Good morning! Today we've got an important heads-up about a scam that's catching even careful people off guard, plus two fun and useful things you can try with Google's free Gemini app today.
In today's issue: a scam call that your bank might not be able to undo, a free way to bring an old black-and-white photo back to life in color, and a phone feature that can describe what's in front of you out loud.
Let's get started.
STAYING SAFE
That Urgent Money-Transfer Call? Your Bank May Not Be Able to Undo It
Here's a scam wrinkle that's catching a lot of people off guard. Criminals now use AI to clone the voice of someone you'd trust — a boss, a bank employee, even a relative — and call you with an urgent reason to move money right away.
Because you pick up the phone, hear a familiar-sounding voice, and click “send” yourself, banks often classify the transfer as “authorized” — meaning you approved it — rather than fraud. Federal protections that cover stolen or hacked accounts generally don't apply to transfers you made willingly, even if you were tricked into it.
Consumer expert Clark Howard put it simply: scammers are “so practiced at creating a sense of urgency” that people act before they stop to think. Complaints about this kind of money-transfer fraud have surged more than 1,300% in the past year.
Takeaway: If anyone calls asking you to move money urgently — even if the voice sounds exactly right — hang up and call back using a number you already have, like the one on your bank card or a past statement, never a number the caller gives you. If you think you may be a target, you can also freeze your credit at the three credit bureaus for free.
TRY THIS
Turn a Faded Old Photo Into Color, Free, Using Your Phone
If you've got an old black-and-white family photo — a wedding picture, a baby photo, a snapshot of someone who's no longer with you — an AI tool can bring it to life in color, for free. It's built into Google's Gemini app (the same one behind “Hey Google”), using a photo tool nicknamed “Nano Banana.”
Open the free Gemini app on your phone (or go to gemini.google.com on a computer), start a new chat, tap the attachment icon, and choose the old photo from your camera roll. Then just type a simple request, like “restore and colorize this photo without changing any details.” In a few seconds, Gemini sends back a colorized, cleaned-up version for you to save or share.
Takeaway: Open the free Gemini app, attach an old family photo, and type “restore and colorize this photo without changing any details” — no design skills or paid subscription needed, though free use is limited to a certain number of images per day.
TRY THIS
Your Phone Can Describe What's Around You, Out Loud
Google just rolled out a feature called “Guided Vision” inside Gemini Live, its voice-assistant app. Point your phone's camera at whatever's in front of you — a menu, a label, an unfamiliar room, a piece of mail — and Gemini will describe it out loud in plain language, then keep talking as you move the camera around.
It was built for people who are blind or have low vision, but it's genuinely useful for anyone who wants a second set of eyes on small print or an unfamiliar setting. It's free and rolling out now on Android phones that support Gemini.
Takeaway: If you or someone you love has trouble reading small print or navigating a new place, open Gemini Live, turn on Guided Vision (look under Accessibility settings, or the TalkBack menu if you use a screen reader), and point the camera at what you need described.
Until tomorrow,
EZ AI