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It's Saturday, friend. Ever send a tiny reply and accidentally start a tiny emotional wildfire? One minute you're being chill, low effort, and the next you're starring in a suspense thriller called Are We Okay?? |
👨🏼🔬 Scientists ranked four classic responses to email/texts. Which caused the most emotional damage: A) "K," B) "Sure," C) left unread or D) 👍? One of them triggered real anxiety in people who received it. The answer's at the bottom of today's newsletter. Go find it. You owe someone an apology.
🚨 You were exposed. A massive new breach just leaked nearly a billion records including names, dates of birth and Social Security numbers. Over 200 million of those belong to Americans. Criminals use this exact data to steal your identity and ruin your credit. Standard monitoring is simply not enough anymore. I rely on NordProtect to lock down my digital life. Get 72% off right now. More below.* |
📻 My national show is on this weekend. All weekend. More than 510 stations across the country, which means there's almost certainly one near you. Find it fast with our station locator map. Or listen commercial-free on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. You can also watch on YouTube. Your call. I'll be there either way. — Kim |
📬 Someone forwarded this to you? Smart friend. Want it in your own inbox instead of waiting on them? Sign up here. It's free, and I promise not to spam you. |
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TODAY'S DEEP DIVE |
Class dismissed, check cashed |
 | Image: Gemini |
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⚡ TL;DR Key Takeaways |
Companies get caught breaking the law and quietly settle for millions. 91% of eligible people never file a claim. Four open settlements could put real money back in your pocket. All free to file. It takes 10 minutes.
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📖 Read time: 2.5 minutes |
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My father died because of an over-the-counter allergy medication that didn't mix well with his heart medication. A drug on store shelves that the pharmacist said would be OK to take. It caused a heart attack. He was gone. |
My mother spent years helping to build a class action lawsuit against the manufacturer. She gave her time, her energy and a piece of her grief to something she believed would matter. The drug got pulled from shelves. That part worked. |
Her check at the end? About $500. The attorneys made millions. |
I've never forgotten that. And it's exactly why I want you to read what comes next. |
Every year, American companies get caught overcharging customers, selling private data and ignoring Do Not Call lists. They settle for billions. Attorneys take their cut. Then 91 cents of every dollar sits there unclaimed because most people never hear about it. |
You're not going to be one of those people. Filing is always free, btw. |
💸 Google owes you money |
Google is paying $700 million after 53 state attorneys general said it was running an illegal monopoly. Translation: You overpaid for every app and in-app purchase. |
If you spent money on the Google Play Store between Aug. 16, 2016, and Sept. 30, 2023, you're in the class. No claim form required. Google will automatically send your cut to the PayPal or Venmo tied to your Google account. Final court approval is April 30, 2026. |
📞 They kept calling |
Two companies. Same story. Same playbook. |
SiriusXM is paying $28 million because it allegedly kept dialing people who were registered on the National Do Not Call Registry or had explicitly asked SiriusXM to stop. If you got more than one SiriusXM sales call in a 12-month window between April 2019 and October 2025, that's your claim. Individual payouts could reach up to $1,500, depending on how many people file. No documentation required. Deadline: March 21, 2026. File here. |
LifeLock and Norton got caught robocalling people who weren't even their customers. If you received a call about a LifeLock or Norton account between February 2021 and October 2025 and you had no account with either service, you're owed $200 to $625. No proof required. Deadline: April 13, 2026. File here. |
🥊 Capital punishment |
Capital One got caught paying 0.3% interest to 360 Savings customers while quietly offering the exact same account to new customers at over 4%. For years. You don't have to file a claim. If you had a Capital One 360 Savings account anytime between Sept. 18, 2019, and June 16, 2025, a check is coming automatically to your last known address. Go here before March 30 to make sure your money finds you. |
If you want to stay plugged into new settlements as they open, bookmark TopClassActions.com. Companies count on you being too busy. That's the whole strategy. It has always been the strategy. My mother learned that the hard way. |
Go get your money. It's the least they owe you. |
📩 Send this to someone who could use a little justice this week. Use the handy icons below. |
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| | KIM'S DAILY DEALS | 🍽️ Prep to plate for under $30 | These five helpers earn their drawer space. |
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4.5 ⭐ 125,000+ reviews | Turn meal prep into a two-second job. Toss veggies in, press the lid and, boom, done. Swap blades to slice or spiralize, too. The built-in container catches everything, so cleanup's easy. |
|  | Image: Fullstar |
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🫙 Pop that lid: Electric jar opener (22% off, $28)
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It's not you. Jars really are stubborn. Set this gadget on top, hit the button, and it twists the lid right off. A big help for weak grips or sore hands. | Mind the gap: Stove gap covers (33% off, $20, two-pack)
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Crumbs love falling between your stove and counter. These adjustable guards block the gap. They even work for washers and dryers. | 🍳 Slide-off skillet: Nonstick frying pan (35% off, $14)
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Chop, mix and season without scrubbing your hands every few minutes. You get 600 gloves in the box, so you're set for months. | | Prices and deals were accurate at the time of publication. |
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WEB WATERCOOLER |
⚖️ Statistical shrug defense: So New Mexico's attorney general is suing Meta, and a jury watched taped depositions of Mark Zuckerberg and Instagram boss Adam Mosseri trying to justify themselves by arguing that some harm is inevitable because they run apps for billions of people. Prosecutors say about 500,000 minors a day get sexual messages on Instagram. And get this. People You May Know, Facebook's friend-suggestion feature reportedly connected weirdos to victims in 79% of flagged cases. No wonder why Zuck doesn't let his kids on Facebook. |
Fallout-friendly moving: I miss when my biggest fear was a late credit card payment. MIRA Safety ran fallout scenarios and picked four places that allegedly would be the least instantly awful if things go nuclear: West Texas, most of Nevada, Michigan and Wisconsin. MIRA says its projections are for education, not emergency planning. Great, love a map that starts with "Do not trust me." This isn't tech, but I know you're wondering.
💲 Check your phone bill right now: If you see a number over $100, you're getting ripped off. The big carriers charge a massive premium for an identical 5G signal. Consumer Cellular uses the exact same towers for way less money. You get the premium coverage you expect without the bloated bill. Switch and get $25 off with code KIM25. Over 50? Get one line of unlimited talk, text and data for only $35.* |
The DVD comeback: Ever spend 25 minutes scrolling Netflix, only to rewatch the same comfort show? Disheartened, defeated. I get why Gen Z is starting to grab DVDs again. LA video rental shops are loving it. CineFile says memberships jumped, and Vidiots is renting 1,000+ movies a week at $3 a disc. It's like the vinyl moment for DVDs. Wait until Gen Z finds out about late fees.
🛰️ Space station countdown: Here's a quick recap. NASA wants private companies to provide the next orbiting home base that will replace the ISS once it's decommissioned. Now, the Senate Commerce Committee passed a bill pushing NASA to pick the private space station winners already. If the measure becomes law, NASA will have about 330 days to sign contracts with at least two companies. Axiom and Blue Origin are circling like sharks. No pressure, but the whole "home base for humanity in space" thing has a deadline. Talk about a high-stakes lease renewal. |
| | | Your identity is at risk. Here's how to protect it. | Your personal information is more vulnerable than ever. The recent IDMerit breach exposed nearly a billion records, including names, dates of birth, and social security numbers. Over 200 million of those records belong to Americans. Criminals use this data to steal your identity. | That's why I personally use and rely on NordProtect. It goes beyond credit monitoring. It watches the dark web for signs your information is being misused, sends real-time alerts, and gives you tools like credit lock to help stop new fraud in its tracks. | NordProtect also guides you if there's suspicious activity, so you can act quickly before scammers cause more damage. And it provides financial protection that helps reimburse stolen funds and reduce the impact of fraud. | ✅ Protect yourself today with my 72% off deal, that's only $3.79/month! You'll be glad you did, like I am. → | Please support our sponsors! |
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DEVICE ADVICE |
⚡️ 3-second tech genius: Google is lying to you about the "latest news." Its top stories are what's trending, not what's new. There's a difference, and it matters. Open Chrome, search your topic, click Tools just under the search bar, and change the time filter to Past hour. Actual current results. The algorithm is optimized for clicks. You're optimized for truth. You win. |
Windows video players are embarrassing, and you deserve better: Films & TV buffers. Media Player crashes. It's 2026. Download VLC. Free, immortal, plays literally anything. And if videos are hoarding your storage, grab HandBrake, too. Drag in a file, pick the 1080p30 preset, hit Start Encode. Same picture. A fraction of the size. I got 14 GB back on a Tuesday afternoon. Neat. |
Your Mac's corners are sitting there doing nothing: Four corners. Infinite potential. Go to System Settings > Desktop & Dock > Hot Corners, and assign each one an action. Open Notifications. Jot a quick note. Or, and I cannot stress this enough, assign one corner to hide all windows instantly. For when your boss materializes behind you. You know the corner. Pick wisely. |
💾 Speaking of hard drives, yours is on borrowed time: Every single computer eventually dies. When yours crashes, recovery experts will charge you up to $3,000 to maybe get your family photos and documents back. I use Carbonite instead. It backs up every file to the cloud automatically, so you never have to worry. It's cheap insurance against a guaranteed disaster. Get 50% off right now.* |
👎 Your phone is too big for your thumb, and you know it: One-handed mode exists, but most people have never turned it on. Go to Settings > Advanced features > One-handed mode. Flip it on. Then swipe down from the bottom edge or double-tap the Home button. Everything shrinks to thumb territory. Your chiropractor will notice. In a good way. |
⏰ Turn back the clock: After 30, your body produces less and less collagen every single year. By 60, you're making half of what you used to. That shows up in thinning hair, brittle nails, and skin that lost its bounce. I add NativePath Collagen to my morning tea every day. Grass-fed, no taste, dissolves completely. Over 8,000 five-star reviews and a 365-day money-back guarantee. You have nothing to lose and a lot to get back. Get up to 44% off, plus free shipping and free gifts right now.** |
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🎙️ CLICK. LISTEN. WATCH. 🎬 |
👂 Listen up! Tune into my award-winning radio show, airing this weekend on 510+ stations. Find yours via our awesome station finder. You can also listen commercial-free on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music, iHeart or wherever you get your podcasts. |
Love the show? Tell your local station! Hit their Contact Us page or send a social media shout-out. Your 30 seconds keeps the tech talk coming to your city. Thank you! |
😬 Not a great hobby: Sarah from Colorado has a drone problem. Specifically, one is being flown outside her bathroom window. She's pretty sure she knows who's doing it. I give her the tools to find out. Hear the story! |
👇 Use the links below to listen on your schedule. |
🎧 Or search "Komando" wherever you get your podcasts. I'm everywhere. |
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WHAT THE TECH? |
 | Image: Nokian Tyres |
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❄️ Ice Ice Baby |
Winter tires usually come with a trade-off: amazing traction on ice but a ride that sounds like you're driving on a shopping cart. |
A third option launches later this year. Meet Nokian Tyres' Hakkapeliitta 01 (paywall link), which have metal studs that pop out in the cold and retract when temperatures rise, thanks to a temperature-sensitive rubber layer. So smart. |
The result? 10% more ice traction and 30% less road damage compared to traditional studded tires. Great news for drivers everywhere who still think "all-season" means "good enough." |
Looks like Nokian really nailed the pitch. They just needed something to break the ice. |
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LOGGING OUT … |
🔜 Tomorrow: Carl called me on a Tuesday after losing his wife, and an app let him "talk" to her again. It's comforting, creepy and somehow a monthly subscription. I'll show you what deadbots are, why they're booming and the one brutal question they raise: healing or delay? That's coming in your inbox tomorrow morning. |
🧩 The answer: A) "K." According to the International Journal of Mobile Communications, "K" was ranked the most negatively received reply. Researchers found it commonly signals emotional distance, disinterest or passive aggression, the text equivalent of closing the door while making eye contact. |
Here's the wild twist. Add one letter, and the whole vibe changes. "Kk" is interpreted as warm and casual. "OK" reads as neutral. Just "K"? That's a weapon. The Spartans fought for less. |
In 2023, a Canadian farmer received a text with a photo of a grain contract and the message 'Please confirm flax contract.' He replied with a 👍. A Saskatchewan court ruled that counted as a legally binding signature. He owed $82,000 for breach of contract when he never delivered the flax. And yes, the judge's written opinion was peppered with 👍 emojis throughout. Moral of the story: be very careful what you Like. That thumbs up might just cost you a farm. |
🔍 Until tomorrow, your attention is power. Aim it carefully. I know you will. — Kim |
Kim Komando • Komando.com • 510+ radio stations • Trusted by millions daily |
🏆 THE KIM CHALLENGE: Forward this to ONE person who needs to hear it today. Pick the person who popped into your head while reading. You know who it is. |
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HOW'D WE DO?What did you think of today's issue? |
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Photo credit(s): Gemini, Fullstar, Nokian Tyres |
Companies and products denoted by an asterisk (*) within this publication are paid sponsors or advertisements. As an Amazon Associate, the publisher earns from qualifying purchases. Statements regarding products denoted by a double asterisk (**) have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration; such products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This newsletter is provided for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute legal, financial, medical, or professional advice of any kind. Readers should consult with a qualified professional before making any decisions based on this content. The publisher disclaims all liability for any loss, damage, or injury resulting from the use of or reliance on the information contained herein. |
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Keep a civil tongue.