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Ask Kurt: How to avoid phishing scams, protect your iPhone

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Ask Kurt: How to avoid phishing scams, protect your iPhone

In the digital age, where our lives are intertwined with technology, scammers and hackers lurk in the shadows, always on the prowl for a chance to breach our defenses. They craft their schemes with a facade of legitimacy and an air of urgency, preying on the unsuspecting. It’s a game of wits where staying one step ahead is the key to safety.

Let’s take a look at a real-life scenario that underscores the importance of vigilance:

“Two days ago I received an email (from a local store) thanking me for shopping with them. I unfortunately opened the email and it was an invoice for antivirus software that cost $399.98. I immediately called the number provided but used my landline. I only use my iPhone; don’t own a computer of any kind. Two calls didn’t get me anywhere except to worry. I called my credit card company and with [advised canceling] my credit card. No such charge was in their cue. How [did a hacker] obtain my email and what should I have [done?] I am interested in protecting my IPhone. Please respond with advice.” — Judith, Signal Mountain, Tennessee

CLICK TO GET KURT’S FREE CYBERGUY NEWSLETTER WITH SECURITY ALERTS, QUICK VIDEO TIPS, TECH REVIEWS AND EASY HOW-TO’S TO MAKE YOU SMARTER

Judith, we’re sorry you had to go through that scary experience of opening what seemed like a legitimate email. Sadly, you are not the only one to suffer from this type of activity called phishing. 

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Hackers and scammers alike masquerade as legitimate companies or people with an urgent proposition to get you to open compromising documents or links that can endanger your security. Our digital data is readily available online, which is likely how your email address was obtained. Additionally, it’s possible that the hacker obtained your email address through a phishing attack, data breach or email harvesting. While we are glad that there were no charges on your credit card accounts, below are some steps you can take to secure your iPhone. (Android users, follow these tips.)

Man using his thumb for biometric authentication (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

7 steps to outsmart digital intruders

1. Make sure your iPhone is secure with a passcode and biometric authentication (Face or Touch ID) enabled: Because your biometric information is unique to you, it adds a second layer of security before someone can access your phone.

2. Change your Apple ID & email account password: Your Apple ID is important for protecting your information and accessing your iPhone. Opening a phishing email may have compromised your email account. Change your email and Apple ID to unique, complex alphanumeric passwords.

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3. Enable two-factor authentication for any account impacted by the phishing scam: This would include both your Apple ID and your email address. If you have this additional layer of security activated, the hacker or scammer would have to send a code to your other device or account to gain access, even with your password. When you step up the two-factor authentication, choose a device that isn’t your iPhone, if possible, so if your phone becomes compromised, you can still gain access.

Illustration of emails on smartphone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

MORE: HOW A FLAW IN IPHONE’S SECURITY COULD LEAVE YOU LOCKED OUT

4. Check your email settings: See if there are rules set up to forward emails. If there are any rules set up, delete any you didn’t set up so that your messages aren’t forwarded to someone else’s address.

5. Get SIM-swapping protection added to your phone: SIM-swapping fraud is when someone gains control of your cellphone number by moving it to a new SIM card. If you want to add SIM-swapping protection to your phone, you can contact your provider to see if this feature can be added.

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Cyberattack warning with sign-in on iPhone (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

FINNISH HACKER SENTENCED FOR BLACKMAILING THERAPY PATIENTS AFTER ACCESSING THOUSANDS OF RECORDS

6. Use antivirus software: The best way to protect yourself from clicking malicious links that install malware that may get access to your private information is to have antivirus protection installed on all your devices. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices.

7. Get identity theft protection: While getting an identity theft service seems like overkill, many identity theft protection services actually provide dark web monitoring services. They continually monitor the dark web to see if any crucial pieces of personal information like your email addresses or social security number end up compromised or up for sale on the dark web. Getting those alerts immediately gives you the opportunity to act faster and take the other steps listed above. If you already gave out your information to a potential scammer, you should follow these steps to see if your identity has been stolen.

One of the best parts of using identity theft protection is that they might include identity theft insurance of up to $1 million to cover losses and legal fees and a white-glove fraud resolution team where a U.S.-based case manager helps you recover any losses. See my tips and best picks on how to protect yourself from identity theft.

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MORE: UNFORGETTABLE MOTHER’S DAY GIFTS 2024

Kurt’s key takeaways

Despite our best efforts and intentions, we all will or have fallen for a phishing scam at one point or another. Instead of letting the fear of the inevitable terrorize your digital life, take the precautionary steps listed above to stay one step ahead of the scammers even if you slip up.

In what ways do you think technology companies can further enhance user security against cyberthreats? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips & security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

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Ask Kurt a question or let us know what stories you’d like us to cover.

Answers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:

Copyright 2024 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

Technology

Use this map to find the data centers in your backyard

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Use this map to find the data centers in your backyard

When Oregon resident Isabelle Reksopuro heard Google was gobbling up public land to fuel its data centers in her home state, she didn’t initially know what to believe. “There’s a lot of misinformation about data centers,” she said. “Google has denied taking that land.”

Technically, she explains, The Dalles, a city near the Washington state border, sought to reclaim that land, “and Google is just a big, unnamed power user.” The city had in fact asked for ownership of a 150-acre portion of Mount Hood National Forest, claiming it needs access to Mount Hood’s watershed to meet municipal needs as its population — 16,010 as of the 2020 census — grows. But critics, including environmentalists, say the city is trying to secure more water for Google, which has a sprawling data center campus in The Dalles that already consumes about one-third of the city’s water supply.

This controversy made Reksopuro curious about the backlash to data centers being built in other communities. So Reksopuro, a student at the University of Washington who studies the connections between tech and public policy, decided to map it out. Using information collected by Epoch AI and data scraped from legislation on data centers, she built an interactive map tracking AI policy around the world. She designed it to be simple enough for anyone to use. “I wanted it to be something that my younger sisters could play through and explore to understand what are the data centers in the area and what’s actually being done about it,” Reksopuro said. She hoped to shift their opinions that way, “instead of like, through TikTok.”

Four times a day, the map searches for new sources and checks them against the existing database Reksopuro built out. “Once it does that, it will write a new summary, add it to the news feed, and populate it on the sidebar,” she said. “I wanted it to be self-updating, since I’m also a student.”

Reksopuro isn’t against data centers, but she thinks tech giants benefit from a lack of transparency around data center policies. “Right now, it’s this really opaque thing — and all of a sudden, there’s a facility,” she said. “I think that if people knew about data centers beforehand, it would give them leverage. They would be able to negotiate: ask for job training programs, tax revenue, environmental monitoring, things to improve their community.”

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Fox News AI Newsletter: Graduation speaker praises AI, gets instantly booed

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Fox News AI Newsletter: Graduation speaker praises AI, gets instantly booed

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

 

Welcome to Fox News’ Artificial Intelligence newsletter with the latest AI technology advancements.

IN TODAY’S NEWSLETTER:

– UCF graduates clobber commencement speaker with boos after she says AI is the ‘next Industrial Revolution’

– OPINION: DIRECTOR KASH PATEL: We brought the FBI out of the past and into the AI age

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– OpenAI backs creation of global AI governance body led by the U.S. that would include China as a member

TOUGH CROWD: During a recent commencement ceremony at the University of Central Florida, a speaker was met with loud boos from the graduating class after declaring that artificial intelligence represents the next industrial revolution. Fox News Digital reporting captures this tense cultural moment, illustrating the mixed public sentiment and skepticism surrounding AI’s growing footprint in daily life.

A statue on the campus of the University of Central Florida in Orlando, Florida. (iStock)

BADGE MEETS BYTE: Reflecting on the modernization of national security in a Fox News op-ed, FBI Director Kash Patel explores how the bureau must adapt its strategies to address modern threats and advance beyond the artificial intelligence age.

TECH DIPLOMACY: OpenAI is throwing its support behind the establishment of a new global artificial intelligence governance organization that would be led by the United States while notably including China as a member. Fox News Digital reporting examines the geopolitical dynamics and regulatory implications of this proposed framework as global powers race to set the standards for AI development.

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EQUITY ELEVATION: The massive wave of wealth generated by the explosive growth of ChatGPT and the broader AI industry is driving a sudden surge in the San Francisco Bay Area’s luxury real estate market. Fox News Digital reporting breaks down how the influx of new tech capital is reshaping local housing dynamics and fueling a high-end property frenzy.

FBI Director Kash Patel listened as Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche spoke during a press conference at the Department of Justice on April 28, 2026, in Washington, D.C. (Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images)

STRATEGY RESET: Tech giant Cisco is planning to eliminate thousands of jobs as the company shifts its primary focus to accelerate its artificial intelligence initiatives, a move that comes despite the company beating earnings expectations. Fox News Digital reporting details the corporate restructuring and broader economic trends pushing legacy tech firms to aggressively pivot toward AI.

ROAD HAZARD: Waymo is issuing a sweeping recall of its autonomous vehicle fleet following a concerning incident that highlighted significant safety issues with the self-driving technology. Fox News Digital reporting outlines the specifics of the recall, the nature of the safety flaw, and what this setback means for the future of fully autonomous transportation on public roads.

BOTS IN THE BAY: A newly developed, artificial intelligence-powered robot has been engineered to seamlessly change and balance vehicle tires without human intervention. Fox News Digital reporting showcases this latest innovation, exploring how automation and AI mechanics could soon revolutionize the automotive service and repair industry.

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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman speaks during the 2026 Infrastructure Summit in Washington, D.C., on March 11, 2026. (Kylie Cooper/Reuters)

 

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Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future with Fox News here.

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Microsoft’s Edge Copilot update uses AI to pull information from across your tabs

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Microsoft’s Edge Copilot update uses AI to pull information from across your tabs

Microsoft Edge is adding a new feature that will allow its Copilot AI chatbot to gather information from all of your open tabs. When you start a conversation with Copilot, you can ask the chatbot questions about what’s in your tabs, compare the products you’re looking at, summarize your open articles, and more.

In its announcement, Microsoft says you can “select which experiences you want or leave off the ones you don’t.” The company is retiring Copilot Mode as well, which could similarly draw information from your tabs but offered some agentic features, like the ability to book a reservation on your behalf. Microsoft has since folded these agentic capabilities into its “Browse with Copilot” tool.

Several other AI features are coming to Edge, including an AI-powered “Study and Learn” mode that can turn the article you’re looking at into a study session or interactive quiz. There’s a new tool that turns your tabs into AI-powered podcasts as well, similar to what you’d find on NotebookLM, and an AI writing assistant that will pop up when you start entering text on a webpage.

You can also give Copilot permission to access your browsing history to provide more “relevant, high-quality answers,” according to Microsoft. Copilot in Edge on desktop and mobile will come with “long-term memory” as well, which can tailor its responses based on your previous conversations. And, when you open up a new tab, you’ll see a redesigned page that combines chat, search, and web navigation, along with the Journeys feature, which uses AI to organize your browsing history into categories that you can revisit.

Meanwhile, an update to Edge’s mobile app will allow you to share your screen with Copilot and talk through the questions about what you’re seeing. Microsoft says you’ll see “clear visual cues” when Copilot is active, “so you know when it’s taking an action, helping, listening, or viewing.”

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