pop-up scam

Staying Secure on the Internet

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Staying Secure on the Internet

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By Aysë Stenabaugh

Staying secure on the internet is a lot more complicated than just having good antivirus. Good virus protection software is a good start but there are many other areas aspects of security that may go overlooked. Having good overall network security, keeping your software and account information up to date, and using a good quality search engine can have an impact as well.

No antivirus is ever going to be 100%. Why? Because the malware and viruses that they are preventing are written by cybercriminals. It takes time to determine and catch a virus and to write code that prevents it from causing damage. That doesn’t mean you should stop using your antivirus, chances are it has stopped many threats without you ever being aware that it was doing its job. Think about it as if you’re the passenger in a car. Most people will put their seatbelt on, not because they are EXPECTING to get into an accident but to help prevent injury or damage if it occurs. Antivirus works in a similar way acting as a preventative against potential damages.

Network security is important because without good security vulnerabilities on your network could leave personal data exposed or easy to access. Last year Apple released an iOS update that started alerting users who were using wireless networks with WPA/WPA2 TKIP security. The message was a bit confusing as it was meant to let users know that they were not meeting Apple’s recommended Wi-Fi security standards, instead many users thought that the notice meant their devices were unsecured which was not the case. Although the execution wasn’t great, Apple’s intentions were good. If you receive this message on an Apple device, have a Wi-Fi network that is “open” (no password required), or want to ensure that your wireless security is up to date, you will either need to access your device’s software to update security if an update is available, older wireless routers may need to be replaced to comply with new security protocols. Unbeknown to many users, like computers, routers often have firmware updates that resolve both performance and security flaws.

Keeping your account information up to date is crucial for several reasons. Your account information includes your name, date of birth, email address, and phone number. The primary reasons are to help users regain access to their accounts. This can be because you forgot a password or because someone else has gained access to your account. Not having accurate information can prevent the services you are using from verifying your identity. Facebook for example is a common target for criminals. We have seen users have their entire accounts taken over by criminals including their business page and even when you provide proof of your identity it may not be enough. So, what else can you do? Users should consider setting up two-step verification. Two-step verification requires users to both their password and a code generated either by an app or sent via text message or email. This prevents unauthorized users from accessing your account without also having access to your devices. If you do find that your account has been compromised and you are able to regain control of it, we highly recommend enabling this feature immediately.

Search engines are often a starting point for surfing the web. Not all search engines are created equal. Some search engines will allow paid advertising for content that so it’s important to choose a good search engine with good quality results. We often find that users end up with garbage on their computer related to attempting to install a device like a printer. To provide an example we searched for HP drivers on both Ask.com and Google search engines. The results from Ask.com first included 3 Advertisements for websites trying to sell a product followed by “results from the ask media group network and finally ended with web results which led me to HP’s website. The first results on Google’s search engine took me directly to HP’s website, no advertisements were listed. We are not saying that Google’s search engine is the best or is perfect, but it is far better with results than the likes of Ask.com which can easily lead users to websites that are of poor quality.

Technology is constantly changing, staying up to date with security and features can be tough. If you find yourself wanting to increase security on your computer or home network or require computer support Jester’s Computers can help! For over 20 years our family-owned, and operated business has been providing repairs and technical support services for home and business users. Find us on the web on Facebook or at www.jesterscomputers.com. We are located at 5135 Fairfield Road in Fairfield Pennsylvania and can be reached by phone call or text at 717-642-6611.

 

how to identify scammers and protect yourself

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Email Phishing /Remote Support Scams

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IMPORTANT NOTICE:

Never provide remote access to your device to someone over the phone that you don’t personally know and trust! Scammers will often direct unsuspecting users to visit a website and will typically either ask the user for a code or will provide one for you to enter on your device. Microsoft or any other company will never directly contact you by phone or email to provide you with unsolicited support.

We have received many phone calls and service requests due to the increasing rise of email and phone scams occurring. We encourage all users to read over the following information to know what to look for to spot scams and avoid being taken advantage of.

Email Scams

Most email scams occur by the scammer emailing an unsuspecting user impersonating a legitimate company or one of your email contacts.

Never respond directly to emails claiming you placed an order you don’t recognize or that you owe money or are owed a refund. This has been the most common scam recently, many users report receiving emails that appear to be from an antivirus supplied such as Norton or Mcafee claiming that automatic renewal for their products is enabled and that you will be billed. Other times users receive emails for an order that they did not place showing delivery for an address that is unfamiliar. Users that respond to the email, click on any links, or call the number listed are often asked to provide sensitive information and/or remote access to your device. Scammers have gone so far as to make it appear that they have accidentally deposited funds into your bank account and at times will even attempt to guilt the user into believing their “mistake” will cost them their job. At this point in their scheme, they will instruct the users to reimburse them for their mistake, typically by purchasing prepaid gift cards which are untraceable once cashed.  In reality, no money has actually been deposited into the user’s account as they are providing false images that are misleading the unsuspecting user.

Click here to read what Norton has to say about phishing emails involving Norton.

Check the sender’s actual email address not just the name displayed. Often scammers use email addresses that are similar to the actual email address but not exact. For example, an email from Amazon would always come from an @amazon.com email address not something slightly misspelled like @amacom.com. If you get an email from someone that you normally correspond with via email but they aren’t speaking in a manner that is consistent with their normal behavior, are making spelling errors, or are asking for “favors” it is possible that the sender’s email account has been compromised. We have also seen scammers create new email addresses (most commonly outlook.com accounts) that are identical in spelling except for the @outlook.com portion. If you suspect you’re receiving emails from someone other than the actual sender do not respond instead reach out to the sender in another manner and let them know. If you believe your email has been compromised you should change your password immediately. If you suddenly stop receiving emails that could also be a sign that your own account has been compromised and that emails are being redirected to the scammer’s email address.

Phone Scams

A plumber would never call you to tell you that your pipes are leaking, Microsoft or any other tech support company is not going to call you to tell you that your computer is infected or that you have a virus. (The only exception to that is if you personally signed up for a service that involved your device being monitored. Many of these services offered are scams and we only recommend subscribing to these types of services with local companies that you know and trust in person.) Remember a scammer will do WHATEVER IT TAKES to convince you that something is wrong and that if you don’t follow their instructions that either you or they will be in some sort of trouble.

Pop-Up Scams

If you are on the internet and suddenly find yourself unable to do anything except to seemingly call a phone number for support you are likely visiting a malicious website or one that has been compromised. While you are on your computer if you are receiving notices in the corner of your screen that something is wrong, you have a virus, or need to renew your antivirus you should be aware that many of these notifications are providing false information. Even if you are unable to get rid of the notifications or pop-ups on your own, you should never click on any links or call any phone numbers associated with these notices. Instead, you can reach out to your local computer repair shop (us included!) to have your computer cleaned up and to have any remote software removed.

Text / Instant Messenger Scams

Anyone who has your phone number or email address (or randomly selects your number or generates your email address as a sender) can attempt to reach you. While you can block a specific email address or phone number it doesn’t stop these things from occurring in the first place. It’s important to never believe any messages or notices you receive that sound too good to be true. For example, a popular scam on social media websites occurs when users are led to believe they are going to get something free or that they are requesting some kind of information often for things that are too good to be true. Scammers often take advantage of unfortunate situations such as the rental market shortage or those looking for work at home opportunities.

If you find yourself falling victim to a scam involving your computer, you should immediately disconnect from the internet until you have confirmed that your device is free of remote software that could leave you even more vulnerable. At Jester’s, we offer our clean-up/maintenance service for a flat rate of $99, contact us for support or more information.