This week’s email came from a very real, very human moment.

My dad’s girlfriend reached out because her phone suddenly stopped working properly. Messages wouldn’t send. Photos wouldn’t back up. Every screen seemed to be warning her that she was “out of space” and needed to pay more money immediately.

The question she asked wasn’t technical at all.

It was simply: “Is this really Google?”

And honestly? That’s a fair question.

When the warning is real – but still stressful

In this case, it was genuinely Google.

Her cloud storage had filled up. The phone couldn’t back up photos anymore. Some apps started behaving strangely. Google Photos and Gmail were prompting for more storage, and the only visible fix was to pay for the next tier.

No scam. No malware. Just a system designed to apply pressure at exactly the wrong moment.

For someone who doesn’t live in tech every day, the experience is indistinguishable from a scam: - You’re blocked from sending messages - You’re told something is “wrong” - You’re asked for money - You’re rushed to decide

That uncertainty alone is stressful – especially when it involves family photos and messages you don’t want to lose.

This is how people get trapped

Most people don’t choose to be locked into cloud subscriptions. They drift into them.

A phone upgrade here. A few extra photos there. A $2/month prompt that feels harmless. Then $5. Then $10. Then suddenly the device you paid for feels like it’s being held hostage.

And the worst part? If you don’t pay, things stop working.

Not maliciously – just… inconveniently enough to force your hand.

How to sanity-check these prompts

If you or someone you care about sees something like this:

1. Pause Scammers rely on urgency. Real services still allow time to think.
2. Check inside the app Open Google Photos or iCloud settings directly – don’t tap links from pop-ups or emails.
3. Look for consistency If storage warnings appear across multiple apps (Photos, Gmail, backups), it’s more likely legitimate.
4. Never pay through a link Always navigate to the service manually through settings or the official app store.

That alone avoids a huge number of scams.

Why I’m rethinking cloud storage altogether

This situation is exactly why I’ve been exploring alternatives.

Cloud services are convenient – I still use them – but I’m increasingly uncomfortable with: - escalating costs - artificial pressure - being one account issue away from losing access to my own memories

That’s what led me to Immich.

Immich is a self-hosted photo and video system that runs on your own hardware. Your photos live with you, not behind a subscription paywall. No prompts. No tiers. No “upgrade now or else.”

It’s not for everyone – but for families who want ownership and predictability, it’s a genuinely empowering option.

I’ll write more about Immich soon, but the takeaway this week is simpler:

If a service blocks access to your memories unless you keep paying forever, it’s worth asking who really owns them.

Stay safe out there,
Mat C

P.S. If you’ve ever helped a parent or relative through a “Is this real or a scam?” moment, you’re not alone. These systems aren’t designed for clarity – they’re designed for conversion.