See at Peacock Watch the EPL in the US from $8 a month Peacock See at Peacock See more details See at ExpressVPN Best VPN for streaming ExpressVPN See at ExpressVPN See more details See at Now Watch the Premier League in the UK from 15 with Now Now See at Now See more details See at Fubo Watch the Premier League in Canada from CA$30 per month Fubo Canada See at Fubo See more details See at Optus Watch the Premier League in Australia from AU$7 a month Optus Sport See at Optus See more details Table of Contents Enzo Maresca will be hoping to revive his Chelsea team's stalling season on Saturday as it faces an Aston Villa team that's looking to get back into the mix of top the five contenders.A collapse in results for the visitors since the start of the year has seen them go from genuine title contenders to being outsiders for a Champions League spot, with last week's back-to-back defeats against Brighton in the FA Cup and EPL putting on added pressure for this tough match.Villa has struggled for consistent results recently but comes into his match after a sold performance in its 2-2 draw against league leaders Liverpool in midweek.Aston Villa takes on Chelsea on Saturday, Feb. 22, at Villa Park, with kickoff set for5:30 p.m. GMTlocal time in the UK. That makes it a 12:30 p.m. ET or 9:30 a.m. PTstart in the US and Canada, and a 4:30 a.m. AEDTkickoff in Australia early Sunday morning.Below, we'll outline the best live TV streaming services to use to watch the match as it happens, wherever you are in the world. Belgian midfielder Youri Tielemans was on target for Aston Villa in its 2-2 draw with Liverpool on Wednesday. Shaun Botterill/Getty ImagesHow to watch Aston Villa vs. Chelsea in the US without cableSaturday's Aston Villa vs. Chelsea match is streaming onPeacock. You'll need a Peacock Premium or Premium Plus account to catch the game live. Peacock/CNET Peacock offers two Premium plans, and after the recent price increases, the ad-supported Premium plan costs $8 a month and the ad-free Premium Plus plan is $14 a month. See at Peacock How to watch the Premier League 2024-25 season from anywhere with a VPNIf you find yourself unable to view EPL matches locally, you may need a different way to watch the games -- that's where using a VPN can come in handy. A VPN is also the best way to stop your ISP from throttling your speeds on game day by encrypting your traffic, and it's also a great idea if you're traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network, and you want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins.With a VPN, you're able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the game. Most VPNs, like our Editors' Choice, ExpressVPN, make it really easy to do this.Using a VPN to watch or stream sports is legal in any country where VPNs are legal, including the US, UK and Canada, as long as you have a legitimate subscription to the service you're streaming. You should be sure your VPN is set up correctly to prevent leaks: Even where VPNs are legal, the streaming service may terminate the account of anyone it deems to be circumventing correctly applied blackout restrictions. James Martin/CNET 2024 Price $13 per month, $100 for the first 15 months (then $117 per year) or $140 for the first 28 months (then $150 per year)Latest Tests DNS leaks detected, 35% speed loss in 2025 testsNetwork 3,000 plus servers in 105 countriesJurisdiction British Virgin Islands ExpressVPN isour current best VPN pickfor people who want a reliable and safe VPN, and it works on a variety of devices. It's normally $13 a month, but if you sign up for an annual subscription for $100 you'll get three months free and save 49%. That's the equivalent of $6.67 a month.Note that ExpressVPN offers a 30-day money-back guarantee. See at ExpressVPN Livestream Aston Villa vs. Chelsea in the UKThis Saturday early evening kickoff at Villa Park is exclusive to Sky Sports, showing on its Sky Sports Main Event, Premier League and UHD channels. If you already have Sky Sports as part of your TV package, you can stream the game via its Sky Go app, but cord-cutters will want to get set up with a Now account and a Now Sports membership to stream the game. Now TV Sky subsidiary Now offers streaming access to Sky Sports channels with a Now Sports membership. You can get a day of access for 15, or sign up to a monthly plan from 35 per month right now. See at Now Livestream Aston Villa vs. Chelsea in CanadaIf you want to stream this EPL game live in Canada, you'll need to subscribe to Fubo Canada. The service has exclusive rights to every Premier League fixture once again this season. Fubo Fubo is the go-to destination for Canadians looking to watch the EPL this season, with exclusive streaming rights to every match. It costs CA$30 a month, though you can save some cash by paying quarterly or annually. See at Fubo Livestream Aston Villa vs. Chelsea in AustraliaFootball fans down under can watch EPL matches live on streaming service Optus Sport, which is showing every single Premier League fixture of the 2024-25 season live in Australia. Optus With exclusive rights to stream all EPL matches live this season, as well as German Bundesliga and Spanish La Liga games, streaming service Optus Sport is a particularly big draw for Aussie soccer fans.If you're already an Optus network customer, you can bag Optus Sport for a reduced price, with discounts bringing the price down to as low as AU$7 a month. If you're not, a standalone monthly subscription to the service starts at AU$25. See at Optus Quick tips for streaming the Premier League using a VPNWith four variables at play -- your ISP, browser, video streaming provider and VPN -- your experience and success when streaming EPL matches may vary.If you don't see your desired location as a default option for ExpressVPN, try using the "search for city or country" option.If you're having trouble getting the game after you've turned on your VPN and set it to the correct viewing area, there are two things you can try for a quick fix. First, log into your streaming service subscription account and make sure the address registered for the account is an address in the correct viewing area. If not, you may need to change the physical address on file with your account. Second, some smart TVs -- like Roku -- don't have VPN apps you can install directly on the device itself. Instead, you'll have to install the VPN on your router or the mobile hotspot you're using (like your phone) so that any device on its Wi-Fi network now appears in the correct viewing location.All of the VPN providers we recommend have helpful instructions on their main site for quickly installing the VPN on your router. In some cases with smart TV services, after you install a cable network's sports app, you'll be asked to verify a numeric code or click a link sent to your email address on file for your smart TV. This is where having a VPN on your router will also help, since both devices will appear to be in the correct location.And remember, browsers can often give away a location despite using a VPN, so be sure you're using a privacy-first browser to log into your services. We normally recommendBrave.

Yellowstone season 5 recently finished airing, but if you don't mind pivoting to earlier in the Dutton timeline, Yellowstone prequel 1923 is saddling up for season 2.1923 follows a new Dutton family generation after fellow spinoff 1883, time-warping viewers to the early 20th century. Season 2 will once again star Harrison Ford and Helen Mirren as ranchers Jacob and Cara Dutton and will see a harsh winter and adversaries pose a threat to the Dutton legacy, according to a synopsis. The second installment will also focus on Spencer Dutton's journey home and Alexandra's efforts to find Spencer.If you never miss a Taylor Sheridan creation on Paramount Plus (or Peacock), here's how to watch the first episode of 1923 season 2.How to watch Taylor Sheridan's 1923 season 2Paramount Plus is the only way to watch season 2. In the US, the first episode will be available to stream at 12 a.m. ET onFeb. 23(Feb. 22 at 9 p.m. PT), according to Paramount Plus. Following the premiere, new installments will drop one each week on Sundays.Episode 1, The Killing Season: Feb. 23If you don't currently have Paramount Plus and want to get it to stream the new season, the Essential plan will run you $8 per month or $60 per year. You can also opt for the Paramount Plus With Showtime plan, which costs $13 per month or $120 per year. Sarah Tew/CNET Trying to decide between Paramount Plus Essential and Paramount Plus with Showtime? The latter plan is pricier but lets you watch Showtime programming like the currently airing Yellowjackets. It also includes your local live CBS station, removes ads from your streaming experience (outside of live TV) and lets you download titles for offline viewing. Read our Paramount Plus review. See at Paramount Plus

Still more NetEase studios like Quantic and Grasshopper at risk as firm reportedly seeks buyersOther studios at risk include Nagoshi, Skybox Labs, Studio Flare, and T-Minus Zero.Image credit: Grasshopper / Quantic Dream / Eurogamer News by Vikki Blake Contributor Published on Feb. 22, 2025 NetEase is reportedly pulling back on its international game investments.The Chinese megacorp's backtrack commenced at the end of last year when it cut jobs and/or "paused" productions at Worlds Untold, Jar of Sparks, and Liquid Sword, but now Game File reports the company is "actively shopping around more of its non-Chinese studios" in the hope of divestiture.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. Xbox Developer Direct - four promising games also coming to PlayStation.Watch on YouTubeSources talking to Game File under the promise of anonymity claim NetEase plans to divest itself of the majority of its overseas teams. If they can't secure a buyer, studios like Quantic Dream and Grasshopper Manufacture could face closure.Other studios at risk include Anchor Point, GPTRACK50, Jackalyptic Games, Nagoshi, Pincool, Rebel Wolves, Skybox Labs, Studio Flare, T-Minus Zero Entertainment, and more.NetEase declined to comment formally but told Game File: "All studios and projects are in constant review and evaluation, and NetEase will determine changes needed to be made throughout that process".Earlier this week, NetEase cut jobs at its US-based Marvel Rivals creative team, despite the game's significant success, claiming the decision was made to "optimise development efficiency". It also insisted it "has not wavered in its global expansion plans" amid reports it's unloading "as much as all" of its overseas game companies due to rising costs.Yesterday, Matt reported that Marvel Rivals - which has been a huge success for publisher NetEase since its launch last year - reportedly almost didn't make it to release as its CEO objected to paying Disney for the use of its characters.

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Facial recognition company Clearview AI cofounder and former CEO Hoan Ton-That has resigned.The company's new co-CEOs are early investor Hal Lambert and cofounder Richard Schwartz.The leadership shake-up comes as the Clearview eyes new contracts under the Trump administration.The former CEO of Clearview AI, Hoan Ton-That, has resigned. Clearview is a facial recognition startup used by law enforcement or federal agencies to identify suspects. It's known for scraping billions of images from the internet without users or platforms' consent.Clearview appointed early investor Hal Lambert and cofounder Richard Schwartz as co-CEOs in December after Ton-That shifted roles from CEO to president.Ton-That, who has now left the company but will remain a board member, said in an email to Business Insider that he was "leaving on a high note." He added revenue and growth in 2024 were at their highest since the company was founded.Ton-That's departure occurs as Clearview appears to be positioning itself to benefit from the Trump administration and its renewed focus on biometric surveillance, particularly at the border.Lambert is an active Republican supporter who, according to the biography page on his investment firm Point Bridge Captial, served on President Donald Trump's inauguration committee. Schwartz was an advisor to Ruby Giuliani, the former Republican mayor of NYC who defended Trump's claims of election fraud in 2020. A company spokesperson told Business Insider that Lambert and Schwartz will "lead the charge to capitalize on emerging opportunities to enhance national security and public safety under the new Administration."In an interview with Forbes, Lambert said Clearview is already in discussions with the Pentagon, Homeland Security, and other federal agencies. "We want to keep America safe, and technology is a way to do it," he told the outlet.Ton-That's departure follows years of controversy for Clearview After Clearview's debut in 2020, the company faced lawsuits from civil rights groups, US state and federal courts, and overseas governments. Critics said it violated privacy rights by scraping facial images from platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn without the platforms or users' constent.While Clearview settled some US cases, it was hit with significant fines across Europe, including a 30.5 million euro penalty from Dutch authorities last year. Clearview disputed the ruling, writing in an email sent to TechCrunch last year that the decision was "unlawful, devoid of due process and is unenforceable."Despite legal hurdles, Clearview's technology is being used by law enforcement in the States. Last week, the El Cerrito Police Department in California confirmed that it is using the tool to identify suspects and solve crimes. "Ultimately, this technology will help us pursue justice for crime victims and improve the quality of life for our residents," the department said.A Clearview spokesperson told BI the company has been "instrumental in solving innumerable cases involving terrorism, homicide, theft, financial fraud, human trafficking, and child predation," without providing more details about where these cases were being solved or processed. Lambert told Forbes the company had generated $16 million in annual recurring revenue last year, largely from contracts with local law enforcement agencies. Although Clearview is still unprofitable, Lambert told the outlet they are aiming to triple revenue in 2025, pointing to new federal partnerships as a key driver.Clearview raised its last funding round in 2021, securing a $30 million Series B round that valued the company at $130 million.

Looking GreenWhat was it like shooting The Fantastic Four, according to John Malkovich? "Very odd" because "nothing is really there except giant screens and 18 epic cranes""It was interesting."Image credit: Marvel News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Feb. 22, 2025 John Malkovich is set to appear in a still unnamed role in the upcoming Fantastic Four film, and he's shared what his experience of shooting it was like.The thing about the MCU, is that we all know it's green screens all the way down, but there's still something about it that manages to bring in some big name stars (it's probably money, or in Harrison Ford's case, definitely money). Later this summer we'll be seeing the latest pedigree actor take part in the ever expanding film universe, John Malkovich, in The Fantastic Four: First Steps. Right now it's still not clear what role he's playing, though you can catch a glimpse at him in the film's first trailer. And in a recent interview with Variety, the actor quite candidly shared what it was like shooting the project, which sounded like a pretty good time for him.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. "It was a good experience. I liked the cast. It was fun. It was interesting," Malkovich said, though he went on to say that, "of course, its a very odd experience because nothing is really there except giant screens and 18 epic cranes. Its quite odd in that way, but it was fun. The cast was fun. Well see how it goes." To be fair, this third attempt at The Fantastic Four does look like more of an actual film with real texture to it compared to recent MCU entries, with what even looks like actual sets, but I'm sure that plenty of green screens were involved too.One thing Malkovich can't say, though, is whether he'll be in any more Marvel movies. When asked about it he simply said, "Well see. I really dont know. I got a sweatshirt from [director] Matt [Shakman] a few weeks ago with a nice note, but I havent spoken to him recently about how its going. Im pretty sure hes deep into editing."The Fantastic Four: First Steps releases in cinemas July 25, later this year.

Peak"It's like a classic piece of art" Doom: The Dark Ages' director on revisiting the original boomer shooter for inspiration"It's like a painter going to a museum and studying the Norman Rockwell painting he's already studied 50 times."Image credit: iD Software News by Oisin Kuhnke Contributor Published on Feb. 22, 2025 The team behind Doom: The Dark Ages went all the way back to the original game to find inspiration for the latest entry in the series.I think if one day, humanity completely died out for one reason or another, there's one thing that would persist long after we're gone: Doom. Hopefully I don't need to remind you that the original Doom is playable on everything - yes, everything - meaning that if aliens came and found the remains of our civilization, they'd honestly have a pretty high chance of being able to play it. It's a classic for a reason! So much so that id Software even went back to it for the newest entry in the series, Doom: The Dark Ages, and in a recent interview with Edge Magazine (via GamesRadar), director Hugo Martin shares what it was like revisiting the classic shooter.To see this content please enable targeting cookies. "It's like a classic piece of art. It's like a painter going to a museum and studying the Norman Rockwell painting he's already studied 50 times," Martin explained. "Every time you look at it, you learn something new." On this particular occasion, the new thing that the team at id Software noticed was how slow enemy projectiles are - modern Doom often has you quickly dodging fast approaching attacks, but Martin notes that in the original game, "the projectiles start to collect in the world, and they create this maze that the player has to weave through."Martin went on to talk about how that maze feeling is something they tried to capture in The Dark Ages as opposed to Eternal's fast moving bullets, saying that in that game, "there's a lot of activity along the [vertical] Y-axis, but [in The Dark Ages] it felt better to focus the threats and the targets along the horizon line. It's a movement shooter still, but the movement is more about whats happening along the X-axis."The original Doom obviously isn't a surprising source of inspiration, but interestingly, it actually took an unexpected influence from a classic Batman comic. Doom: The Dark Ages is currently set to be released this coming May 15 on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

Apple has been steadily working to expand the world of the Apple TV+ series Severance, through online materials, e-books, podcasts, and other content and so have its fans. Taking advantage of its platform power, the Cupertino tech giant has been able to easily distribute supplemental material that adds to the shows storytelling abilities, offering viewers more clues about the mysterious employer at the heart of the series, Lumon Industries, and other characters.And for fans of the production itself, a companion podcast with creator Ben Stiller and star Adam Scott delves into the nuts and bolts of how scenes were filmed and other behind-the-scenes content.Currently the most popular Apple TV+ series ever, Severance has gained attention and awards for its cinematic techniques, direction, production design, and more, but is also resonating with viewers because it reflects a certain discontent with American society.With its borderline absurdist takes on topics like the perils of capitalism, the lengths people will go to achieve work-life balance, corporate oppression, classism, and the evils of technology, Severance is reaching a broader group than those who normally watch sci-fi.The marketing around the puzzle box-style TV series, where online content becomes a part of the show itself, is something that brings to mind the work that was done in previous years around the cult classic, Lost, where website tie-ins offered further clues about the shows mysteries, like the Dharma Initiative. Unlike Lost, however, Severances creators have promised that they know where the series is going and how it will end which makes it more fun to go down the rabbit hole chasing online clues.Below are some of the supplemental materials that expand Severances universe and offer hints at whats to come.Official CompanionsSeverance: The Lexington Letter, published by Apple Books. This companion story and tell-all is told from the perspective of a severed Lumon Industries employee Margaret Peg Kincaid, who discovers some of the dark truths about her employer.ScreenshotImage Credits:Apple BooksIncluded in this download is also the Macrodate Refiners Orientation Booklet for newly-severed employees, which features a Lumon version of Microsofts Clippy except hes an anthropomorphized severance chip, not a paperclip. ScreenshotImage Credits:Apple BooksThe You You Are, published by Apple Books. In the series, this book is penned by Severance character Dr. Ricken Lazlo Hale, PhD, and ends up playing a role in the severed employees awakening. The companion book, which is available as both an e-book and a narrated audiobook, offers the first 8 chapters of Rickens oeuvre devoted to self-discovery and bizarre anecdotes.ScreenshotImage Credits:Apple BooksThe Severance Podcast with Ben Stiller & Adam Scott. Produced by Audacy, the creators official podcast recaps and reveals behind-the-scenes details alongside actor interviews.Lumon Industires LinkedIn profile. Researching your next job on LinkedIn and you might come across the Lumon Industries business profile, which introduces fans to founder Kier Eagans concepts, including his 9 core principles of Vision, Verve, Wit, Cheer, Humility, Benevolence, Nimbleness, Probity, and Wiles. The page often posts try-hard odes to corporate fulfillment and self-improvement alongside its attempts to recruit new workers to join Lumon, headquartered in the fictional town of Kier. The sinister undertones of its content arent all that different from some of the corporate speak that surrounds it on LinkedIn, oddly.ScreenshotImage Credits:Lumon Industries on LinkedIn (Apple)Apple TVs account on major social media platforms (Instagram, X, YouTube, Facebook, TikTok), will feature Severance promos and other footage, including from its pop-up installation at NYCs Grand Central Terminal.(Sometimes, theyll even post mysterious and important clues, like this reference to show news sent out in Morse code.)Catch up with Severance creator Dan Erickson in his Reddit AMA. Its a few years old, but still worth a read for any fans looking for official if limited answers to their questions. (For example, Erickson dismissed the its all a simulation theory by responding, Yes, the office is real. It exists physically and everything we see there is actually happening.)Rokus Free Fan Experience. The streaming media player and TV maker partnered with Apple TV+ to offer Severance fans a free Season 2 preview that included character intros for Mark S., Helly R., and others, plus other behind-the-scenes content, including an exclusive cast interview. (As the premiere has now passed, you can access the fan experience via Roku Search instead of the Home Screen menu.)Image Credits:RokuLumon Industries on TikTok. This TikTok account hosts the video content produced by Lumon (aka Apples marketing team), but appears to be independently run. On the page, youll find the retro-looking video footage of the town called Kier and additional excerpts from Lumons Management Program (LUMP) like what to do when low morale plagues your team. For example, it recommends you purge all distractions so employees can focus on their important and mysterious work. @lumonindustries One of the most venerated Lumon branches is nestled in the township of Kier. Were especially honored to be named one of the finest attractions of such a consequential locality by their tourism bureau. If youre ever in our neck of the woods, we encourage you to relish in discovery, stay awhile. #lumon #lumonindustries #severance original sound Lumon Industries There are also social media accounts for Lumon Industries on X, Instagram, Threads, and YouTube, but these are also not verified or run by Apple.Reddit users can delve into Severance theories and share ideas in communities like r/SeveranceAppleTVPlus, r/SeveranceTVshow, r/WelcometoLumon, or can share shitposts in r/okbuddyseverance,Tumblr users can join the online Tumblr Community devoted to Severance, where you can find fans blog posts and fan-made art.Since its a real book, you can leave The You You Are tome a Goodreads review. One selected review reads: Bullies are nothing but bull and lies. I am looking forward to reading the book in its entirety, but every time I order a copy, it gets stolen off my front steps. So frustrating.Fan-Made FunImage Credits:Daniel Shiffman (opens in a new window)Lumon Industries website. Designed by programmer Daniel Shiffman and several of his YouTube series viewers, this fan-made website lets you pretend to be an MDR employee, refining the numbers scary and otherwise by binning them into boxes at the bottom of the screen. While the fan version doesnt look quite like the software seen on TV the bins arent labeled with the various tempers as on the show, for instance there is a little Easter Egg referencing the screen pulled from Season 2, Episode 1 on the website. Also from Shiffman, the You You Are bot on Bluesky and X auto-posts excerpts from Dr. Ricken Hales book, like: A society adrift dines on illusions, but the famished mind feasts upon profundity hidden within realitys kaleidoscope. Shiffman also put the bots source code on GitHub.Severance Wiki. This fan-made wiki devoted to all things Severance, lets you research characters, music, locations, episodes, events, theories, and more, all in one destination. (There are also wikis available on Fandom and wikiwand.)A fan-made Lumon office is available for the Sims 4 game.Image Credits:Sim_Souza (opens in a new window)Theres also this fan-made tour of Dr. Ricken Hales mid-century modern home.As Apple is lacking official merch, several unofficial providers have stepped in to fill the gap.Were especially fond of the Night Gardner and Defiant Jazz tees.Severance Season 2 is on Apple TV+, which recently arrived on Android mobile devices too. Season 2 began airing on Jan. 17, 2025, and will include 10 episodes, ending on March 21, 2025. Do you have a favorite Severance fan-made experience? Let me know: sarahp@techcrunch.com.

In 1915, Mary Longyear, a faithful follower of Mary Baker Eddy and the Christian Science faith, purchased the land from the Lyman Estate in Brookline, Massachusetts, and donated to the Christian Science Church. Planning began immediately to build a facility as a temporary resort where those seeking relief through Christian Science may go to find practical assistance in overcoming their difficulties. The need for a hospital/sanatorium was established by Mary Baker Eddy as early as 1906, and it would be over a decade before this need was filled. The complex was built in stages beginning in 1918 with this building, the main building, observation tower and a powerhouse designed by Clarence T. McFarland. The buildings were designed in the Tudor Revival style, blending in with the many country estates in this section of Brookline. The complex would train nurses and treat patients for over 100 years and remains an important institution into the 21st century.

Published February 22, 2025 10:00am EST close Dont be so quick to click that Google calendar invite. It could be a hackers trap Cybercriminals are sending fake meeting invitations that seem legitimate. Cold calls are often a waste of your time and an unwanted interruption to your day. You might think that, at worst, you end up buying or signing up for something that you don't really need or at an inflated price. But there's a lot worse that could happen.The line between spam and scam calls is often thin and blurred. The person on the other end of the call might sound like they're trying to sell you something or conduct a survey, but this could just be a cover for them to try to extract personal information from you.Personal information that they can then use to target you with an extremely convincing scam down the line or to gain direct access to your accounts.STAY SAFE & IN THE KNOW AT NO COST! SUBSCRIBE TO KURTS THE CYBERGUY REPORT FOR FREE SECURITY ALERTS & TECH TIPS A woman receiving a scam call. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Security questions: A weak link exploited by hackersTake security questions, for example. They're pretty repetitive: your mother's maiden name, your first pet's name, your favorite elementary school teacher. A hacker does not need to know how to script a single line of code to break into your accounts; it's often enough that they know these things about you and can convince your mobile carrier to activate a SIM card in your name.This is all, let's not mince words, scary, especially if you've just sold a vehicle or property and have the proceeds lying around or a nest egg account set aside for your retirement, because scammers and hackers can easily find out about title or deed transfers through data brokers like people finder sites.Refuse to engageScary as it is, it's also simple to protect against. Simple, but not always easy. If you just refuse to engage with these people, never giving up even a scrap of information, your risks of getting scammed or hacked plummet. Keep your personal information out of circulation in the first place (using a data removal service, for example), and they drop to almost zero. A man receiving a scam call. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)When to hang upSo, once faced with a suspicious call, the solution is simply to hang up as soon as something seems off. And when is that, exactly? The moment someone calls you out of the blue and requires you to give or confirm any personal information. This could be the last four digits of your Social Security number, your address, which credit card company you're with anything that concerns you, specifically. If the caller turns up the pressure and starts trying to get you to stay on the line, either by enticing you with "rewards" or even threatening you with dire consequences, then you can be absolutely sure the call is not legitimate.WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?The red herring of legitimacyBut what if the call is legitimate? What if you hang up on someone who was only doing their job? What if they were truly trying to help you? These are the doubts that scammers and hackers play upon to ply their trades. We're all vulnerable to tactics like these, especially if caught off guard. Older adults are particularly vulnerable.Studies suggest that older people who collectively lose over $28 billion to scams each year are more likely to cling to initial impressions of trustworthiness, even when later behavior puts that trustworthiness into question. Scammers typically start their interactions with well-rehearsed, smoothly executed preambles, creating good first impressions. Older people are also more likely to put stock in good manners, finding it more difficult than younger adults to directly or indirectly question a caller's intentions, let alone cut them off mid-sentence and hang up on them. A woman frustrated by receiving a scam call. (Kurt "CyberGuy" Knutsson)Why call center staff won't ask for personal informationSo, how can you know if the caller is really who they say they are? That's the question many people get stuck on. The twist? It's a red herring. The fact is, it doesn't matter if the call is legit or not. If it's a scammer, they won't be hurt or offended: rejection and hang-ups come with the territory. If it's a real call, the caller also won't be hurt or offended here's why. Call center staff and other people who make cold calls as part of their job are aware of the privacy and security concerns that such calls bring up. They know how dangerous it can be to divulge personal information over the phone, which is why they won't ask for it. They should also be familiar with one of the best practices there is for dealing with suspicious cold calls.10 ways to safeguard against phone scams and unwanted calls1. Use the "Hang up, look up, and call back" method for verification: When in doubt, hang up the phone, look up the organization the caller claimed to be calling from (using its official website, for example), and call it back using the number you find there. If the call you received was above board, they'll be able to redirect you back to the initial caller.2. Don't answer calls from unknown numbers: Let unknown calls go to voicemail, as legitimate callers will usually leave a message if it's important.3. Register your phone number on theNational Do Not Call Registry: This can help reduce telemarketing calls from legitimate businesses, but it won't stop scammers, illegal robocalls or exempt organizations (like charities and political groups) from calling you. Scammers often ignore the registry and use tactics likenumber spoofing to bypass it. Want to know more about why your phone still wont stop ringing and what you can do about it? Check out our article on theDo Not Call list loophole.GET FOX BUSINESS ON THE GO BY CLICKING HERE4. Use a spam blocking app for texts and calls:These apps can identify and block known spam numbers, significantly reducing the number of unwanted calls you receive.5. Never give out personal information in response to unexpected calls: Legitimate organizations won't ask for sensitive information over the phone if they've initiated the call.6. Be cautious of pressure tactics or requests for immediate action: Scammers often create a sense of urgency to prevent you from thinking clearly or verifying their claims.7. Set a password for your voicemail account: This prevents scammers from accessing your voicemail and potentially gathering personal information.8. Be wary of caller IDspoofing local numbers may not be local callers: Scammers can manipulate caller ID to display any number they choose, so don't trust it blindly.9. Don't respond to questions, especially those that can be answered with "Yes": Scammers may record your "Yes" response and use it to authorize fraudulent charges or changes to your accounts.10. Invest in personal data removal services:To get fewer of these calls in the first place, you can enlist the help of a professional data removal service. These services can take your personal information out of circulation, including the contact details spammers and scammers use to call you. 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.Kurt's Key TakeawaysIf you receive a call that gives you any doubts at all, even if you can't quite put your finger on why, then you should end the call and either go on with your day or look up the company and call it back on its official number. You can reduce the number of calls like this by signing up for a data removal service. This will leave fewer spam and scam callers with your contact details and other personal information something they use to craft convincing backstories and put potential victims at ease.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPHave you experienced an increase in robocalls or scam calls recently, and how are you dealing with them? 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 cover.Follow Kurt on his social channels:Answers 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.