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The future of local TV news has taken a Trumpian turn

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The future of local TV news has taken a Trumpian turn

This is The Stepback, a weekly newsletter breaking down one essential story from the tech world. For more stories on Big Tech versus politics in Washington, DC, follow Tina Nguyen and read Regulator. The Stepback arrives in our subscribers’ inboxes at 8AM ET. Opt in for The Stepback here.

A long time ago, in 2004, the Federal Communications Commission laid down a rule designed to prevent a monopoly: No one company could broadcast to more than 39 percent of all the TV households in the United States. But then Donald Trump returned to the White House in 2025. Brendan Carr became FCC chairman and immediately kicked off a deregulatory initiative called “Delete, Delete, Delete,” in which Carr vowed to get rid of “every rule, regulation, or guidance document” that placed “unnecessary regulatory burdens” on companies. And within months, Nexstar, which already owned over 200 stations nationwide and had hit its ownership cap, announced that it had entered an agreement to purchase its rival, Tegna, for an estimated $6.2 billion — something that could only happen, however, if Carr agreed to change the FCC’s rules.

If you ask Nexstar why it’s pursuing a merger that would give it control of over 80 percent of the market, it’d point to Big Tech as the culprit. As advertisers take their money to Netflix, YouTube, and other digital streamers, linear television — the local television news, the broadcast affiliates, the basic cable networks — has suffered, forcing them to consolidate and shut down newsrooms. In that sense, Nexstar argued, the merger would help it compete for ad revenue with the streaming services, thereby building more robust local journalism. However, the merger’s opponents believe that this is a basic violation of antitrust laws and principles — not to mention the danger of letting one company have editorial control over the vast majority of America’s local television newsrooms.

But the second Trump administration handles regulatory hurdles a little differently than others, and companies have found that it’s faster to get what they want if they bypass the agencies and talk (read: suck up) to Trump directly. And when Nexstar did so publicly, it confirmed its opponents’ fears about political influence. Last September, in the fraught weeks after the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk, Nexstar announced it would no longer broadcast Jimmy Kimmel Live! — a response to Carr’s claim that the FCC could revoke the broadcast licenses of TV stations that aired the comedian’s comments related to Kirk. It briefly led to ABC suspending Kimmel’s show, though ABC and Nexstar soon reversed their decision after a massive nationwide backlash and an ABC boycott.

However, Nexstar’s loyalty to Trump himself was not enough to win over his most powerful MAGA supporters. Newsmax, a cable news network with a deeply pro-Trump bent, and its CEO, longtime Trump donor and outside adviser Chris Ruddy, filed a lawsuit objecting to the merger, claiming that Nexstar’s anticompetitive behavior would force channels like his off the air with steeper carriage fees. He specifically accused Nexstar of jacking up the fees for stations to carry Newsmax, while offering its similar network, NewsNation, for much cheaper.

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The Nexstar-Tegna MAGA makeover then took a more subtle turn. NewsNation hired the pro-Trump Fox News commentator Katie Pavlich and gave her her own primetime show. (The network had already hired a slew of former Fox journalists as well.) Around this time, a political group called Keep News Local began airing ads in DC that seemed to directly address Trump, praising him for having “defeated the fake news monopolies before through independent voices and local news” and claiming that the Nexstar-Tegna merger was “crucial for MAGA to survive.” (A little self-contradictory and mildly illogical, but it’s the kind of stuff that Trump likes to hear.) When I last spoke to Ruddy in February, I asked if he’d worried that the dark money going into Keep News Local would sway Trump, and he chose his words carefully: “I think at the end of the day, Trump makes up his own mind. I’m not sure he’s going to be influenced by an ad campaign.”

For months, no one could accurately predict if Trump would override Carr’s wishes and bless the deal, as he’s often done for other companies facing regulatory scrutiny. Trump’s Truth Social posts about the merger have been a good indicator of how precarious the merger has been and who’s been able to influence him at any given moment: Last November, he blasted the deal as an “EXPANSION OF THE FAKE NEWS NETWORKS,” but by February, he posted that the deal would “help knock out the Fake News because there will be more competition.”

Several current and former NewsNation employees told Status at the time that they feared that the parent company was steering NewsNation away from the centrist, “unbiased” reputation they’d long cultivated. “A lot of people within the network believe that the network has gone hard right to appeal to Trump and Brendan Carr,” one former employee told Status. Coincidentally, days before the deal was finalized, NewsNation began ramping up its explicitly pro-Trump content, tweeting a clip of CNN’s Kaitlan Collins being berated by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, along with the comment “Just going to leave this here.”

When Trump greenlit the merger in mid-March, but before the FCC’s three commissioners could vote on whether to waive the ownership cap, Nexstar and Tegna immediately announced a new complication: Tegna and Nexstar had already started merging. Tegna was no more and CEO Mike Steib had already sold $22.6 million of his company stock.

In response, eight state attorneys general and satellite TV operator DirectTV, which had already been planning to file separate federal antitrust suits against the merger, asked US District Judge Troy Nunley in Sacramento for an emergency restraining order that would prevent Nexstar from taking over Tegna’s assets. The order was granted on March 27th and on April 17, Nunley issued a formal injunction, ruling that Tegna must be operated as an independent financial entity, and Nexstar must take steps to ensure it remains separate from Tegna before further legal proceedings.

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For now, Nunley has allowed the states and DirecTV to combine their cases, in which both argue that the merger was a clear violation of antitrust laws and would crush news competition.

Meanwhile, Republicans and Democrats in Congress are furious at Carr. On March 30th, Sens. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Maria Cantwell (D-WA) sent the chairman a joint letter admonishing him for allowing his staff to waive the regulations to let the merger pass, instead of having the full commission of political appointees — one from the Biden administration — vote on it. “Under these circumstances,” they wrote, “any subsequent vote risks being largely procedural rather than a genuine exercise of commission responsibility.” They also pointed out that their hasty approval without the commission’s approval would now complicate the merger financially: “In a transaction of this scale, where integration proceeds quickly and unwinding becomes impractical, delay in judicial review can insulate the decision from meaningful challenge.” Notably, though they share similar ideological views on the media and deregulation, Cruz and Carr have frequently clashed over how to achieve their objectives. Cruz previously slammed Carr as a “mafioso,” for instance, for the way he’d used the FCC to silence Kimmel.

But even if it’s legally paused, the journalistic merger’s fallout has started to hit local news. NPR’s David Folkenfirk reported on Tuesday that Tegna journalists had already started receiving orders to stop broadcasting content from major broadcasters like ABC, CBS, and NBC — media outlets being targeted by Carr — and instead begin airing content from Nexstar’s NewsNation.

  • Brendan Carr’s views on using the FCC to punish major broadcasters was outlined pretty extensively in the chapter he authored in Project 2025, an initiative led by the conservative Heritage Foundation on how to reform the federal bureaucracy to be more favorable to the American right.
  • Exactly how much is local television losing to digital? According to industry publication NewscastStudio, in an investor call defending the purchase, Nexstar chairman Perry Sook cited a market research study from Borrell Associates, which found that “digital advertising in local markets exceeds $100 billion, compared to just $25 billion for local linear television advertising, with nearly two-thirds of digital ad dollars flowing to five major technology companies.”
  • If you want to see exactly how much Keep Local News was trying to suck up to Trump, the ads are archived here.
  • The Vergecast has a long-running segment called “Brendan Carr is a dummy.”
  • The LA Times reported on last week’s preliminary hearings in front of Nunley, and how lawyers for Nexstar, the states, and DirecTV plan to argue their case.
  • The Desk has insights from Kirk Varner, a former TV newsroom director, on how the case could go.
  • Andrew Liptak covered Nexstar’s previous acquisition sprees for The Verge in 2018.
  • Adi Robertson walks through exactly how the Kimmel suspension was an attack on free speech.
  • Brendan Carr keeps trying to convince people that he’s not threatening to suspend broadcast licenses for reporting on unfavorable things like the Iran war, reports Lauren Feiner.
  • The Vergecast has a long-running segment called “Brendan Carr is a dummy.”
Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.

Technology

Fake grant email promises $4.5 Million but could steal your identity

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Fake grant email promises .5 Million but could steal your identity

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

It shows up in your junk folder with a subject line that practically yells at you: “ATTENTION 1!!!” That alone should raise suspicion. Still, the message quickly escalates. It claims to come from the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and says you are approved for a $4.5 million grant.

That is where things start to fall apart. This type of scam is designed to trigger both excitement and urgency. It also pushes you to hand over sensitive information before you stop to think.

Let’s break down exactly what this email says and why each part signals trouble.

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NEW EMAIL SCAM USES HIDDEN CHARACTERS TO SLIP PAST FILTERS

A fake IMF grant email promises millions of dollars while asking recipients to share personal details and identity documents. (Rawf8/Getty Images)

The sender behind this IMF scam email

The email claims to be from the IMF. Yet the reply address is a Gmail account. That mismatch matters.

Legitimate financial institutions do not use free email services for official communication. They also do not ask you to reply to a personal inbox for something this serious.

Why the subject line is a warning sign

“ATTENTION 1!!!” is not how a global financial organization communicates. It is how scammers try to grab you fast.

Urgency lowers your guard. When you feel pressure, you are more likely to respond without verifying anything.

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The greeting reveals a mass email

The message opens with “Attention: Sir/Madam.” If your name were truly selected for a multimillion-dollar payment, the sender would use it.

Generic greetings often mean the email was blasted out to thousands of people.

How the story tries to hook you

The email mentions debts tied to contracts, inheritance, lottery and loans. That wide net is intentional.

It increases the odds that something in the message feels familiar. Once that happens, the scam starts to feel personal.

The $4.5 million promise is the bait

The promise of $4.5 million is not random. Large numbers create excitement. They also make you more willing to overlook obvious problems.

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Real financial grants do not appear out of nowhere like this.

YOUR EMAIL DIDN’T EXPIRE; IT’S JUST ANOTHER SNEAKY SCAM

Scam emails may use real organization names, official titles and urgent language to pressure people into responding quickly. (Pekic/Getty Images)

Why scammers use real names

The email mentions IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva. That sounds official, which is the point.

Scammers often include real names or titles to make fake messages feel credible. It is a shortcut to trust.

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The writing and grammar feel off

Phrases like “Kindly reply me directly” and awkward sentence structure stand out. One odd sentence might not mean much. However, repeated issues like this point to a lack of professional communication.

Major institutions have strict standards for how they write.

The most dangerous request in this email

This email requests:

  • Full name
  • Address and location
  • Phone number
  • Age and occupation
  • A copy of your passport or driver’s license

That is everything needed for identity theft. Once someone has those details, they can open accounts, target you with more scams or impersonate you. 

The payment method adds false legitimacy

The email promises a bank-to-bank wire transfer. That detail adds a layer of realism. It also sets up the next step. Many scams later ask for “fees” to release the funds.

You send money, and the payment never arrives.

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Even the spam excuse is part of the scam

At the end, the email tries to explain away the biggest red flag: “If you have received this message in your SPAM/BULK folder, it is simply because your ISP has introduced restrictions. We urge that you treat it as a matter of urgency.” That is not a reassurance. It is a warning sign.

Scammers know their messages look suspicious, so they try to explain it away before you question it.

THE ONE THING SCAMMERS CHECK BEFORE TARGETING YOU ONLINE

Users should delete suspicious grant emails, avoid links and verify claims directly through official organization websites. (Photographer: Wei Leng Tay/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

How to stay safe from scam emails

Scams like this follow a pattern, and once you know what to look for, you can shut them down quickly before any damage is done.

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1) Ignore and delete the message

Do not reply or engage in any way. Even a quick response tells scammers your email is active, which can lead to more targeted attacks. The safest move is to delete it and move on.

2) Do not click links or download attachments

Scam emails often hide malicious links or infected files. One click can take you to a fake login page or install malware on your device. If you were not expecting the message, do not interact with anything inside it.

3) Use strong antivirus software

Strong antivirus software adds another layer of protection. It can flag suspicious emails, block dangerous websites and stop malicious downloads before they cause harm. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

4) Never send personal documents

No legitimate organization will ask for your passport, driver’s license or other sensitive documents through an unsolicited email. Sending that information can open the door to identity theft and financial fraud.

5) Look closely at the sender

Do not rely on the display name alone. Check the full email address carefully for misspellings, random numbers or free domains like Gmail. Small details often reveal a fake. 

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6) Go directly to official sources

If the message seems important, verify it on your own. Type the organization’s website into your browser or use a trusted contact method. Do not use the links or contact details provided in the email. 

7) Remove your personal data from the internet

Scammers often rely on publicly available information to make their messages feel convincing. Data removal services can reduce what is out there, making it harder for criminals to target you in the first place. 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

8) Turn on two-factor authentication

Add an extra layer of security to your accounts. With 2FA enabled, a stolen password alone is not enough for someone to get in. This simple step can stop many attacks before they start.

9) Monitor your financial accounts and credit

Check your bank statements and credit reports regularly. Look for unfamiliar charges, new accounts or changes you did not make. Catching fraud early can limit the damage.

10) Consider placing a credit freeze

If you think your personal information was exposed, a credit freeze can help protect you. It prevents new credit accounts from being opened in your name without your approval.

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11) Add identity theft protection

Because this scam asks for your name, address, phone number, age, occupation and a copy of your passport or driver’s license, identity theft protection can help you spot trouble faster. A good service can monitor your credit files, alert you to new activity and help you recover if someone uses your information to open accounts or commit fraud in your name. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com

12) Report the scam

Mark the email as phishing in your inbox. This helps your email provider block similar messages and protects other people from falling into the same trap.

Join CyberGuy Live: Lock Down Your Phone in 30 Minutes (Saturday, June 13, 10 am ET)

Your phone holds your email, passwords, photos, banking apps and personal data. In this free, live online class, Kurt the CyberGuy will walk you step by step through simple phone security fixes you can do in real time. 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. Register here: CyberGuyLive.com

Kurt’s key takeaways

This email tries hard to look official. It uses a real organization, a real name and a convincing story. Still, the cracks show up quickly once you slow down. A Gmail reply address, a massive payout, a vague greeting and a request for identity documents all point in the same direction. Scams like this rely on one thing: getting you to act before you think. Take a second look, and the whole thing falls apart.

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If a message promises millions and asks for your personal information, would you pause long enough to question it, or would the urgency pull you in? 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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Blue Origin explosion is a major setback for NASA’s Moon plans and Amazon’s Starlink competitor

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Blue Origin explosion is a major setback for NASA’s Moon plans and Amazon’s Starlink competitor

While Blue Origin investigates the root cause behind last night’s spectacular explosion of its New Glenn rocket, it’s already clear that this will be a major setback for NASA’s Moon base plans and Amazon’s fledgling Leo space internet constellation.

The incident occurred at about 9pm at Blue Origin’s Florida launch site during a hot-fire test, where seven engines in the booster stage are lit while keeping the 322-foot-tall rocket fixed to the launchpad. The explosion and ensuing fireball severely damaged the only launchpad Blue Origin has for its New Glenn rocket.

“It’s too early to know the root cause but we’re already working to find it,” wrote Blue Origin boss Jeff Bezos on X. “Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It’s worth it.”

According to sources speaking to Ars Technica, the transporter-erector and one of the lightning towers at LC-36A may not be salvageable. “New Glenn almost certainly will not launch again in 2026, and frankly a launch during the first half of 2027 would be heroic given the launch site concerns,” writes Eric Berger, senior space editor at Ars Technica.

Such a delay would affect NASA’s Moon base plans. NASA announced on Tuesday that New Glenn would deliver a robotic lunar lander as soon as fall 2026. In 2027, Blue Origin is also scheduled to participate in the upcoming Artemis III mission, which will see astronauts docking their Orion capsule with lunar landers developed by SpaceX and Blue Origin.

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“Spaceflight is unforgiving, and developing new heavy-lift launch capability is extraordinarily difficult,” said NASA administrator Jared Isaacman on X. “We will work with our partners to support a thorough investigation of this anomaly, assess near-term mission impacts, and get back to launching rockets.”

The New Glenn rocket that exploded Thursday night was being prepped to carry 48 Amazon Leo satellites — the largest batch ever slated for a single launch — into low-Earth orbit on an upcoming mission. The satellites were not onboard.

To date Amazon has launched just over 300 of the 1,618 Leo satellites the FCC requires by July 30, 2026. Amazon has applied for an extension to keep its license.

Amazon had been counting on New Glenn’s massive payload capacity and reusable boosters to accelerate a launch schedule that is already behind. Without its primary workhorse, Amazon will be forced to rely more heavily on secondary providers like United Launch Alliance (ULA) and Arianespace — and its chief rival, SpaceX.

“Sorry to see this,” wrote fellow billionaire spaceman Elon Musk on X. “I hope you recover quickly.”

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Could the 7-Eleven breach affect you?

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Could the 7-Eleven breach affect you?

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

You may stop at 7-Eleven for coffee, gas, snacks or a quick drink. What you probably do not expect is to see the company’s name tied to a data breach involving personal information.

That is what happened after breach notification service Have I Been Pwned added 7-Eleven to its database. The service says the breach exposed about 185,000 unique email addresses. The exposed data also included names, dates of birth, phone numbers and physical addresses.

The company later said the breach involved certain 7-Eleven systems used to store franchisee documents. That detail is important because the exposed data appears tied to franchise-related records, rather than ordinary store purchases. Still, if your information was part of the leak, the risk can feel very personal.

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CONDUENT DATA BREACH HITS MILLIONS ACROSS MULTIPLE STATES

A 7-Eleven data breach exposed personal information tied to franchise-related records, including names, addresses and phone numbers. (Erik McGregor/LightRocket via Getty Images)

7-Eleven data breach: What happened?

According to Have I Been Pwned, 7-Eleven was targeted in April 2026 by a “pay or leak” extortion campaign linked to ShinyHunters. The data was later published that same month.

Hackers claimed they had stolen data and threatened to release it unless they were paid.

7-Eleven’s chief information security officer, Jim Kastle, said an unauthorized third party accessed an internal server that contained franchisee documents. The company said the incident involved certain systems used to store those records.

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That makes this breach different from a typical customer checkout breach. Based on the company’s notification language, the affected records appear connected to franchise applications or franchisee documents.

10 SIGNS YOUR PERSONAL DATA IS BEING SOLD ONLINE

What data was exposed in the 7-Eleven breach?

Have I Been Pwned says the breach exposed 185,000 unique email addresses. The exposed information also included:

  • Names
  • Dates of birth
  • Physical addresses
  • Phone numbers
  • Email addresses

Some breach filings also pointed to more sensitive details in certain records. Those details included Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers. That extra information raises the stakes. Names and addresses can fuel phishing. Dates of birth can help scammers sound convincing. Social Security numbers and driver’s license numbers can create a higher risk of identity theft.

THINK YOU’RE SAFE? IDENTITY THEFT COULD WIPE OUT YOUR ENTIRE LIFE’S SAVINGS

Why the 7-Eleven breach could still matter to you

You may wonder, “I only buy coffee there. Should I care?” For most everyday 7-Eleven shoppers, this breach may not involve store purchase history. However, anyone who applied to become a franchisee, handled franchise documents or shared personal information through that process should pay close attention.

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Even when a breach affects a limited group, the exposed data can still spread. Once hackers publish personal records, scammers can reuse them in many ways.

Fake emails could mention 7-Eleven by name. Phone calls may include your name, number or address to sound legitimate. Scammers could also send messages that pressure you to “verify” your identity after the breach. That is where the real damage often begins.

MICROSOFT ‘IMPORTANT MAIL’ EMAIL IS A SCAM: HOW TO SPOT IT

How scammers may use leaked 7-Eleven data

Hackers do not need every detail about you to cause trouble. A few personal facts can make a scam feel believable.

For example, a scammer might send an email that claims to be from 7-Eleven, an identity theft protection company or a breach response team. The message may say you need to click a link to activate identity protection. It may also ask you to confirm your Social Security number, upload your driver’s license or enter banking details.

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That kind of message can feel urgent. Scammers count on that reaction.

They know people act quickly when they feel scared. They may use phrases like “final notice,” “account locked,” or “breach claim pending” to push you into clicking before thinking.

 DIY IDENTITY PROTECTION VS PAID SERVICES: WHAT WORKS IN 2026

What 7-Eleven says about the data breach

7-Eleven reportedly notified affected individuals and arranged identity theft protection for up to 24 months.

If you receive a notice, read it carefully. Use the official instructions in the letter. Avoid clicking links in random emails or text messages that claim to offer breach help.

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Instead, type the official website address into your browser yourself. You can also contact 7-Eleven through a verified channel.

We reached out to 7-Eleven for comment, but did not hear back before our deadline.

CHECK IF YOUR PASSWORDS WERE STOLEN IN HUGE LEAK

Cybersecurity researchers say hackers linked to ShinyHunters published data from a 7-Eleven breach affecting about 185,000 email addresses. (Deb Cohn-Orbach/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Ways to stay safe after the 7-Eleven data breach

A breach can feel out of your hands. However, you still have several smart moves available.

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1) Check whether your email was exposed

Go to Have I Been Pwned at haveibeenpwned.com and search your email address. The service lets you see whether your email appears in known breach databases, including the 7-Eleven listing. If your email appears, do not panic. Treat it as a signal to tighten your accounts and watch for targeted scams. When done, come back here for Step 2.

2) Change your passwords immediately

Start with your most important accounts, such as email, medical and banking. Use strong, unique passwords with letters, numbers and symbols. Avoid predictable choices like names or birthdays. Never reuse passwords. One stolen password can unlock multiple accounts.  A password manager makes this simple. It stores complex passwords securely and helps you create new ones. Many managers also scan for breaches to see if your current passwords have been exposed.  Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2026 at Cyberguy.com.

3) Watch for fake breach emails

Be careful with emails, texts or calls that mention 7-Eleven. Scammers may use the breach as bait. Do not click links from unexpected messages. Instead, go directly to the company’s official website. Also, avoid opening attachments unless you fully trust the sender. The best way to protect yourself from malicious links 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 safer. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

19 BILLION PASSWORDS HAVE LEAKED ONLINE: HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF

4) Turn on two-factor authentication

5) Place a fraud alert or credit freeze

If your Social Security number or driver’s license number was exposed, consider a credit freeze with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. A credit freeze makes it harder for criminals to open new accounts in your name. You can lift it when you need to apply for credit. A fraud alert can also warn lenders to take extra steps before approving new credit.

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6) Remove your personal information from data broker sites

Leaked information can become even more dangerous when scammers combine it with details already floating around online. Data brokers may list your home address, phone number, relatives, age and other personal details.

You can remove your information manually from individual data broker sites, though that process takes time. A data removal service can help automate opt-out requests and continue monitoring for your information when it reappears. 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.

7) Consider identity theft protection

If your Social Security number or driver’s license number was exposed, identity theft protection may be worth considering. These services can monitor your credit, alert you to suspicious activity and help with recovery if someone tries to open accounts in your name. If you receive an official breach notice from 7-Eleven, review any identity protection offer carefully. Go through the official letter or verified company website rather than clicking links in random emails or texts. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com.

8) Monitor your mail and financial accounts

Watch for unfamiliar bills, credit cards, loans or government notices. Also, review your bank and credit card statements. If you see something suspicious, report it right away. The sooner you act, the easier it can be to limit damage.

INSIDE A SCAMMER’S DAY AND HOW THEY TARGET YOU

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7-Eleven says an unauthorized third party accessed systems used to store franchisee documents during an April 2026 cyberattack. (Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

9) Be careful with phone calls

If someone calls and claims to help with the breach, slow down. Do not give out your Social Security number, driver’s license number or banking details over the phone. Hang up and call the company back using a verified number.

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Kurt’s key takeaways

Data breaches have become so common that it is tempting to shrug them off. That can be risky. Personal details such as your name, address, date of birth and phone number can give scammers a running start. The 7-Eleven data breach may not affect every customer who has ever bought a Slurpee or filled up at one of its stores. However, for the people whose information was exposed, it can create a long tail of fraud risk. The best move now is simple. Verify before you click, strengthen your accounts and assume scammers may try to use this breach as a conversation starter.

Should companies face tougher penalties when personal data tied to job, franchise or business applications ends up in hackers’ hands? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Copyright 2026 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

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