Ethan Brooks

Romance scam red flags are showing up in more family conversations than ever before. According to the FBI, Americans lost more than $672 million to romance scams in , and adults over 60 account for a growing share of those victims. If your mother, father, aunt, or grandparent is dating online, the warning signs below … Read more

Every time you apply for a job online, you hand over pieces of yourself. Your full name, address, phone number, work history, and often your Social Security number. Now imagine all of that landing in the hands of someone who never planned to hire you in the first place. That is exactly what happens in … Read more

Your employer can see nearly everything on a company-issued device, including browsing history, emails, files, location, keystrokes, and even webcam activity, but generally cannot access personal accounts on services unrelated to work or monitor your personal devices off the clock. Understanding where that line falls matters if you use a work laptop, work phone, or … Read more

If your Android phone feels “off” lately, you are not imagining things. A jealous ex, a controlling partner, or even a hacker can install software that quietly follows your location, reads your messages, and listens to your calls. Knowing how to tell if someone is tracking your Android phone is a skill every phone owner … Read more

That Unknown AirTag detected near you notification on your iPhone or Android means an Apple AirTag that doesn’t belong to you has been traveling alongside you. The alert exists specifically to protect you from unwanted tracking, and taking quick action matters because the tracker could still be revealing your location to its owner right now. … Read more

Finding an unknown Bluetooth tracker moving with you starts with paying attention to your phone’s alerts, then using your device’s built-in scanner, a third-party app, or a careful physical search to locate the source. Bluetooth trackers like Apple AirTags, Tile devices, and Samsung SmartTags are small, cheap, and widely sold. Most owners use them legitimately … Read more

If your Android phone has started acting strangely, you are not imagining it. A draining battery, mysterious data spikes, or a phone that feels warmer than normal can all be early signs of stalkerware on your Android phone. I have spent the past few months testing detection methods, comparing security guidance, and talking with privacy … Read more

Losing your iPhone feels like losing a part of yourself. I remember the cold panic when my cousin’s phone went missing on a subway in Barcelona. The battery had died hours before, and she assumed it was gone forever. We were both wrong. The short answer to how to find a lost iPhone that’s turned … Read more

When I sold my iPhone 13 last year, I almost skipped the most important step. I cleared my photos, deleted my messages, and figured that was enough. Then a friend told me about Activation Lock and how the new owner would be stuck staring at a sign-in screen forever. That single mistake could have killed … Read more

Trading in your old Android phone is a great way to save money on an upgrade, but handing over a device loaded with personal data is risky. Learning how to completely erase an Android phone before trading it in protects your photos, messages, passwords, and financial information from falling into the wrong hands. The process … Read more