You Did What?

How to identify fraudulent links!

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Thu, 16 Nov 2006 15:28:00 +0000

If you're like me you get many emails these days telling you lies like your credit card is over the limit, or has possibly been compromised, or some other account you have is in danger, and you need to "click here" to resolve it.

Or you go to a website somewhere, and there's just an irresistable offer on the other side of a legitimate-looking link that you must click on to get there.

Once you click on any of these innocent-looking links you're sunk. When your browser displays the page it also lets in code that can then turn your PC into their personal slave, sending back things like every keystroke you make, or displaying all those pop-up ads that suddenly begin blossoming on your screen in rapid-fire fashion.

The problem is that hackers can make the link look perfectly legitimate. But there's an easy way for you to tell if it's not.

If the link in question arrived in your email, click on the subject line to select it, then right-click and in the resulting pop-out list, choose "Properties."

In the dialog box that opens, click on "Details" and in that window click on "Message Source." This will give the entire actual html code of your email message. Scroll down to where the link in question is.

If it begins with something like "123.123.234.121" (or any other set of numbers in that format), FOLLOWED by the actual domain name of who they purport to be, like:

123.123.234.121/www.yourbank.com

you'll know it's a fraud. If it was legitimate it would START with yourbank's dot com name.

Do not, repeat do not, rely on what you can see. What is actually displayed MAY NOT BE the true address!!!

If your email program has a "status bar" at the bottom of your screen, such as Outlook Express, an easy way to see the actual, true address is to hold the mouse over the "purported" link and look down in the status bar and you'll see it.

Again, if the true address begins with a series of numbers followed by the real website name, don't go there. If it BEGINS with the real website name, it's legitimate.

But even if it's the real website name, hackers could still have a load of malware code there, waiting to leap into your PC through your browser.

The bottom line is avoid the internet's "dirt roads" and its areas where huge numbers of people congregate. Because of it's popularity, MySpace is now being hit by hackers planting their bogus links to bogus sites, just waiting to infect your PC.

Just remember to surf defensively and beware of strange or unknown links!!!

BEWARE of public computers!!!

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 15:48:00 +0000

Not long ago the motel I was staying at had a desktop computer in the lobby for guests' use. I was in Branson, MO., and was using it to check football scores. I wanted to check my email at my hometown internet provider's website, but stopped short. Too risky.

Why?

A little program called key-loggers. Hackers secretly install them on public computers everywhere. What do key-loggers do? They record every keystroke on a PC. That means your user name and password! Hackers then gather up a key-logger's data and easily find them and use them.

Recently, news reports described the exact same thing was used to get the user names and passwords to online brokerage accounts. Investors would log into their brokerage accounts from public computers such as those in airports while waiting for their flights. You can guess what happened to the brokerage accounts, and it wasn't pretty!

I'm always ranting about computer and internet security, so please add this bit of advice to your brain.

DO NOT under ANY CIRCUMSTANCE log into online accounts of ANY kind from a public computer. Don't take the risk that it may be logging your every keystroke.

This means those innocent looking banks of computers in your library, or in the lobby of the motel you're staying at, or in that airport while you're waiting out your flight.

Protect yourself, stay safe and DON'T DO IT!!!

Pictures and Panorama of Big Dam Bridge at sunrise

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Tue, 17 Oct 2006 17:12:00 +0000

I decided to go out to the Pulaski County Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge (also known as the "Big Dam Bridge") to shoot pictures of a sunrise last Saturday morning, and was surprised at how many people were out enjoying it at that early hour of the morning!

Following are some of the still photos. To view the panorama of the bridge at sunrise, click here.

If you haven't visited the bridge yet, don't miss it! It is truly an awesome sight and experience, and thanks again to Pulaski County Judge Buddy Villines for all of his efforts to make it happen!

New Windows Vista OS? Yawn.

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Fri, 13 Oct 2006 17:18:00 +0000

Some of you may be wondering about the new Windows operating system called Vista, due out in early 2007, and whether you'll want to get it. My reaction is a yawn.

It offers no real break-through changes to the current Windows XP. From everything I've read, it's not something you'll want to break the doors down to have. If you're the type who has to have all the latest bells and whistles on your PC, you might want it...otherwise stick with the tried and true XP.

True, Vista does offer advancements in visual and media related areas such as 3D views of folders and a transparent task bar.

It also offers several new ways to search for files on your PC, but is not in my opinion any better than XP's search feature.

Early reports from developers and ordinary users who have tested it found complaints of repeated crashes and an interface that too frequently forces users to click on warning boxes.

It also will require more memory, or RAM (minimum of 512MB) than most PCs now have.

For the "deluxe" version with 3D graphics it will need a minimum of 128MB of memory in video cards (device that runs your monitor) while most now have 64MB.

Microsoft offers a free test at its Vista Section that will anyalyze your PC and tell you what you'll need to run it.

Early estimates on the price range from $199 for a basic home version to $399 for the all-in-one Vista Ultimate.

Upgrading an existing XP system will be tricky and expensive. My advice is to stay with XP. Down the road when you buy a new PC it will already come installed on it, and hopefully they'll have the bugs worked out of it by then.

Pictures & Panorama of Big Dam Bridge

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Wed, 11 Oct 2006 16:13:00 +0000

Pulaski County Pedestrian/Bicycle Bridge

360-Degree Panorama Here

HOW TO SPOT SCAM EMAILS

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 11:57:00 +0000

Scam emails designed to trick you into clicking on their link always have certain traits about them.

Learn them and avoid falling victim!!

Yesterday I got a new one, this time purporting to be a bank where I actually have an account. This time it was Bank of America, but such emails can and do masquerade as many other banks and financial institutions.

How did I know it was a fraud? Let's take a look:

1) For starters they always play to your fear or greed. This one chose fear, using the following subject line: "Urgent Security Warning" (Others play to your greed by promising something that always sounds too good to be true.)

2) It was addressed to my business email that's out there on my website for the world to see, a necessary evil for my line of work. I do not use that email in my info for that bank.

3) You'll notice this on so many scam emails, they just sound amateurish. They use bad grammer, bad english, and basically sound like a stupid person wrote them. Let's take a look, with the stupid or illogical parts highlighted in red:

"Our Technical Service department has recently updated our online bankingservices, and due to this upgrade we sincerely call your attention to follow below link and reconfirm your online account details. Failure to confirm the online banking details will suspend you from accessing your account online." And this: "We use the latest security measures to ensure that your online banking account opened with us is highly safe."

Technical Service department? A bank? ha-ha-ha! Sincerely call your attention? Like they sincerely, really mean it this time? ha-ha-ha! Highly safe? Like there's a mostly safe, or not so safe? Give me a break!

4) Then there was the coup de grace. Here's part of the supposed bank's logo:

Now seriously....do you think a bank would EVER let an image go out where the text was so badly off-center, jammed against the right side like that?

5) Finally there's the bogus link they wanted me to click on. They used the http link format that LOOKED like it was Bank of America's domain name, but by holding the cursor over it in Outlook Express and looking down at the bottom of my screen I could easily see it would actually go to a DIFFERENT address.

If your email client doesn't show the actual address at the bottom like that, you can hold your cursor over the link and RIGHT-click it and chose "Copy Shortcut" then paste it into a text editor like Notepad and see it that way too.

Remember to LEARN the tell-tale signs of email scams and you won't fall victim to them!!!

FREE Razorbacks email animation!

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 20:17:00 +0000

Ok, so shoot me. I'm from Little Rock, and around Arkansas this time of year, that means its time to Hog Up!

So for all Arkansas Razorbacks fans out there in the world, here's an animated Razorback you can put in your Outlook Express email messages. All I can say is GO HOGS, BEAT SOUTHERN CAL!!!!!

Print this out to refer to if you like. To go hog wild, copy the following into a text editor like Windows Notepad, exactly as follows:

And then save it with an '.htm' file extension, like "gohogs.htm" Somewhere like your Desktop where you can easily find it in a minute.

Next, open up your Outlook Express email program.

First click on "Tools" at the top, then "Options" then "Signatures".

Then in the "Signatures" window click on "New." Then just below that click on "Rename" and title it something like hogs or whatever.

Then lower down, under "Edit Signature" put a dot by "File" and click on "Browse" and navigate back to wherever you saved "gohogs.htm" (for example, "Desktop" if that's where you saved it). When you've located it, click on it and then click on "Open". This will then take you back to the main little window.

Last step is to click on "Apply" in the bottom right of the little window. Then to use it, open up a new email, write it, and at the bottom or wherever else in the message you want to put it, click on"Insert" in the email message window up at the top, go down to "Signature" and click on the little pop-out that says "(whateveryou named it)".

And remember, GO HOGS!!!

Tip for a smooth start-up when you turn your PC on

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Sun, 27 Aug 2006 16:58:00 +0000

We have all become so used to instant gratification through technology that we expect our PCs to behave instantly too. And this is what can lead to a bumpy start up when you turn on your PC.

We all want to be able to instantly start clicking the mouse as soon as we see that familiar screen picture known as the 'desktop'.

But unfortunately, when your PC has cooked up to the point where you see your desktop picture and all the icons on the left, it is still not ready to carry out commands.

Often it still has operating system parts to load, even though it may appear ready since you can see the familiar desktop picture, and if you get in a hurry and try to launch your browser or open a program, don't be surprised if it hangs and won't open.

All PC towers (and laptops) have an activity light located somewhere within usually easy view. Watch it closely when you turn on your PC. You will see it blink and flicker. This means your PC is still in the process of preparing itself.

For best results, wait until it has stopped flickering completely, because only then will it be fully loaded and ready to operate smoothly.

To avoid bumpy, hanging starts, a good rule of thumb is this: Wait 5 minutes before you use it. Turn it on and go do something else for 5 minutes. When you return, it will be fully loaded and ready to zoom smoothly!

Error Message Of The Day ;-)

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Mon, 14 Aug 2006 19:18:00 +0000

Net Survey Shows High Threat Risks

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Sun, 13 Aug 2006 19:01:00 +0000

I'm always spot-lighting various scams out on the net, hoping to enable you to spot them before you become the next victim.

A new national survey by Consumer Reports shows just how likely it is that you will indeed become a victim. According to the report:

1 in 2 U.S. surfers experience high levels of spam.

1 in 4 had a major, often costly virus problem, with an average cost per incident of $109.00.

1 in 8 had a major, often costly spyware problem, with an average cost per incident of $100.00.

1 in 115 lost money in various phishing scams, with an average loss of $850.00.

The best advice is to stay on the Internet's paved roads! It's when you get off on the dirt roads in "questionable neighborhoods" that your risks of problems go up!

New Bank Email Scam Warning

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Sun, 30 Jul 2006 15:16:00 +0000

I've received another scam email, this time a bank one. To help you identify these ripoffs I'm reprinting it here, so you'll be able to recognize similar ones that may land in your inbox.

All scams play to either your fear or your greed. Those are two of life's big motivators. And always, the desired goal of these ripoffs is to get you to click on the link they always include.

But when you do, and you go to the page, you're already a victim. When your browser let in the code to display the page, it also allowed the malicious code that makes your PC start displaying pop-up ads for all manner of things. Or even worse, once at the page, you may be tricked into giving confidential information!

And it's all so unnecessary. They are all so blatantly bogus. But innocent victims still get hit.

Let's look at this one. First of all I don't bank at any "National Bank." But the biggest sign of a rip-off is them asking me to give them my social security number and date of birth.

It's subject line, "Your National Bank Profile Is Locked"is designed to scare you. Remember, fear and greed.

But this one is especially skilled and sneaky. Look toward the end. See how it gives a telephone number to call? Someone might say to themselves, well if they give a phone number they must be legitimate.

Want to guess what happened when I called the number listed? A recording that it was being checked for problems. What a suprise.

Lastly, it gives an official looking financial disclaimer at the end, again to try to fool you into thinking its official.

Your National Bank Profile Is Locked

NATIONAL BANK
Reference: 7256125731

Dear Client,

Welcome to National Bank! Per our Terms and Conditions, in order to fully establish an account, National Bank requires the customer to provide up-to-date and accurate information, including but not limited to your real name, valid U.S. mailing address and residential address (if different), a Tax Identification Number or a Social Security Number, date of birth, and telephone number.

Unfortunately, we have had to temporarily delay due to missing account information. A temporary block has been placed on your account until we receive this information.

Login to National Bank Online Banking (link was here) and unblock your National Bank account.

Please note that failure to reply within 30 days will result in permanent cancellation of your account.

Please do not reply to this email address. If you have any questions, you can call National Bank Corporation at 1-866-387-7223.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Confidentiality Notice! This electronic transmission and any attached documents or other writings are confidential and are for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) identified above. This message may contain information that is privileged, confidential or otherwise protected from disclosure under applicable law. If the receiver of this information is not the intended recipient, or the employee, or agent responsible for delivering the information to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any use, reading, dissemination, distribution, copying or storage of this information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this information in error, please notify the sender by return email and delete the electronic transmission, including all attachments from your system.

Again, take a moment to study the characteristics of all of the scam emails I've written about. Learn to spot them and you won't fall victim to them.

An Easy Way To Find Old Emails

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Mon, 07 Aug 2006 20:52:00 +0000

Have you ever found yourself wanting to go back and see an old email again, and you have thousands of messages stacked up in your inbox, going back a year or longer?

Here's an easy way to find it in a heartbeat, if you are using Outlook Express, the standard Microsoft email program (and probably Microsoft Outlook as well, even though I haven't tried it).

If you can remember some word that was in it...maybe a name, or part of the email address, you can find it in a snap!

Think of that word (or words) as "keywords" for a search engine, only the search engine is already built into the email program for just that purpose.

At the top, second from the left, is "Edit." Left-click one time on it, and in the resulting drop-down you will see "Find" with a little black triangle to the right. Hold your cursor over "Find" and in the resulting pop-out, move your cursor over to the right, and left-click one time on "Message..."

In the resulting window are four different places to type in your word/words for search purposes. Choose the most appropriate one, type it in, then click on "Find Now" and it will find any messages with your "keywords."

America Stands With Israel!

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 20:44:00 +0000

In these dark and loathing times let everyone in the world know that the United States stands with Israel in its fight against those who would try to destroy it.

Israelis have our heart, prayers and support.

Always and forever.

Please feel free to copy this image and email it to our friends and allies around the world to show our solidarity. (To copy, put your cursor over the image and right-click, then choose "Save Picture As...")

Three cheers for eBay!!

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Tue, 18 Jul 2006 20:59:00 +0000

Three cheers for eBay!

In my previous post I was bemoaning the cons being attempted against eBay users...namely me, and others I'm sure. So I sent a copy of the con artist's message to eBay's security section to give them a heads up.

I got this reply from eBay yesterday:

Thank you for writing eBay in regard to (name removed).

We're concerned about violations on eBay and have thoroughly investigated your report. We have taken appropriate action in accordance with our site policies. I can inform you that the user you reported is no longer a registered eBay user.

Due to our privacy policy, we don't give out specific information regarding the result of our investigation. Feel free to continue reporting questionable behavior to us. This allows us to investigate the situation and take appropriate actions.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely, Zachariah
eBay Customer Support

So three cheers for Zachariah and eBay! Job well done!

Con artists hitting eBay users

brad.kennedy@housecall4pc.com (Brad Kennedy) — Sat, 15 Jul 2006 17:26:00 +0000

Recently I've been listing a few items for a customer on eBay, and I'll be darned if the scammers aren't EVERYWHERE!

I want to share it, to help you better spot them in the future, so you won't become a victim.

Remember, most of all, they appeal to greed in one way or another. They know what a powerful movtivator it can be. If it makes you start thinking maybe you CAN get something for nothing, it should start throwing up red caution flags automatically in your mind. If it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.

In this case the item was on eBay with a $2,600 minimum starting bid.

Here was the scammer's email:

Positive feedback: 0%
Member since: Jul-12-06
Location: bihar, Philippines
Registered on: www.ebay.com

"My name is (name removed),i need an immediate purchase of this item, i will pay $5000 for the item and $300 for shipping via ups or fedex courier express bcos of my ugrency.I will like to make a quick purchase on the item cos i am sending it to my son in africa,.My method of payment is paypal .If ok by you kindly get back to me with your details ...plz get back to me with your full name and address so that i can proceed with the payment asap. let me have ur e-mail also."

Red flag #1: I received it the day after the membership date.

Red flag #2: The Philippines is a con artist's haven.

Red flag #3: An American woman's name was used, which I've removed.

Red flag #4: Offering TWICE the starting bid and far more shipping cost than
would be necessary.

Red flag #5: The word "Africa" That's what truly gave it away as a con. (See
my previous posts on scam emails from or about Africa.)

Red flag #6: Wanting my full name and address so she could proceed with
payment, even though she says she will pay with PayPal, which
does NOT require her to have that kind of information.

Red flag #7: Wanting my email too. Yeah. Right.

I've also gotten a similar approach on a different item up for bid as well, so those of you selling on eBay be aware of anyone trying to buy your item for WAY more than you're asking.

Red flags. Remember to learn them and heed them!!