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Microsoft starts removing Copilot buttons from Windows 11 apps

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Microsoft starts removing Copilot buttons from Windows 11 apps

Microsoft is starting to remove “unnecessary” Copilot buttons from its Windows 11 apps. In the latest version of the Notepad app for Windows Insiders, Microsoft has removed the Copilot button in favor of a “writing tools” menu. The Copilot button in the Snipping Tool app also no longer appears when you select an area to capture.

The change is part of “reducing unnecessary Copilot entry points, starting with apps like Snipping Tool, Photos, Widgets and Notepad,” that Microsoft promised to complete as part of its broader plan to fix Windows 11. While Copilot buttons are being removed, it looks like the underlying AI features are here to stay, though.

The Copilot button has been removed from Notepad, but the writing tools replacement still uses AI-powered features and looks like the identical menu of options that existed before. I still think these features are largely unnecessary in what’s supposed to be a lightweight text app, but removing the superfluous Copilot branding is a good first step.

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Philips’ new display has a screen on both sides

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Philips’ new display has a screen on both sides

Its name might be dull and uninspired, but the Philips 24B2D5300 Business Monitor brings a novel feature I’ve never seen on a display before: screens on either side. The design will primarily benefit people who are constantly angling their computer screen so those on both sides of a desk can see it, like a car salesperson walking a buyer through configuration options or a doctor conferring with a patient. But there are some potential co-working applications, too.

Featuring back-to-back 23.8-inch LCD panels with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 at 120 Hz, the monitor can be connected to one or multiple devices using either a pair of power-delivering USB-C ports, or a pair of HDMI ports. In most scenarios it will be connected to a single computer with the same thing mirrored on both sides, but the dual displays can also be used as two extended displays with one side showing public-facing info and the other for private details. Repositioning the monitor could be tricky since it can’t be mounted to an articulated arm, but its base swivels 180-degrees so you can still spin it around to easily double-check what’s displayed on the other side.

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Fake Geek Squad billing scam email: Red flags and how to avoid

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Fake Geek Squad billing scam email: Red flags and how to avoid

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

You open your inbox and see a billing alert. It claims you signed up for Geek Squad protection. The total is $489.99. There is a big button to pay now.

There is only one problem. You never signed up. That is where this scam starts. This email is built to create urgency. It pushes you to act before you think. Once you slow down and read it closely, the red flags show up everywhere.

Let’s look at the warning signs one by one.

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AMAZON RECALL TEXT SCAM COMES WITH RED FLAGS

Cybersecurity experts warn consumers not to click payment links or call phone numbers listed in suspicious billing emails claiming urgent charges or subscriptions. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

First red flag: It doesn’t even use your name

The email is addressed to a generic recipient. There is no real personalization.

Legit companies almost always use your name if you have an account. They also reference past activity. This email does neither.

That tells you one thing. It was sent in bulk to thousands of people, hoping someone bites.

Second red flag: Too many companies in one email

This message mentions:

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  • Geek Squad
  • QuickTax Billing
  • Razorpay

That mix makes no sense. Geek Squad is tied to Best Buy. Razorpay is a payment processor based in India. “QuickTax Billing” is vague and not a known consumer brand in this context.

Real billing emails stay consistent. One company. One system. Clear branding. Scammers often mash names together to sound legitimate.

Third red flag: The fake urgency trap

The email says your account will be charged within 48 hours. That line is doing all the heavy lifting.

It creates pressure. It makes you feel like you need to act now. That is how people get pushed into clicking the payment button.

Legitimate subscriptions do not work this way. You do not get a random warning and a demand to pay through a new link.

Fourth red flag: The ‘Proceed to Pay’ button

The email asks you to complete your first transaction. That isn’t how subscriptions work. If you signed up, payment would already be processed.

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This button likely leads to one of two things:

  • fake payment page that steals your card details
  • phishing site that collects your personal information

Either way, clicking it puts you at risk.

Fifth red flag: Strange wording and formatting

There are small details that matter:

  • Random German word “Rechnung” appears in the invoice
  • Awkward spacing and underscores show up in the text
  • The tone feels off and inconsistent

These are signs of a template that has been reused and poorly edited. Real companies do not send billing emails like this.

Sixth red flag: The phone number

The email includes a support number with the (813) area code. This is a common scam tactic.

If you call, the scammer may:

  • Pretend to cancel the charge
  • Ask for remote access to your computer
  • Walk you through a fake refund process

That “refund” process is where victims lose money.

Is the Razorpay email legit or part of a scam?

The email shows it came from subscriptions@razorpay.com. That sounds legitimate. Razorpay is a real payment platform. But here is the catch.

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Scammers often abuse real services to send emails. They create accounts and send fake invoices through them. That makes the message look more credible.

So yes, Razorpay is real. This email is still a scam.

What Razorpay says about this scam email

Razorpay says the account tied to this email was never capable of processing real payments.

“Our preliminary review indicates that this merchant account was in test mode and not activated for live transactions on Razorpay. Payments cannot be processed in test mode, and any such transaction would not have gone through. The account was operating within a limited test environment (with a capped request limit) and has since been identified and disabled immediately. Razorpay has strict risk checks and compliance processes in place to detect and act against such misuse. We continue to monitor proactively and take swift action against any attempts to abuse the platform.”

While that may sound reassuring, it does not make the email harmless. Scammers are not relying on the payment itself to go through. They are using familiar branding to make the message feel legitimate. That credibility is what pushes people to click the “Proceed to Pay” button or call the phone number, where the real scam begins. In many cases, victims who call are pressured into sharing personal information or giving remote access to their devices. Others may be redirected to a different payment method outside the platform. The goal is to get you to click or call so the scam can move forward.

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Why are you getting this scam email?

There is no special reason. This type of scam is sent to massive lists of email addresses. Some are scraped online. Others come from past data breaches.

The scammers are not targeting you personally. They are playing a numbers game. All they need is a small percentage of people to respond.

We reached out to Razorpay and Best Buy, which owns Geek Squad, for comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.

IS THAT TRAFFIC TICKET TEXT A SCAM OR REAL?

Scammers are using real company names like Geek Squad and Razorpay to make fraudulent billing emails look legitimate and pressure victims into acting quickly. (Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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What this Geek Squad billing scam is trying to do

There are two main goals:

  • Get you to click the payment link
  • Get you to call the number

Both paths lead to the same outcome. They want your money or your personal data. The $489 price isn’t random. It is high enough to scare you. It is also believable enough to feel real.

What you can learn from this scam email 

This email checks almost every classic scam box:

  • Unexpected charge
  • Urgency
  • Confusing branding
  • Payment link
  • Support number

Once you know the pattern, you start to see it everywhere.

Ways to stay safe from billing scam emails

Start with a simple rule. Never act directly from the email.

Instead:

  • Go to the company’s official website yourself
  • Log into your account and check for charges
  • Ignore phone numbers listed in suspicious emails

Also:

  • Do not click payment links you did not expect
  • Do not download attachments from unknown senders
  • Mark these emails as spam to train your inbox

Watch for warning signs:

  • Check the sender’s full email address, not just the display name
  • Look for generic greetings or missing personal details
  • Be cautious of urgent language pushing you to act fast

Protect your information:

  • Never give remote access to your computer to someone who contacts you unexpectedly
  • Do not share passwords, verification codes or banking details over the phone or email
  • Consider using a data removal service to limit how much of your personal information is exposed online, which can reduce your risk of being targeted by scams like this. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com

If you already clicked or responded:

  • Contact your bank or credit card company right away
  • Change your passwords, especially for email and financial accounts, and consider using a password manager to create and store strong, unique passwords. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at CyberGuy.com
  • Use strong antivirus software to scan your device and remove any potential threats

If you are unsure, pause. Scammers rely on speed. You protect yourself by slowing down.

FAKE TRAFFIC VIOLATION TEXT SCAM USES QR CODES TO STEAL PAYMENT INFO

A fake Geek Squad billing email is targeting inboxes with a bogus $489.99 charge and a “Proceed to Pay” button designed to steal personal information. (Smith Collection/Gado/Getty Images)

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Kurt’s key takeaways

This email looks convincing at a glance. It uses real brand names and a polished layout. That is what makes it dangerous. But when you read it carefully, it falls apart. No name. Conflicting companies. Pressure to pay. Strange formatting. Those details matter. The more familiar you are with these tactics, the harder it becomes for scammers to trick you.

If a message can look this real and still be fake, how confident are you that the next one in your inbox is safe? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.

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  • For simple, real-world ways to spot scams early and stay protected, visit CyberGuy.com – trusted by millions who watch CyberGuy on TV daily.
  • Plus, you’ll get instant access to my Ultimate Scam Survival Guide free when you join.

Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.

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In SpaceX’s IPO, Elon Musk is a risk factor

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In SpaceX’s IPO, Elon Musk is a risk factor

The SpaceX IPO is here, and it’s more than just an historic public offering that could make Elon Musk the world’s first trillionaire. It also reveals more ways in which Elon Musk’s companies interact and overlap with each other, shuffling money around in ways that are often difficult to keep track of.

This is evident in ways that are both obvious and less so. A CTRL-F search for “Tesla” yields 87 results, xAI is mentioned 356 times, and X 267 times. Even the Boring Company (7 times) and Neuralink (3) get a few mentions. Throughout its 330 pages of rocket launches and interplanetary wishes, you can trace the network of ways in which Musk’s companies deal with each other.

It’s also evident in the ways Musk’s companies are shareholders in other Musk companies, further intertwining their fates in the process. Based on the Form S-1 filing, Tesla owns nearly 19 million shares of SpaceX’s Class A common stock, which is less than 1 percent of the total outstanding stock. Tesla’s stake in xAI was converted to SpaceX shares after Elon Musk merged his AI company with his space company in February.

The filing also reveals SpaceX bought $131 million worth of Cybertrucks “at manufacturer’s suggested retail price from Tesla.” A Bloomberg report earlier this year suggested that SpaceX bought 1,279 Cybertrucks in the fourth quarter of 2025, but the IPO suggests it has probably acquired a few more than that. As Electrek notes, without these purchases, Cybertruck registration numbers likely would have gone down year over year.

Tesla’s Megapacks, the company’s giant stationary storage batteries, are used to stabilize SpaceX’s Colossus I and II data centers in Memphis, TN, during peak demand. The rocket company purchased $697 million worth of Megapacks from Tesla in 2024 and 2025.

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SpaceX’s relationship with Musk’s Boring Company is much more quaint in comparison. The tunneling venture has paid about $1.2 million in office leases to SpaceX. And SpaceX spent about $1 million for the Boring Company to dig a tunnel at its headquarters in Bastrop, Texas.

SpaceX was valued at $1.25 trillion earlier this year after merging with xAI, Musk’s AI company that also owns X, formerly Twitter. The tie-up means investors will be buying in at a historically high price — but Musk combined the companies at great cost to himself, and also SpaceX. The filing showed that the rocket company directed about 60 percent of its capital spending in 2025 toward xAI, or about $20 billion. But as TechCrunch notes, xAI lost billions of dollars last year on revenue that grew by only 22 percent year over year.

When going public, companies are required to list their risk factors, under the assumption that investors should know about all the skeletons in the closet before putting their money down. For SpaceX, the biggest risk is also the biggest asset: Elon Musk.

For SpaceX, the biggest risk is also the biggest asset: Elon Musk.

While any company, especially one as complex as SpaceX, would be expected to include a long list of risk factors in its S-1, SpaceX’s is unique in that it includes its own CEO. The filing explicitly states that SpaceX is “highly dependent on the continued services of Mr. Musk,” noting that his leadership, vision, and technical expertise are critical to the company’s future.

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Like other Musk-owned companies, SpaceX acknowledges that Musk isn’t always 100 percent focused on SpaceX. And it admits that Musk’s intersecting businesses may end up cannibalizing each other in some way. Conflicts could arise. And if they do, Musk is not “restricted” from doing something that directly competes with his other companies, including SpaceX.

Conflicts of interest could arise in the future between us, on the one hand, and Mr. Musk and entities owned by or affiliated with him, on the other hand, concerning among other things, business transactions, potential competitive business activities or other opportunities…. Furthermore, Mr. Musk and other businesses owned by or affiliated with him may now, or in the future, directly or indirectly, compete with us for investment or business opportunities.

The S-1 goes on to enumerate the ways in which Musk’s extensive entanglements could result in financial loss for SpaceX. The company is completely dependent on his leadership, and yet could also incur big losses as a result of said leadership. (See: Tesla in 2025.)

For instance, Mr. Musk currently serves as Technoking and Chief Executive Officer of Tesla and is involved in other emerging technology ventures, including Neuralink and The Boring Company. Mr. Musk has also previously served as Senior Advisor to the President of the United States. Any such loss or reduced involvement in our business could result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, and future prospects.

The pull between risk and reward is a running theme throughout the filing.

We, Mr. Musk, and other companies Mr. Musk is affiliated with frequently receive an immense amount of media attention. The actions and statements of Mr. Musk and his affiliated ventures, whether or not directly relating to us, may draw significant public attention and scrutiny to us and could potentially have a positive or negative impact on our business, relationships with customers and regulators, or stock price.

These are not statements you find in your average S-1 filing, but SpaceX is not your typical IPO. Musk stands to make billions if SpaceX establishes a “permanent” colony on Mars with “at least” a million inhabitants. He’s also a shit magnet that could do serious damage to SpaceX’s reputation. Musk’s companies do business with and are deeply entangled with each other in ways laid bare by the filing. They buy each other’s stuff, compete with each other for RAM, AI chips, and other ultra valuable components that are increasingly in short supply.

Occasionally, his shareholders push back. In 2024, several Tesla shareholders sued Musk over claims he was knowingly diverting talent and resources away from the company and directing it toward, xAI. That lawsuit is still pending.

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