Horror is having a moment. In 2026, the genre is especially well-represented: new blood is dominating the box office through films like Backrooms and Obsession, established names like Sam Raimi and Damian McCarthy are at the top of their game, and long-running franchises like 28 Years Later and Resident Evil continue to stay relevant. But the most impressive piece of horror this year might just be found in the world of TV comedy: Widow’s Bay, a series that manages the delicate balance of mixing scares with laughs, while also doubling as a loving tribute to the genre. It’s the kind of combination that often doesn’t work, which is part of what makes the show so remarkable.
Technology
Thief uses Waymo as a getaway car
Empty Waymo vehicles swarm Atlanta neighborhood
Atlanta residents captured alarming video of dozens of Waymo driverless cars continually circling their quiet neighborhood for hours. Tech expert Kurt Knutsson warns this ‘AI takeover’ raises significant safety concerns, especially for children, highlighting a critical lack of human intervention and company accountability from Waymo regarding these autonomous vehicles and potential glitches.
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A getaway car with no driver? That is a new one. Police say that is what happened outside Hot 8 Yoga in San Francisco’s Marina district. Police records reportedly show that a burglar slipped inside the studio, grabbed activewear and got out in under three minutes. Waiting outside was a Waymo robotaxi.
The suspect allegedly loaded the stolen clothing into the trunk, climbed in and rode away as if the whole thing were a normal pickup.
That is what makes this case so wild. A basic burglary suddenly turned into a bigger question about self-driving cars, privacy and police evidence. What happens when a robotaxi becomes part of a crime scene?
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UBER UNVEILS A NEW ROBOTAXI WITH NO DRIVER BEHIND THE WHEEL
Police say a San Francisco burglary suspect used a Waymo robotaxi as a getaway car after stealing activewear from a yoga studio. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)
How a Waymo robotaxi became the getaway car
The suspect allegedly used the autonomous vehicle the same way someone might use a regular ride-hail car. The Waymo vehicle dropped him off near the yoga studio, waited while the burglary happened and then drove him away. That is the part that makes you stop and say, wait, what?
There was no driver to look back and wonder why someone was loading stolen activewear into the trunk. No one behind the wheel to say, “Something feels off here.” The car simply followed the ride request.
In a statement to CyberGuy, San Francisco Police Department confirmed officers responded on Jan. 9, 2026, to a business on the 3300 block of Fillmore Street regarding a burglary that occurred at about 4:07 a.m. Police said an employee reported that an unknown suspect burglarized the business, stole items and fled in a vehicle.
SFPD described the case as an “open and active investigation” and said, “No arrest has been made at this time.” Anyone with information can call SFPD at 415-575-4444 or text a tip to TIP411 and begin the message with SFPD.
Police believe this may be San Francisco’s first known case of someone using a self-driving car to flee a crime scene. And yes, the stolen haul reportedly included men’s shorts. That bizarre detail gives the whole thing a strange twist. But underneath it all, there is a real question here. What happens when a robotaxi becomes part of the crime?
Why the Waymo getaway car case is hard to solve
At first, this sounds like an easy case to solve. Waymo vehicles have cameras. Riders need accounts. Payment information is usually tied to the trip. So, you might think the police would have a clear trail. That did not happen here.
Police reportedly obtained a search warrant for Waymo account information and footage from the vehicle. The detective on the case said the account information did not lead police to the suspect. He also said the company no longer had interior footage by the time the warrant was filed months later.
The outside footage had another issue. Faces were blurred for privacy. That created a strange problem. The same privacy protections that help protect innocent bystanders may also make it harder to identify someone suspected of a crime.
Waymo says it balances safety and privacy
When contacted by CyberGuy, Waymo declined to comment on this specific burglary. More broadly, Waymo says it carefully reviews each law enforcement request to make sure it satisfies applicable laws and has a valid legal basis. The company says it closely scrutinizes those requests and may narrow the scope or push back when needed.
Waymo also says it does not use facial recognition or other biometric identification technologies to identify people. That detail is important here because these cars see a lot as they move through a city. Waymo says its cameras and sensors help the vehicle understand its surroundings and drive safely in real time. The company also says that information helps improve the Waymo Driver over time. In other words, Waymo says its technology can recognize that it sees a person, but it does not match that person to an individual identity.
To me, that is where this story gets complicated. If a real crime happens, you want the police to have useful evidence. At the same time, you probably do not want every self-driving car turning into a rolling surveillance camera with no clear limits. That balance between safety, privacy and police access may become a much bigger issue as robotaxis show up in more cities.
Why robotaxis could complicate crime investigations
This case shows how quickly an old-fashioned crime can run into new technology. A burglar once needed a friend, a taxi or a stolen car. Now, someone can call a driverless ride with an app and leave the scene without ever dealing with a human driver.
That creates a problem for the police. If the ride was ordered with stolen information or a burner phone, the account may not point to the person who actually committed the crime. And even with all those cameras, the footage may not show what investigators need.
That is the part that stands out to me. We often assume more cameras mean more answers. But this case shows that assumption can fall apart fast. If key video gets deleted, faces stay blurred or the account information leads nowhere, a high-tech getaway car may still leave police with very old-fashioned detective work.
FACIAL RECOGNITION JAILS INNOCENT GRANDMOTHER, ATTORNEY SAYS
A Waymo robotaxi became part of a San Francisco burglary investigation after police say a suspect loaded stolen clothing into the trunk and rode away. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)
What this Waymo case means to you
If robotaxis operate where you live or where you travel, this story should get your attention. These cars are no longer test vehicles quietly roaming around a few streets. They are picking people up, dropping them off and now, in this case, showing up in a police investigation.
That is what makes this so important. A self-driving car can become a witness, a source of evidence or even the ride someone uses to leave a crime scene.
At the same time, privacy protections can create a real tradeoff. Blurring faces may protect people walking down the street who have nothing to do with a crime. But it may also limit what police can use later.
And this case proves something else. Cameras alone do not guarantee answers. A vehicle can record plenty of data and still miss the one image, account detail or clue investigators need.
For riders, here is the part to remember. A robotaxi may feel private because no driver sits up front. But it still leaves a digital trail. Before you climb in, assume the trip, the account and some vehicle data may be recorded.
How to protect your privacy in a robotaxi
This case also gives riders something to think about. A robotaxi may feel more private because no driver sits up front. But the vehicle can still collect trip details, account information and sensor data.
Check the robotaxi privacy policy
Review the company’s privacy policy so you understand what it collects, how long it may keep certain data and when it may share information with law enforcement. You do not need to read every line like a lawyer. Look for sections about cameras, audio, trip history, account data and legal requests.
Secure your ride-hail account
Use a strong, unique password for your ride-hail account, and consider using a trusted password manager to create and store it securely. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com. Turn on two-factor authentication (2FA) when available. Also, keep your phone locked with a passcode, Face ID or fingerprint protection. If someone gets into your phone, they may also get into your ride apps.
Be careful what you say during the ride
Avoid sharing sensitive personal details during a robotaxi ride unless you really need to. That includes financial information, passwords, medical details or private family matters. Also, be careful about phone calls on speaker. Even without a human driver, you should treat the space like a connected vehicle.
Protect your payment information
Use a credit card instead of a debit card when possible. Credit cards often offer stronger fraud protections if an account gets compromised. Check your ride receipts and payment alerts. If you see a trip you did not take, report it right away.
Know what to do if something goes wrong
If you feel unsafe during a ride, use the app’s help or emergency option. Take screenshots of your trip details if you can do so safely. If you see a robotaxi near a crime or emergency, remember that useful footage may depend on timing and legal process. Police may need a warrant or another valid request before a company turns over data. That gap between what the car saw and what investigators can later use can make a big difference.
HOW SURVEILLANCE TECH LED POLICE TO ACCUSE THE WRONG PERSON
Police reportedly obtained a warrant for Waymo account information and vehicle video, but investigators said the records did not identify a suspect. (AP Photo/Terry Chea, File)
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Kurt’s key takeaways
A burglar using a Waymo as a getaway car sounds almost ridiculous, but the privacy questions are very real. These vehicles can capture a lot of what happens around them. Still, that does not mean police will always get clear evidence or a quick answer. This case also shows why timing matters. If footage is deleted, blurred or tied to a stolen account, a high-tech vehicle may not solve the crime as easily as you might expect. To me, this is where cities need to catch up. Robotaxis are already on the road. Now we need clearer rules for how long footage is kept, when police can access it and how innocent people’s privacy is protected.
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Would you feel safer knowing robotaxis keep more footage for police, or more concerned about what that could mean for your privacy? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
We’re doing our best to mitigate the huge increases that are being passed to us, and we’ve been trying to shield our customers from the increases, but the situation has become unsustainable.
Cook doesn’t say when Apple plans on raising prices or which products will be affected. The company has already stopped selling the Mac Studio with 512GB of RAM in March and later raised the starting price of the Mac Mini to $799 after dropping the cheaper $599 option from its lineup. Analyst Tim Culpan also suggested that Apple could discontinue the base configuration of the MacBook Neo, while keeping the $699 model with 512GB of storage.
As AI companies continue to demand more memory in their sprawling data centers, suppliers are struggling to keep up. The shortage has led to surging RAM and storage costs, as well as price increases across game consoles, laptops, and other devices.
“There’s less supply at a time when consumers want devices and the memory guys are passing along huge price increases,” Cook tells the WSJ. “We definitely need memory pricing and supply to return to reasonable levels for consumer products.”
Apple is getting ready to take the wraps off its latest lineup of iPhones later this year, though it’s unclear how big an impact the memory shortage will have on pricing. The WSJ estimates that the upcoming iPhone 18 Pro could cost $1,299, a jump from the $1,099 iPhone 17 Pro.
Widow’s Bay just wrapped up its first season — a second has already been confirmed — and it tells a story that at first sounds incredibly derivative. It takes place on an isolated island in New England, which has a sordid history due to what the locals believe is a curse. In the first episode, a terrifying fog rolls into town, suggesting that a powerful evil is waking up again. Cue the Stephen King comparisons.
But it’s not long before Widow’s Bay’s distinct brand of horror / comedy makes itself clear. The show is largely centered on the island’s hapless mayor, Tom (Matthew Rhys), who has a misguided desire to turn Widow’s Bay into a tourist destination that can rival Martha’s Vineyard and Cape Cod. This, of course, runs counter to the whole curse thing. And the incoming fog is just the first sign that things are not going to go well for him and his plan, though Tom ignores the signs at every opportunity.
Image: Apple
What makes the show work is that, at its core, it’s just a really scary and tense story. From the very first episode, when Tom is stressing out about a visiting travel writer from The New York Times, there’s a steadily rising sense of dread: a tour through the island’s history that’s full of stories of death and, uh, cannibalism; a calendar about wolves that for some reason also has car crash photos; a ferry captain who says simply “bad things happen here.” The show makes you feel as uneasy as the island’s residents.
That sensation only grows over the course of the season, as each episode explores a different horror genre while building on the cursed lore of the island. The second episode takes place in a clearly haunted hotel, complete with a killer clown; later there’s a demonic party planning book that leads to a terrifying and unsettling beach gathering. Tom’s assistant Patricia (Kate O’Flynn) gets hunted by a Jason Voorhees–style slasher villain, and there’s even a darkly inventive take on a drug trip sequence, complete with jarring time skips.
It’s because it’s such a well-crafted horror story that the comedy in Widow’s Bay hits so hard. It’s not the easiest genre mix to pull off, as creator and showrunner Katie Dippold — who knows a thing about how funny horror can be — told me ahead of the show’s premiere in April. “It can be a great combo, but it can also be a bad combo,” she explained, noting that projects that successfully blend the two genres are “few and far between.” As if to prove her point, the new Scary Movie released this month was entirely toothless.
But unlike more overt attempts at infusing horror with comedy, most of the gags in Widow’s Bay are comparatively subtle — and scary in their own way. When Tom is looking through a collection of board games at the local inn, he finds one simply called Teeth; inside, there’s nothing but a pair of pliers. When Patricia finally kills the “boogeyman” who has been stalking her, she keeps her shotgun trained on his corpse at all times — from the ambulance to cremation — just in case. Even the episode titles can be hilarious. The finale, where just about everything goes wrong, is called “We hope you enjoyed your time!”
Image: Apple
This means that the jokes not only fit into the eerie nature of the world, they actually heighten it. And that was the goal all along. “I never wanted to have a moment where something scary happens and the characters don’t react truthfully,” Dippold told me. “If you’re truthful, then eventually you’ll find the comedy. That was the very hard rule.”
This all comes to a head as the show wrapped up its first season. Leading into the finale, Tom was put in an impossible situation, forced to choose whether to kill his adorably inept secretary Ruth (K Callan) in order to end the curse for good, or doom the island by not acting. In the last episode, with the town’s residents and tourists stuck in a shelter due to a destructive storm, Tom finds himself in Ruth’s house, and it’s genuinely painful watching him try to decide the right path. But amidst all of this tension, there are still funny bits, like Ruth casually noting that an old boyfriend “got bit by an animal and became that animal,” or a cheerful instructional video on ritual sacrifice. And this being Widow’s Bay, things are a bit more complex than they appear, leaving Tom with an even more difficult task in front of him.
You don’t just have to take my word for it. Guillermo del Toro recently called the series “hands down one of the most mesmerizing acts of narrative prestidigitation in horror.” That’s some high praise. But so is the fact that Widow’s Bay has managed to claim its own distinct lane in such a crowded moment. The finale title turned out to be incredibly accurate: I did, in fact, enjoy my time.
The first season of Widow’s Bay is streaming now on Apple TV.
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That suspicious text about a package, toll bill or account problem may look harmless at first. You glance at it, see a familiar brand name and think, “I’ll just check.” That quick tap can lead straight into a professional scam funnel.
The FBI, Google and Black Lotus Labs helped disrupt a massive China-based phishing-as-a-service operation known as Outsider Enterprise. Authorities say the operation powered fake websites built to steal credit card numbers, passwords and other personal information.
What makes this one especially troubling is how polished these scams have become. Criminals no longer need to build every fake page from scratch. They can rent phishing kits, use AI to speed up the work and send waves of scam texts to unsuspecting people. That should make every one of us pause before tapping a link in a text.
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GENAI, THE FUTURE OF FRAUD AND WHY YOU MAY BE AN EASY TARGET
The FBI, Google and Black Lotus Labs helped disrupt a China-based phishing service that used fake texts and scam sites to steal personal data. (Anna Barclay/Getty Images)
What is the Outsider Enterprise phishing scam?
Outsider Enterprise was a phishing-as-a-service operation. In other words, it gave other criminals the tools to run scams. Instead of one scammer typing out sloppy messages from a laptop, this setup worked more like a criminal software business. It offered phishing kits, fake websites and infrastructure that helped criminals impersonate trusted brands.
Google says the network was tied to more than 9,000 fake websites and over 1 million fraudulent URLs. Those sites were designed to look real enough to trick people into entering credit card details, passwords or other sensitive information.
The scams often started with text messages. Some appeared to come from major wireless carriers, delivery services, toll agencies or other familiar companies. That’s what makes these attacks so dangerous. The text may arrive in the same place you get real alerts from banks, delivery services or phone providers.
How AI phishing texts stole credit card data
AI helped give this operation speed and polish. In a civil lawsuit filed in federal court in New York, Google alleges the phishing kit used AI tools, including Gemini, to help criminals create fraudulent sites and scam content. That means the messages can look cleaner, the websites can appear more convincing and the operation can move faster.
That’s a big shift. Many people still expect scam messages to have bad grammar, strange wording or obvious red flags. Those clues still show up, but they are becoming less reliable. A fake page can now look like the real thing. A scam text can sound normal. A payment request can appear urgent without feeling ridiculous. That to me is scary because the average person has less time to spot the trap.
How big was the Outsider Enterprise scam?
The scale was huge. Google says 2.5 million messages were sent to Android users from Outsider Enterprise infrastructure over a two-week period in May. Android users flagged 55,000 of those messages as fraudulent.
FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Brett Leatherman said Outsider infrastructure was tied to an estimated 3.87 million stolen credit cards and $1.9 billion in losses.
That number tells you something important. These scams are not random annoyances. They are part of an organized criminal business built to reach huge numbers of people fast.
How the FBI and Google disrupted Outsider Enterprise
The action against Outsider Enterprise included both technical and legal steps. The FBI said the technical takedown was dubbed Operation Ghost Hook. Leatherman also tied the effort to Operation Riptide, a broader FBI campaign aimed at disrupting cybercrime operations.
The FBI and its partners seized administration servers, phishing domains, a Shopify storefront and about $100,000 from payment wallets tied to the operation.
Google’s civil lawsuit is part of the broader effort to disrupt Outsider Enterprise’s infrastructure. The company says it is working with AT&T, T-Mobile and Verizon to help block fraudulent messages before they reach subscribers. Google says its Android protections also help detect suspicious calls and block malicious messages. Still, no filter catches everything.
GLOBAL SCAM CRACKDOWN LEADS TO 276 ARRESTS
Authorities say Outsider Enterprise powered thousands of phishing websites designed to steal credit cards, passwords and other sensitive information. (FBI)
Why text scams fool so many people
Text scams often arrive when you are distracted. Maybe you are heading into a meeting, paying bills or waiting for a package. A message about an account problem can make you react fast before you stop to question it.
Scammers count on that split-second panic. A fake text might say your delivery failed, your phone bill has an issue or your account will be locked. The link then sends you to a page that looks real enough to steal your login, credit card number or one-time code. The whole trick depends on speed. The less time you spend thinking, the better the scam works.
Ways to stay safe from AI phishing scams
These steps can help you avoid the fake texts, fake websites and account traps that phishing operations rely on.
1) Do not tap links in unexpected texts
Treat unexpected links like a warning sign, even when the message looks official. Go directly to the company’s app or website instead. Type the address yourself or use a saved bookmark.
2) Slow down when a message creates urgency
Scammers want you to panic. Take a breath before you act. Real companies usually give you more than a few minutes to fix an issue.
3) Check the web address before entering anything
Look closely at the domain name before typing in a password, card number or code. A scam site may use one extra word, a strange ending or a spelling that looks close to the real company.
4) Never share one-time passcodes
A legitimate company will not ask you to send back a one-time code by text. If someone asks for a code, assume they are trying to break into your account.
5) Avoid entering payment details from a text link
If a text asks for a credit card number, password or account login, stop. Open the official app or call the company using a number from your card, bill or trusted website.
6) Turn on spam protection on your phone
Spam protection can help move suspicious texts out of your main inbox before you accidentally tap a bad link.
On iPhone: Go to Settings > Apps > Messages > Unknown Senders > turn on Screen Unknown Senders. You can also open Messages, tap Filters and review messages under Unknown Senders or spam/junk filtering when available.
For suspicious texts on iPhone, use Report Junk when it appears under the message.
On Samsung using Google Messages: Open Google Messages > tap your profile icon or initials > tap Messages settings > tap Spam protection or Protection & Safety > turn on Enable spam protection.
For suspicious texts on Samsung, open the message in Google Messages, tap the three dots, tap Details and choose Block & report spam.
IS THAT TRAFFIC TICKET TEXT A SCAM OR REAL?
The FBI said infrastructure linked to the phishing service was tied to millions of stolen credit cards and billions in losses. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
7) Lock down your wireless carrier account
Set a strong account password and add a carrier PIN when your provider offers one. This helps protect your phone number from criminals who try to hijack accounts or reset passwords.
8) Use a data removal service
Scammers often sound convincing because they already know something about you. That information can come from people-search sites, data brokers, old breaches or public records. Consider using a data removal service to reduce how much personal information is floating around online. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com
9) Use strong antivirus protection
Strong antivirus software can help block malicious links, fake websites and phishing pages before they cause damage. It adds another layer of protection when a scam slips past your first line of defense. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com
10) Use a password manager
A password manager can help you avoid reusing passwords across accounts. It can also make fake login pages easier to spot because it may not autofill your credentials on a bogus site.
11) Turn on two-factor authentication
Use two-factor authentication (2FA) on important accounts, especially email, banking and wireless carrier accounts. An authentication app or hardware security key gives you stronger protection than texted codes.
12) Consider virtual card numbers for online shopping
Some banks and card issuers offer virtual card numbers. These can limit the damage if a shopping site, fake checkout page or scam link steals payment details.
13) Watch your credit card statements
Check your accounts often for small mystery charges. Criminals sometimes test a stolen card with a small purchase before going bigger.
14) Freeze your credit if your personal data was exposed
A credit freeze can stop criminals from opening new accounts in your name. You can freeze your credit for free with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
15) Report scam texts
Forward suspicious texts to 7726, which spells SPAM. You can also report phishing attempts to the company being impersonated and to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.
Kurt’s key takeaways
Taking down Outsider Enterprise is great news. But let’s be real here. Scammers are not going away because one operation got hit. What worries me most is how real these fake texts and websites can look now. AI gives criminals another way to clean up the wording, copy trusted brands and move faster than most people expect. So my advice is simple. Don’t tap the link. Open the company’s real app or type in the website yourself. Those few extra seconds can be the difference between staying safe and handing a scammer your credit card, password or one-time code.
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Does this takedown make you feel better about the fight against scammers, or do you still think the crooks are one step ahead? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
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