State governments are crawling over each other to be the first to dump their taxpayers' money into the blockchain a gamble that, depending on the vagaries of the crypto market and the wiles of hackers, either make them a speculative bundle or plunge them into financial ruin.On Tuesday, the Arizona state Senate Finance Committee passed the "Strategic Bitcoin Reserve Act," also known as SCR1005, up to the Senate Rules Committee for review. This is the last step before it goes to the broader Senate, and then the state House of Representatives.There's a long way to go. But the act, if passed, would allow the state treasurer, State Retirement System, and Public Safety Retirement System to invest up to 10 percent of Arizona's public fund in digital assets.Not to be outdone, a Utah house committee quickly passed its own slew of "Blockchain and Digital Innovation Amendments" the next day. That bill works toward creating "authority for the state treasurer to invest public funds in certain digital assets."That passage came with a favorable recommendation from the Utah Economic Development committee, and would allow the state's treasurer to invest up to 5percent of its public fund in Bitcoin and some "stablecoins."A whole herd of state legislators just behind them. Texas, Wyoming and Florida are all in early stages of planning "Strategic Bitcoin Reserves," while representatives in Pennsylvaniaand New Hampshire have proposed bills allowing state treasurers to invest state funds in digital assets.Still other states are carving out broader provisions for crypto beyond Bitcoin. Massachusetts recently introduced a bill allowing up to 10percent of the state's public funds to be invested in a range of digital assets including crypto and NFTs. They're joined by Oklahoma, which places provisions on stablecoins similar to Utah, and North Dakota, which hasn't defined what it considers a digital asset.But there are many indications that hype, not fiscal responsibility, may be leading the way.Arizona's SCR1005, for example, makes the dubious claim that the "federal government holds approximately 200,000 Bitcoin." That might lead an impressionable and possibly tech illiterate state lawmaker to believe that the US government alsohas a federally approved bitcoin reserve, which is far from the truth.In reality, these "funds" come overwhelmingly from three high-profile DOJ asset seizures. Following these seizures, the DOJ has reportedly transferred over 50,000 Bitcoin to other wallets, which doesn't exactly fit the bill for a "federal Bitcoin reserve." The US Marshals service has auctioned smaller holdings in the past, further showing that these "assets" are meant to be temporary.For his part, our returning president and his grift moguls have made a renewed push for crypto, releasing an executive order clarifying the federal government's definition of phrases like "blockchain" and "Central Bank Digital Currency," and revoking previous measures intended to regulate digital assets.Though Trump's federal reserve hasn't touched the blockchain yet, the mere presence of Bitcoin around any federal agency may be read as a tacit endorsement by investors and government officials alike, according to Gavin Brown, lecturer in financial tech at the University of Liverpool."When they're holding things like Bitcoin, the price is incredibly volatile," Brown told Newsweek. "So they have a lot of, kind of, friction, in the sense that do they hold Bitcoin for the price to go up to speculate... or do they sell it now but potentially miss out on future gains?""By the same token, if you excuse the pun, if [the DOJ] holds Bitcoin to try and get more value for it, the signal that sends to the society and economy at large is that the government's longed Bitcoin, they love it," he added.That volatility is a huge issue. The appeal of crypto, it's long been droned, is its decentralized nature it's an inherently risky venture fraught with rug pulls, shitcoins, and fraud. That might be a massive draw to online criminals and scam artists, but its appeal for state governments, let alone the federal government, is hard to understand.As economists, tech critics, and even crypto bros come out to rail against the idea, it's likely that right-wing lobbying groups are to blame for the push to gamble granny's retirement fund away on shady crypto markets.It's a troubling sign as our elected officials and institutions fall for endless tech bro grafts like when Tennessee lawmakers tried passing legislation allowing state and local leaders to invest tax dollars into NFTs, or more recently, when our sitting president rescinded Biden's $1 trillion transportation infrastructure in exchange for a $500 billion AI mega center.More on crypto: Tesla's $750 Million in Bitcoin Just Vanished From Where It Was Being StoredShare This Article

Scouring the web for a streaming service deal? You might have better luck opening a food delivery app.With the introduction of Max with DashPass and Hulu and other Disney streamers with Kroger Boost last year, there are finally enough examples of streaming-meets-snack-procurement-services to warrant a roundup. Getting a streamer with a food or grocery delivery membership may seem unusual. Still, given constant price hikes, why leave any potential savings on the table?Whether you agree with DoorDash's president in a statement that "streaming and delivery go hand in hand," or you're just a curious entertainment seeker, here are the offers that might help you with dinner and a show. DoorDash/Warner Bros. Max with DashPass 2025 is shaping up to be an eventful year for Warner Bros. Discovery's streaming service Max, with new offerings like It: Welcome to Derry and the return of hit series like The White Lotus and The Last of Us. A partnership between Max and DoorDash makes streaming and food delivery possible for one price.If you're interested in DoorDash's membership program, DashPass, located in the US, willing to pay yearly and don't mind watching Max with commercials, you can pay $96 per year for DashPass and get Max With Ads for free. Usually, ad-based Max runs $10 per month or $100 per year.DashPass gives you $0 delivery fees and lower service fees on qualifying orders in addition to streaming. You also have the option to upgrade to Max Ad-Free -- which is usually $17 per month or $170 per year -- for an additional $11 each month. If you currently have a subscription to Max, you can get the streaming service through DoorDash by linking your account to your new subscription. Instacart/NBCUniversal Peacock with Instacart Plus If your pantry and streaming watchlist are looking tragically empty, you might want to give Instacart Plus a try. The membership program from Instacart provides Peacock as a perk. US Instacart Plus customers -- whether they pay $10 per month or $99 per year -- can access shows like The Traitors and The Day of the Jackal with the ad-supported version of the streaming service.Instacart Plus subscribers don't have to pay delivery fees on eligible orders if they hit a minimum spend, can share certain benefits with family members and -- if they pay annually -- tap into their inner chef with a one-year New York Times Cooking subscription. Ad-based Premium Peacock typically costs $8 per month or $80 per year. You'll need to cancel your current Peacock subscription before you can get the streamer through Instacart Plus, and you won't have the option to upgrade to ad-free Peacock Premium Plus. Disney/Kroger Disney Plus, Hulu or ESPN Plus with Kroger Boost membership Kroger offers one streaming service with its yearly Boost memberships, but like a Pokemon player at the start of an adventure, you get to choose between three options: Disney Plus, Hulu or ESPN Plus.While you have the choice to pay for Boost monthly, you'll have to go the annual route if you want a Disney streaming service. If you spend $59 upfront for the version of Boost with free next-day delivery on $35 orders, you get six months of a streamer with ads. If you spend $99 for the version with same-day delivery, you get a streaming benefit without a time limit.If you already have Hulu, Disney Plus or ESPN Plus and want to get it through Boost, you'll need to cancel and wait for your billing cycle to end. Note that you can't pay extra for a streaming tier without ads, and you'll need to be in the US. Outside of Boost, Disney Plus Basic is $10 per month, Hulu With Ads is $10 per month or $100 per year and ESPN Plus is $12 per month or $120 per year. Paramount/Walmart Walmart Plus membership with Paramount Plus, free grocery delivery A Walmart Plus membership provides food delivery and streaming perks. With Walmart Plus, which costs $13 per month or $98 per year, you get groceries and other items delivered free from your store (as long as you spend at least $35) and ad-supported Paramount Plus Essential.If you'd rather have the Paramount Plus tier with Showtime programming, you can pay an extra $5.50 a month or $65 a year to upgrade. Other Walmart Plus benefits include free shipping, fuel savings, first access to deals during sale events and more.Paramount Plus Essential usually costs $8 per month or $60 per year. You'll have to cancel your existing Paramount Plus subscription before you can get the streamer through Walmart Plus, and you'll need to be in US to be eligible. Amazon/Grubhub Amazon Prime membership with Prime Video, Grubhub Plus Amazon Prime memberships cost $15 per month or $139 per year and come with a plethora of perks, including ad-supported Prime Video, which is $9 per month through a standalone subscription, and Grubhub Plus in the US. Grubhub's membership is usually $10 per month on its own.You can upgrade to ad-free Prime Videofor an extra $3 per month. If you want to order a snack to accompany your screening, Grubhub Plus lands you free delivery and lower service fees on eligible orders and 5% Grubhub Plus credit back on qualifying pickup orders.Prime also provides benefits such as a version of Amazon Music for Prime members, access to the Prime Day shopping event, its signature fast and free delivery and unlimited grocery delivery on $35 orders for an extra $10 per month.

Most states in the US impose a state income tax, which you pay in addition to federal income tax. However, depending on which one you live in, your state income tax rate might've gone down at the start of 2025.Tax rates vary from state to state, but they always involve collecting a portion of your income from each paycheck. The percentage collected can vary significantly depending on where you live and how much you make. The highest rate in the US is the 13.3% collected in California from those making over $1 million a year, while states including Alaska, Florida and Nevada collect no income tax at all.If you live in one of nine specific states, however, you're likely to see your take-home pay increase a bit, after lawmakers in those states cut their income tax rates as of Jan. 1. Some of these cuts are minimal, while others are a bit more substantial.Read on for all the details about which states have lowered their income tax rates and by how much. For more on tax season, find out if you're eligible to claim a child tax credit and see what the future might hold for the credit and its value.Which states have lowered their income tax rates?As of Jan. 1, income tax rate cuts went into effect in the following nine states:IndianaIowaLouisianaMississippiMissouriNebraskaNew MexicoNorth CarolinaWest VirginiaHow much have income tax rates decreased in these states?Indiana has seen one of the more minimal cuts, with its income tax rate decreasing from 3.05% to 3% in 2025.Iowa is dropping to a flat income tax rate of 3.8% in 2025, down from a top rate of 5.7% last year.Louisiana is also moving to a flat rate from a graduated income tax system, with a flat rate of 3% this year, down from a top rate of 4.25% in 2024. Those in the state's largest income bracket, $30,000-$40,000, will pay only $338 a year in income taxes.Mississippi's tax rate saw a minimal cut for 2025, down to 4.4% from 4.7% last year. Officials there have also put forward a goal of eventually eliminating income taxes in the state altogether.Missouri is another state with a smaller cut this year, down to 4.7% from 4.8%.Nebraska's income tax rate was cut to 5.2%, down from 5.84% last year.New Mexico will retain its graduated income tax rate, with two of its six income brackets seeing a decrease in 2025. Those making less than $5,500 a year have seen their rate cut to 1.5% from 1.7%, while those making between $16,500 and $33,500 have seen theirs cut to 4.3% from 4.7%.North Carolina's rate dropped to 4.5%, down from 4.75% last year. The state also plans to cut the rate to 3.99% in 2026.In West Virginia, residents can expect to pay 4% less in overall income taxes in 2025, though specific rates have not been reported. The state is another where lawmakers have also put forward the goal of eventually doing away with income taxes altogether.For more, find out if you're eligible for the saver's credit.

You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereMarvel Rivals is full of free-to-play PvP modes that engage players through a lineup of beloved Marvel characters. The game boasts three core modes called Convergence, Convoy, and Domination, each offering distinct strategic layers that enhance the competitive experience on the battlefield, alongside seasonal arcade modes.The game also dives deep into its narrative with seasonal storylines, and Season 1: Eternal Night Falls pulls players into a gripping, vampire-laden saga featuring Dracula. This season picks up the games original narrative thread featuring Doctor Doom, teasing a broader storyline where iconic villains take center stage. The introduction of these seasonal narratives has enriched the PvP experience, igniting speculation about a potential PvE mode on the horizon. Recent leaks and buzz within the community hint that Marvel Rivals could be gearing up to unveil a PvE mode, possibly showcasing an epic boss encounter.Marvel Rivals rumored PvE mode will bring a giant Kraken boss fightPrior to the release of Marvel Rivals Season 1, rumors around a possible PvE game mode were leaked by data miners and was said to arrive in a future update in 2025. More info on the rumored game mode codenamed InfinityCrisis was leaked by X0X_Leak who revealed that a Kraken-like boss will arrive in the mode.The leaked Kraken boss resembles Namors Monstro Spawn. Image by VideoGamer.The model shared on the Reddit post by the user is said to be a direct 1:1 of a model from an asset source. The GIF animation shows several actions like Idle, Attack, and Death where the Krakens tentacles seem to be playing a bigger role.However, many Rivals fans have hinted that it is in fact the Monstro boss from the Marvel comics and is often mentioned in Luna Snows in-game lore files. The Monstro design also resembles the Monstro Spawn thrown by Namor in a Rivals match. Must-Listen: Publishing Manor Lords w/ Joe Robinson VideoGamer Podcast Listen Now Several fans have also argued that the Monstro is part of an Atlantis Attacks event, either set on Jeju Island or in Atlantis/Talokan. While rumors run amok around this upcoming PvE mode, fans are eagerly awaiting the arrival of more Fantastic Four heroes, notably The Thing and Human Torch in the second half of Season 1.Marvel RivalsPlatform(s):macOS, PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series XGenre(s):Fighting, ShooterRelated TopicsMarvel Rivals Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

By Matt Novak Published February 1, 2025 | Comments (133) | USAID providing disaster relief in the Philippines in the aftermath of Typhoon Krathon (Julian) in Northern Luzon. Photo: DVIDS / U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Amelia Kang The website for USAID, the U.S. government agency that distributes foreign aid, went down on Saturday, and its unclear when it may return. The outage comes as every federal website has been ordered to erase forbidden words, though USAIDs outage could related to reports that Donald Trump plans to put most of the agency under control of the U.S. State Department, according to Reuters. Posts on X suggest the USAID website may have redirected to the White House website for a time before going dark completely, but Gizmodo couldnt independently confirm that. USAIDs press office didnt immediately respond to questions emailed on Saturday. Previously, the U.S. Census Bureaus website, census.gov, went offline around 5 p.m. ET on Friday. That disruption happened shortly after CBS News reporter Jennifer Jacobs tweeted that some government websites were slated to go dark Friday evening at precisely 5 p.m., citing White House officials. Jacobs reported later the outage at government websites was related to an attempt to remove diversity-related content, and the Census website was restored about an hour later. Gizmodo reported Friday on the plans at the CDC to scrub that agencys website of all gender ideology, as the Trump administration has called it, a euphemism for anything Trump opposes relating to LGBT rights and the role of women in society. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatrician who specializes in treating children who are the victims of sexual abuse, reported on TikTok that an app from the CDC that tells doctors how to treat kids whove been raped has been taken offline. This is the CDC sexually transmitted infection treatment guidelines app, the pediatrician said. We use this to figure out the right dose to treat a young child whos acquired a sexually transmitted infection after being abused. Little kids need different dosing than adults, and this gets updated pretty frequently depending on drug resistance and other things. So apparently helping little kids whove been sexually assaulted is just too woke now. But thats where we are. @docemurray #cdcguidelines The STI app is down, makes it harder to help treat kids who have been abused. #greenscreen original sound Dr. Elizabeth Murray Trumps ideological purge of the government has been swift, as the fascist president has issued a flurry of executive orders and illegally attempted to shut down government spending on programs he opposes. A federal judge ruled on Friday that Trump must cease trying to stop the flow of money that had been properly allocated by Congress.The CDCs website has been stripped of vital information, including data on HIV intended for doctors to be able to speak with patients about treatment, according to Time magazine. A page called HIV Nexus: CDC Resources for Clinicians was just one of many pages on the CDC website that are no longer available, a result of the agency being directed to scrub words and entire reports that mention LGBT issues. Just about every agency seems to have been impacted by the draconian censorship and pervading culture of fear now present in the federal government apparatus. HuffPost congressional reporter Jen Bendery wrote on Bluesky that a source at the Environmental Protection Agency was concerned about the way that communications were now being monitored at the EPA after a recent Microsoft software update. Its likely your status on Teams is being monitored, and a hint was dropped to us by someone higher up in EPA that they may be monitoring Teams calls. We now have to be careful of what we say on Teams calls, the EPA staffer was quoted as saying.The U.S. Department of Justice deleted a charges database for January 6th defendants, according to the political transparency group CREW. And given the scope of the purge, it seems likely it could take a long time before the U.S. public has any idea how much knowledge has been scrubbed from the web by their own government.Daily NewsletterYou May Also Like By Thomas Maxwell Published January 31, 2025 By Matt Novak Published January 31, 2025 By Matthew Gault Published January 31, 2025 By Matt Novak Published January 31, 2025 By Lucas Ropek Published January 31, 2025 By AJ Dellinger Published January 30, 2025

Not So GGYou can probably say goodbye to any hopes you have of PlatinumGames' Project G.G. ever releasing, as the studio has wiped all references to it from its websiteNot much of a surprise given Hideki Kamiya was meant to be directing it.Image credit: PlatinumGames News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Feb. 2, 2025 Another day, another likely cancelled game, this time PlatinumGames' Project G.G., an Ultra Man-looking title that never had all that much revealed about it.Remember Project G.G.? I wouldn't blame you if you don't, it got announced way back in 2020, nothing else was ever shared of it, and then its director, Hideki Kamiya, left the studio (which he co-founded) at the end of 2023. There were obviously immediate questions as to whether this game would ever see the light of day following Kamiya's departure, and now it almost definitely seems like it won't. If you head to the page on PlatinumGames' website that lists all the games they've worked on, you'll find 10 titles, including the Bayonetta series, Nier: Automata, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, and the recently announced Ninja Gaiden 4.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Except using the Wayback Machine shows that there used to be 22 games listed there, including licenced titles like Transformers: Devastation, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutants in Manhattan, and The Legend of Korra, alongside games it solo developed like Madworld and cataclysmic failure that was Babylon's Fall - all of which still have their own dedicated pages, even though they're no longer listed on the site (thanks, Eurogamer). Project G.G. was also one of the titles removed from the list of games page, except now it doesn't even have its own page, as the URL for it just redirects to PlatinumGames' homepage.That all but confirms the game is dead in the water, which isn't exactly a surprise given that Kamiya hasn't been at the studio for more than a year. For a while it's been a bit clear what PlatinumGames has been working on, given that there seems to have been a bit of a staff exodus recently, but that new Ninja Gaiden game at least means the lights will stay on for a little while longer.

Swing And A MissMarvel's Spider-Man 2's Steam launch doesn't seem like its off to a great start, as reviews sit at mixed and its player count peak is less than half of its predecessorAt least you don't have to sign in to a PSN account? News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Feb. 2, 2025 Another PC launch from Sony, another rough around the edges release, this time for Marvel's Spider-Man 2.Earlier this week, an announcement came from Sony to do with its PC releases that was actually pretty welcome: it will remove its PSN requirement from some of its biggest single-player titles. That included Marvel's Spider-Man 2, which at the time of the announcement was a day before it launched on PC. The game is out now, and while I'm sure many are happy they don't have to sign in to a PSN account, reviews are not painting a pretty picture. Currently, across almost 4500 reviews, the game is sitting at a mixed rating on Steam, with many reviews criticising the game for being poorly optimised. Most of the reviews seem in relation to the game crashing, but just over half of the reviews are actually positive, so your mileage may vary.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Reviews aside, though, player-count launch numbers look like they could be doing a bit better. According to SteamDB, the game hit a concurrent player-count peak of 27,775 players yesterday, and at the time of writing it's about a thousand under that now. There's a chance it'll beat that peak later today, as playtimes often do peak in the evening, but for comparison, the first game in the series, Marvel's Spider-Man Remastered reached an all-time peak of 66,436, more than double of its sequel's peak, and the fourth highest played game on Steam for PlayStation (Helldivers 2, Ghost of Tsushima, and God of War sit above it).There's lot of reasons this could be the case; one is that a lot of players don't even realise that the PSN requirement has been removed, something that has grown more and more infamous with each subsequent release from PlayStation. Another reason could be that a lot of these PlayStation ports have been rough around the edges at launch, which doesn't exactly instill confidence in players. I'm sure an update for Spider-Man 2 is on its way, eventually.

Googles X moonshot factory this week announced its latest graduate. Heritable Agriculture is a data- and machine learning-driven startup aiming to improve how crops are grown.As the firm noted in an announcement post published Tuesday, plants are incredibly efficient and impressive systems. Plants are solar powered, carbon negative, self-assembling machines that feed on sunlight and water, Heritable wrote.Yet agriculture puts a massive strain on the planet and its resources, accounting for around 25% of anthropogenic greenhouse emissions. Its the planets largest consumer of groundwater and can lead to soil erosion and water pollution via pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals.The newly independent startup is approaching these global issues by doing what Google does best: analyzing massive datasets through artificial intelligence and machine learning. Data collection is the easy part, relatively speaking. The hard part is transforming all that data into actionable instructions for growers to help bring the 12,000-year-old industry into the 21st century.Heritable Architectures seeds were planted by founder and CEO, Brad Zamft. The physics PhD served as a program officer and fellow at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation before spending a year as the chief scientific officer at a venture-backed startup called TL Biolabs. Eight months later, in late 2018, Zamft joined Google X, quickly becoming the project lead of what would become Heritable.Image Credits:Heritable AgricultureI was given broad purview to work on whatever I wanted, as long as it could scale to a Google-size business, Zamft tells TechCrunch. That was the mandate. The idea of how do we get better at optimizing plants stuck with me and it gained traction with the leadership. We did a very good job moving through the gauntlet that is Google X.Using machine learning, Heritable analyzes plant genomes to determine combinations that might improve yields, while lowering water consumption and raising carbon storage capacity. The models the company built were tested on thousands of plants, grown to those specifications within a specialized growth chamber at Xs Bay Area headquarters. The researchers also conducted field work at sites in California, Nebraska, and Wisconsin.The company has no plans to explore mutagenesis, a GMO process that utilizes either chemicals or radiation to create crop mutations. Zamft adds, however, that CRISP-fueled gene editing will eventually play a role in making plants programmable. For now, however, Heritable is focused on more conventional methods.Were not developing gene-edited plants, and genetic modification is not on our roadmap, says Zamft. Gene editing may eventually come, but were seeing a huge, unmet need for identifying what to breed and then doing better breeding crossing a mother and father plant, not using the biotechnology to actually develop the [crop].Image Credits:Heritable AgricultureThe executive adds that the team is most immediately focused on commercializing the technology. Zamft did not reveal anything in the way of specific timelines or commercial partners. He did note, however, that Heritable has fittingly raised a seed round, featuring FTW Ventures, Mythos Ventures, and SVG Ventures.Google is an investor as well, with an undisclosed amount of equity in the young company.Google laid off dozens from X last January, as part of company-wide cuts. Under the leadership of lab head Astro Teller, the corporate incubator has begun to more aggressively spin off companies like Heritable.

Published February 2, 2025 10:00am EST close 'CyberGuy': Scammers find sneaky way to bypass your iPhone's safety features Tech expert Kurt Knutsson says cybercriminals are exploiting iMessage phishing protection, tricking users to reactivate links. Elon Musk, known for leading companies like Tesla, SpaceX, Neuralink and X.AI and buying and rebranding Twitter as X, often finds his name linked to innovation and futuristic ideas. But his reputation also makes him a prime target for scammers.In the past, fraudsters have used Musks name in cryptocurrency schemes. Now, a new scam is making the rounds. This time, scammers are promoting bogus "energy-saving" devices, falsely associating Musk with these products to gain credibility. These devices, which dont work as advertised, are being marketed as revolutionary solutions, duping people into spending money on what is essentially a scam.We received this email from Rick in Wilkesboro, North Carolina:"Ive been receiving emails offering an energy-saving device developed by Elon Musk. It claims the device can reduce energy bills by 50%. I never attempted to contact anyone associated with Elon Musk, nor have I done any internet searches for such a device. Are these emails legit or another attempt by scammers hoping I click on their links?"Rick, it sounds like those emails are likely scams. There have been numerous reports of scammers using Elon Musk's name to promote fake energy-saving devices. These scams often claim that the device can drastically reduce energy bills, but there is no evidence that Elon Musk or any of his companies are involved in such products.Let's dive into how this scam works and share some ways you can stay safe. Illustration of a scammer at work (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)How does Elon Musk's energy-saving scam work?The Elon Musk energy-saving scam works by using flashy online ads, unsolicited emails and other deceptive tactics to lure victims. Scammers promote so-called "revolutionary" devices through social media, pop-ups, emails and even search engine ads, claiming the products are backed by Musk.These ads often include fake customer reviews, exaggerated claims of slashing electricity bills by 50% or more and time-limited discounts to create urgency. Names of devices advertised in these scams include the Power Pro Save, Heunwa Power Save, Stop Watt, Miracle Watt, True Watt, Real Watt, Watt Rescue, Esaver Watt, Pro Power Save, Voltmod and more.Clicking on these ads leads you to sales websites designed to look legitimate. They feature fake logos, doctored before-and-after photos and bogus celebrity endorsements to build trust. The sites throw around pseudo-scientific jargon like "stabilizing electrical currents" or "rebalancing loads" to sound convincing. They also use tactics like showing inflated "regular" prices crossed out to make the current offer seem like a huge bargain.If you look closely, though, the red flags are clear. These sites lack basic details like a company address, contact number or business registration information. Instead, they push you to place an order through an online form, demanding full payment upfront via credit card or PayPal.After paying, customers might receive a cheap, non-functional plastic device, or sometimes nothing at all. These devices dont reduce electricity usage. They might even waste more power. But by the time you realize it, the scammers have already pocketed your money. Elon Musk scam email ads (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)The truth about energy-saving devicesOver the years, plenty of power-saving scams have promised to cut down or even eliminate your electricity bill by simply plugging in their devices. The reality is that theres no device you can plug in that will actually reduce your electricity usage or lower your household bill.These products often claim to "stabilize voltage" or "reduce power waste." While voltage stabilization can be useful in industrial settings, it doesnt make much difference for typical home appliances. Most household appliances are already designed to run efficiently without the issues these devices claim to fix.If youre serious about saving on electricity, focus onpractical solutions like upgrading to energy-efficient appliances, using smart home devices or adjusting your energy usage schedule.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)? A person checking email on a phone (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Red flags to watch out forToo good to be true: Claims of reducing energy bills by 50% or more are often exaggerated and unrealistic.Unsolicited emails: Receiving emails out of the blue, especially when you haven't shown interest in such products, is a common tactic used by scammers.Use of celebrity names: Scammers frequently use well-known names like Elon Musk to lend credibility to their schemes.Suspicious links: Be cautious of clicking on links in unsolicited emails. They can lead to phishing sites designed to steal your personal information. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.10 ways to stay safe from such scams1. Verify the email: Phishing emails are a common tool scammers use to trick people into buying fake products or giving away personal information. These emails often look like theyre from legitimate sources, but they contain links that lead to fraudulent websites or prompt you to download malicious attachments. Always check the sender's email address and look for signs of a fake message, like poor grammar or urgent calls to action.2. Verify claims: If you're curious about a product, do some research from reputable sources before taking any action.3. Do not click links: Avoid clicking on any links or downloading attachments from these emails. Instead, hover over the link to see its true destination. This can help you identify if it leads to a legitimate site or a malicious one.4. Have strong antivirus software actively running on your devices: Ensure you have reliable antivirus software installed on your devices. Antivirus software helps protect your devices from malware, viruses and other security threats. Regularly update the software to ensure it can detect and remove the latest threats. Get my picks for the best 2025 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.5. Examine the website carefully: Scammers often create websites that look professional, but theyre easy to spot with a few simple checks. Look for missing or suspicious information, like the absence of a business address, phone number or business registration details. If there are fake testimonials or celebrity endorsements, thats a red flag.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE6. Dont fall for "too good to be true" deals:Scammers rely on offering deals that seem too good to pass up, like massive discounts or a "limited time offer." If an ad claims you can save 50% or more on a product, be skeptical. Real, quality products usually dont come with such extreme savings, and high-tech devices like those promoted by scammers rarely live up to the hype. If it feels like too good a deal, it probably is.7. Watch out for unusual payment methods: One of the easiest ways to spot a scam is by how the scammers ask you to pay. If a website asks for payment upfront via credit card or PayPal with no option to verify or ship the product first, it's a major red flag. Scammers take your money upfront and have no intention of sending you anything of value. Stick to reputable payment methods that offer buyer protection, and avoid sites that ask for payment without proper verification.8. Mark spam email as junk or spam: Most email providers have afeature that allows you to flag spam emails and move them to a separate folder. This can help you filter out spam emails from your inbox and also improve the spam detection of your email provider.9. Do not share your email address publicly or with unknown sources: This can reduce the chances of your email address being collected by spammers. You can also use a disposable email or email alias for signing up for online services that you do not trust or need.10. Use a personal data removal service:Scammers can obtain your information from various online sources, including data brokers, people search sites and public records. Using a data removal service can help reduce your digital footprint, making it harder for scammers to access your personal information. This proactive step can be crucial in preventing identity theft and minimizing the chances of falling victim to scams.While no service promises to remove all your data from the internet, having a removal service is great if you want to constantly monitor and automate the process of removing your information from hundreds of sites continuously over a longer period of time.Check out my top picks for data removal services here.Kurts key takeawayImpersonation scams are a common way scammers steal your money. They often use well-known names like Elon Musk or big companies like Microsoft and Walmart to make you trust them, then trick you into giving away your financial details. To stay safe, avoid unsolicited emails or texts that promote products or offers. If you need to buy something, stick to trusted sellers like Amazon, Best Buy or other reputable platforms. Always double-check the legitimacy of any offer before making a purchase, especially if it comes from an unfamiliar source.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPHave you ever encountered a scam using a well-known name or brand? What happened? Let us know by writing us atCyberguy.com/ContactFor more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading toCyberguy.com/NewsletterAsk Kurt a question or let us know what stories you'd like us to coverFollow Kurt on his social channelsAnswers to the most asked CyberGuy questions:New from Kurt:Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved. Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on "FOX & Friends." Got a tech question? Get Kurts free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

Marvel RivalsMarvel RivalsOne of the biggest streamers of the past ten years, Tyler Ninja Blevins has weighed in about the latest multiplayer shooter tearing up the charts after his years being on top of the Fortnite Battle Royale scene.On a recent stream (via Dextero), Ninja said he believes Overwatch is dead and gone thanks to Marvel Rivals, due to both Overwatch dropping the ball and what Rivals has to offer over the long term future. The quote: Its so unfortunate. Heres the thing first off, they already have a new map coming, which is incredible. Second, they have so much lore and so many heroes and villains and anti-heroes that they have enough for updates for the next ten years.He goes on to talk about how Overwatch fumbled its Overwatch 2 launch which was generally viewed as more of a major update than anything resembling an actual sequel. Plus, all the promised PvE content that took years of development but was ultimately scrapped (Marvel Rivals hasnt said anything about PvE yet, but it certainly does not seem out of the question).As for the next ten years of Marvel Rivals content, I mean, I dont think hes wrong that it could happen. In covering leaks for the game, if the game releases two heroes a season like it says it will (already a wild pace compared to Overwatch), there are allegedly almost three years of heroes that are hidden in the files for future release (a recent rumor is that some of these could be fake plants by NetEase, but still). Marvel certainly has a hundred major and minor characters easily you could put into a game like this. Overwatch has to invent all of its heroes froms scratch, and it takes a very, very long time to do so, as evidenced.MORE FOR YOUOverwatch 2BlizzardI know people are saying that Marvel Rivals is still in its honeymoon phase, only releasing two months ago. While thats true, its also the launch of a successful live service hero shooter. If youve been following the scene, you know how impossibly rare that is in todays competitive online space, attempting to drag people away from the other ongoing live games theyve been playing for years, from Fortnite to Apex Legends to Call of Duty toOverwatch. We have seen so, so many games try and fail to do this, while Marvel Rivals has succeeded beyond anyones expectations. You can see the long term vision pretty easily if they keep this up.I think its too early to declare Marvel Rivals one of the biggest games of the next decade, but I do not think its wrong for Ninja to say that it poses a significant threat for Overwatch, where it will be hard for that game to attract any sort of new attention or even hold on to parts of its playerbase who head to Rivals. And thats the last thing Blizzard needs right now.Follow me , and .Pick up my sci-fi novels the and