Good morning! Hope you had a nice Friday and are looking forward to a relaxing weekend.
In today's issue: a video circulating online about a “federal property tax freeze” that you should know is fake, Amazon's new tablets that now come with Google's app store and its own Alexa+ assistant built in, and a free feature on Google Pixel phones that screens an unfamiliar call for you before you ever have to say hello.
Let's get started.
STAYING SAFE
That “Federal Property Tax Freeze” Video Is Fake
If you've come across a video online claiming older homeowners can apply for a “federal senior property tax freeze” or fill out a “Federal Senior Homeowner Tax Review,” county officials across several states want you to know: there's no such federal program.
The video — which uses AI-generated narration and official-looking graphics to look convincing — tells viewers to request a form and hand over personal information to apply. Hamilton County, Ohio Auditor Jessica Miranda says her office has fielded a wave of worried calls about it, and neighboring Franklin County's auditor's office has heard from homeowners too. Officials got one version of the video removed from YouTube, but copies are still circulating.
If you're hoping to actually lower your property taxes, real relief programs do exist for seniors, people with disabilities, and some veterans — they're just run by your state or county, never the federal government. You can find out exactly what you qualify for by checking directly with your own county auditor's office.
Takeaway: Before you request any form or hand over personal details because of a video you saw online, call or check your own county auditor's office directly — a real property tax relief program never asks you to respond to a viral video first.
NEWS
Amazon's New Tablets Ditch Fire OS for Google's App Store
On October 8, Amazon announced three new tablets, and on October 14 they officially went on sale in the U.S. — the first tablets from Amazon that aren't Fire tablets. Unlike Amazon's old Fire tablets, these new “Alexa Tablets” run Android and come with Google's own app store, the Google Play Store, built in from the start. That means you can download familiar apps like YouTube, Netflix, and Gmail directly, without extra workarounds some Fire tablet owners have had to use in the past.
Each tablet also has Amazon's AI assistant, Alexa+, built right in. You can talk to it by saying “Alexa” or pressing a dedicated “Ask Alexa” button on the screen, and ask it questions or use it to control smart-home gadgets like lights and thermostats.
There are three sizes to fit different budgets: an 8.7-inch model starting at $229.99, an 11-inch model at $329.99, and a larger 12-inch “Pro” model starting at $499.99.
Takeaway: If you've been thinking about a new tablet, this is the first time Amazon has combined full access to Google's app store with its own Alexa+ assistant built in from day one.
TRY THIS
Let Your Phone Screen Calls Before You Ever Say Hello
If you have a Google Pixel phone, there's a free, built-in feature called Call Screen that can pick up an unfamiliar number for you and ask the caller who they are and why they're calling — all before you have to say a word.
On newer Pixel phones (Pixel 7 and later), you can turn on automatic screening so it quietly handles suspicious or unknown calls in the background: known spam gets hung up automatically, and for everyone else, you can read what the caller said and then decide whether to pick up. On any Pixel, there's also a manual option — when a call comes in, tap “Screen call” and watch a live, real-time transcript appear on your screen as the caller talks.
To turn it on: open your Phone app, tap the menu or “Settings,” then look for “Call Screen” (sometimes labeled “Spam and Call Screen”).
Takeaway: Turning on Call Screen means you get to read what an unknown caller wants before you ever have to decide whether to answer.
Until tomorrow,
EZ AI