The Jamey Mellis Show - Technology Unleashed

'You don't want to fall for this': BBB warns of smart TV scam

It seems the scammers have a new way to fleece you of your money. Beware of popups on your smart TV.

'You don't want to fall for this': BBB warns of smart TV scam The Better Business Bureau is warning of a scam involving popular streaming devices, such as Roku and Amazon Fire TV sticks, and services, like Netflix and YouTube TV.

Facebook privacy settings
Managing your privacy can be a challenge in Facebook at times. If you go into Settings, Privacy and then How people find and contact you there are some settings you may want to adjust. One setting I recommend you change is who can see your friends. The default setting is Public which means anyone can see your friends.

Normally I would not think that is a problem but the bad guys could use that to send friend request impersonating you. It is easy to copy your profile picture and create a new profile in your name. Then the bad guys will send out a friend request to your existing friends. In my opinion I think you should change this to Only Me.

Many may think this is a legitimate request and accept. This could lead to fake links being click on which could infect your friends computer. I believe many fake friend requests are coming from someone stealing a profile picture and creating an account in your name.

Below are some setting you may want to change. Consider only selecting Only Me if tat option is available.

Who can send you friend requests?
• Everyone
• Friends of Friends

Who can see your Friends List
Remember, your friends control who can see their friendships on their own Timelines. If people can see your friendship on another timeline, they'll be able to see it in News Feed, search and other places on Facebook. If you set this to Only me, only you will be able to see your full friends list on your timeline. Other people will see only mutual friends.
• Public
• Friends
• Friends of Friends
• Specific Friends
• Only Me
• Custom
• See More
• Business Contacts
• Close Friends
• Family
• Friend
• News
• Pets
• School Friends

Who can look you up using the email address you provided?
• Everyone
• Friends of Friends
• Friends
• Only Me

Who can look you up using the phone number you provided?
• Everyone
• Friends of Friends
• Friends
• Only Me

Do you want search engines outside of Facebook to link to your profile?
It appears the default is No and you have to check a box to allow it.

Keep in mind you should check these periodically in case Facebook “accidentally” resets these.

If you hate passwords and have a hard time remembering them chances are you use a password manager or have considered using one. But what happens if your password manager is compromised? The goal is to minimize the chance that a hacker could get access to login information if the password manager you use is compromised.

Personally I think a password manager offers benefits in managing passwords for the many programs and sites you use and can be helpful in managing complex and long passwords. Unfortunately if the password manger you use is compromised then it gives the bad guys access to your passwords and in turn the login information to these program and sites.

So how can you add a layer of security to your password manager that is not already part of the program? My recommendation is to only put in part of the password in the password manager and then have a prefix, suffix or both you add manually when logging into a program or site. For example, if your password is FuzzyPicklesBR549 then only store FuzzyPickles in the password manager and know that you need to add BR549 to the password you enter to get into a program or site. Another option might be to replace certain letters or combinations with another letter or combination. For example, place an F with PH (PhuzzyPickles) knowing that the PH will need to be replaced with and F. You might not want to be as obvious as this example but I think you understand where I am going with this.

I hope this helps.

Are you being tracked?

Crooks are using GPS tags to help them steal your vehicle. One of these is the Apple AirTag.

Apple has a feature in their devices running IOS 14.5 or later if it finds someone else’s AirTag moving with you. If you are a procrastinator on doing upgrades this may be a good reason to upgrade.

There is an option to play a sound to help you locate it. Make sure to check all around your vehicle especially in places that can conceal its' presence.

If you cannot locate it you can Pause the alert for an hour.

I would take this very serious. I would notify the police. It could be they are tracking your vehicle to steal it or worse, they could be tracking you or your child.

There is also an option to disable the tag but you may want to talk to the police first since they may want to try and find out who owns it. If you call the police and they do not seem interested, I would explain your concern about the possibility of criminals using the device to track your vehicle or you and hopefully they will send someone out to talk to you.

You may also want to talk to your dealership or mechanic to see if they have a device that can be inserted into the vehicle’s onboard diagnostic port to prevent someone from plugging a device into it. Criminals can plug in to the port to reprogram a new key fob that can then be used to crank and steal your vehicle.

Stay vigilant folks, it could actually save your life.

Be careful when using that Password Reveal button

Did you notice that eyeball icon at the end of the password field when entering passwords? That is called the password reveal button and it will let you see if you have entered the password correctly. It can be handy especially if you entered your password and you are not sure if you typed it correctly. Well... it can actually pose a security risk allowing someone to capture your password. Have you ever heard of a screen scraper, a screen recorder or a screen reader? Let’s look at each of these and some risks that could cause some problems for you.

Screen scraper
A screen scraper is a program that can extract visual data being entered into fields as you type. Note the key word here being visual. When you type your password it is usually masked so you cannot see what is being entered. When you click on the password reveal button (that little eyeball icon) it will show your password. At this point your password is visible and can be captured by a screen scraper. Screen scrapers can also capture other information such as credit card information and other content being entered into fields on a computer. This can allow a bad guy to get access to your system which is not good.

Screen recorder
A screen recorder is a program that records the entire screen. This can be used for legitimate reasons but can also be used by hackers to get access to information. Keep in mind that a screen recorder is capturing the entire screen and not just what is in fields on the screen. This poses another risk since there may be sensitive information on a screen that is being captured.

Screen reader or screen narrator
A screen reader or screen narrator is a program that reads aloud that is on the screen. This can be a problem if you reveal a password and the program reads it aloud. If there is anyone in the room they will be able to hear this posing a risk. But can a hacker get access to something being read aloud? The answer is yes. Some of the newer scraping technologies can also capture audio in addition to text. It seems like a no win scenario.

So what other risk might be posed by revealing your password? If someone is looking over your shoulder they will be able to see your password. If they can remember it they may be able to get into the site you are accessing.

With all this said, think twice about revealing that password. I also recommend setting up two factor authentication for any place that supports it as an additional layer of protection. On some systems you can actually disable the feature to minimize the risk it brings.

If you have any questions about this topic or would like help on disabling this feature on your computer or mobile device give us a call at 843-556-4720.

Don't give that old computer away before reading this

If you are getting a new computer for Christmas and you are thinking about donating your old computer to a family member, a school, charity or just throwing it away you need to read this.

Your computer contains a lot of information from documents, pictures, financial information and more. If you delete these files and forget to empty the trash can then someone could restore these files and get access to this information. Even if you empty the trash can someone could use one of many programs to undelete those files and again, get access to this information. Even worse, there are hidden folders that store temporary copies of much of this information that doesn't get deleted using conventional tools built into the operating system leaving you vulnerable to someone getting access to this information.

In todays Internet centric world so much is done on the Internet such as social media, shopping, banking and more. Often you log into these sites and the sites keep you logged in for convenience. Imagine donating your computer to a charity and someone opening up the browser and going to a site such as Amazon or Facebook and you are still logged in. Also, your browser stores a history of every site you have been to so whoever gets your computer will know where you like to go and what your interests are.

Now imagine this person opening your email and being able to see that information. If your stored your password so you didn't have to enter it every time you logged in then that person has access to your email account. Think about this, if I know your email address and a site you use, say your favorite shopping site, but I don't know your password then how can I get into that site? Well, I go to that site and click the button that says I forgot my password. Where does it send the password reset link? It goes to your email. Well if I have access to your email then I will see this come in and can then change the password and now I have access to that site. Scary stuff don't you think?

Also keep in mind that you may have saved credit card information in your browser or shopping sites. If you didn't clear this from your browser then whoever gets your computer will have access to this when they go to make a purchase. This is also a good reason why you shouldn't store this kind of information in your browser.

There are many other examples like this that will scare your socks off... So what is the answer to all of this? You need to properly format your computer and then do a reload of the operating system before giving it away. You should destroy the hard drive before disposing your computer or taking it to a recycling center. Keep in mind that some computers have more than one hard drive and that other drive probably has a lot of sensitive information as well.

If you are planning on getting rid of your old electronics make sure you understand how to properly do this. Whether it is a format and reload or factory reset do not miss this critical step. Remember to remove any memory cards and destroy those as well.

If you need assistance with this please feel free to call us at 843-556-4720.

Tired of all the ads when you are browsing the web?

So many of us are on the web a good bit these days and it seems so many sites want to track every move you make or flood you with ads. Wouldn't it be nice if there was a way to surf the web again without all of that...!

I want to introduce you to Brave (brave.com). Brave is a new browser you can use on your PC, Mac, Android or iPhone. Brave takes your privacy serious and they make online privacy easy. Brave blocks ads, trackers and scripts by default. It is so nice to go to your favorite webpage or article and actually see the content without all the ads. Brave utilizes filter lists from resources such as uBlock Origin project, Easy List and EasyPrivacy projects and their own Brave lists.

Have you searched for something only to start seeing ads for what you searched for? It can be so annoying and scary. Brave doesn't track your queries and is private, independent and transparent. Brave doesn't track you, your searches or your clicks and they do not collect this information.

Brave also has a a crypto wallet built-in that doesn't require extensions or extra steps. This helps minimize fake versions f an app, phishing and theft.

It is so refreshing to be able to use the web again without all the ads, tracking and privacy issues. You owe it to yourself to give it a try. Go to brave.com or download the app at your mobile device store.

Have you ever tried to reach a customer support only to find phone menus that are long or do not seem to have the options you are looking for? Do you sit on hold for hours at a time? Do you find it difficult to even find a customer support number? What has happened to service these days?

The next time you need to reach a customer service agent try gethuman.com. Get human shows can provide you with an actual number for a company, provide information on the best way to reach a customer support agent, expected hold times, the best time to call for support and can even call for you and sit on hold and then call you back when a live agent answers the phone. Now that is service.

I recommend visiting gethuman.com before you need them and then bookmark the site in your favorite browser. This way you will know how to find them when you need them. Gethuman.com

Are you having wireless issues at your home or office?

Many devices today rely on a good wireless network to work properly. As more and more devices become wireless managed it is necessary to have a reliable wireless network. If you are having issues with a slow wireless network or maybe you find your devices dropping off the network for no apparent reason try some of these tips to see if it helps.

Relocate the wireless unit
Your wireless access point or router may be located in an area that is not central to your devices. You may also have the unit in a closet or some other area that is blocking some of the signal. Try relocating the wireless unit if possible.

Add additional wireless units for better coverage especially for 5GHz frequency.
If you are covering a large area you may need more than one wireless access point. Newer access points use a 5GHz frequency which has less penetrating power and may not get through the walls in your home or office. Try adding multiple access points to get better coverage.

Do you have older devices on your network?
Do you have older devices such as old laptops or tablets? These devices may be using older wireless technology and your access point may be dropping to the lowest common denominator. The older protocols have limited speeds and your access point will require all of your devices to operate at the slower speed. In this case consider a newer access point that can work with different protocols simultaneously or upgrade/replace the older devices.

Do you have older wireless access points?
If you are running older access points it may be time to replace them with newer units that offer faster speeds. Older access points use protocols with slower speeds. Newer devices can support much higher speeds and your older access point may not ne able to provide the speeds necessary for the newer devices.

Lead paint or plaster walls
Buildings with lead paint or old plaster walls could be slowing your network. Over the years we have seen where older buildings have issues more than newer building with similar same size and layout. What we suspect is the walls being covered with lead paint or plaster. Plaster uses a screen mesh to hold it to the wall and this can affect signal strength. In these situations we have added additional access point to solve the issue.

I also recommend you consult with a professional IT person before making an investment in new hardware to make sure you know what to replace to solve your problems.

UltimaSMS: A widespread premium SMS scam on the Google Play Store

Security Alert
Have an Android Phone? Make sure you do not have these apps.

If you have an android phone or other device that runs an Android operating system where you can download apps from the Google Play store you want to pay attention to this. Google has removed 151 apps from the Play store for charging Premium SMS fees on your account that has been deemed a scam.

The apps can disguise themselves as programs in many categories such as QR Code scanners, spam call blockers, camera filters, games and more. When you install these apps you are asked to enter your cell number and that is when the problems begin. Take a minute to look at the link below from Avast antivirus that lists the 151 apps and see if you have any of these installed on your phone.

https://blog.avast.com/premium-sms-scam-apps-on-play-store-avast

UltimaSMS: A widespread premium SMS scam on the Google Play Store An array of scam apps, including a fake photo editor, camera filter, and various games, have been promoted via Instagram and TikTok channels.

Recently a high profile group, Sinclair Broadcasting, was hit with a ransomware attack. Ransomware is a form of malware, or malicious software, that infects the computer and encrypts the data on the system. The person or group responsible for creating the malware then asks you to pay a ransom, usually in the form of digital currency such as bitcoin, to get the decryption key to unencrypt your data. Some ransom requests have been in the millions or tens of millions for high profile networks.

I am often asked how you can protect yourself from this type of attack. The answer is very complicated and often different for many companies depending on their computer environment and how their staff interacts with those systems. Many forms of ransomware is spread from phishing emails or websites that are infected. An unsuspecting user can open a phishing email or click an attachment that can infect the system. Others might visit s site where they are hit with a drive by download that infects a system. Other ways can include having systems that are not properly patched or cannot get patched because the operating system or applications are too old and the manufacture no longer supports them. Either way, once one system is compromised, malware can quickly spread to all the systems on that network or in many cases to other locations.

Having technology that can filter out fake emails or can spot malware is only part of a strategy in protecting your systems and data. Training your staff on current threats and testing them to make sure they understand this is also vital. It seems the best strategy is a defense in depth approach that uses multiple technologies and strategies offers a better defense.

Moreover, companies need to develop disaster recovery and business continuity plans that can help if they are compromised. One other thing that concerns me is the exfiltration of data from your systems. Even if you have the best backups and disaster recovery plans and can recover your entire network in the event of a compromise, the bad guys often claim they will release your data to the Internet if you do not pay the ransom. This takes this threat to a whole new level since it is often difficult to protect your data once it has been exfiltrated. Companies need to take this in account if they are compromised since the loss of critical trade secrets could result in a competitor gaining access to the “secret sauce recipe” for a product or service. In my opinion this is probably the worst case scenario you would want to find yourself in since it could literally put you out of business.

I recommend you take this threat very seriously. There is a lot a company needs to do to prepare for an attack like ransomware. It is very disruptive and the cost can literally put you out of business. The loss of customer information, trade secrets, and even your reputation needs to be considered when developing strategies for protection and recovery. Take some time and put this topic on your agenda and start planning now. It may be the difference of staying in business or closing the doors.

10 Minute Mail - Free Anonymous Temporary email - 10 Minute Mail - Free Anonymous Temporary email

At times I need to go to a website for something like a driver update for a computer or maybe I need a manual and they ask for my email address. I am real protective of my email address these days with all the security issues email can introduce. I also just do not want the spam that comes along with giving out my email address. Even worse, there are those that just harvest email addresses to resell and then the unrelenting and onslaught of spam begins.

When I come across sites like this where I need to provide my email address to get access to something where I may need it just once or just need a piece of information I use 10 Minute Mail. 10 Minute Mail provides a disposable email address that is good for 10 minutes and then it goes away. And even better you do not need to link your real email address to this site to use it.

The next time you are asked for an email address where you only need to interact one time with a site try using 10 Minute Mail. www.10minutemail.com

10 Minute Mail - Free Anonymous Temporary email - 10 Minute Mail - Free Anonymous Temporary email Maybe you want to sign up for a site which requires that you provide an e-mail address to send validation e-mail to. And maybe you don't want to give up your real e-mail address and end up on a bunch of spam lists. This is nice and disposable. And it's free. Enjoy!

Download Windows 11

Windows 11 Update Information

If you want to manually update your computer to Windows 11 instead of waiting for Microsoft to push it to you, follow the link below. This link will take you to the Microsoft Windows 11 download page which will give you 3 options to download. I recommend using the Windows 11 Installation Assistant since it will check your system for potential issues and let you know what the issues are.

Keep in mind that you may have other programs or hardware that could require updating or replacement when moving to a new operating system.

I recommend backing up your data before beginning in case there are any issues. Also, Microsoft will allow you to roll back from Windows 11 to Windows 10 for 10 days so if you are not happy with Windows 11 make sure to do the roll back before the 10 period is up otherwise you will have to reload Windows 10.

From the notes it says Home users will be required to use a Microsoft account for the upgrade. If you do not have a Microoft account I recommend creating one before performing the upgrade. If you already have a Microsoft account I recommend logging in before performing the upgrade in case you forgot your password. This will give you a chance to reset your password if you need to.

Here is the link:
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/windows11?ranMID=24542&ranEAID=nOD%2FrLJHOac&ranSiteID=nOD_rLJHOac-DAjo0LQN25I9fE6dBJCW4w&epi=nOD_rLJHOac-DAjo0LQN25I9fE6dBJCW4w&irgwc=1&OCID=AID2200057_aff_7593_1243925&tduid=%28ir__1nfv6hp1lokf6mpszdaouvst1n2xrcgarmq0krqr00%29%287593%29%281243925%29%28nOD_rLJHOac-DAjo0LQN25I9fE6dBJCW4w%29%28%29&irclickid=_1nfv6hp1lokf6mpszdaouvst1n2xrcgarmq0krqr00

Good luck with the upgrade.

Download Windows 11 There are 3 options below for installing or creating Windows 11 media. Check out each one to determine the best option for you. If you are upgrading from Windows 10, we recommend that you wait until you are notified through Windows Update that the upgrade is ready for your PC. Before installing, ple...

Have an old Android phone – your apps may stop working

Are you using an older Android phone? If so certain users will lose access to Gmail, YouTube and Google Maps on September 27 2021. Google announced that as part of their ongoing effort to protect their customers they will not allow access to the apps for users running android 2.3

For those running the older operating system, you will need to upgrade if your device supports a newer version or purchase a new device. Android version 2.3 launched December of 2010. Users will need to upgrade to Android 3.0 or higher.

Windows 11 Upgrade Advisory - Please Read

On October 5th Microsoft will release the highly anticipated upgrade to the Windows operating system, Windows 11.

The new release of Windows 11 will be automatically pushed to computers that are compatible with the new operating system. I do not expect this to happen all at once and normally this type of update is pushed out over time.

My concern is that without knowing if your software and hardware will be compatible with Windows 11, it could result in some very expensive upgrades to get your software to a version that will be compatible with the new version of Windows. We have seen this in the past with version upgrades resulting in costly upgrades for both software and hardware.

At this point in time I am NOT recommending upgrading to Windows 11. Based on past experiences with new releases of operating systems from Microsoft, it has been my experience these upgrades are buggy or are still in the process of being finalized. Also, we often find that software and hardware manufactures need time to work through the process of making sure their software and hardware works with the new operating system.

Microsoft has released information on how to block your system from automatically upgrading to the new version of Windows. Unfortunately they did not put in a "button" to easily block the upgrade. In order to block the upgrade, a registry entry needs to be made or a Group policy entry needs to be added to prevent this upgrade. This is something that I recommend a knowledgeable IT person do to ensure it is done properly and to minimize the risk of damaging the registry.

For our customers that we provide Managed Service for, we will perform the appropriate entries to prevent your computers from automatically upgrading to Windows 11. If you want your systems to upgrade to Windows 11, please let us know and we will not make the changes to your system to block the upgrade.

I also recommend that you confirm you have good backups of your systems in the event you need to recover from an upgrade. Microsoft will allow a system to be rolled back for ten days after the upgrade but will require a full format and reload of the operating system, programs and data after that. At a minimum you need to ensure your data has been backed. Please keep in mind this applied to your home computers are well.

Please note that Microsoft will support Windows 10 until October 14th of 2025. This will include patches and security updates.

Please let us know if you have any questions or need us to block this update on your systems.

Here are some resources for Windows 11

Is your PC compatible with Windows 11 - Run the PC Health Check to see if your hardware will support Windows 11
PC Health Check

General Information on Windows 11
Get to know Windows 11

I really want to hear from you abut this question. What are your technology pain points. What frustrates you every day with technology. Is it your PC or mobile device? Maybe your coffeemaker? Not sure I can help with that one. :) do you find the programs troublesome or your computer just can't seem to run them? Are you Internet centric and your ISP just can't seem to keep the lights on. Are there things you would like to do with your computer or mobile device but something is holding you back? Are you having issues finding the on/off mode selector switch? :) How many times have you wanted to take it out and hook it to the bumper of your car and drag it down the street? If you have had a major event with your system what was the issue? A failed hard drive, bad monitor, you spilled something on the keyboard...? Let mem know your thoughts. I really do want to hear from you.

The Jamey Mellis Show - YouTube

Beware of all the Phone Scams

Recently I received a call where the recording said there was a warrant out for my arrest. The recording said this was the 3rd and final attempt to reach me before they sent an officer out to arrest me. I decided to bite and pressed 1 to talk to whoever was on the line.

The guy answered and said "Social Security Administration." I asked the guy why he couldn't even get his scam right. I told him the message claimed to have a warrant for my arrest but he answered Social Security Administration. He says "Oh. Oh..." I asked him why he couldn't get a real job instead if trying to scam people. He laughed and then hung up the phone.

Do not take calls like this at face value. Think before you answer any question from someone that calls you. In this case, why would the police department call me and tell me they have a warrant for my arrest and not just come arrest me? When you receive a call like this you should just hang up and not interact with the caller. They are skilled at convincing you they are legit and you could fall for the scam.

As always, if you have any questions about this tip or any other tip please give us a call at 843-556-4720.


https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIWOAKf0jGb0oX6Wtf66U9A/featured

The Jamey Mellis Show - YouTube Technology Unleashed

The Jamey Mellis Show - YouTube

Apple Releases an Emergency Update for their Phones, Watches and Computers

On Monday, September 14th, Apple released an emergency update to patch a vulnerability that allowed an Israeli company to infect Apple products with spyware

The vulnerability applies to Apple phones, Mac computers and watches running iOS, MacOS and WatchOS. The vulnerability is listed as a “zero day zero click” exploit which means you can be infected without clicking on anything. This exploit is targeted against iMessage and should be patched as quickly as possible.

I do not recommend delaying on getting these updates. I suggest you perform these updates as quickly as possible on your Apple phone, Mac or watch.

If you need help with updating any of these devices please feel free to give us a call at 84-556-46720.

Also, take a moment and check out the new YouTube channel at https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCIWOAKf0jGb0oX6Wtf66U9A

The Jamey Mellis Show - YouTube Technology Unleashed