About a month ago, I talked about phish scammers targeting Google emails. But recently, police officers across the country warn us of another scheme. They give us this alert: Phish scammers target cell phones.
So this is how they do it. The phish scammers call cell phones. Then, they ask the person, “Can you hear me?” The person says ‘yes’. Then the scammers record the ‘yes’. Furthermore, they use that unintentional ‘yes’ to authorize charges you really didn’t agree to. In this day and age, you need more than a recorded yes to make purchases. That should be the case, at least. But they can use the world ‘yes’ to get fake permission on charges.
But keep in mind some of these phish scammers already have credit and debit card numbers. In fact, there’s no telling what info they might have. So they can use a combination of a fake yes and stolen info to get goods on your dollar. That’s the danger police fear. In fact, that’s the danger computer repair experts and security experts fear. So what do we do about it?
Don’t answer any ‘unknown telephone calls’. Just let it go to voicemail. And if they don’t leave you a voicemail, you know how suspicious the call was. In fact, don’t answer any call unless you know the number. In the 1980s, there was little way to know who is calling. But nowadays, just about everyone has caller ID, no matter how old your cell phone is. Put it to good use. Check your bank statements and other documents…often! And if you do find something wrong, contact your financial institution and/or law enforcement immediately! Here in our Boston computer service shop, we tell customers this face to face. And of course, if they get pushy for that yes, then it’s okay to hang up. What tips do you have to keep the good guys safe?
These phishers and hackers are getting smarter and smarter. But this one takes the cake. There is a phishing scheme that even tech-savvy email users are falling for. It’s the GMail Phishing Scheme: consumer beware!
So this is how it works. The phisher sends an email to your account. Also, the email could come from a previous victim. Furthermore, you probably know the previous victim. Then, you get an image to click on. If you click on, they’ll have you sign in your account. They compromise your Gmail account when you sign into this phony account. Then, they’ll have full control of your email, and the info that comes with them.
But there are ways to protect yourself from this GMail Phishing Scheme. Watch your location bar! The phishers use ‘data URI’. If you see a lot of text at the web addresses’ beginning, then that’s a bad sign. That is what opens the fake tab, so that you type in and give the hackers your name and password. There should be NO extra text! But if they did get you already, change your username and password immediately! The stronger the password, the better. Check login activity on your Gmail account. Make sure you’re the one who is conducting the activity. Cyber security experts say double authentication is a good idea.
We here at Computer Geeks commit ourselves not only to fighting hack attacks, but preventing them. One way to prevent attacks is to inform you of what the hackers are up to. In computer repair, we’ve seen it all. And in our Boston computer service shop, we’ve fixed it all. Yes, that includes laptops fixed. But how can we fix these things if you don’t know about them? It’s good to arm yourself with information to combat such attacks. This is how to stop things like the GMail phishing scheme from happening in the first place. Knowledge is power. Don’t you agree?
It’s just a few shopping days until Christmas. And we in computer repair and IT service are just as excited as you are. But so are hackers and online scam artist. So don’t make their Christmas a merry one. Here’s how to avoid those phishing schemes.
First of all, let’s go over what to look out for, such as shipping labels. Because of online shopping, they will deliver lots of gifts. I know it’s tempting to open up that email to check on that package! Don’t do it! This is one of the phishing schemes that will hook you in. Instead, hold onto that tracking number. Then, go directly to the website you bought your gift from and check on delivery status. Also, beware of fake order confirmations. Keep track of everything you order, even if it’s a candy cane. Check for charity phishing schemes, too. Before you donate and give bank info, do your research! Make sure they’re a real and worthy cause.
You can do other things to avoid phishing schemes. Avoid emails that sound too good to be true, especially if they come from places like Nigeria, Russia, or China. Don’t be afraid to use your spam and trash folders.? It’s best not to use search engines to find deals. Always use the correct domain name while online shopping, or even browsing. And beware of emails asking for information. Chances are they’re not looking for goodwill towards all men.
Yes, phishing schemes are at an all-time high. They use things like charities, good deals, and even online Christmas cards to hook you. When somebody takes the bait, they don’t let go easily. We in IT support see it very often. But there are ways to protect yourself. We want your Christmas to be a safe and happy one. The people who run phishing schemes could care less, just as long as they get your information and your money. What else can we do to avoid phishing schemes?
Ever hear of the Investigatory Powers Bill? Probably not. So, this bill passed in Great Britain. It went through the House of Commons and House of Lords (their version of Congress and Senate). So Great Britain, kiss your online freedom goodbye.
That’s because the Investigatory Powers Bill tightens Great Britain’s surveillance laws. It’s their biggest surveillance law passed this decade. British Home Secretary Theresa May introduced the bill in November 2015. But supporters claim good reason for this bill. They say this gives lawmakers more oversight. They also say this gives Britain better national security. But Britain already has strict surveillance laws. Privacy and civil rights groups already voice concern.
This law gives Britain four more powers. First of all, they can hack into any computer system they see fit. This includes corporate servers any your own personal smartphone. Also, it allows bulk hacking. They allow hacks on many systems at once. This is especially true if they suspect terrorism. This is even true for foreign systems used in Britain. Furthermore, Theresa May will appoint commissioners to oversee this measure. Finally, law enforcement can get data when they conduct investigations. They can do this without anybody’s knowledge or approval.
In conclusion, there are so many problems with this bill. But this shouldn’t surprise anyone. This country has cameras watching and lecturing people about littering. They’ve done this for years. On the surface, this looks safe. But scratch beyond that. This bill opens the portals of Big Brother. The government knows what every British person does online. That’s the real fear. I used to be trusting. I thought governments snooped only during emergencies.? But now I know better. They’ll do it to anybody, and for any reason. I’m glad civil rights advocates are speaking out. I wish there were more. What do you think? Will this bill enforce national security? Or is something far more sinister going on?
The Christmas shopping season begins next week. So people will not just spend money. Many will look for ways to make money. But for some, that means selling counterfeit goods online. You better not do it on Amazon. Because Amazon is on the warpath: Amazon sues counterfeiters.
That’s right. Amazon cracks down on counterfeit sellers. As a result, they’re suing these sellers. These lawsuits come due to many business complaints. They complain counterfeits cripple their business and their products put customers in danger. For example, Amazon just filed a lawsuit against sellers for peddling fake sporting equipment with TRX’s trademark. They filed another lawsuit against sellers. This group sold fake moving products in the name of Forearm Forklift.
Hence, Amazon isn’t just looking out for Amazon. They’re looking out for legit companies doing business on Amazon. Consequently, Forearm Forklift lost millions in the last few years. They can thank counterfeit sellers for this. Mark Lopreiato is the company’s founder. He fights these sellers with everything he has. But they won’t stop. Counterfeiters just keep on selling. Training equipment company Fitness Anywhere joins this lawsuit. Who knows? As this ball gets rolling, maybe other American companies will join these lawsuits.
This fight won’t be easy. Amazon is probably the most profitable e-commerce site today, if not all-time. They make $75 billion a year. Much of that comes from third party sellers. Some sellers are legit. In fact, the majority are legit and doing the right thing. It’s just a few that sell products in other people’s name. Then they reap all the product. At first, I thought, “Here’s Amazon, a $75 billion business, complaining.” But there’s a deeper meaning. Amazon isn’t getting hosed here. Neither are major corporations. But these are medium level American corporations. And they’re losing profit to counterfeit businesses. In conclusion, who does the counterfeit? If it’s you, keep in mind you’re not just fleecing a multi-billionaire or A-list celebrity. You’re fleecing a hard working American out of his/her mortgage, car payment, or kids’ college fund. Are lawsuits the right action to take?
So what is ransomware? Ransomware is malware that blocks a computer or computer system. The malware will lock the computer until the victim pays a ransom of money. Here at Computer Geeks, we fixed an alarming number of ransomware cases in the last several weeks. And we don’t pay these hackers a dime! The rise of ransomware: it’s bad, people.
I saw an interesting chart about Windows and ransomware attacks. This chart compared Windows 7 and Windows 10 devices. Also, it shows both systems facing more malware attacks. In fact, by Microsoft’s own admission, attacks increased four times over in one year.? We’re talking more attacks since January 2016. Both systems’ numbers went up. But according to this chart, Windows 7 devices are more accessible to ransomware.
Windows 10 devices are 58% less likely to attack. Many credit Smart Screen Filter blocks. Windows 10 devices was the main selling point in converting from Windows 7. It was a free upgrade until August 2016. Now, the upgrade will cost $120. It’s good at preventing exploits before they even make it to the device. And then there’s Windows Defender. It says what it means. It means what it says. Windows Defender was upgraded six months ago. And it’s allegedly stronger and bigger than ever. Windows Defender blocks a good percentage of these attacks.
Other than going to Windows 10, what else can we do to prevent ransomware? The most important thing: Don’t give in to the hackers! Turn your computer off, wait a while, then turn it back on. Often times this works. If not, then call someone to get the ransomware off. We at Computer Geeks specialize in fighting such malware. If you give into these cyber criminals, they’ll have your debit/credit card number and everything else. Whose to say they won’t exploit that as well? Here are some other tips to prevent ransomware before it gets started. What else can you do to prevent ransomware?
