# Rex Calloway


## Posts

- [Is a Password Manager Worth It If It Can Get Hacked?](https://rexcalloway.com/is-a-password-manager-worth-it-if-it-can-get-hacked/): LastPass got breached, so why trust any password manager? Because of how they're built, and what one strong master password does. The honest math.
- [Is It Safe to Save Passwords in Chrome?](https://rexcalloway.com/is-it-safe-to-save-passwords-in-chrome/): For most people, saving passwords in Chrome beats reusing the same three. It has real weak spots, though. What they are and how to close them.
- [My Phone Number Was Spoofed. What Now?](https://rexcalloway.com/my-phone-number-was-spoofed-what-now/): Strangers are calling back angry about calls you never made. Your number got spoofed. What it means, what you can and can't stop, and what to do.
- [The Geek Squad Renewal Email Scam (and What to Do If You Already Called)](https://rexcalloway.com/geek-squad-renewal-email-scam/): The email says Geek Squad is about to charge you hundreds. It's a scam built to make you call. What it wants, and what to do if you already did.
- [Facebook Account Hacked? What to Do in the First Hour](https://rexcalloway.com/facebook-account-hacked-what-to-do-in-the-first-hour/): Your Facebook got hacked and your friends are getting weird messages from you. The first hour matters most. Here's what to do, in order.
- [Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2026: Five 10-Minute Fixes That Make You Harder to Hack](https://rexcalloway.com/cybersecurity-awareness-month-2026-five-10-minute-fixes/): This year's theme is Don't Make It Easy for Them. Five fixes, ten minutes each, that turn you from the easy target into the one attackers skip.
- [Parental Controls That Actually Work (and the Ones Kids Outgrow)](https://rexcalloway.com/parental-controls-that-actually-work-and-the-ones-kids-outgrow/): A determined kid gets around parental controls eventually, which isn't a reason to skip them. What the free tools cover, and where they fall short.
- [Romance Scams Don't Look Like You Think](https://rexcalloway.com/romance-scams-dont-look-like-you-think/): The FTC found nearly 60% of romance scams reported in 2025 started on social media, not dating apps. What the scam actually looks like now.
- [The Data Breach Notice in Your Inbox: What to Actually Do (In Order)](https://rexcalloway.com/the-data-breach-notice-in-your-inbox-what-to-actually-do-in-order/): You got a breach notice and you already have two-factor on. Here is why the password still has to change, and the order to do everything else in.
- [Signal vs. WhatsApp vs. iMessage: Which One Actually Protects What You Send](https://rexcalloway.com/signal-vs-whatsapp-vs-imessage-which-one-actually-protects-what-you-send/): Signal vs WhatsApp vs iMessage: all three encrypt your messages. Where they differ is metadata, backups, and who can see who you talk to and when.
- [What a Credit Freeze Actually Does (and the Three Things It Does Not)](https://rexcalloway.com/what-a-credit-freeze-actually-does-and-why-its-free/): A credit freeze is free and it works, but it only blocks one kind of fraud. Here is what it stops, what it ignores, and what to do about the rest.
- [Should You Pay for Identity Theft Protection? (Especially If Your Credit Is Frozen)](https://rexcalloway.com/should-you-pay-for-identity-theft-protection-heres-what-it-actually-covers/): If your credit is already frozen, most identity theft protection is selling you a service you have made redundant. Here is the part still worth money.
- [Quishing: The QR Code Scam Hiding in Plain Sight](https://rexcalloway.com/quishing-the-qr-code-scam-hiding-in-plain-sight/): Scanning a QR code is a habit, exactly what this QR code scam depends on. The two versions the FTC has confirmed, and why it's harder to vet than a link.
- [How to Tell If Someone Else Is on Your Wi-Fi (the Five-Minute Router Check)](https://rexcalloway.com/the-five-minute-router-check-most-people-skip/): Slow internet is rarely a neighbor on your Wi-Fi, but checking takes five minutes. Here is how to look, and what to fix while you are in there.
- [The Fake Recruiter Playbook: How Job Scams Are Flooding LinkedIn Right Now](https://rexcalloway.com/the-fake-recruiter-playbook-how-job-scams-are-flooding-linkedin-right-now/): Real company name, real-looking profile, interview by text, offer before a phone call — how fake recruiter scams run and the signs that matter.
- [The Text Message Scam Everyone's Falling For (and How to Spot It in Two Seconds)](https://rexcalloway.com/the-text-message-scam-everyones-falling-for-and-how-to-spot-it-in-two-seconds/): Fake USPS, bank, and toll texts all share one tell you can check in two seconds. What to look at, and what to do instead of tapping the link.
- [Deepfake Voice Scams Are Targeting Families Right Now: Here's the One Question That Stops Them](https://rexcalloway.com/deepfake-voice-scams-are-targeting-families-right-now-heres-the-one-question-that-stops-them/): AI voice clones need three seconds of audio and they are already calling families. Here is how to tell, and the one question that ends the call.
- [The Smart Speaker in Your Kitchen Is Listening More Than You Think](https://rexcalloway.com/the-smart-speaker-in-your-kitchen-is-listening-more-than-you-think/): Wake-word detection means your smart speaker is always listening for something. What actually gets recorded and sent, and which settings change that.
- [How Scammers Actually Pick Their Targets (It's Not Who You Think)](https://rexcalloway.com/how-scammers-actually-pick-their-targets-its-not-who-you-think/): Scammers don't study you. They work in volume, and what gets you selected for the next round is usually something small you did without thinking.
- [Passkeys, Explained: Why the Password Is Finally Dying (and What Replaces It)](https://rexcalloway.com/passkeys-explained-why-the-password-is-finally-dying-and-what-replaces-it/): Passkeys are the first real replacement for the password in forty years, and they kill phishing outright. What they are and how to set one up.
- [What Online Privacy Actually Means (and Why Most Definitions Miss the Point)](https://rexcalloway.com/understanding-online-privacy-practical-safety-advice-for-the-everyday-user/): Most definitions of online privacy stop at not being watched, which leaves out the part that matters: control over who gets your data.
- [5 Things You Should Change on Your Phone This Week](https://rexcalloway.com/practical-tips-for-staying-safe-online/): Five phone security changes that take under twenty minutes total and cover how phones actually get compromised. Start with the password manager.
- [How to Use a VPN (and When It Actually Matters)](https://rexcalloway.com/how-to-use-a-vpn-and-when-it-actually-matters/): A VPN hides your traffic from the network you're on, and that's about it. When that genuinely helps, and when you're paying for nothing.
- [The 3 Browser Extensions Worth Installing Right Now](https://rexcalloway.com/the-3-browser-extensions-worth-installing-right-now/): Three browser extensions worth installing: uBlock Origin, Bitwarden, and Privacy Badger. What each one stops, and which popular ones to skip.
- [Your Email Was Hacked but the Password Still Works. Here's Why That Is Worse.](https://rexcalloway.com/what-to-do-when-your-email-gets-hacked/): If your email was hacked and the password still works, that is the bad version, not the harmless one. Here is what it means and what to do first.
- [Why SMS Two-Factor Authentication Is Better Than Nothing (But Not By Much)](https://rexcalloway.com/why-sms-two-factor-authentication-is-better-than-nothing-but-not-by-much/): Text-message codes are the weakest two-factor you can use and still better than none. Here is when switching matters and when it does not.
- [How to Check If Your Data Has Been Breached](https://rexcalloway.com/how-to-check-if-your-data-has-been-breached/): Have I Been Pwned shows in seconds whether your data has been breached. How to check, set up alerts, and what to do if you get a hit.
- [Securing Your Home Wi-Fi: What Actually Matters](https://rexcalloway.com/securing-your-home-wi-fi-what-actually-matters/): Skip the firewall rules and VLANs. Five settings actually secure your home Wi-Fi, starting with the admin password you never changed.
- [How to Freeze Your Credit (and Why You Should Do It Today)](https://rexcalloway.com/how-to-freeze-your-credit-and-why-you-should-do-it-today/): Freezing your credit blocks new accounts opened in your name. Free, about fifteen minutes across all three bureaus — here's how to freeze your credit at each.
- [Is "Sign In With Google" Safe? What It Actually Shares](https://rexcalloway.com/the-problem-with-sign-in-with-google/): Sign in with Google is safer than a reused password and it creates two problems of its own. Here is what it shares and when to use something else.
- [How to Clean Up Old Accounts You No Longer Use](https://rexcalloway.com/how-to-clean-up-old-accounts-you-no-longer-use/): Dormant accounts hold old data behind old passwords with no 2FA, which makes them easy targets. How to clean up old accounts in the right order.
- [What Data Your Phone Is Sending Right Now](https://rexcalloway.com/what-data-your-phone-is-sending-right-now/): Your phone talks to servers constantly. Here's the data your phone is sending, even while it sits idle, and what you can turn off.
- [How to Make Your Backups Actually Work](https://rexcalloway.com/how-to-make-your-backups-actually-work/): Most backups fail when they're needed. The 3-2-1 rule is how you make your backups actually work, and testing is the step everyone skips.
- [How to Spot a Phishing Email Before You Click](https://rexcalloway.com/how-to-spot-a-phishing-email-before-you-click/): Modern phishing emails look real, so the tells are subtle. Five signals that help you spot a phishing email, starting with the sender address.
- [The Right Way to Share Passwords With Family](https://rexcalloway.com/the-right-way-to-share-passwords-with-family/): Texting a password is the common way to share passwords with family, and the worst one. Shared vaults in a password manager are safer once set up.
- [What to Do If Your Phone Gets Stolen](https://rexcalloway.com/what-to-do-if-your-phone-gets-stolen/): What you can do after your phone gets stolen depends almost entirely on what you set up before. Remote lock first, then accounts, carrier, police report.
- [How to Lock Down Your Google Account in 15 Minutes](https://rexcalloway.com/how-to-lock-down-your-google-account-in-15-minutes/): Your Google account is the recovery path for dozens of other services. Here's how to lock down your Google account in fifteen minutes.
- [Privacy Settings to Change on Every New Device](https://rexcalloway.com/privacy-settings-to-change-on-every-new-device/): Every new device ships with privacy settings configured for the manufacturer, not you. What to change on iPhone, Android, Windows, and Mac first.
- [What Is End-to-End Encryption and Do You Actually Have It?](https://rexcalloway.com/what-is-end-to-end-encryption-and-do-you-actually-have-it/): End-to-end encryption covers less than most people assume. What it actually protects, and where Signal, iMessage, and WhatsApp differ.
- [How Ad Networks Track You Across the Entire Web](https://rexcalloway.com/how-ad-networks-track-you-across-the-entire-web/): The ad that follows you from Amazon to a news site isn't coincidence — it's how ad networks track you. How it works, and what actually reduces it.
- [What Antivirus Software Actually Does (and What It Doesn’t)](https://rexcalloway.com/what-antivirus-software-actually-does-and-what-it-doesnt/): Antivirus software still has a role, but a narrower one than thirty years of advice suggests. What it catches, what it misses, and whether built-in is enough.
- [How to Talk to Your Family About Online Safety Without Sounding Like IT Support](https://rexcalloway.com/how-to-talk-to-your-family-about-online-safety-without-sounding-like-it-support/): Lead with fear and they get defensive, lead with a lecture and they tune out. How to talk to your family about online safety without either.

## Pages

- [Password Reality Check: Free Tool](https://rexcalloway.com/password-checker/): Test how long your password would really last, see what it is safe to use for, and learn the habits that actually protect you. Runs entirely in your browser.
- [Spot the Scam: Free Game](https://rexcalloway.com/spot-the-scam/): A free game that trains the one skill that stops most scams: knowing when something is off. Call each message scam or safe before the clock runs out.
- [Terms and Conditions](https://rexcalloway.com/terms-and-conditions/): Last updated: August 24, 2026 Terms and Conditions These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern your access to and use of rexcalloway.com (the “Site”) and any purchase you make through it. By visiting the Site, creating an account, or purchasing a product, you agree to these Terms. If you do not agree, please do not use […]
- [Disclaimer](https://rexcalloway.com/disclaimer/): The content published by Rex Calloway, including all articles, guides, checklists, workbooks, templates, videos, social media posts, and any other materials made available on this website or through any associated digital or physical product (collectively, the “Content”), is provided strictly for general educational and informational purposes only. Nothing in the Content constitutes, and should not […]
- [Free Tools](https://rexcalloway.com/free-tools/): // Free Tools Every free tool on this site, in one place. Twenty-two checklists, guides, cards, and worksheets. Pick your problem, find the sheet, do the thing. No email required unless it says so below. All (22) Checklists (6) Guides & Reference (10) Cards (2) Templates & Worksheets (2) Quizzes (1) Slide Decks (1) ChecklistThe […]
- [Scenario Guides](https://rexcalloway.com/resources/scenario-guides/): ← Resources // Scenario Guides Step-by-step for real situations. Not generic advice. Each guide addresses a specific situation with specific steps. // Scenario Guide Scenario Family Security Plan How to protect people who rely on you — elderly parents, kids, less tech-savvy partners. Covers the gaps most guides miss. // Scenario Guide Scenario New Device […]
- [Scam Pattern Library](https://rexcalloway.com/resources/scam-pattern-library/): ← Resources // Scam Pattern Library Know what you’re looking at before you click. Real scam templates, annotated. Each entry shows the manipulation tactic, not just the warning signs. Filter by channel.
- [Plain-English Glossary](https://rexcalloway.com/resources/plain-english-glossary/): ← Resources // Plain-English Glossary 35 terms. Actually explained. Bookmark this. When you see a term in a headline or a settings menu, look it up here — not on a site trying to sell you software. No terms match your search.
- [Social](https://rexcalloway.com/social/): Where to find Rex Calloway: short privacy tips on TikTok, visual guides on Instagram, and longer walkthroughs on YouTube. All free, no email wall.
- [About](https://rexcalloway.com/about/): // About Rex Security content that doesn’t assume you’re technical. Plain English. Specific steps. No scare tactics. Built for people who use the internet the way most people use the internet. Scroll // The Mission Most security content falls into one of two traps: it’s written for IT professionals, or it’s designed to scare you […]
- [Refund and Returns Policy](https://rexcalloway.com/refund-policy/): Last updated: August 24, 2026 Refund Policy This Refund Policy applies to all digital products and guides sold through rexcalloway.com. Because our products are delivered digitally and are immediately accessible upon purchase, please read this policy carefully before completing any transaction. What We Sell All products offered on this Site are digital goods — downloadable […]
- [My account](https://rexcalloway.com/my-account/)
- [Checkout](https://rexcalloway.com/checkout/): Educational content only, not financial, legal, tax, or professional advice. See our full disclaimer.
- [Cart](https://rexcalloway.com/cart/): Educational content only, not financial, legal, tax, or professional advice. See our full disclaimer.
- [Shop](https://rexcalloway.com/shop/)
- [Resources](https://rexcalloway.com/resources/): // Interactive Tool How Exposed Am I? 12 questions across 5 risk areas. Answer honestly — you get a score and a personalized priority list, not a list of everything you should do. 3 minutes • No account required • Nothing stored or sent Resources Privacy Checklist Ten steps, ranked by impact. Work through it […]
- [Blog](https://rexcalloway.com/blog/): Latest Insights
- [Non-Technical Cybersecurity and Privacy Tips](https://rexcalloway.com/): Cybersecurity for non-technical crowds Your digital life is an open book. Let's fix that. 01↗The bookStop Doing Dumb Shit Online. Kindle, paperback, hardcover. 02↗Free gameSpot the Scam. Call each message scam or safe. Beat the clock. 03↗Free toolHow long would your password last? Find out in seconds. // rexcalloway.com This site breaks down what’s actually […]
- [Privacy Policy](https://rexcalloway.com/privacy-policy/): Last updated: June 22, 2026 Privacy Policy This Privacy Policy describes how rexcalloway.com (“the Site,” “we,” or “us”) collects, uses, and protects information you provide when you visit or interact with the Site. By using the Site, you agree to the practices described here. 1. Information We Collect Information you provide directly If you subscribe […]

## Products

- [The Full Lockdown Bundle](https://rexcalloway.com/product/the-full-lockdown-bundle/): Nine tools, one price. Everything built so far in the lineup, bundled at nearly 40% off buying them one at a time.
- [The Tax Season Fraud Defense Kit](https://rexcalloway.com/product/the-tax-season-fraud-defense-kit/): The free guide covers the basics. This is the full version: seven chapters, eight tells, plus an annual tax-season checklist. The IRS will never call you. Everyone who does is lying. 
- [The Holiday Shopping Scam Survival Kit](https://rexcalloway.com/product/the-holiday-shopping-scam-survival-kit/): The free guide gets you the basics. The scams don't take a holiday, neither should your guard: seven chapters, one per scam, plus a December daily checklist. 
- [Crypto & Digital Assets Security](https://rexcalloway.com/product/crypto-digital-assets-security/): Your seed phrase is your money. Protect it like it. The eight-part system for not being the easy one.
- [The Privacy Master Kit](https://rexcalloway.com/product/the-privacy-master-kit/): The free quicklist gets the big four broker sites done in 40 minutes. This is the other 20, plus everything else leaking your privacy. 
- [The Social Engineering Defense Playbook](https://rexcalloway.com/product/the-social-engineering-defense-playbook/): They don't hack computers. They hack people. Learn the four levers so you stop needing to memorize scams.
- [The Home Office Lockdown](https://rexcalloway.com/product/the-home-office-lockdown/): You're not a corporation. Stop securing yourself like one. Built for freelancers and small business owners, not IT departments.
- [The Annual Security Reset](https://rexcalloway.com/product/the-annual-security-reset/): The free monthly checklist handles the month-to-month basics. One weekend a year, this handles everything else: the yearly tune-up that keeps last year’s good habits from quietly decaying, with a fresh threat-landscape briefing each edition (a 30 to 35-minute read). 
- [The Travel Lockdown Kit](https://rexcalloway.com/product/the-travel-lockdown-kit/): The free checklist gets you out the door. This gets you through the trip: the border, hotel wifi, card skimmers, and a stolen phone abroad. 
- [The Breach Recovery Playbook](https://rexcalloway.com/product/the-breach-recovery-playbook/): The free card gets you through the first 30 minutes. This is the next two weeks, chapter by chapter, for whatever actually happened to you.

## Optional

- [Agent (MCP protocol)](websites-agents.hostinger.com/rexcalloway.com/mcp)

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