Archive of Our Own (AO3) is officially exiting beta. The Organization for Transformative Works — the nonprofit behind the fanfiction site — announced the update on Thursday, which comes 17 years after AO3’s launch in 2009.

“Since 2009, AO3 has grown and changed a lot,” the announcement says. “We’ve introduced many features over the years through the efforts of our volunteers and coding contributors, as well as the contractors we’ve been able to hire thanks to generous donations from our users.”

The post highlights some of the features that AO3 has since its launch, including a tagging system, fanworks downloads, privacy settings that allow creators to limit access to their work, and more. Just because AO3 is exiting beta, doesn’t mean the updates will stop flowing:

As the AO3 software has been stable for a long time, the change is mostly cosmetic and does not indicate that everything is finalized or perfectly working. Exiting beta doesn’t mean we’ll stop continuing to improve AO3—our volunteer coders and community contributors will still be working to add to and improve AO3 every day.

One of the most significant changes to the site is the absence of the tiny “beta” label inside the AO3 logo displayed at the top of the platform. (AO3 briefly changed the beta to “omega” for April Fools’ Day this year).

You can keep tabs on the updates coming to AO3 by viewing its projects on Jira

If you know where to look, you can often score deals on Apple’s ever-expanding AirPods lineup. Both the AirPods Pro 3 and the AirPods 4 (with and without ANC) now consistently receive discounts, as do the AirPods Pro 3. And while major shopping events like Black Friday and Amazon Prime Day have delivered some of the biggest price drops, there are still good deals to be found on every model — including the recently released AirPods Max 2.

Below, we’ve rounded up the best deals currently available on each set of AirPods, including both iterations of the AirPods 4 and AirPods Max, as well as the third-gen AirPods Pro.

At the end of 2024, Apple introduced the AirPods 4, a pair of wireless earbuds available in two variations: a $129 standard model and a $179 noise-canceling model. Both versions represent significant upgrades over the third-gen AirPods, with a more comfortable design and improved audio performance. They’re also better for taking calls thanks to Apple’s Voice Isolation feature, which focuses the mics on your voice so you can be heard more clearly in noisy environments.

The $179 AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation offer a surprisingly effective noise-canceling mode, a helpful transparency mode, and several other Pro-level features. The latest AirPods Pro do a better job of tuning out noise, but the AirPods 4 with ANC still do a good job of reducing sound. They also feature other perks formerly reserved for Apple’s top-of-the-line earbuds, including wireless charging and a case with a built-in speaker that allows you to easily track it down via Apple’s Find My app.

Given they’ve been out for over a year, we consistently see discounts for both iterations of the AirPods 4. During Black Friday, we saw the standard model drop to a new low of $74; however, right now, they’re only down to $119 ($10 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and B&H Photo. The AirPods 4 with ANC, meanwhile, are on sale for $154.99 ($24 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Costco (for members), which is significantly more than their recent low of $99.

The best AirPods Pro 3 deals

At its “Awe Dropping” event in September, Apple introduced the AirPods Pro 3. In addition to improved ANC and sound, the third-gen earbuds include a built-in heart rate sensor that syncs with the iPhone Fitness app, allowing you to track your pulse and calories burned across more than 50 workout types. They’re also more comfortable and secure than their predecessor, thanks to a redesigned, angled fit and five ear tip sizes — including a new XXS option. Additionally, they carry a more robust IP57 rating and support Apple’s new live translation feature, which, in our testing, generally conveys the gist well but still can’t beat a human interpreter.

Given how recently they launched, we’ve been surprised by how often the AirPods Pro 3 have been discounted. In fact, last month we saw them drop to $199 ($50 off), which is $15 shy of their all-time low. Unfortunately, while they’re still on sale, they’ve since increased in price to $224 ($25 off) at retailers like Amazon and Walmart.

The best AirPods Max deals

The AirPods Max aren’t the iconic in-ears that have become synonymous with the AirPods name. Both the first-gen Max and the newer AirPods Max 2 are large and luxurious, comprised of aluminum, steel, and mesh fabric that remains comfortable during extended listening sessions. The original pair delivered clear, expansive sound, great noise cancellation, and lossless audio over USB-C; however, with the Max 2, Apple built upon that excellent foundation with improved ANC and a built-in amplifier for better sound. They also feature Apple’s newer H2 chip, enabling AI-powered live translation, adaptive audio, and other features once reserved for the AirPods Pro line. The over-ears aren’t the best noise-canceling headphones for everyone — blame the sticker price — but for iPhone users, they’re hard to beat.

The AirPods Max 2 retail for $549 — the same price as the original model — but you can currently save $20 on both the black and white versions at Amazon and Costco (if you’re a member), which is the first discount we’ve seen on the recently released headphones. If you’re okay with picking up the last-gen model, the original AirPods Max with USB-C are on sale in select colors for $399.99 ($150 off) at Woot through April 3rd, matching their best price to date. They’re also available in a wider range of hues at Amazon, Walmart, Target, and other retailers for $449.99 ($100 off), which is still a hefty discount.

Update, April 2nd: Updated to reflect current pricing and availability, as well as the recent release of the AirPods Max 2.

The Social Security Administration and its Office of Inspector General issued warnings during their March 2026 “Slam the Scam” campaign, citing the continued volume of impersonation fraud tied to Social Security. Federal data shows these scams remain widespread; more than 330,000 government impersonation complaints were reported to the FTC in 2025. That’s a 25% increase from the year before.

Losses tied to these scams reach into the hundreds of millions of dollars each year, placing them among the most relentless forms of consumer fraud.

These scam messages often resemble official SSA communication, referencing issues with a Social Security number or account records.

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How do these SSA scams work?

Scammers are using bits of information that feel familiar. A message may include your name, part of your SSN, or even a reference to benefits. Caller IDs can seem to match government offices, and emails or texts may follow the same format used in official SSA communication.

Much of this information comes from data that has already been part of data breaches. When those details show up in a message, the claim sounds consistent with what you already know about your own records.

Earlier this year, there were reports of scam emails that looked like official Social Security messages, asking people to download their Social Security statement through links that led to fraudulent sites. These emails are not from the SSA and will steal your personal information and likely hack your phone or computer once you allow access.

A message that lines up with recognizable information is less likely to be ignored. It moves the conversation forward faster and brings your guard down.

What scammers want when they contact you

At the point of contact, they are trying to get one of two things:

1) Your personal identifiers

They ask for this information under the guise of verifying your identity or resolving an issue with your account.

2) Your money

• Direct payments (wire transfer, gift cards, crypto)
• Access to bank or retirement accounts
• Instructions to “move money to protect it”

This usually comes after they earn your trust or create urgency.

FAKE GOOGLE SECURITY PAGE CAN TURN YOUR BROWSER INTO A SPYING TOOL

What scammers do with the information

Once scammers have your information, they move quickly to turn it into access, money and long-term identity fraud.

They use it to get past identity checks

Your SSN, date of birth, and address are often enough to get through basic verification systems. That allows scammers to present themselves as you when applying for credit or contacting financial institutions.

They open or access financial accounts

Once through those checks, they can apply for credit in your name, leading to new accounts, hard inquiries, and balances showing up on your credit report. If login details or verification codes were shared, existing accounts can also be accessed.

They go after benefit-related accounts

The same information can be used to access or make changes to Social Security-related records. This can include attempts to redirect payments by updating direct deposit details.

They continue using the data

Any stolen information can be reused or combined with made-up details to create additional identities, which can then be used to open more accounts over time.

What the SSA will not do

The SSA does not contact individuals out of the blue to request personal information.

It does not ask for full SSNs, bank details, or login credentials over phone calls, text messages, or email.

It also does not demand payment to resolve issues tied to your SSN or benefits.

Requests to transfer money, purchase gift cards, or move funds to keep your accounts safe are not part of any SSA process.

Threats are another warning sign. The agency does not suspend SSNs or issue arrest warnings.

Legitimate communication from the SSA happens through mailed notices or through your My Social Security account. 

The agency states it may send emails in limited cases, such as account notifications, but these do not ask for personal information.  

SSA emails will direct you to log in through SSA.gov rather than asking you to click on links or download attachments.

PHISHING SCAM EXPLOITS APPLE MAIL ‘TRUSTED SENDER’ LABEL

What to do if you receive or respond to one of these messages

If you get a message claiming to be from the SSA, don’t respond and don’t click any links. Don’t call the number in the message.

• Instead, go to SSA.gov or use a verified phone number to check if there’s actually an issue with your account.
• If you have already shared information, stop contact immediately and take note of what you shared. You can report the scam to the SSA Office of Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov/report
• You can also file a report at IdentityTheft.gov, which helps create a record.
• To limit further misuse, place a fraud alert or credit freeze with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, and check your credit reports for any unfamiliar activity.

How to protect yourself

Stolen information is not always used right away. In many cases, identity theft like this is not apparent until it shows up on a credit report or a lender flags it. Monitoring tools can track this type of activity as it happens. Alerts tied to changes in your credit file or exposed personal data can show you where your information is being used.

Many identity protection services monitor credit across the three major bureaus and scan for exposed personal data, including Social Security numbers. They can alert you to new inquiries or accounts and offer support if something looks suspicious.

Some services also scan dark web marketplaces and data leaks to see if your information is being shared or sold. Starting with a free identity breach scan can help you understand your risk and take action early.

If identity theft does happen, these services often provide fraud resolution support. This can include help to contact creditors, placing fraud alerts, disputing unauthorized accounts and preparing documentation to recover your identity. Some plans also include identity theft insurance to help cover eligible recovery costs.

No service can prevent every type of identity theft. However, early alerts and guided support can make a major difference in how quickly you catch and recover from fraud.

How to check if your personal information was exposed

If you are unsure whether your information has already been exposed, take action now. Start with a free identity breach scan to see if your data appears in known leaks. Catching it early gives you more control and helps limit the damage before it spreads.

See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com

Kurt’s key takeaways

SSA impersonation scams are not new, but they are getting more convincing. When a message includes details that match your life, it feels legitimate. That is exactly what scammers are counting on. The key is to slow down and verify everything through official channels. The SSA is not going to text you out of the blue, demand money or ask for sensitive details. If a message pushes you to act quickly, that is your signal to pause. Staying ahead of these scams comes down to awareness and simple habits. Verify first. Protect your data. And assume that any unexpected message about your Social Security number deserves a second look.

Have you ever received a message that looked like it came from Social Security, and what made you trust it or question it? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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