INSIDE THIS ISSUE Facebook Warning Scams Often Follow Big News Events Two To View A Couple Of Amazing Videos You Don't Want To Miss This Month's FAQ Is There A Way To Quickly Screen Websites? Sites Of The Month Great Sites To Check Out In October Short Tutorial Removing Contacts From Your Address Book |
Hello West Central Internet Subscribers Halloween has its share of scary characters, as does the Internet. In this October issue, we start by reminding you of how scammers take advantage of natural disasters like Hurricane Irene to try and lure you to malicious links. Speaking of scary, check out the elevator video in our Two to View section; it's a claustrophobic's worst nightmare. This issue also includes advice on how to quickly screen websites (so you can avoid the disreputable ones) and highlights a few wonderful websites to inspire you for pumpkin carving, fall baking, family photography, and more. The goal of each of our eNewsletters is to keep our subscribers informed regarding their Internet connection and to improve their Internet experience. We think you'll find this information interesting. To see what's inside this issue, simply scroll down the eNewsletter or click on the links within the index to the left. Thanks for reading! - West Central Internet Services Team |
Facebook Warning – Scams Often Follow Big News Events
Newsworthy events, like the devastating Hurricane Irene in August, often trigger malicious links and phishing attacks that spread quickly across Facebook. The lure used by scammers is a promise of showing "leaked" videos, pictures, and other sensational information.
The Hurricane Irene version looks something like the screen shot to the right. No video actually exists. The page displays a clickable image of a fake video player. Clicking "Share" displays the link on the Facebook user's wall. Clicking "See the video" displays a list of deals that require user registration. The scammers' goal is to drive more traffic towards certain sites. They earn their money by getting a commission for every survey completed, every product purchased, and/or every account compromised. They may also use these types of Facebook scams to spread malware and obtain personal information. Regardless of the disaster that's in the news, remember this: Whenever you're offered the chance to see a video or pictures that no one else has seen, don't be tempted to click. At the very least, these types of scams will place you in a cycle of worthless advertising promotions. In the worst-case scenario, you may unknowingly load nasty spyware and viruses on your computer. If you fall victim to a scam like this and the scammer's page appears on your Facebook wall, go directly to the page and click the "Unlike" link in the lower left-hand column. This will stop the scam from spreading via your wall.
Two To View – A Couple Of Amazing Videos You Don't Want To Miss
This Month's FAQ – Is There A Way To Quickly Screen Websites?
Question: I don't want to get scammed dealing with suspicious websites. Is there a way to quickly screen websites before I do business with them?
Answer: Yes, there are a number of ways to do this type of screening. Both Internet Explorer and Firefox have features that monitor your browsing activity and alert you if a site seems suspicious. Review the help section within your browser to find out how to activate these features. There is also software available that serves the same purpose. Contact your Internet Service Provider for more details. In addition, you should always keep your eyes open and watch for the warning signs of phishing sites. Here are two key strategies:
Sites Of The Month – Great Sites To Check Out In October
Short Tutorial – Removing Contacts From Your Address Book
If your email address book is cluttered with names from inactive relationships or filled with out-of-date email addresses, you're wasting time wading through an unnecessarily long list. So it's worth taking a few minutes now to clear out the clutter.
To remove contact information from your address book, simply follow the steps below for your specific email program:
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Thanks for your business! Best regards The WCTA Communications Team Internet Specialists WCTA Sebeka 308 Frontage Road Box 304 Sebeka, MN 56477 1-218-837-5151 or toll free at 1-800-945-2163 Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in this eNewsletter are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. |