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INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Scam Warning
Whitney Houston’s Death Triggers Scams

Two To View
A Couple Of Amazing Videos You Don't Want To Miss

This Month's FAQ
What Happens To A Facebook User’s Account After Death?

Sites Of The Month
Great Sites To Check Out In March

Short Tutorial
Uploading And Sharing Images On Twitter


Hello West Central Internet Subscribers

Download Images for LuckSpring begins this month and as you "March" forward, take this great online information with you. It starts with a warning about phishing scams related to Whitney Houston; sadly, these scams occur after many celebrity news events. You'll find a fun contrast in our featured videos—one's high tech, the other low tech. Also in this issue, we explain what happens to a Facebook user's account after death, tell you how to tweet a photo, and share five websites to put some spring in your step.

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
 

 

Scam Warning – Whitney Houston’s Death Triggers Scams

Whitney HoustonHoping to make a quick buck, online crooks wasted no time capitalizing on the death of Whitney Houston. The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers to beware of new scams that exploit the public's fascination with the singer. Twitter and Facebook have been bombarded with responses to Houston's death, creating a perfect target for cybercriminals to access personal information from unknowing victims.

One popular Twitter scam disguises itself under "RIP Whitney Houston." Clicking on the link in the rigged Twitter post takes people to a blog dedicated to Houston's career, but the blog automatically redirects them to a webpage offering different Whitney Houston wallpapers. Downloading wallpaper then triggers yet another offer to download Whitney Houston ringtones. No matter what you do, the devious webpage eventually takes you to a survey site that asks for private information such as your cellphone number.

On Facebook, a wall post with the subject "I cried watching this video. RIP Whitney Houston" is followed by a link to what promises to be a YouTube video. It is, in actuality, a link that leads to several other websites until you reach a similar survey site.

To protect yourself from Whitney Houston phishing scams—and other ones tied to news events that are sure to come—follow these simple rules:
  • Don't click on the links. A mouse click on a link can be an easy trace for the cybercriminal to track down the private information stored in your system.

  • Never download anything that looks suspicious even if it comes from a friend on Facebook or Twitter. This will help keep your personal information safe.

  • Make sure your antivirus software is frequently updated and scan your system accordingly.
In short, remain vigilant whenever you're online and use basic common sense.

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Two To View – A Couple Of Amazing Videos You Don't Want To Miss

Cool Video Number 1   Cool Video Number 2
     
A Day Made of Glass
Corning gives us a peek into the remarkable future of glass technology. A family accesses news, messages, videos, and more—all by touching next-generation glass panels located throughout their home on the bathroom mirror, refrigerator, kitchen counter, and stovetop.
  Chain Reaction of Ordinary Objects
Look ma, no hands! This video is called "The Page Turner" because a carefully arranged sequence of movements by a series of items, from coffee cup to tape roll, causes the newspaper page to turn without being touched by human hands. You have to see it to believe it.

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This Month's FAQ – What Happens To A Facebook User’s Account After Death?

Question: For many of us, the messages and photos posted on Facebook are like a scrapbook of our lives. What happens to a Facebook user’s account after death?

Facebook after Death Answer: That’s a great question. There’s increasing discussion these days about social media as it relates to end-of-life issues. Here’s what it says on Facebook:

"It is our policy to memorialize all deceased users' accounts on the site. When an account is memorialized, only confirmed friends can see the profile (timeline) or locate it in Search. The profile (timeline) will also no longer appear in the Suggestions section of the Home page. Friends and family can leave posts in remembrance.

In order to protect the privacy of the deceased user, we cannot provide login information for the account to anyone. However, once an account has been memorialized, it is completely secure and cannot be accessed or altered by anyone.

Verified immediate family members may request the removal of a loved one’s account from the site. To actually delete a profile page, however, a family member or executor must submit proof of their relationship with the deceased before getting further instructions."


Some people refer to memorializing a profile as a Facebook funeral. It allows people to save and share their memories of the deceased.

On a related topic, there’s now a Facebook app called if I die. It gives people the opportunity to create a video or text message to be played after their demise, as verified by at least three “trustees” the person selects from his or her Facebook list.

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Sites Of The Month – Great Sites To Check Out In March

See Yourself In Vintage Style
yearbookyourself.com – How would you look in the hairstyles and clothing from past decades? It's fun to find out on this site, which lets you take your photo and place it in vintage yearbook shots from the '50s, '60s, '70s and beyond. Just picture it—you with Farrah hair, or a groovy headband, or Buddy Holly glasses. Create hysterical portraits and then share them on Facebook.
Duct Tape Prom Outfits
duckbrand.com – Sure, we all know that duct tape is handy for lots of repairs. But did you know it could be used to make prom outfits? Stuck at Prom® is a contest from Duck Tape® brand that challenges high-schoolers to make amazing prom outfits out of the tape for the chance to win scholarships. Once the top 10 entries are selected, you can start voting for the winners in March.
Can’t Recall What’s Recalled?
saferproducts.gov – It seems like every time you turn around, there's another product recall in the news. By visiting this site, you can easily search for recalls by product category including dishwashers, appliances, space heaters, children's products, and toys. You can also file a report on an unsafe product that you've discovered.
Best Recipes, Best Chefs
cookeatshare.com – They have to be three of the best verbs around—cook, eat, and share. Billed as the world's largest kitchen, cookeatshare.com is boiling over with culinary content. Find the world's highest rated recipes, share recipes with family and friends, connect with the world's best chefs and subscribe to their recipes, and organize and manage your own recipes.
Grow Your Garden Knowledge
www.garden.org – March is a great month to plan your spring planting. At this National Gardening Association site, you can dig up all kinds of fresh ideas for your landscape. It features expert advice on flowers, food gardens, lawns and ground covers, trees and shrubs, and much more. You'll also find helpful tools like how-to videos, a pest control library, and plant care guides.

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Short Tutorial – Uploading And Sharing Images On Twitter

Download Graphics to ViewA picture is worth a thousand words, which makes tweeting photos such a great idea. Fortunately, it's easy to upload and share images using your Twitter account. Just follow the steps and tips below.
  1. Go to your homepage on Twitter.com.

  2. When you click inside the Tweet box on your homepage or on the New Tweet button, you will see two small icons in the lower left corner — one for adding your location (a compass) and one for uploading an image (a camera). Click on the camera icon.

  3. It will prompt you to locate the image you want to upload on your computer.

  4. After you attach the image to your Tweet, your Tweet box will contain the thumbnail in the lower left corner and the camera icon highlighted in blue.

  5. If you selected the wrong image or no longer wish to share that image, click the "x" control in the thumbnail or next to the filename to delete the current image.

  6. Enter any text you'd like and click on the Tweet button.

  7. Once you've successfully tweeted, click on the Tweet to view the image in the display pane.
Tips:
  • You're welcome to upload any image that is 3MB or smaller.

  • Twitter will scale the image for you to fit into the display pane on the right side of your Twitter.com timeline.

  • Twitter accepts gif, .jpeg, and .png files.

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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

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