Tag Archive for: FREE

Frequent Flier Claims to have Cheat Code for Free Checked Bags

/in


If you’re a frequent flier, you’ve probably picked up some methods to save money.

For instance, if you don’t want to fork over the extra cash for an economy-plus seat, you can check the flight map to see if there are any available empty seats. If you’re the last person to board the plane, there’s a chance there will be an economy-plus seat unfilled, so you can just slide right into it. Flight attendants may just give you the benefit of the doubt and let you sit there without hassling you about it. (Hint: this trick probably works best if you’re traveling alone.)

A similar hack can usually be employed with checked luggage. Sure, not keeping your belongings with you is a bit of a pain, and if you only need a small carry-on piece of luggage, you’re going to want to keep it with you on the airplane and toss it in an overhead bin. All other baggage gets tossed in the plane’s storage area. But that means having to wait at the baggage carousel and, depending on the type of ticket you purchase, paying for a checked bag.

But there’s a way around forking over the cash for that checked baggage fee, according to TikTok user Nicole Nina (@hutravelstheworld) who is a self-proclaimed solo traveler who is always jet setting with a decent amount of luggage.

She said that there’s a way to ensure airlines like United and American will check your bags for free, you just need to be willing to get them past security and to a gate agent, who will more than likely be eager to take care of that for you to conserve overhead bin space.

“OK, this is my hack for never paying for a checked bag, and I always travel with so many bags and I always pay for the most basic economy seat,” she explains in the clip. “This is only for airlines like United, American, Lufthansa, Iberia, whatever. This isn’t for like Spirit, RyanAir, EasyJet.”

Nina says that the aforementioned “premium” airlines have begun charging for checked bags or even carry-ons, but she’s found a workaround.

“You have to check in online and then just download it to your phone—your ticket—and then go through security,” she says. “Go to your gate, and then just be like,…

Source…

The Best Android VPN in 2024: Free & Paid

/in


Key Takeaways: What Is the Best VPN for Android?

  1. ExpressVPN — Best VPN for Android with unparalleled streaming performance. 
  2. NordVPN — Affordable Android VPN with solid security and fast speeds. 
  3. Surfshark — Pocket-friendly Android VPN with unlimited simultaneous connections.
  4. Proton VPN — Best free VPN for Android with unlimited data.
  5. CyberGhost — Budget-friendly VPN for Android with automated WiFi protection.

Android’s security model is so robust that, in most cases, attackers don’t exploit the operating system but the user themselves. Many Android users fall victim to SMS phishing (smishing), phishing voice calls (vishing) and tapjacking, a case where an attacker hijacks what you tap on your smartphone. The best VPN for Android helps you sidestep these threats.

A virtual private network (VPN) adds an extra layer of security, keeping your personal information and identity safe as you surf the internet or make payments online. The best VPN also enables you to access movies and TV shows that are unavailable in local libraries and watch them on your Android smartphone without interruption. 

Our professional testers took a bunch of VPNs for a spin and recommended five services that work best on Android devices. In this guide, we’ll reveal the strengths and weaknesses of the best VPNs for Android to help you find one that suits your needs and preferences. 

Cloudwards Editor’s Choice: ExpressVPN

Our thorough hands-on testing shows that ExpressVPN is the best Android VPN. Beyond flawless compatibility with Android 5.0 and later, the app is intuitive and easy to use for beginners. Its solid security, fast connection speeds and unmatched unblocking ability make it the best all-around VPN apt for streaming, torrenting, bypassing censorship or…

Source…

No government program for free internet and tablet, contrary to viral claim

/in


The claim: The Affordable Connectivity Program gives eligible Americans free wireless internet and a tablet

A Dec. 11, 2023, Facebook post (direct link, archive link) includes a link to a website that it claims can save Americans money through a government program.

“Big Wireless doesn’t want you to know this hack,” reads part of the post. “You can get FREE wireless internet + a Smart Tablet. The Affordable Connectivity Program – ACP – is a new government benefit program designed to make sure everyone is online.”

It goes on to claim that Americans making less than $60,000 per year and recipients of government programs such as Medicaid and Social Security are eligible for the free benefit.

It was shared more than 4,000 times in six weeks.

More from the Fact-Check Team: How we pick and research claims | Email newsletter | Facebook page

Our rating: False

The Affordable Connectivity Program offers a monthly discount on internet services for eligible households and a one-time discount for the purchase of a tablet or other electronic device. It does not cover the entire cost of either purchase. A program spokesperson said the claim “overstates” its benefits and makes incorrect statements about eligibility criteria. Both the Facebook page making the claim and the website its post directs users to are unaffiliated with the federal government.

Eligible households can receive discount on internet service, electronic device

The Facebook post “overstates the ACP benefits and misstates the eligibility criteria,” said Jaymie Gustafson, a spokesperson for the Universal Service Administrative Company, which administers the program.

Internet service for participants is discounted, not free. Eligible households can receive up to $30 per month toward internet service or $75 per month if the household is on Tribal land, according to information about the program on the Federal Communications Commission’s website.

The same is true when it comes to purchasing electronics. Eligible households can receive a one-time discount of up to $100 toward the cost of a tablet, laptop or desktop computer, but beneficiaries must contribute between $10 and $50 for the purchase.

Households are eligible for…

Source…

Hacking is far more than a security issue. It chills free speech

/in


The British and US governments have just jointly sanctioned two Russian intelligence operatives for their attempts to derail the democratic process through a series of coordinated cyber attacks. The US State Department is also offering a reward of up to $10M for information on the Russian hackers responsible for the coordinated cyber espionage attack, which is international and spans several years. Targets even included the former MI6 director Richard Dearlove, and more recently scientists at several nuclear facilities in the United States. But what distinguishes this recent wave of Russian cyberattacks is that they are not just targeting governments or politicians.

Civil society became a significant target for Russia’s state backed hackers, including “universities, journalists, public sector, non-government organisations and other civil society organisations”. Paul Mason, a former BBC and Channel 4 journalist, has put out a statement confirming he was targeted by these hackers. At the time his private accounts were hacked, I had been helping Mason work on an article challenging Russian propaganda narratives that were spreading during the Bucha massacre in Ukraine. Overnight we were turned into the latest circulating ‘deep state’ conspiracy theory.

The Mason hack

As we worked, I received an urgent message from Mason saying his emails with me may have been compromised. He published a statement saying he had been “targeted by a Russian hack-and-leak operation”. I then received an email from a Grayzone writer who has also written for Russian state media (Sputnik/RT), saying, “Been going over various emails and DMs of yours. Very interesting…” The writer said he thought my employer and “the academics you’re trying to target are likely to be very unhappy indeed when they hear about all this. I think we’d better talk.”

The writer said the email was not a threat. But it was clear to me I was facing an impending reputational attack to harm my career and relationships. This email didn’t resemble the right to reply that journalists usually send posing questions prior to reporting, and it made no mention of an article or outlet.

Within…

Source…