In-Home Computers for Everyone Part 2

Protecting Your Home With In-Home Computers

As criminals become more sophisticated in their abilities to attack our homes with technology, we need our home security to be smarter too.  While traditional house alarms are fine for basic security, Smart Home automation systems integrate with video and online monitoring.  Check up on your house live on your computer or mobile device, or have footage stored in the cloud so you can catch perpetrators “on tape.”  Here are the security components of the Smart Home products we highlighted last week.


Insteon (www.insteon.net) can provide you these capabilities, in addition to smoke and carbon monoxide detectors that email or text you when triggered and motion sensors ranging up to 3000 feet.  It's designed to be self-installed, so you can personalize it to fit your family's needs with a multitude of devices that integrate into the core monitoring hub, letting you decide if you prefer basic door and window monitoring or Fort Knox lock-down.

Because all their devices communicate through radio frequencies in addition to the existing power lines, you always have a back-up should one system fail.  Each device repeats the signal it receives from the other three times, thus amplifying the information being conveyed and substantially increasing its range.  As an added security feature, every device has a unique ID which prevents hackers from controlling your home.

Lowe's also has a universal home monitoring service called Iris (www.lowes.com/iris).  Their basic security program starts at around $175 and you install it yourself by plugging the base unit into your WiFi router and setting up the point-of-entry sensors.  Monitor the system on any Internet-connected device, including your Smartphone.

The system has motion sensors and window and door contacts that can be tailored to your home's specific needs.  When one is triggered, you receive a text, email, or phone call to alert you of the problem.  Install cameras inside your home and use your Smartphone to record video when you need it.

Iris Modes allow you to set multiple devices with one click.  Away for the day: touch one button and your motion sensors and alarm are turned on while lights are turned off.  Home for the night: motion sensors are toggled off so you don't inadvertently set off your alarm by going to the bathroom in the middle of the night.  Build advanced functionalities using “Magic Rules.”  For example, if a motion detector is triggered you can set your cameras to automatically begin recording video.  Because you monitor it yourself, you are free of the monthly fees that alarm companies charge, unless you want to use their Premium monitoring services ($10/month), which include saving recorded videos to the web and the ability to notify more people of alarm triggers.

AT&T's Digital Life, coming to most metropolitan areas in March 2013, promises to provide home security with 24-hour home monitoring for break-ins, fire alarms and medical emergencies, and it's paired with video monitoring both inside and outside your home.  It'll be IP-based (meaning you can monitor it over the Internet), and includes motion detectors, wirelessly-controlled cameras, security keypads and window and door sensors, integrating them with other home automations.  No word yet on pricing for equipment, installation or monitoring.

While many look to DIY home security systems as a way to avoid paying monthly fees for equipment leasing or monitoring, it’s important to note the drawbacks to going solo – just you and your gadgets.  When you’re out of town and one of your windows is broken at 3am, it’s up to you to call the cops.  Unless you have a Smartphone with great reception, you won’t always be in range of a WiFi signal to check your video feeds.  Finally, keep in mind that equipment does age over time and home security isn’t a “set it and forget it” proposition.  You will need to maintain your system regularly, checking sensors to ensure they’re working properly.

 

Speed Up Boot Time on Your Computer

Speed Up Boot Time with These Tips

My system takes FOREVER to start up.  Is there any way to make it boot up faster?

Fully powering off your computer when you’re done using it for the day is a good practice to save energy and reduce hardware degradation.  However, it can make getting to work the next time you start up your computer seem to take forever.  Before you resolve to never again power down your PC, here are a few things to try to speed up your PC’s boot time:


2. Stop any unnecessary programs from automatically launching at start up. Just about any software you install on your computer, whether its iTunes, Quicken or your new printer’s installation disk, typically instructs your computer to launch the application whenever your system starts up.  From that point the program runs in the background, ready and waiting should you choose to launch it or run an associated function that it could “help with.”  While this can be handy - it’s convenient to simply click print and have the print job sent to your printer without having to launch the printer software by hand – the more tasks your system has to start before you can get working, the longer you are stuck waiting for your computer to be functional.

Review the programs that your computer is starting and running automatically every time you boot up by going to Start – Run – and typing msconfig in the small window that appears (the command line is “Open:”).  This launches a window titled System Configuration.  Select the tab titled Startup to see a list of the applications set to auto-start.  Before you start un-checking boxes, be cautious.  Sometimes necessary functions are listed in terms that are difficult to recognize and turning them off can break things you want to work automatically (like your mouse or keyboard) or worse, cause your Operating System not to load properly.

Stick to obvious programs that you would prefer to launch by hand when you want them instead of running constantly.  Some examples would be music or editing software (like Roxio, Spotify, or Photoshop), iTunes (provided you’re ok with having to launch iTunes manually when you want to sync your iOS device), software that came pre-installed by Dell, Sony or HP that you can’t easily uninstall (like their integrated remote support software), etc.  It’s best to err on the side of caution than to get too aggressive with your box un-checking.

3. Consider increasing your system’s RAM. Determine how much RAM your system has installed and how much it can support using a tool such as the “System Scanner Tool” on Crucial’s website (http://www.crucial.com/systemscanner/loader.aspx) .  Most basic Windows 7 users should be served by 4GB of RAM, but if your system can support more I’ve never had anyone complain that their system runs “too fast.”  Power users that do video editing or run a lot of applications simultaneously should consider 8 to 12GB, or maximizing the amount that their system can support.

If it still seems like you could make yourself a cup of coffee (or bake a batch of muffins) while waiting for your system to start up, give us a call at 800-919-NERD or click the chat button to connect to a Nerd for help with anything related to your gadgets or tech.

Find the Best Tech Deals with These Tips

Find the Best Tech Deals Around

Top Money Saving Tips

There’s no denying that indulging a love of electronics can get pricey.  Here are a few tips to ensure that you don’t overpay for technology.

Don’t pay more for “high end” cables/connectors: It may come as a surprise that part of your TV, home theater or computer purchase that is typically most profitable for the electronics store is the additional cables you were sold on your way out the door.  When it comes to cables that transfer digital information (such as HDMI or DVI cables), in almost all cases you aren’t going to experience a noticeable improvement in image or sound quality if you pay more for the cable.

You may find a variance in the thickness of the cable casing and/or plastic surrounding the connector on higher priced cables, which may make the cable somewhat more durable.  This may make a difference if you need your cable to go a large distance or through a wall.  However, most people use their HDMI cables over a distance of less than six feet, behind their TV, where a light weight cable will be perfectly suited.


USB cables are similarly overpriced.  The same cable that you pay $25 for at a big box retailer is available for less than $2 through a site like Monoprice.

Don’t assume refurbished means broken: Refurbished products are typically sold at a sizeable discount over the brand new, in original packaging version of the gadget you’ve had your eye on.  Many consumers are hesitant to consider a refurbished item, assuming that it was damaged or found to be defective and then returned to and repaired by the manufacturer.

While this is sometimes the case, there are other reasons that perfectly good gadgets end up on the shelf tagged as refurbished.  In some cases, the item (or even just the packaging itself) was scratched or damaged in transit.  Units that retailers have made available as demo or display models are often sold as refurbished.  If a product has been purchased, opened and subsequently returned it will be sold as refurbished even if it was never used by the original owner.

The best way to save money by choosing a refurbished product while protecting yourself from buying a defective dud is to look for one labeled “factory recertified” and be sure that it carries a decent warranty (at least 90 days).  While you can find even better deals on refurbished items sold through third party retailers, exercise caution.  If the item was damaged and repaired, it’s important that you have a reputable company that will stand behind it while you determine that it’s working properly now.

Don’t invest in the “wrong” things when buying a new desktop PC: Historically, the processor made a noticeable difference in system performance, even to basic users, so it made sense to pay more to upgrade from a 1.3 GHz processor to a 1.8 GHz processor.  These days, processors process data so quickly that most of us wouldn’t notice a difference between an Intel Core i5 to an Intel Core i7 for the $200-$300 more you may spend on the upgrade.  Instead, spend your money on RAM (aim for 8GB with a new PC) or upgrade from a standard hard drive to a solid state drive (SSD).  Both will lead to a more noticeable speed increase and aren’t as costly as upgrading the processor.

 

In-Home Computers for Everyone

Your House Too, Can Have In-Home Computers

The home of the future shall be one of seamless, intuitive automation - a home that anticipates the needs of its occupants while saving energy and keeping out predators. It has been promised since my first childhood trip to Disney’s EPCOT Center (more years ago than I care to disclose).

The challenge up to now is that many of the products on the market are pieces of the puzzle but don’t work together, or they require such a massive home installation that it's simply cost prohibitive for the average Joe. Yet new products on the market promise easy installation, expansion over time, and smooth integration with the existing Smartphone or Internet-based technology you’re already using.  In this two part series, we’ll explore what’s new in home automation and security, and whether or not it’s time to consider taking the leap toward making your home a “Smart Home.”


One of the established names in an expansive pool of products aimed at the do-it-yourself installer is Insteon (http://www.insteon.net).  The Insteon hub connects to your router (about $120) and allows you to access the software interface from your computer or compatible Smartphone.  Adapters are sold separately and plug into your outlets (about $35-45 each, depending on if it’s for lights or appliances), allowing you to schedule or remotely control lights, appliances, entry doors, even your sprinklers.  Last year they introduced a network compatible LED dimmable lightbulb ($30) that will communicate with your Insteon hub without requiring an additional adapter.  There’s a compatible thermostat, too.

Insteon works on a dual-mesh network - both radio frequency signals (RF) and powerlines (electrical wiring) – leading to a more stable, further reaching coverage area.  This is more reliable than WIFI alone if you have “dead zones” in your home where you can’t access your wireless Internet.

Lowe's has its own universal home monitoring service called IRIS.  It promises easy, do-it-yourself installation and integration with your Internet and your Smartphone.  Depending on what you'd like to automate, there are either "Component systems" (those that only automate certain functions within your home) for about $180 each, or a Smart Kit which includes everything from thermostat control to home security for about $300 (but you’ll likely need to budget for additional sensors).

Basic monitoring is free and allows you to stream videos to your smart phone, turn devices on or off remotely and receive notifications when an alarm is triggered.  Premium monitoring notifies more people with alerts and stores video feed online for about $10/month. Caregivers to an elderly loved one can use IRIS motion and contact sensors to monitor their charge remotely, receiving an alert if there’s a change in behavior (not out of bed at the usual time?) or emergency.

Lowe’s recently previewed additional products that will integrate with IRIS such as motorized blinds, a WiFi-enabled water heater from Whirlpool and PetSafe's electronic SmartDoor for your dog.  The system promises expandability as Lowe’s continues to work with appliance manufacturers to have IRIS compatibility built into their future products.

AT&T's “Digital Life” is the newest entrant to the market, slated to be released commercially in March 2013.  It promises to give you the ability to "turn down the thermostat at home without leaving the office, catch live video of your pets with your Smartphone, or lock the back door from the other side of town."  With no prices disclosed to date, it remains to be seen if AT&T’s “Digital Life” will be cost effective. In addition to hardware, it’s safe to assume there will be monthly monitoring fees.

These new “universal systems” allow you to pick and choose the products you want (and can afford) while offering the ability to add on to the system later as your needs and budget allow.  Yet keep in mind that they make your home’s functions at least in part dependent on a stable Internet connection, leaving many to ponder what happens if you lose power or your Internet drops?

One notable standalone home automation product that’s generated a lot of buzz lately is the Nest, a “learning thermostat.”  After a quick, do-it-yourself installation, the thermostat learns your lifestyle pattern.  Once it has figured out when you’re usually away, asleep, etc., the unit begins to automatically change the temperature to make you comfortable when you’re around and active while reducing energy use when you’re away.   While it’s not meant to be part of a larger system, the thing programs itself - a huge benefit for those of us who lack the dedication to manually input a more energy efficient schedule and keep it up to date.  It’s also Internet-capable, allowing you to control your home’s temperature while you’re away using a WIFI capable device.

Stay tuned next week for how the Smart Home keeps you secure.

Nerd Chick Adventures is written and Heather Neal from Nerds on Call, an onsite computer and laptop repair company in Redding. They can be reached at nerdchick@callnerds.com.

 

Catfishing Isn't What it Used to be: Online Dating Safety

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Media Contact
Shawna Bell
1-800-919-6373

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NERDS ON CALL: “CATFISHING” NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE

Protect Yourself with Online Dating Tips

California, (February, 2013) – Many looking for a partner this Valentine’s Day will turn to social media or dating websites to make a potential love connection. If you’re wary about trying them, or you’ve been burned in the past, you’re right to be dubious. Internet dating and romance scams, dubbed “catfishing,” are on the rise according to the FBI, and the Better Business Bureau has seen a two-fold increase in complaints over the last year regarding online dating services. Arm yourself with information to protect yourself before you take a dip in the online dating pool.

Social networking and online-dating websites now surpass churches, fitness clubs and bars as meeting places for individuals looking to make a connection. Unfortunately, these havens for lonely hearts are also infested with criminals looking to exploit the vulnerable. Scammers pose as someone else, often stealing a photograph of a good-looking person from the Internet, then use their fake profile to target people looking for love. Once they’ve hooked their victim and wooed them into a false sense of security through their declarations of infatuation, there are a number of money-making scams they’ll try.

Find a Trustworthy Online-Dating Company: The Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) provides business reviews free-of-charge, so examine any site you’re considering posting a profile to. Look for a history of satisfied customers and resolved complaints. Big players like Cupid.com and Match.com have precautionary measures in place, so users who have negative experiences can get their issues resolved quickly; smaller sites may have less security for spotting a scammer. Some sites like Cupid.com and Flirt.com employ software that scans IP addresses, profile photos and behavior patterns of their users so they’re able to identify fraudulent accounts and block them from their communities.

Protect Your Personal Information: Set up an email address for yourself that is only used for your online dating account. It is not necessary to provide your full name, address, phone number, link to your Facebook page or work details when setting up your profile, so don’t include those details. Provide additional personal information only once you’ve gotten to know each other better. Make sure to have several phone conversations with your new love interest before agreeing to meet in person and always meet in a public place.

Use Your Instincts: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Scammers love to use pictures of beautiful people, particularly trustworthy ones like men and women in uniform. Beware of any relationship where the person professes his or her undying love immediately. Flattery is nice, but too much of it too quickly should set off your warning bells. Eloquent romantic language is often plagiarized from elsewhere on the internet and it’s easily discovered through a quick Google search. If someone claims to have been born in the United States, but uses poor grammar or verb conjugation, be wary; they may be a scammer from a foreign country. Lastly, and most importantly, run for the nearest exit if anyone asks you to wire them money for any reason (travel expenses, medical emergencies and financial difficulties are common).
Do Your Homework: Upload a photo of your date to Google Images by clicking on the camera icon on the side of the search field and choosing “Upload an Image.” If the picture appears under the name of several people, you know it’s not legit. If you’ve been communicating through email, you can use the IP address from the email URL to tell you where the email was sent from. If your date claims to be from Minnesota, make sure she’s where she says she is. Review their profile thoroughly and check into details of information they provide by asking questions they should be able to answer or using Internet searches to verify what they’re saying is accurate. Test your date’s knowledge of local events and places if they claim to live in your city and watch for mistakes.

Video Chat for Security: Before meeting or offering personal information to someone you’re interested in, arrange to use a free video chat service like Skype, Google Video Chat or Facetime to “see them” before you meet.

Report the Scammer: If you think you’ve been victimized or you’ve identified a potential fraud, file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov). They’ll report it to higher authorities and their data analysis links complaints together to help to identify culprits.

[nerdsbio]

Nerdy Valentines Day Gifts

Nerdy Valentines: What to Buy

If your beloved is more envious of gadgets than chocolates, there are many ways to show him or her how much you care with a gift of technology this Valentine’s Day.  You don’t need to break the bank, either.  The secret to an unforgettable token of your affection is to make it unique and personal and these gifts for your techie Valentine are a great alternative to generic flowers, cards or candy.


The days of laboriously crafting a mixed tape of your favorite tunes for the object of your affection are over – he or she probably doesn’t even own a cassette or CD player.  Yet you can achieve the same objective by picking up an iPod shuffle in their favorite color (it’s available in seven different ones) and loading it with the songs that speak to you.  Or choose his favorites if you don’t share the same taste in tunes.  For $49 the iPod shuffle won’t store his entire library, but it’s a great grab-and-go MP3 player that will maintain its usefulness beyond the life span of a CD.

If movie nights are more often than not spent streaming a video or TV show to your tablet or handheld electronic device, snuggle on the couch and share the experience without straining to hear the dialog over the device’s included audio.  An inexpensive headphone splitter like the Monoprice 35-HSSVC (http://www.amazon.com/Monoprice-35-HSSVC-Headphone-Splitter-Separate/dp/B0016CFZQ0/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1360137740&sr=1-5&keywords=headphone+splitter, $5, Amazon) will allow each of you to plug your own headphones into the same tablet.  I like this splitter because it gives each listener their own separate volume control, so you don’t have to go deaf if she likes to crank it up.

If you’re planning to rent the latest romantic comedy and watch it on your device, make sure to get the technical stuff taken care of in advance.  Nothing puts a damper on a romantic evening like leaving your sweetheart cooling her heels on the couch alone while you track down your credit card, wait for the video to download, or worse, get stuck with a movie that pauses every few minutes to buffer.  Most online rental services like Amazon Instant Video, iTunes or Xbox give you several days or weeks to activate your rental from the time you pay and at least 24 hours to watch your flick from the time you start it.

If your love is never far from their Smartphone or laptop, consider a customized skin or case.  What better way for her to remember you with a smile than every time she picks up her phone and sees her favorite shot of the two of you on vacation, or her favorite character or logo.  Even better, she’ll never again have to pause to determine which of the iPhones on the table is hers when she goes out with friends.

With a wide selection of styles of cases for just about any popular phone as well as vinyl skins for laptops, tablets and more, skinit (www.skinit.com) lets you easily create a custom case or skin using one of their many designs or by uploading your own image.  I like that the site has more than one style of case since many people are particular about the feel, cut and durability of their phone’s cover.  Now you don’t have to sacrifice the features they want in a case or cover to achieve a fully unique accessory for the device they use so often.

Finally, bring some love to their desk with a digital frame filled with images of your life together.  It doesn’t take long to transfer over some of your favorite shots and will give him or her a stream of photos instead of a stationary one or two.  Share the love!

Image by Flickr user pat 7047

New Facebook Privacy Settings: How to decipher

The New Facebook Privacy Settings and how they affect you

It seems like every time Facebook makes a change to their privacy policies or security settings, someone throws a fit about how it reflects a reduction in personal privacy and how Facebook is eventually going to own your life. But the world’s most popular social networking site just rolled out a new privacy feature and no one is complaining – in fact, this is the least I’ve heard about a Facebook change in years. The reason: they’ve made something intuitive and easy-to-understand that allows you to take control of your privacy.

If you haven’t noticed it, or haven’t logged into Facebook in a while over concerns about privacy, we’ve prepared a brief tutorial that explains what’s going on.

“Who can see my stuff?”

There are three options here: Who can see your future posts, a review of all your activity, and an option to see your personal page as any one of your friends.

The first is the same option that has been right below the status box for a while. You can edit this field if there’s a friend or employer that you don’t want to be privy to your social life. You can change it every time you post, but this allows you to set a policy from here on out.

The second option is new and allows you to see everything going on about you that people can see. It shows you your statuses, your likes, your tagged photos, and the security settings for each. If you see some content that you’d like to hide from the world, or just from specific people, you can change it from here.

“Who can contact me?”

If you’re receiving a lot of unsolicited messages, you can change this option from the default “basic filtering” to “strict filtering,” which only puts messages from friends in your inbox. All others will go to the well-hidden “other” box.

You can also change who can send you friend requests. Change it to “friends of friends” if you don’t want requests out of the blue.

“How do I stop someone from bothering me?”

As a last resort, you can block a user here if you’re getting tired of seeing them around the site, or if they just won’t leave you alone. In the second case however, you might just want to report them to Facebook. If they’re truly being abusive, their account may be suspended.

That’s really all there is to the new privacy settings. This most recent update has achieved its perennial goal of simplifying complex options for any users of the site. Have any more questions? Feel free to ask us at http://www.callnerds.com/blog!

 

Future Tech Debuts at CES 2013

CES 2013: Future Tech

In recent articles I’ve explored some of the new technology that was previewed at this year’s CES, the Consumer Electronics Show.  The products I’ve highlighted so far are all “in the works,” most of which will be available to the consumer within the year.  However, CES is also a platform for innovators and inventors to showcase concept work, technology that promises potential improvements to a multitude of different existing gadgets or software.  While these ideas aren’t likely to show up on products in the very near future, some are sure to become part of our day to day lives in the years to come.

The concept of 3D isn’t new - its use in TVs, movies and video games has been prolific in recent years.  However, its use in small electronics to improve their functionality isn’t as widespread.  At CES 2013, PrimeSense (the company that created the 3D environmental mapping software utilized by Microsoft’s Xbox Kinect) unveiled the Capri, a 3D sensor smaller than any other on the market.  About the size of a stick of gum, it carries the potential to “give sight” to a variety of existing products, specifically those previously too small to support the necessary 3D chip. PrimeSense attests that its design is also more affordable than ever before, making it more attractive to manufacturers looking to integrate the technology in their products.


Another interesting product enhancement previewed at CES is the Tactile Touchscreen from Tactus Technology.  When activated by the launch of a compatible application, raised buttons appear like magic on an otherwise flat touchscreen surface like a smartphone or tablet computer.

This promises easier typing on glass screens, not only for those of us that get easily frustrated typing on touchscreen devices but for the visually impaired as well.  Yet it holds the potential for a great many more creative uses.  For example, all-in-one remote controls could change buttons to accommodate the specific function you’re looking to use (channel control when watching TV could be replaced by menu and chapter skip when watching a movie, etc).  App makers could integrate the tactile screen function so that customized buttons appear when the app or game was launched, only to disappear automatically when you closed the program.

Imagine your computer or TV responding to your eye movements, navigating from one program to another or scrolling through a web page without the use of a mouse or keyboard.  That’s the idea behind the Tobii Gaze, an eye-tracking prototype demoed by Tobii that matches the users eye movements with keyboard taps to do things like select or scroll through onscreen items.  Currently available to developers, it offers quick, seamless navigation and promises an improved digital experience for those with limited mobility.

What I find most intriguing about these inventions is that their functionality isn’t fully flushed out.  They aren’t an end product – they’re meant to be licensed by manufacturers to enhance products, meaning the technology may lead to next generation advancement of a multitude of every-day items.

Catfishing Isn't What it Used to be: Online Dating Safety

Protect Yourself While Online Dating

Many looking for a partner this Valentine’s Day will turn to social media or dating websites to make a potential love connection.  If you're wary about trying them, or you've been burned in the past, you're right to be dubious.  Internet dating and romance scams, dubbed "catfishing," are on the rise according to the FBI, and the Better Business Bureau has seen a two-fold increase in complaints over the last year regarding online dating services. Arm yourself with information to protect yourself before you take a dip in the online dating pool.


Find a Trustworthy Online-Dating Company.  The Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org) provides business reviews free-of-charge, so examine any site you’re considering posting a profile to.  Look for a history of satisfied customers and resolved complaints.  Big players like Cupid.com and Match.com have precautionary measures in place, so users who have negative experiences can get their issues resolved quickly; smaller sites may have less security for spotting a scammer.  Some sites like Cupid.com and Flirt.com employ software that scans IP addresses, profile photos and behavior patterns of their users so they're able to identify fraudulent accounts and block them from their communities.

Protect Your Personal Information. Set up an email address for yourself that is only used for your online dating account.  It is not necessary to provide your full name, address, phone number, link to your Facebook page or work details when setting up your profile, so don't include those details.  Provide additional personal information only once you've gotten to know each other better.  Make sure to have several phone conversations with your new love interest before agreeing to meet in person and always meet in a public place.

Use Your Instincts.  If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.  Scammers love to use pictures of beautiful people, particularly trustworthy ones like men and women in uniform.  Beware of any relationship where the person professes his or her undying love immediately.  Flattery is nice, but too much of it too quickly should set off your warning bells.  Eloquent romantic language is often plagiarized from elsewhere on the internet and it's easily discovered through a quick Google search.  If someone claims to have been born in the United States, but uses poor grammar or verb conjugation, be wary; they may be a scammer from a foreign country.   Lastly, and most importantly, run for the nearest exit if anyone asks you to wire them money for any reason (travel expenses, medical emergencies and financial difficulties are common).

Do Your Homework.  Upload a photo of your date to Google Images by clicking on the camera icon on the side of the search field and choosing “Upload An Image.”  If the picture appears under the name of several people, you know it’s not legit.  If you've been communicating through email, you can use the IP address from the email URL to tell you where the email was sent from.  If your date claims to be from Minnesota, make sure she's where she says she is.  Review their profile thoroughly and check into details of information they provide by asking questions they should be able to answer or using Internet searches to verify what they're saying is accurate.  Test your date's knowledge of local events and places if they claim to live in your city and watch for mistakes.

Video Chat for Security. Before meeting or offering personal information to someone you’re interested in, arrange to use a free video chat service like Skype, Google Video Chat or Facetime to “see them” before you meet.

Report the Scammer.  If you think you've been victimized or you've identified a potential fraud, file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center (www.ic3.gov).  They'll report it to higher authorities and their data analysis links complaints together to help to identify culprits.

 

Watch out! Top Tech Scams of 2012

Tech Scams that Hit Hard in 2012

Social media, online databases and our “connected” lifestyle has made it easier than ever for criminals to use technology to steal identities, money, and data from unsuspecting users.  Here are some of the most prevalent technology scams of 2012, so you don’t fall victim to these tricky ploys.

You get a call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft (or your cable company, or Norton, etc..).  They identify themselves as Adam or some common moniker yet likely have a distinct accent.  The caller informs you that they’ve tracked virus transmissions to your computer, claiming that you have malicious code on your system that’s infecting others.  You need only grant them the ability to remotely access your computer and they can remove the virus for you.


To protect yourself, never allow an unknown party access to your computer.  If you get a call from someone claiming that your computer as doing anything – be it transmitting a virus, downloading copyright-protected content, etc... -  immediately hang up and call your trusted computer repair company. Remote computer repair is a great tool, but only in the hands of a reputable repair professional.

The Better Business Bureau’s list of the top ten scams of 2012 lists “Fake Facebook Tweets” as its top identity theft scam.  You get a direct message from a name you recognize via Twitter or Facebook.  The text refers to a video posted to Facebook and the sender says that you’re in it, likely insinuating that the content is embarrassing.  Understandably, you immediately click on the link included in the message only to get an error message instructing you to update Flash or install some sort of plug-in.

Installing the program as prompted instead infects your system with a virus or malware that collects and reports back your personal information, allowing the perpetrators to steal credit card numbers or your identity.  Never install software that has originated from clicking on a web link.  If you believe that your Java may be out of date, go directly to the source (www.java.com) so you know you’re installing the legitimate program.

Another nefarious use of social media sharing is the so-called “Grandparents Scam.”  You get a call, text, email or Facebook message from someone claiming to be your grandchild, niece, cousin, etc.  The person explains that they’re travelling abroad and have fallen victim to a mugging, accident, or have been arrested.  They beg you not to “tell mom or dad,” just wire cash.

When this scam originated, criminals primarily took advantage of elderly people by calling late at night and offering just enough common information while farming the reminder on the call to convince victims of their legitimacy.  As the scam evolved, perpetrators have begun to use information posted on public forums and social media sites like Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn to pepper truths into their fiction (“I’m in Mexico celebrating my college graduation”), leading more people to fall for the scam.

Never wire money without solid verification of the identity of the recipient.  Call friends and family of the supposed victim to check out the story, despite any panicked requests to the contrary.

For more of the Better Business Bureau’s Top Ten Scams of 2012, see their report which includes tips to avoid falling victim: www.bbb.org/us/article/better-business-bureau-names-top-ten-scams-of-2012-39388