All of us need technical support companies to help us solve complex issues with our devices and applications. And in todays "work from home" world and COVID-19 distancing, we need fantastic support - remotely. While most of The Computing Center's clients do quite well in staying safe on their devices, but often there are technical elements that people aren’t trained to handle. Relying on tech support is necessary to get us back in working order.
However, scammers and hackers will use that actual dependence on tech support to get their foot in the door. By pretending to be tech support and using scare tactics, they trick their victims into installing a virus, paying money, or worse.
Is the Text Message that you just received a Scam?
You may be skeptical when someone you don’t know sends you a text message you didn’t expect and it tells you to click on a link. Maybe that little voice in your head starts talking to you. I know mine does. It says, “Hmm, this could be a scam. Maybe someone wants to steal my personal information. Or get me to pay for something.”
I guess that's why scammers come up with new stories all the time, like a package tracking scam we're hearing about. Here's how it works.
Scammers send a text message with a fake shipment tracking code and a link to update your delivery preferences. In this case, the message says it’s from FedEx.
But they might use the name of another well-known shipping company, or the good old U.S. Postal Service.
Password Managers and Your Office
Let’s say you have 25 different online accounts. That means you should have 25 unique — and complex — passwords to manage. And since you know better than to write them down on sticky notes or in a notebook, what are you supposed to do?
A password manager may be just the solution. But what are they, how do they work, and how secure are they? Let’s try to answer some of those questions.
What is a password manager?
A password manager is a program that houses all your passwords, as well as other information, in one convenient location with one master password. The benefits to using a password manager are:
- A password manager will do the work of creating the complicated passwords you need to help protect your online accounts.
Certified Shady
Scams never seem to stop. They can even come in the mail. The "certificate" scam is quite old; predating all the technology that we sell and support. These days, the scam can start with a letter (snailmail), email, or even a text. Beware...
Certificates of Existence, Status, or Good Standing – sounds like an existential crisis, right? Instead of a philosophical commentary on the meaning of life, the certificates in question refer to business documentation from your state or local government. In a new twist on an old scam, some not-so-honest outfits may try to confuse you into thinking they’re from the government and that you need to pay for certain documents to operate your business.
When you started your business, you filed paperwork to register it with the government agency that oversees commercial activity. Here’s where the scammers come in. After registration, you might get a mailer that looks like an official invoice from a government agency, claiming that you need to pay for a “Certificate of Existence” or a “Certificate of Good Standing.” The name of the sham agency, necessary documentation, and the amount of the fees can differ from state to state. To convince you it’s legit, these mailings often use what looks like an official government seal and may include your actual business identification number. To get your money, they urge you to hurry up and pay, or they claim you could be in legal trouble.
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