Technology

Don’t fall for fake settlement sites that steal your data

Published

5 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Don’t fall for fake settlement sites that steal your data

Cyber expert shares tips to avoid AI phishing scams

Kurt ‘The CyberGuy’ Knutsson shares practical ways to avoid falling victim to AI-generated phishing scams and discusses a report that North Korean agents are posing as I.T. workers to funnel money into the country’s nuclear program.

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Sometimes, data breaches result in more than just free credit monitoring. Recently, Facebook began paying out its $725 million settlement, and AT&T is preparing to distribute $177 million. Those payouts caught scammers’ attention.

Now, fake settlement claim emails and websites are flooding inboxes. They look convincing, but behind the plain design and official-sounding language is a trap for your Social Security number, banking info and more. So how can you make sure you get your money without losing even more in the process?

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TOP 5 OVERPAYMENT SCAMS TO AVOID

Why fake settlement sites are so convincing

Settlement claim websites rarely look polished. Most have generic layouts, long URLs and simple forms asking for a claim ID from your email or postcard. That makes it easy for scammers to mimic them. To test how simple it is, we created a fake settlement site (below) in minutes using AI tools like ChatGPT.

To steal your data, scammers build fake settlement sites that mimic real sites (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

If we can do it, you can bet criminals are already exploiting the same shortcuts. Facebook has been the target. A fake site once popped up around the Equifax settlement, tricking thousands before it was shut down. The lesson? If the site appears unusual, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s fake, but it should prompt you to double-check before entering your details or clicking on any links.

Red flags that expose fake settlement sites

Spotting a scam often comes down to noticing the little details. Watch for these common warning signs before you hand over your information.

Requests for too much personal data

If a site asks for your full Social Security number or the names of your children, stop. For example, the official Equifax settlement only requested the last six digits of SSNs. Genuine claim sites may ask for limited info (like the last four digits of your SSN), but they rarely demand complete Social Security or bank details.

Promises of payout estimates upfront

Real administrators calculate payments only after the claim period closes.

Texts or social media messages

Settlements are announced by mail or email, not through random DMs or SMS.

Red flags like odd URLs, urgent countdowns, or fee requests often expose the fraud (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Fraud can be found with red flags like odd URLs, urgent countdowns, or fee requests (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Odd or misspelled URLs

Even one extra letter in the web address is a sign of a spoof site. Legitimate settlements use official or clearly named administrator domains. Be wary of addresses with unusual add-ons, such as “secure-pay” or “claims-pay.”

Urgent language or countdowns

Scammers rely on urgency to pressure you into acting fast. Real settlement sites don’t demand 24-hour turnarounds.

Processing fee checkboxes

A sure giveaway of a fake. Real settlement administrators never require money to file or to receive your payout.

Cheap trust badges

Scam sites often throw in fake “secure” seals. Look for recognized security seals and make sure they’re clickable and verifiable.

Generic contact info tied to the suspicious domain

Official sites list multiple, verifiable contacts. If the email or phone number matches the weird domain, that’s a red flag.

Grammar or spelling mistakes in the fine print

Sloppy errors in legal-sounding text are a classic sign you’re looking at a scam.

Always start at official FTC links or mailed notices to file claims safely (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)

Start with official FTC links or mailed notices to file claims safely (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How to safely handle settlement claim notices

Before filing any claim, follow these steps to ensure you’re dealing with a legitimate settlement site and protecting your information.

1) Start at the FTC

The Federal Trade Commission keeps updated lists of approved class action settlements at ftc.gov/enforcement/refunds. The legitimate links always point to a .gov website. If your email sends you elsewhere, treat it with caution.

2) Cross-check with other resources

Trusted outlets often cover large settlements and include safe links. ClassAction.org is another resource for checking legitimate URLs.

3) Skip the links, use the mail

Your claim notice may include a mailing address. Sending a paper form avoids the digital phishing minefield altogether.

4) Use strong antivirus software

Strong antivirus software can block malicious links, warn you about dangerous websites and prevent malware from taking over your device.

The best way to safeguard yourself from malicious links that install malware and potentially access your private information is to have strong antivirus software installed on all your devices. This protection can also alert you to phishing emails and ransomware scams, keeping your personal information and digital assets safe.

Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com.

HOW RETIREES CAN STOP FAKE DEBT COLLECTOR SCAMS

5) Try a data removal service

Data removal services work to scrub your personal information from broker lists, making it more difficult for criminals to target you.

While no service can guarantee the complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is really a smart choice. They aren’t cheap, and neither is your privacy. These services do all the work for you by actively monitoring and systematically erasing your personal information from hundreds of websites. It’s what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk of scammers cross-referencing data from breaches with information they might find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.

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.

Get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web: Cyberguy.com.

6) Never pay to file

If a site asks for “administrative fees” or a “processing charge,” close it immediately. Real settlement administrators will never ask for money.

7) Report suspicious sites

Spot a fake? Protect others by reporting it to:

The FTC Complaint Assistant at reportfraud.ftc.gov/
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov/
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) at consumerfinance.gov/about-us/the-bureau/

Quick reporting helps authorities shut down scams before more people fall victim.

Can you tell a real email from a fake?

Take our quick quiz at Cyberguy.com/ScamCheck to learn how to spot phishing scams, protect your inbox, and stay a step ahead of hackers.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Class action settlements can feel like rare wins for consumers after data breaches. But scammers see them as easy hunting grounds. The best defense is skepticism. Check URLs, avoid clicking direct links and never give away details that don’t match the claim’s purpose. Your payout should help you recover, not put you at greater risk.

Have you ever received a settlement notice that felt suspicious, and how did you handle it? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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Technology

Nvidia’s ‘personal AI supercomputer’ goes on sale October 15th

Published

4 hours ago

October 14, 2025

Press Room

Nvidia’s ‘personal AI supercomputer’ goes on sale October 15th

Nvidia will start selling its DGX Spark “personal AI supercomputer” this week. The machine is powerful enough to let users work on sophisticated AI models but small enough to fit on a desktop.

Nvidia said Spark can be ordered online at nvidia.com starting Wednesday, October 15th, as well as from select partners and stores in the US. It said units would cost $3,000 when it revealed Spark earlier this year, but it appears the DGX Spark will now cost $3,999, according to an infographic embedded in Nvidia’s press release. Most PC makers have their own customized version, with the Acer Veriton GN100, as one example, also costing $3,999.

Spark boasts the kind of performance that once required access to pricey, energy-hungry data centers. It could help democratize AI and would be particularly useful for researchers. When first announcing Spark earlier this year (then called Digits), Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said “placing an AI supercomputer on the desks of every data scientist, AI researcher and student empowers them to engage and shape the age of AI.”

Buyers can expect to see a variety of similar models on the market as Nvidia has said third-party manufacturers are welcome to make their own versions. Acer, Asus, Dell, Gigabyte, HP, Lenovo, and MSI are all debuting their own customized versions of Spark, Nvidia confirmed today.

Spark comes with Nvidia’s GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, 128GB of unified memory, and up to 4TB of NVMe SSD storage. Nvidia says it can deliver a petaflop of AI performance — meaning it can do a million billion calculations each second — and is capable of handling AI models with up to 200 billion parameters. It’s also small, comfortably fitting on a desk and running from a standard power outlet. Nvidia calls it “the world’s smallest AI supercomputer.”

Correction, October 13th: An earlier version of this story misstated that the DGX Spark was “now available to buy.” It will actually go on sale October 15th.

Technology

New California law requires AI to tell you it’s AI

Published

16 hours ago

October 13, 2025

Press Room

New California law requires AI to tell you it’s AI

A bill attempting to regulate the ever-growing industry of companion AI chatbots is now law in California, as of October 13th.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Senate Bill 243, billed as “first-in-the-nation AI chatbot safeguards” by state senator Anthony Padilla. The new law requires that companion chatbot developers implement new safeguards — for instance, “if a reasonable person interacting with a companion chatbot would be misled to believe that the person is interacting with a human,” then the new law requires the chatbot maker to “issue a clear and conspicuous notification” that the product is strictly AI and not human.

Starting next year, the legislation would require some companion chatbot operators to make annual reports to the Office of Suicide Prevention about safeguards they’ve put in place “to detect, remove, and respond to instances of suicidal ideation by users,” and the Office would need to post such data on its website.

“Emerging technology like chatbots and social media can inspire, educate, and connect – but without real guardrails, technology can also exploit, mislead, and endanger our kids,” Newsom said in a statement on signing the bill, along with several other pieces of legislation aimed at improving online safety for children, including new age-gating requirements for hardware. “We can continue to lead in AI and technology, but we must do it responsibly — protecting our children every step of the way. Our children’s safety is not for sale.”

The news comes after Governor Newsom officially signed Senate Bill 53, the landmark AI transparency bill that divided AI companies and made headlines for months, into law in California.

Technology

Australian construction robot Charlotte can 3D print 2,150-sq-ft home in one day using sustainable materials

Published

19 hours ago

October 13, 2025

Press Room

Australian construction robot Charlotte can 3D print 2,150-sq-ft home in one day using sustainable materials

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Construction robots are no longer a far-off idea. They’re already changing job sites by tackling repetitive, heavy, and often dangerous tasks. The latest robot comes from Australia, where a spider-like machine named Charlotte is making headlines.

Charlotte is designed to 3D print an entire 2,150-sq-ft home in just one day. That’s equivalent to the speed of more than 100 bricklayers working simultaneously. This offers a glimpse into how the future of housing might be constructed.

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AUSTRALIA DEBUTS FIRST MULTI-STORY 3D PRINTED HOME – BUILT IN JUST 5 MONTHS

Charlotte the robot 3D prints homes in just 24 hours using eco-friendly materials. (Crest Robotics)

How Charlotte the robot works

Charlotte is a collaboration between Crest Robotics and Earthbuilt Technology. The robot doesn’t simply stack bricks or tie rebar. Instead, it uses a giant extrusion system that lays down eco-friendly material in layers.

That material comes from sand, crushed brick and recycled glass, all locally sourced. The result? A structure that’s fireproof, floodproof and created with a far smaller carbon footprint than traditional building methods.

SUSTAINABLE 3D-PRINTED HOME BUILT PRIMARILY FROM SOIL

Why Charlotte the robot stands out

This 3D printing construction robot stands out for its unique mix of speed, strength, versatility and affordability.

Speed: Prints a home in 24 hours.
Strength: Uses durable, sustainable materials.
Versatility: Can raise itself on spider-like legs to keep building higher walls.
Affordability: Cuts out many of the expensive steps in construction.

While Charlotte is still in the development phase, a scaled-down prototype has already been showcased. Researchers believe it could help solve housing shortages where labor is scarce and construction costs are skyrocketing.

3D printing robot builds a structure beside a supply trailer in a desert setting.

Its spider-like legs let it climb and build higher, cutting costs and saving time. (Crest Robotics)

The future of 3D printed moon bases beyond Earth

Charlotte’s creators also have their eyes set on the stars. They imagine future versions of the robot building moon bases for research and exploration. With its compact design and autonomous operation, Charlotte could adapt to the extreme environments of space just as well as it can to the challenges on Earth.

THE NEW ROBOT THAT COULD MAKE CHORES A THING OF THE PAST

What this means for you

If Charlotte delivers on its promise, it could reshape how homes are built worldwide. Faster construction means quicker housing availability. Lower costs and sustainable materials mean more affordable homes with a smaller environmental impact. For anyone facing rising housing prices or construction delays, technology like Charlotte may bring a ray of hope.

Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com/Quiz

AMERICA’S LESSONS FROM WORLD’S LARGEST 3D-PRINTED SCHOOLS

Robot 3D prints a structure on the Moon’s surface under a dark sky with a support vehicle nearby.

Future versions may even construct Moon bases for research and exploration. (Crest Robotics)

Kurt’s key takeaways

Charlotte may be years away from building its first full-scale home, but its prototype already points toward a future where robots take on critical roles in construction. From tackling housing crises on Earth to building shelters on the moon, Charlotte shows how robotics and 3D printing can work together to solve real problems.

Would you live in a home 3D printed by a robot like Charlotte, or even in one built on the moon? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com/Contact