Influencers and athletes are pushing highly addictive nicotine pouches on social media. They’re marketed to teens as flavored little bags in colorful containers. Brands include Velo, On! and Zyn.

My insurance agent’s name is Justin Case: Electric vehicle (EV) insurance costs are enough to make you hit the brakes. Since EVs are generally more expensive than gas-powered cars and cost more to repair, it adds up to one scary premium (paywall link). Expect to pay at least 12% more to insure an EV over a gas car.

🚨 Social Security emails: The U.S. Social Security Administration just sent out a mass email saying you need to create a Login⁠.⁠gov account. It’s legit. To create yours, head to Login.gov, go to Sign in at the top of the page and select Create an account. They also recommend an authenticator app. I like Google Authenticator.

Boy robot: When 12-year-old Howard had to miss months of school for chemotherapy, a nonprofit gifted him a robot stand-in. Now, “AI Howard” sits in classes for him so the real Howard can learn and socialize. His friends even carry the bot between classes! I just love it.

🙉 Can you hear me now? If you or someone you know is struggling with hearing loss, get a totally free hearing evaluation at hear.com/kim.* With insurance coverage, flexible financing options, and both telehealth and in-person care, getting a pair of award-winning hearing aids is more convenient than ever. Plus, you can enjoy a risk-free trial for 45 days! Nice.

Beep-beep: With a cheap setup, someone can copy the signal from your keyfob to open and steal your car. What can you do? Buy a signal-blocking pouch that can hold your keys, like this $9.99 shielded RFID-blocking one. It works!

That's not quite right: You’re texting with your voice and it went all wrong. To delete the last word you dictated, say, "Delete the last word." To delete the last sentence, say, "Clear sentence." If you want to get rid of everything you just said, say, "Clear all."

Look your best: Ever been caught checking your hair in a video call? Kind of embarrassing. Adjust yourself and the lighting before the meeting. Launch the Camera app built into Windows (from the Start menu) or open Photo Booth on a Mac.

🎮 No console? No problem: You can play hundreds of Xbox games without an Xbox console if you have the latest Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max or Fire Stick 4K and a controller. Download the Xbox app to your Fire TV device from the Amazon app store, then sign in with your Microsoft account. FYI: You’ll also need an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription for $19.99 per month.

🚶‍♀️ Take a walk with me! It’s toe-tally worth it: And you can catch up on my award-winning weekend radio show’s podcast. It’ll be fun, I promise!

📱 Deal on a cheaper cellphone plan: If you’re 55 and up, with T‑Mobile,* you can get two lines of talk, text and data for just $30 a month per line. That's a 45% savings versus Verizon and AT&T. Visit T‑Mobile.com/55 or your local store to make the switch and save!

This is so im-PORT-ant.

The answer: A.) $370,000. AT&T paid the ShinyHunters hacking group to delete the data and provide a video demonstrating proof of deletion. No data is really deleted forever. Now that the hackers have the money, they’re certain to ransomware. (That one hurt even me!)

🤩 Rarin’ and ready to go! Andrew and I are back in action today with Kim Komando Today, our weekday podcast. Join the fun at 11:30 a.m. Pacific (2:30 p.m. Eastern) on YouTube. See you there for lots of laughs. But if you can’t catch us live, watch on your schedule.

🙏 Hey, thanks so much for keeping your tech know-how going, smarty-pants. Know someone who needs to up their tech game? Forward this free newsletter to them. Every single share helps us grow. Thanks for the help, and I’ll be back in your inbox tomorrow with sweet Prime Day deals you don’t want to miss! — Kim