The Ask Leo! Podcast

Is it safe to allow a tech support company to control your computer from far away? It depends on who they are, how you found them, and whether they called you first. I'll share the one rule you must never violate.

Does that email feel a little off? Maybe AI wrote it, maybe it didn't. I'll discuss why the old warning signs are disappearing and what matters when judging any message.

Using one password for every account doesn't save time; it adds risk. Hackers count on you doing it. I'll show you why a single stolen password can unlock your email, your bank, and everything else, and share the easy way to use strong, different password on every site without having to remember them all.

From just a few minutes of audio, AI can clone a voice well enough to fool people who know that voice well. I'll share real examples, explain how easy it is to do, and share tips for staying alert as this technology keeps improving.

Do you need someone to physically look at your computer but don't know who to trust? I'll walk you through smart ways to find local help you can count on, from asking around to reading reviews. Also, why the big chain stores are a gamble.

If you're worried your computer might have malware, running a full scan with Windows Security is one of the best ways to check. I'll walk you through updating, launching, and completing a full scan, plus explain why it's not a guaranteed fix on its own.

Data removal services promise to erase your personal information from the internet. Can they? I'll break down how these services work, where they succeed, where they fall short, and what that means for protecting yourself once your data is out there. (Spoiler: it's already out there.)

The old advice was eight characters, including uppercase, lowercase, digits, and symbols. Modern computers can crack those passwords in hours. I'll describe why length matters more than anything and how long your passwords really need to be.

We worry a lot about privacy, but our concerns are often misplaced. The biggest risk to our personal privacy is right under our nose -- and that's good.

Hotel internet isn't necessarily private. Wired or wireless, it's as exposed as any open hotspot, and the people running it can watch what you do. I'll describe why hotel networks are risky and list the steps that keep your activity safe wherever you connect.