Lucid Motors found itself in a tough bind this week, fending off bankruptcy rumors and watching its stock price plunge as a result. The company quickly denied the report, calling it “completely false” and pointing to its available free cash flow as evidence that it has enough runway to operate into next year.
Technology
Should you change your phone number after a hack?
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Getting hacked once is scary enough. But getting hacked again after changing carriers, replacing cards and trying to recover your accounts can make it feel like the criminals are always one step ahead. That is exactly what happened to Lela in Ohio, who reached out after a frightening string of account takeovers.
“All my accounts have been hacked,” Lela said. “I had my phone number transferred to another carrier, AT&T, and I’m experiencing it again. They have hacked my phone number again.” She said criminals accessed her checking accounts, credit cards and even started charging new cards before she received them.
Then she asked the question anyone in her situation would be asking: “Should I be just getting a new phone number instead of trying to recover the number I’ve had for 20 years?”
The answer is maybe, but changing your number should rarely be the first move. A new number can help in some cases. However, if hackers still control your email, bank login, recovery settings or wireless account, they may keep breaking back in.
SCAMMERS TARGET WIRELESS CUSTOMERS IN NEW PHONE SCHEME
A SIM swap or port-out scam can let criminals take over your phone number and intercept security codes for sensitive accounts. (Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty Images)
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Why your phone number matters so much
Your phone number may feel harmless. After all, it is how friends, family, doctors and businesses reach you. But today, that number is also connected to some of your most important accounts. It may be tied to your bank accounts, credit cards, email accounts, Apple ID, Google account, medical portals, shopping accounts and password resets.
That makes it valuable to criminals. If a scammer takes control of your number, they may receive your calls and text messages. That includes security codes meant only for you. From there, they can reset passwords, break into email, access financial accounts and keep returning even after you think you fixed the problem.
What is a SIM swap or port-out scam?
A SIM swap scam happens when a criminal tricks your mobile carrier into moving your phone number to a SIM card or eSIM they control. A port-out scam happens when they move your number to another carrier.
Once that happens, your phone may suddenly lose service. Meanwhile, the scammer may start receiving your calls and texts. That can give them access to verification codes for email, banking, credit cards and other accounts.
In some cases, victims do not realize what happened until money disappears or accounts get locked.
Should Lela get a new phone number?
Maybe, but not immediately. If Lela gives up her long-time number too fast, she could lose access to accounts that still use that number for recovery. Even worse, if a criminal still controls the old number, they may continue receiving password reset codes for accounts tied to it. Before changing the number, she should secure the number she has and update her most important accounts.
A new number may make sense if the number keeps being targeted despite carrier protections. It may also help if hackers keep using it to reset accounts, the carrier confirms unauthorized SIM swaps or too many accounts tied to that number have already been compromised. A new number may also be worth considering if the old number is widely exposed on the dark web or data broker sites. Still, keeping the number may be safer for now if she needs it to recover critical accounts.
First, lock down the wireless account
Lela should call AT&T directly using the official number on AT&T’s website or on her bill. She should avoid numbers from texts, emails or voicemails. She should ask AT&T to check for SIM swap attempts, port-out requests, unauthorized account changes, new devices, call forwarding, number transfer activity and unknown authorized users.
Then she should ask AT&T to add stronger protections, including a strong account PIN, port-out freeze or number transfer lock, SIM lock if available and extra account verification. She should also remove any unknown authorized users. This makes it much harder for criminals to move her number again.
Secure your email before changing everything else
Your email is often the master key to your digital life. If a hacker controls your email, they can reset passwords for banks, credit cards, shopping accounts and social media. Before changing every password, Lela should make sure her main email account is clean and secure.
She should change her email password from a safe device, sign out of all sessions, check recovery email addresses, review recovery phone numbers and remove unknown forwarding rules. She should also review connected apps and devices and turn on stronger two-factor authentication (2FA). If email remains compromised, a hacker can keep undoing every recovery step.
Stop relying on text message codes
Text message codes are better than having no protection. However, they become risky when criminals target your phone number. For important accounts, use an authenticator app, a security key or passkeys where available.
This matters most for email, banking, credit cards, Apple ID, Google account, social media, password managers, tax accounts and government accounts. This makes your accounts much harder to break into, even if a criminal gets control of your phone number.
ARE BANK TEXT CODES ENOUGH TO PROTECT YOU?
Hackers can use a stolen phone number to reset passwords, break into email and access bank or credit card accounts. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Change passwords from a safe device
If your phone, tablet or computer has malware, changing passwords from that device may hand the new passwords right back to the hacker. Before resetting passwords, make sure the device is safe. Update the operating system. Delete unknown apps. Run strong antivirus protection. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices at CyberGuy.com.
Avoid links in suspicious texts or emails. Then use a password manager to create unique passwords for every important account. Never reuse old passwords after a hack. Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at CyberGuy.com.
Protect bank accounts and credit cards next
Since Lela said criminals charged new cards before she received them, she should treat this as possible identity theft or account takeover. She should call each bank and credit card company directly and ask for the fraud department. She should explain that her accounts, phone number or identity may have been compromised.
Ask each bank to cancel compromised cards, issue new card numbers, review recent activity, add verbal passwords or extra verification and remove unknown devices from online banking. She should also turn on transaction alerts and ask whether wire transfers, Zelle or other payment tools need temporary limits. Finally, she should check whether criminals opened any new accounts in her name.
Freeze your credit and file an identity theft report
If criminals have enough information to keep attacking your accounts, a credit freeze can help stop them from opening new credit in your name. Place a credit freeze with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. You can also place a fraud alert.
Then file an identity theft report at IdentityTheft.gov. That report can help create an official recovery plan. It can also provide documentation if banks, lenders or credit bureaus need proof.
Check whether your personal information is exposed
If scammers already have your phone number, email, address, date of birth or other personal details, they may use that information to impersonate you.
A data removal service can help reduce the amount of personal information exposed on people-search sites and data broker sites. Data removal will not fix a hacked account by itself. Still, it can reduce the information scammers use to target you again. 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.
Warning signs your phone number may still be under attack
Even after you lock things down, keep watching for signs that criminals are still trying to use your number or accounts. These red flags should get your attention fast.
1) Your phone suddenly loses service
If your phone switches to SOS mode, loses service or stops receiving calls and texts, contact your carrier right away. That can be a sign of a SIM swap or port-out attempt.
2) You receive password reset codes you did not request
Random security codes can mean someone is trying to break into one of your accounts. Do not share the code with anyone. Go directly to the account website or app and change your password from a safe device.
3) Your carrier sends account change alerts
Take any wireless account alert seriously. This includes alerts about a new SIM, eSIM, device, PIN change or number transfer request.
HOW SIM SWAPPING LED TO A $1.8M CYBER FRAUD CASE
A new phone number may help after repeated attacks, but victims should first secure email, banking and wireless account settings. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
4) Your bank alerts show strange activity
Watch for small test charges, declined transactions, new payees or changes to contact information. Criminals often test an account before making bigger moves.
5) Your email shows unfamiliar logins
Check recent login activity, connected devices, forwarding rules and recovery options. If anything looks unfamiliar, remove it and change your password.
When changing your number may be the right move
If the warning signs keep showing up after you lock things down, then changing your number may be worth considering. Changing the number may help if the current number remains a constant attack path. But before switching, Lela should update her phone number on critical accounts first.
That includes email, bank accounts, credit cards, Apple ID, Google account, Social Security account, IRS account, password manager, medical portals, insurance accounts, investment accounts, utilities and shopping accounts. Then she should remove the old number from account recovery settings wherever possible.
Do not forget account recovery settings
A common mistake after a hack is changing the password but forgetting the recovery options. If the scammer added their email, phone number or device, they may still be able to get back in.
Check every important account for recovery phone numbers, recovery email addresses, trusted devices, backup codes, linked apps, forwarding settings, authorized users and payment methods. Remove anything unfamiliar.
Kurt’s key takeaways
A new phone number can help, but it is no magic fix. If hackers still have access to Lela’s email, bank logins, recovery settings or personal information, they may keep getting back in even with a new number. The smarter order is to lock down the wireless account first. Then secure email, stop using text codes, change passwords from a safe device and protect bank accounts. After that, freeze credit, file an identity theft report and remove exposed personal information from the web. Only then should you decide whether changing your number is necessary. Your phone number may feel personal, especially if you have had it for 20 years. But once criminals use it as a doorway into your life, the real goal is cutting off every way they can use it against you.
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Have you ever had your phone number, email or bank account hacked? What was the first sign that something was wrong? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.
Skullcandy announced a new version of its Crusher wireless headphones today featuring a few of Bose’s audio technologies including its QuietControl ANC and head-tracking spatial audio. The Crusher headphone line differentiates itself from the competition through the use of both full-range and dedicated bass drivers in each ear cup to boost deeper frequencies. Skullcandy admits that approach can result in a loss of audio quality when the bass is heavily boosted, but its new Crusher 1080 ANC are meant to address and improve that with Bose’s help.
Available starting today for $279.99 in black, candy, primer, and cement color options, the new Crusher 1080 ANC feature redesigned drivers with a stiffer diaphragm material resulting in enhanced clarity and detail with less distortion at higher volume. As with previous models in the Crusher line, the bass boosting is entirely adjustable using Skullcandy’s mobile app or the on-headphone controls that now include a more prominent dial on the outside.
The Crusher 1080 ANC will be the first non-Bose headphones to feature that company’s TrueSpatial audio technology with head tracking that works whether you’re stationary or out for a run and its WaveForm audio engine that “keeps audio full, balanced, and smooth.” Skullcandy’s latest will also offer industry-leading noise cancellation with Bose’s six microphone QuietControl ANC tech that adapts as sounds around you get louder or quieter. The Crusher 1080ANC even features Bose’s SpeechClarity that reduces noise so your voice comes through clearly during a call, but they’re not the first third-party headphones to offer it.
Battery life is estimated to be up to 60 hours with ANC turned off, or 50 hours with it on, while a 10-minute rapid charge will keep the Crusher 1080 ANC going for up to four hours if they die. There’s multipoint pairing for connecting and switching between multiple devices, auto reconnect and wear detection that pauses music when you take the headphones off, and a design that folds flat for easier storage. The Crusher 1080 ANC supports Bluetooth 5.3 with LE Audio, low latency audio, and Auracast.
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You paid for the product. So why does it feel like the company still controls the screen? That is the question more of us are starting to ask as smart devices get updated long after we bring them home. A refrigerator can show ads in your kitchen. A car can flash offers on the dashboard. Even a Windows 11 computer can surface promotions before you get to work.
The frustrating part is that this often happens through software updates. You tap update because you want your device to stay secure and work properly. Then one day, the product you bought starts acting like a billboard. This is also why it pays to understand the hidden privacy clauses and settings that come with smart products before those screens start doing things you never expected.
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Smart devices from refrigerators to cars and computers can show ads after software updates, raising questions about who controls screens consumers already paid for. (Michele Tantussi/Getty Images)
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Reserve your free spot today at CyberGuyLive.com.
Samsung Family Hub refrigerators started showing ads
Samsung Family Hub refrigerators are sold as connected kitchen hubs. You can use the screen for weather, calendars, grocery lists and other household features. But as we discussed on The CyberGuy Report podcast at CyberGuy.com, that same screen can also become a place for ads after a software update. Samsung began showing ads on some Family Hub refrigerator Cover Screens in the U.S. We reached out to Samsung about this, and a spokesperson provided us with this statement:
“Last year, Samsung piloted a new Cover Screen widget on Family Hub refrigerators in the U.S. The widget rotates through useful information like weather, news, calendar events, and curated ads. After the pilot concluded in March, the widget was launched fully with the same user experience.
Users can turn off the Cover Screen widget, including ads, in the Advertisements tab of the Settings menu (Settings > Advertisements > Cover screen Ads) without impacting any other features or functions. Ads can also be dismissed on the Cover Screens where shown, meaning that the dismissed ad will not appear again during that specific ad’s campaign period. Since the start of the pilot program last October, our review has indicated consumers are finding value in this new widget. The percentage of users who have turned off the feature is in the low single-digits.
A Cover Screen appears when the Family Hub screen is idle, and the widget only appears on the Weather, Color, and Daily Board themes. The widget does not appear on the Cover Screen’s Art or Album themes.”
That answer is important because Samsung says you can turn the Cover Screen ads off without losing other features. Still, the larger point remains. You bought a refrigerator, then a later update added an ad experience to the screen in your kitchen.
How to turn off Samsung Family Hub Cover Screen ads
On the Family Hub screen:
- Tap Settings
- Tap Advertisements
- Tap Cover Screen Ads
- Turn the switch off
You can also change the Cover Screen theme. Samsung says the widget does not appear on Art or Album themes.
Car screen ads appeared in Jeep, Ram and Chrysler vehicles
Now move from the kitchen to the driveway. Some Jeep, Ram and Chrysler drivers previously saw promotional messages on their infotainment screens through Stellantis’ Uconnect system.
Stellantis, the automaker behind Jeep, Ram, Chrysler and Dodge, says its In-Vehicle Message technology, or IVM, is designed to help the company stay in contact with owners at important points during ownership. The company says it uses IVM for important messages, such as vehicle recalls and vehicle health monitor alerts. Stellantis also confirmed that the earlier pop-up promotions were part of its in-vehicle messaging or Uconnect communication system. However, the company says it has not run the promotional in-vehicle messages referenced in those reports since mid-fall 2025 and has nothing planned for future in-vehicle promotional messages.
At the time those promotional messages were active, Stellantis says owners could opt out by calling customer service or by updating their profile or Message Settings on their vehicle brand’s website account, such as a Ram owner account. That update is important. There are no current promotional in-vehicle messages to opt out of, according to Stellantis. Still, the larger concern remains: modern vehicles are software-driven, and the screen in the middle of your dashboard can be changed long after you drive off the lot.
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Some Jeep, Ram and Chrysler drivers previously saw promotional messages on infotainment screens through Stellantis’ Uconnect system. (Kurt “Cyberguy” Knutsson)
Why dashboard messages feel more intrusive
A car screen is different from a phone app or website. You use that display for directions, music, climate controls and vehicle settings. So when a promotional message appears there, it can feel more personal than an ad on a webpage.
To be fair, in-vehicle messaging can serve an important purpose. Recall notices and vehicle health alerts can help owners respond to safety or maintenance issues faster.
However, promotional messages hit differently. You are sitting in a car you paid tens of thousands of dollars for. That screen should help you drive, maintain your vehicle and get where you are going without feeling like another place for a sales pitch.
Windows 11 ads can appear in several places
Then there is your computer. Windows 11 can show promotional content in places that feel like part of the operating system. That includes the lock screen, the Start menu and account-related notifications.
The lock screen can use Windows Spotlight, which displays rotating images along with tips, tricks and notifications. Start menu settings also include areas where Microsoft can show recommendations and account prompts.
Some of these messages may look like helpful notices. Others can feel like upsells. The most annoying ones are the alerts that look urgent, then steer you toward a Microsoft service such as OneDrive backup. Microsoft declined to comment for this story.
How to reduce ads and suggestions in Windows 11
You can cut down on much of this in Settings.
Change the lock screen:
- Go to Settings
- Click Personalization
- Click Lock screen
- Change Windows Spotlight to Picture
- Turn off Get fun facts, tips, tricks and more on your lock screen
Reduce Start menu suggestions:
- Go to Settings
- Click Personalization
- Click Start
- Turn off any available toggles for recommendations, tips, suggestions or personalized offers
FIVE DATA BROKER OPT-OUT MYTHS THAT LEAVE RETIREES EXPOSED
Samsung says Family Hub refrigerator Cover Screen ads can be turned off, but the feature highlights how connected appliances can change after purchase. (SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
Limit account-related prompts:
- Go to Settings
- Click Personalization
- Click Start
- Turn off Show account-related notifications
Microsoft may change wording over time, so look for anything tied to recommendations, tips, suggestions, offers or account notifications. For more Windows settings help, see these Windows 11 tips.
Device screen ads are spreading after you buy
The real problem isn’t one ad on one screen. It is the fact that software gives companies a way to change products after you buy them. A refrigerator used to stay a refrigerator. A car dashboard used to do what it did on the day you drove off the lot. A computer operating system used to feel like the tool you used to get things done.
Now those screens can change later. A company can add a widget, promote a service or push an offer through an update. That does not mean every update is bad. Security fixes are essential. Bug fixes help. New features can be useful. However, ads feel different when they arrive after you already paid for the product. That is why you should keep your devices updated, but also check what changed after the update installs.
What this means to you
Before you buy a smart appliance, connected car or computer, think beyond the hardware. Ask what kind of software controls the screen. Check whether ads, recommendations or promotional content can be turned off.
After setup, go through the settings before you assume the default experience is the only option. Look for menus labeled ads, recommendations, notifications, tips, offers or personalization. If you are setting up a new device, this new electronics setup guide is a good place to start.
Also, pay attention after updates. If a new widget or pop-up appears, do not assume you have to live with it. There may be a buried toggle that turns it off. Most of all, remember that a screen in your home, car or office has value. Companies know that. You should know it too.
Kurt’s key takeaways
This is exactly why we covered this on The CyberGuy Report podcast at CyberGuy.com. It hits a nerve because you already paid for these products, yet companies can still use software updates to claim space on the screens you see every day. Samsung says Family Hub Cover Screen ads can be turned off. Stellantis says its vehicle promotions stopped in the fall of 2025. Windows 11 gives you some settings that reduce tips, suggestions and account prompts. Still, the pattern is hard to ignore. Companies are learning how to keep making money from a product after the sale. That may be great for them, but it can feel pretty lousy when the screen is inside your kitchen, your car or your computer. When you pay thousands of dollars for a product, that screen should work for you instead of becoming another place for a company to sell to you.
Which screen ad would bother you most: one on your refrigerator, one on your computer or one in your car? Let us know by writing to us at CyberGuy.com.
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But despite the swift response, the damage was widespread. The panic immediately bled into competing automakers, pulling down shares of Rivian and Polestar as investors speculated about the long-term survival of EV-only companies in the face of slowing consumer demand and whiplash policy shifts. And it cast a harsh light on the precarity of all three companies and the future of electric vehicles.
The trouble started on Tuesday, when EV trade publication EV reported that restructuring firm AlixPartners had advised Lucid’s board to consider Chapter 11 bankruptcy or a take-private deal. The report also said AlixPartners had encouraged the board to further restructure in the US and Europe and to focus on the Gravity SUV. But while the rest of the media has since reported on Lucid’s denial, no other publication has confirmed EV’s scoop. (For what its worth, EV’s URL is “eletric-vehicle.com,” enshrining the incorrect spelling in its address.)
Lucid confirmed that it had hired AlixPartners, but denied that the firm had made any such recommendations to its board. Instead, AlixPartners would provide advice on “improving execution, strengthening operations and positioning Lucid to realize the full potential of its technology, products and innovation,” Lucid chief communications officer Nick Twork said.
Lucid went a step further, filing a cease and desist order against EV
Lucid went a step further, filing a cease and desist order against EV, claiming that the site’s report directly led to the stock crash. “In short, your actions caused serious injury to a number of investors,” Lucid’s chief legal officer and general counsel, Brian Tomkiel, said in the letter. “And they injured, and continue to injure, Lucid directly.”
Still, the timing was terrible. Lucid is genuinely not in good shape, having lost over $1 billion in the first quarter of the year. The company has also gone through two rounds of layoffs in 2026, having cut 12 percent of staff in February and then 18 percent in June. The company also reduced production at its factory in Arizona in a bid to counteract its high inventory and save money. And there’s been leadership turmoil, with COO Marc Winterhoff departing the company and his position being eliminated entirely in an effort to flatten the structure.
The report sent the stock into freefall, plummeting as much as 50 percent in one of the worst single-day drops in Lucid’s history. And with Polestar and Rivian also catching strays, it’s generally been a glum time for companies not named Tesla trying make a go of exclusively building electric vehicles. Wall Street is panicking because the rumors are aligning with the bad news coming out of these companies’ earnings reports. EV sales are stabilizing, but recovery is still a distant promise. The all-electric future seems further away than ever.
Whether or not Lucid is actually weighing Chapter 11, it’s a sure sign of more turbulent waters ahead. Polestar getting strong-armed out of the US over its Chinese ties has left a lot of EV owners and dealers scratching their heads. Rivian is in an increasingly precarious position thanks to its huge, expensive bet on becoming a mass-market car company with the production of the R2.
All of these companies are increasingly reliant on big stakeholders — Lucid with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Polestar with Geely, and Rivian with Volkswagen — for their future survival. If any of these big backers get cold feet, the future could get really dark really fast.
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