A critique published in Nature Wednesday calls the basic technology behind Microsoft’s “breakthrough” quantum computing chip the Majorana 1 into question. Microsoft unveiled the chip in February 2025 and said it featured a brand-new technology known as a topological qubit. Topological qubits, they said, would be the “building blocks” for their future quantum computer. Microsoft announced the next generation chip Majorana 2 at Build earlier this month.
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January scams surge: Why fraud spikes at the start of the year
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Every January, I hear from people who say the same thing: “I just got an email that looked official, and I almost fell for it.” That’s not a coincidence. January is one of the busiest months of the year for scammers. While most of us are focused on taxes, benefits, subscriptions, and getting our finances in order, criminals are doing their own kind of cleanup, refreshing scam lists and going after people with newly updated personal data. If you’ve ever received a message claiming your account needs to be “verified,” your benefits are at risk, or your tax information is incomplete, this article is for you.
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10 SIMPLE CYBERSECURITY RESOLUTIONS FOR A SAFER 2026
Scam messages often look urgent and official, pushing you to act before you have time to think. That pressure is exactly what criminals rely on. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Why January is prime time for scammers
January is when scammers have everything they need. According to YouMail’s Robocall Index, U.S. consumers received just over 4.7 billion robocalls in January 2025, a roughly 9% increase from December 2024. This year, we can expect the same pattern from scammers.
They know:
But the biggest reason scams spike now? Your personal data is easier to find than you think. Data brokers quietly collect and update profiles year after year. By January, those profiles are often more complete than ever, and scammers know it.
The “account verification” scam you’ll see everywhere
One of the most common January scams looks harmless at first. You get a message saying:
- “Your Social Security account needs verification”
- “Your Medicare information has to be updated”
- “Your benefits could be delayed without action”
The message sounds official. Sometimes it even uses your real name or location. That’s where people get tricked. Government agencies don’t ask for sensitive information through random emails or texts. Scammers rely on urgency and familiarity to push you into reacting before thinking.
My rule: If you didn’t initiate the request, don’t respond to it. Always go directly to the agency’s official website or phone number, never through a link sent to you.
MAKE 2026 YOUR MOST PRIVATE YEAR YET BY REMOVING BROKER DATA
January is a prime time for fraud because people are dealing with taxes, benefits and account updates. Scammers know these messages feel expected and familiar. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Fake tax and benefits notices ramp up in January
Another favorite scam this time of year involves taxes and refunds.
You may see:
- Emails claiming you owe back taxes
- Messages saying you’re due a refund
- Notices asking you to “confirm” banking information.
These scams work because they arrive at exactly the moment people expect to hear from tax agencies or benefits programs.
Scammers don’t need much to sound convincing. A name, an email address or an old address is often enough. If you get a tax-related message out of the blue, slow down. Real agencies don’t pressure you to act immediately.
Subscription “problems” that aren’t real
January is also when subscription scams explode. Fake messages claim:
Scammers know most people have subscriptions, so they play the odds. Instead of clicking, open the app or website directly. If there’s a real problem, you’ll see it there.
Why these scams feel so personal
People often tell me, “But they used my name, how did they know?” Here’s the uncomfortable truth: They probably bought it. Data brokers compile massive profiles that include:
- Address histories
- Phone numbers and emails
- Family connections
- Shopping behavior.
That data is sold, shared and leaked. Once scammers have it, they can tailor messages that feel real, because they’re built on real information.
10 WAYS TO PROTECT SENIORS FROM EMAIL SCAMS
The more personal data scammers have, the more convincing their messages become. Removing your information from data broker sites can help reduce targeted scams over time. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What you should do right now
Before January gets any busier, take these steps to reduce your exposure to scams and fraud:
1) Remove your personal data from broker sites
Deleting emails or blocking numbers helps, but it does not stop scams at the source. Scammers rely on data broker sites that quietly collect, update and sell your personal information. Removing your data from those sites reduces scam calls, phishing emails and targeted texts over time. It also makes it harder for criminals to personalize messages using your real name, address or family connections. You have two ways to do this:
Do it yourself:
You can visit individual data broker websites, search for your profile and submit opt-out requests.This method works, but it takes time. Each site has its own rules, identity verification steps, and response timelines. Many brokers also re-add data later, which means you have to repeat the process regularly.
Use a data removal service:
A data removal service automates the opt-out process by contacting hundreds of data brokers on your behalf and monitoring for re-listings. This option saves time and provides ongoing protection, especially if you want long-term results without constant follow-ups.
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
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2) Don’t click links in unexpected messages
If you did not initiate the request, do not click. Scam messages are designed to create urgency, especially around taxes, benefits and account issues. Instead, go directly to the official website by typing the address yourself or using a saved bookmark. This single habit prevents most phishing attacks.
3) Turn on two-factor authentication wherever possible
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds a critical second layer of protection. Even if someone gets your password, they still cannot access your account without the second verification code. Start with email, financial accounts, social media and government services.
4) Check accounts only through official apps or websites
If you receive a warning about an account problem, do not trust the message itself. Open the official app or website, and check there. If something is wrong, you will see it immediately. If not, you just avoided a scam.
5) Watch for account alerts and login activity
Enable login alerts and security notifications on important accounts. These alerts can warn you if someone tries to sign in from a new device or location. Early warnings give you time to act before real damage occurs.
6) Use strong, unique passwords and a password manager
Reusing passwords makes it easy for scammers to take over multiple accounts at once. If one service is compromised, attackers try the same login on email, banking, and social media accounts. A password manager helps you create and store strong, unique passwords for every account without needing to remember them. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.
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Kurt’s key takeaways
January scams aren’t random. They’re targeted, timed and fueled by personal data that shouldn’t be public in the first place. The longer your information stays online, the easier it is for scammers to use it against you. If you want a quieter inbox, fewer scam calls and less risk this year, take action early, before criminals finish rebuilding their lists. Protect your data now, and you’ll be safer all year long.
Have you noticed more scam emails, texts or calls since the new year started? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Amazon’s Prime Day is now in its second day, and whether you’re looking for a new pair of wireless earbuds or a smartwatch, there’s a good chance you’ll find a discount. The Apple Watch Series 11 has already dropped to a new low price, while the AirPods Pro 3 are discounted to $179. With Tim Cook warning that price hikes are coming, now may be the moment if you’ve been eyeing one of the company’s devices.
Below are the best Apple deals currently available. Some are exclusive to Prime Day, while others are simply great discounts we think are worth highlighting. We’ll continue updating this guide throughout Prime Day, highlighting more deals as they become available.
Earbud and headphone deals
Update, June 24th: Adjusted prices and availability, and added deals for Apple’s MagSafe Charger as well as the Apple Magic Keyboard.
But in a peer-reviewed article, Henry Legg, a physicist at the University of St Andrews, reanalyzed Microsoft’s data on their device and argued that the company’s researchers did not conclusively demonstrate a working topological qubit in the first place.
Theory predicts that the electrons in this wire behave in a collective pattern known as a Majorana particle, for which the chip is named.
Proponents of quantum computing predict that the technology’s computational abilities will advance new medicine discovery, encryption, and machine learning. Companies like Google and IBM have already demonstrated more advanced machines than Majorana 1 or 2, although presently, no one has conclusively gotten any quantum computer to perform anything useful. But Microsoft claimed that Majorana 1, and subsequently Majorana 2, paved their path toward a practical quantum computer.
Microsoft’s design, unique among quantum computing companies, involves a tiny wire, thinner than a human hair, made of the semiconductor indium arsenide stuck to a superconductor. Theory predicts that the electrons in this wire behave in a collective pattern known as a Majorana particle, for which the chip is named. Microsoft wants to encode information in the properties of the Majorana particle. (A topological qubit is to a Majorana particle as a transistor is to silicon.)
Proponents of the Majorana particle think it is promising qubit material because theory predicts that when formed into topological qubits, the Majorana should compute with fewer errors than competing materials, such as superconducting circuits pursued by IBM. This suggests that ultimately, fewer topological qubits are needed to scale up to a useful quantum computer.
That is, if Microsoft has actually made a Majorana particle. “They haven’t convincingly shown that they have Majoranas,” Legg told The Verge. “You can’t make a qubit if you don’t have the Majoranas.”
In Legg’s critique, he writes that what Microsoft claims as a signature of the Majorana particle could actually be from the formation of quantum dots, which are electron-containing structures, in the device. Quantum dots would not be useful for building the quantum computer. He also writes that Microsoft cherry-picked their data.
“You can’t make a qubit if you don’t have the Majoranas.”
Microsoft’s team published a rebuttal in Nature disputing Legg’s interpretation of their data. Legg’s critique “does not constitute a substantial scientific challenge to our findings,” the Microsoft team wrote. Legg has not “proposed an alternative model that fits all of our data,” Chetan Nayak, a physicist leading Microsoft’s quantum team, told The Verge.
Legg first posted his critique on the online physics repository arXiv on February 26, 2025, within a week of Microsoft’s Majorana 1 announcement. It took a year for Nature to conduct a peer review and publish his article.
Meanwhile, on June 2, Microsoft announced a new chip, the Majorana 2, featuring what they claimed was the next generation of their topological qubits. The company says they can build a “scalable quantum computer” by 2029. “We 100% stand behind our results,” Nayak told The Verge. “We stand by our roadmap. We stand behind our long-standing commitment to scientific rigor and dialogue.”
Legg says the company’s characterization of Majorana 2, which Microsoft wrote in a non-peer reviewed manuscript, suffers from similar problems he pointed out a year ago. “Nothing in this [manuscript] resolves the fundamental issues that so many scientists have with this company’s previous claims,” Legg told The Verge.
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Buying a phone without tying it directly to your identity could get much harder. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is considering tougher “know your customer” rules for voice providers.
The proposal would push phone companies to collect and keep more personal information before giving many new or renewing customers access to service. That could include your name, physical address, government-issued identification number and an alternate phone number.
The FCC says the goal is to make life harder for scammers, robocallers and criminals who abuse phone networks. That sounds reasonable at first. Nobody wants more fake bank calls, Medicare scam texts or urgent messages from crooks pretending to be family members. Yet this proposal raises a much bigger question. How much personal privacy should we give up to fight scam calls?
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GOOGLE SEARCH LED TO A COSTLY SCAM CALL
The FCC is considering tougher phone identity checks that could require more personal information before service begins. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What the FCC phone ID proposal would require
The FCC phone ID proposal focuses on identity checks for originating voice providers. Those are the companies that allow calls to enter the phone network. Right now, the FCC already expects providers to take steps to know their customers and stop illegal calls. The new proposal would make those duties more specific. The FCC is asking whether providers should be required to obtain and retain certain customer information before granting service. At a minimum, that could include:
- Name
- Physical address
- Government-issued identification number
- Alternate telephone number
The FCC is also asking how these rules should apply to “new and renewing” customers. That phrase is important. A narrow version could focus on people opening new accounts. A broader version could reach people who switch plans or renew service with a current provider. For high-volume customers, including some business and foreign customers, the FCC is also asking whether providers should collect more information. That could include the intended use of the service and the IP address used to place calls, when applicable.
The FCC is also asking whether providers should retain KYC records for four years after the customer relationship ends, tied to the statute of limitations for certain illegal calling violations.
Why the FCC wants stronger phone identity checks
The FCC says scammers hide behind phone calls and texts to rip people off, then disappear before anyone can track them down. Anyone with a phone knows this problem has gotten out of hand. Most of us now look at an unknown number and assume trouble before we even answer.
The agency believes tougher identity checks could make it harder for bad actors to get onto phone networks in the first place. It also says better customer records could help investigators connect the dots after a scam call or text causes harm.
Here is where the proposal gets bigger. The FCC also asks whether stronger records could help law enforcement investigate crimes that go beyond scam calls, including national security threats and abuse in text messaging networks. So while robocalls are the headline, this proposal reaches much further. It could move phone service closer to an identity-check model that goes well beyond robocalls.
Why burner phones could become harder to buy
The FCC proposal does not specifically say it will ban burner phones. Still, the practical impact could be significant. A burner phone usually refers to a prepaid phone or phone line with no clear identity link at the point of purchase. TV shows often connect burner phones with criminals. Real life is more complicated.
People use prepaid or private phone lines for plenty of lawful reasons. A domestic abuse survivor may need a safe phone that an abuser cannot easily trace through shared accounts. A journalist may need to protect a source. A whistleblower may need to call without exposing a personal number. Someone without a stable address may rely on prepaid service because it is easier to obtain.
If phone companies must collect a government ID number and physical address before service begins, anonymous or lightly identified prepaid service could become far harder to access. That is why privacy advocates see this as more than a robocall rule. They see it as a potential shift in how Americans get basic phone service.
HOW SCAMMERS BUILD A PROFILE ON YOU USING DATA BROKERS
Prepaid phones could face closer scrutiny if the FCC moves ahead with stricter “know your customer” rules. (Photographer: Brent Lewin/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
The FCC proposal could affect prepaid phone plans
Prepaid phones are a big part of this story. Some people use them to save money. Others use them because they want more control over what they spend or because a traditional phone plan creates hurdles they would rather avoid.
The FCC is now asking whether prepaid and postpaid customers should face different identity checks. That question is important because prepaid service has long been one of the easiest ways to get a working phone without a lengthy signup process.
A strict final rule could make prepaid service feel a lot more like opening a bank account. For some people, that may only mean another form to fill out. For others, especially someone trying to stay safe or keep a phone line private, it could be a much bigger deal.
The privacy risk behind a phone ID database
The most obvious concern is privacy. The quieter concern is cybersecurity. Phone companies already hold sensitive customer information. Adding government ID numbers, physical addresses and alternate phone numbers would make those records even more valuable to hackers.
If a telecom database gets breached, criminals may use stolen customer data for phishing, identity theft, SIM-swap attacks or stalking. A rule meant to stop scammers could create a richer target for scammers to steal. That to me is scary.
The FCC does ask how providers should protect customer information and how long records should be retained. Those are important questions. Still, better security rules would need real teeth. Sensitive data becomes a liability the moment it gets collected.
What “physical address” could mean for phone customers
The FCC is also asking whether P.O. boxes, shared office locations and similar addresses should count as a customer’s physical address. That detail could create real problems.
Some people do not have a traditional home address. Others may avoid sharing one because of safety concerns. A domestic abuse survivor may use a mailing address that keeps a home location private. A small business owner may use a shared office or mail service. If the final rule limits what counts as a valid address, some people could face a harder path to phone service. That may sound like a compliance detail. For someone trying to stay safe, it could matter a lot.
TOP 10 ROBOCALL HOT SPOTS IN AMERICA
Privacy advocates warn that stronger identity checks could make private phone access harder for people with legitimate safety concerns. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
What happens next with the FCC phone ID proposal
The FCC is taking public comments on the proposal through June 25, 2026. Reply comments are due July 27, 2026. After that, the agency can review feedback from phone companies, law enforcement, privacy groups, consumer advocates and the public.
The final rule could change. The FCC could narrow the requirements, add privacy safeguards, create exceptions or revise major parts of the proposal. For now, this is one to watch closely.
We reached out to the FCC for comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.
How to reduce scam calls and texts now
You do not need to wait for a new FCC rule to protect yourself.
1) Let unknown calls go to voicemail
Do not feel pressured to answer every unknown number. A real caller can leave a message. A scammer wants you on the line fast, before you have a chance to slow down and think.
2) Turn on phone spam protections
On iPhone, go to Settings, tap Apps, scroll down and tap Phone, then go to the unknown caller settings. Choose Silence to send calls from unsaved numbers to voicemail, or choose Ask Reason for Calling if you want unsaved callers to provide more information before your iPhone rings. You can also look under Call Filtering and toggle on Unknown Callers and Spam.
On many Samsung phones, open the Phone app, tap the three dots, tap Settings, tap Caller ID and spam protection and turn it on. Then, scroll down and make sure Block all spam and scam calls is toggled on. Settings may vary depending on your phone model.
3) Avoid links in unexpected texts
Go directly to the company’s app or website instead. That habit can help stop fake toll texts, bank scams and delivery alerts.
4) Reduce the personal info scammers can use against you
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 of your 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
5) Block and report suspicious messages
Do not just delete scam texts. On iPhone, open Messages. If you have not opened the message, swipe left on it, tap the Delete button, then tap Delete and Report Spam. If you have already opened it, tap Report Spam at the bottom of the message, then tap Delete and Report Spam. To block the sender, open the conversation, tap the sender’s icon at the top, tap Info, scroll down and tap Block Contact. Apple says reporting spam does not block the sender. Settings and carrier support may vary.
On many Samsung Galaxy phones using Google Messages, open the message, tap the three dots and choose Block and report spam, if requested confirm your decision by tapping Yes. If you use Samsung Messages, touch and hold the conversation, tap More, then tap Block. Settings may vary depending on your phone model and messaging app.
6) Use antivirus software and a password manager
Strong antivirus software can help block phishing links and malicious websites before they cause damage. A password manager can also help you avoid reusing passwords if a scammer tricks you into entering login details on a fake page. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com
7) Turn on account alerts
Turn on bank, credit card and phone carrier alerts so you know quickly if someone tries to make a charge, move money or change your account. Fast alerts can help you stop damage before it spreads.
Watch the CyberGuy Live replay: Lock Down Your Phone in 30 Minutes
Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free CyberGuy Live replay, Kurt the CyberGuy walks you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do at your own pace. You’ll learn how to improve your privacy settings, spot the latest phone scams, use trusted security tools and walk away with a simple checklist to stay protected. Watch the replay and get our checklist here: CyberGuyLive.com
Kurt’s key takeaways
The FCC wants to stop scammers before they ever get onto the phone network. I get that. Scam calls and texts are out of control, and they have cost too many people real money. At the same time, the way the FCC is looking at this raises a real privacy concern. Asking phone companies to collect a government ID number, physical address and alternate phone number could change what it takes to get basic phone service in America. The FCC believes stronger customer records could help investigators track scammers after illegal calls happen. The question is whether scammers would still find ways around the rules while people with legitimate privacy needs face new hurdles. A domestic abuse survivor, journalist, whistleblower or person without a stable address may have a much harder time getting a private phone line. That is why any scam-fighting plan needs strong privacy safeguards. Before asking phone customers to hand over more personal information, the FCC should show how this data would reduce scams and how it would be protected.
Would you give your phone carrier a government ID number and physical address if it meant fewer scam calls, or does that go too far? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.Cyberguy.com
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