Good morning! Today we've got some good news, a timely warning, and a handy new trick — all things you can use right away.
In today’s issue: ChatGPT just removed its free-chat limits (and added a "Think" button for harder questions), a fake "unpaid toll" text scam that’s gotten a lot more convincing, and a new way to ask Google Maps a real question instead of just typing an address.
Let's get started.
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Good News If You've Ever Been Cut Off by the Free Version of ChatGPT
If you've tried ChatGPT's free version before, you may remember hitting a wall after a handful of messages — it would tell you to wait a while, or ask you to pay for a subscription. That wall is gone. OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has removed the daily and monthly limits on regular text conversations for free users. You can now chat with it as much as you'd like, at no cost, through the ChatGPT app or at chatgpt.com.
There's also a new button next to where you type, labeled "Think." If you ask something complicated — comparing two Medicare plans, say, or working through a confusing letter from your insurance company — tapping Think gives ChatGPT extra time to reason through your question carefully before it answers, instead of firing back a quick response.
A few things are still limited even on the free plan, like uploading files or creating images many times in a row. But plain back-and-forth text conversation, which is most of what people use ChatGPT for, is now unlimited.
Takeaway: If ChatGPT's free version used to cut you off after a few questions, that limit has been lifted — you can chat as much as you like now, and tap "Think" when you want it to slow down and reason through something harder.
STAYING SAFE
That “Unpaid Toll” Text? It's Almost Always Fake — Even If It Sounds Official
Here's a scam worth knowing about, even if you've never driven on a toll road. A text message arrives saying you owe a small unpaid toll — often an oddly specific amount, like $3.95 or $7.40 — and warns that your car's registration will be suspended, or you'll face a fine, unless you pay right away through a link in the text.
These texts are fake, and they're blasted out in bulk to enormous numbers of phone numbers, whether or not the person has ever used a toll road. What's changed is how convincing they've gotten. Consumer advocates say scammers are now using AI to write these messages, so they read like a polished, professional notice from a real toll agency — not like the clumsy, misspelled scam texts of a few years ago. Older adults are reportedly being targeted especially heavily.
Real toll agencies (E-ZPass, SunPass, and similar services elsewhere) don't send payment demands by text message. If you're ever unsure whether you owe a toll, don't tap the link. Instead, open a new browser window and type in the agency's official website address yourself, or call the number printed on a past toll statement or bill.
Takeaway: If you get a text demanding quick payment for an "unpaid toll," don't click the link — look up the toll agency's website yourself or call the number on your account statement instead.
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Ask Google Maps a Real Question — Not Just an Address
Google Maps now lets you ask it a full question, the way you'd ask a helpful friend, instead of just typing in an address. Look for the "Ask Maps" button in the app's search bar, and type or speak your question in plain English.
You can ask things like "where can I charge my phone nearby without a long wait" or "is there a restaurant close by with a table for four tonight," and Maps will search and show you a custom map of matching places, with ratings and distance. If you're planning a road trip, you can also ask it to suggest good stops along the way, with directions and arrival times.
Ask Maps is free and built into the regular Google Maps app (it's rolling out gradually in the US, so if you don't see the button yet, it should arrive soon). It also remembers places you've searched for or saved before, so its answers get more tailored to you over time.
Takeaway: Next time you need to find something nearby, try typing a full question into Google Maps's "Ask Maps" search bar instead of just a place name — it understands plain English.
Until tomorrow,
EZ AI