Scam Warning – Online Dating Can Pose Threats

Three major dating sites—Match.com, eHarmony.com, and Spark Networks—recently announced they will start screening for sexual predators, identity thieves, and scammers to try to increase safety for users. While millions of people use dating sites to meet people, and many forge successful relationships, criminals and scammers also use these sites to meet potential victims.

This makes it a good time to review precautions to take if you participate in online dating. For example, that wonderful looking profile may actually be a fake if the person:

• wants to leave the dating site immediately and use personal email or IM to communicate
  
  
• proclaims love instantly
  
  
• claims to be from the U.S. but is now traveling or working overseas
  
  
• plans to visit you but is prevented by a traumatic event or a business deal gone sour

A common scheme for these scammers is to build online relationships and eventually try to convince you to send money in the name of love. Never wire money to cover travel, medical emergencies, hotel bills, hospital bills for a child or other relative, visas or other official documents, or losses from a temporary financial setback. You may lose your heart on a dating site but you don't have to lose your shirt as well.

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If Infected, – Your Computer Will Lose Internet After July 9

Users of Windows PC and Macs alike have until July 9, 2012, to check and see if they've been infected with malware called DNS Changer and, if so, disinfect their computers. After that, the FBI will throw a switch that prevents infected computers from accessing the Internet.

What's going on here? It all began 2007, when DNS Changer surfaced and infected millions of machines. (To give you some background, the DNS system is a network of servers that translates a website address into the numerical addresses that computers use.) DNS Changer reprogrammed victim computers to use rogue DNS servers owned by the attackers. This allowed the attackers to redirect computers to hacker-created websites, and also prevented computers from updating or using anti-virus software, leaving them vulnerable to other threats.

Last November, the FBI arrested six Estonian nationals that allegedly ran the fraud, and seized the rogue DNS servers. The FBI put up surrogate servers in place of the malicious ones, but only temporarily. After July 9, those servers will shut down, preventing infected computers from reaching the Internet since they'll be trying to redirect through servers that no longer exist.

To find out if your computer is infected and how to address the problem, visit https://forms.fbi.gov/check-to-see-if-your-computer-is-using-rogue-DNS and click on "Check Your DNS." Also be sure to update and run your current security software. If you need assistance, please contact us for security software recommendations.

You'll find additional information on DNS Changer at these links:

• www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/november/malware_110911/DNS-changer-malware.pdf
• www.foxnews.com/scitech/2012/04/23/hundreds-thousands-may-lose-internet-in-july
• www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2012-04-20/internet-woes-infected-pcs/54446044/1?csp=hf

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

A Moving Tribute to a Mother Since May is the month in which we honor mothers, it seems fitting to share this video about a young man's last moments with his. More than a million people have viewed his heartfelt reminder to tell your mother, right now, how much you love and appreciate her.		Push to Add Drama TNT publicizes itself by saying, "We Know Drama." So it should come as no surprise that TNT chose a very dramatic way to launch the network in Belgium—a red button on a quiet square that, when pushed, produced sirens, an ambulance mishap, street fights, and more.

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This Month's FAQ – What Is The Correct And Legal Way To Pin Images On Pinterest?

Question: I recently got started with Pinterest and have been hearing talk of copyright issues that has me a little worried. What is the correct and legal way to pin images on Pinterest?

Answer: We went straight to the source on this one. Here's the statement Pinterest released in April: "Pinterest values and respects the rights of third party creators and content owners, and expects you to do the same. You therefore agree that any User Content that you post to the Service does not and will not violate any law or infringe the rights of any third party, including without limitation any Intellectual Property Rights (defined below), publicity rights or rights of privacy. We reserve the right, but are not obligated, to remove User Content from the Service for any reason, including User Content that we believe violates these Terms or the Pinterest Acceptable Use Policy. It is important that you understand that you are in the best position to know if the materials you post are legally allowed. We therefore ask that you please be careful when deciding whether to make User Content available on our Service, including whether you can pin or re-pin User Content on your boards." You can visit http://pinterest.com/about/terms/ for more details.

It basically boils down to this—not all site owners want their images pinned. How do you know if sites are okay with it? Pinterest now has some code in their help section that site owners can add if they don't want to be pinned. If you try to pin on a site with this code, you'll see a message stating that the site owner doesn't want images to be pinned. Until this code is commonly used though, the only way to know for sure is to ask. To be on the safe side, you can look for the "pin it" button on sites; it lets you know they are okay with their images being pinned.

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

Enter The HGTV Green Home 2012 Giveaway hgtv.com – This year's HGTV Green Home in Georgia blends a farmhouse design with modern amenities and eco-friendly features. For a chance to win this stunning home, enter the sweepstakes by June 1, 2012.

Your Life Can Make Headlines fodey.com – This site is simply for fun. It lets you instantly generate your own "newspaper clipping" with the headline and article text you provide. You can then use the clipping on your Facebook page to announce big news in a creative way.

Need A Facebook Cover? coverjunction.com – If you're still searching for the perfect cover image to use on your Timeline, check out Cover Junction. It literally covers everything from A to Z (abstract to zodiac) including cars, fashion, movies, quotes, and technology. You're sure to find one that speaks to you.

Paws To Make You Say, "Ahh..." cutestpaw.com – This site claims to feature the cutest animal pictures around the world and it's hard to argue with that. Whenever you need a quick pick-me-up, browse through its adorable collection of cats, dogs, rabbits, and more. You can also share your own animal pictures.

Neat Sweet Treats cupcake-recipes.com – It's a busy time of year for celebrations as family and friends gather for events such as graduations and wedding showers. At this site, you'll find lots of delicious and distinctive cupcake recipes to serve, along with photos for decorating inspiration.

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Short Tutorial – Managing Your Facebook News Feed By Moving Friends To An "Acquaintances" List

We all have some Facebook friends that we barely know and never interact with but we don't want to unfriend them. We just don't want to see their constant stream of posts. Thankfully, Facebook has developed a tool to make it easier to classify these people as acquaintances so you'll see fewer of their posts in your News Feed. Facebook will even suggest which people you might want to place in your "Acquaintances" list. To use this tool, simply follow the steps below.

1. Log in to your Facebook account.
   
   
2. Go to your Friends page.
   
   
3. Select the "Acquaintances" list and click "See All Suggestions."
   
   
4. Facebook will point out the individuals with which you haven't interacted much lately, and allow you to add them to the appropriate list with a click. You'll then see fewer of those individuals' posts in your News Feed.

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We hope you found this newsletter to be informative. It's our way of keeping you posted on the happenings here. If, however, you'd prefer not to receive these bulletins, click here.

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

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