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With summer in full swing, it’s time to break out the hats and sunscreen to prepare ourselves for scorching temperatures. And make sure you don't forget your favorite tech devices… they need protection from the heat too!
The summer heat can cause damage to your mobile devices when left out in the sun. Don't worry! Your favorite tech expert is here to drop some knowledge and help you prevent your smart devices from melting down. Check out these quick and easy tips to help keep your devices cooler in the summer heat. 1. Know the "safe range" for temperatures. Most tech devices are good to go in temperatures of 50° to 90°. Anything warmer than this is asking for trouble. Laptop, smartphone, and tablet batteries are notoriously not heat-friendly and the components of your delicate hard drive or internal storage might expand—sometimes causing permanent damage which puts you at risk of losing documents, photos, and music stored on your devices. 2. NEVER leave your tech devices in a hot car. Treat your tech like a baby and don't ever leave it in a warm car—not even in the trunk. The temperatures in your car on a warm day are almost always going to reach outside the safe range of your device. If you must leave your tech in a car, make sure it's been turned off completely. 3. Avoid high humidity. Many laptops, tablets, and smartphones can experience electrical problems when the humidity is very high. Don't work outside with your device on days like this, or you could fry it. 4. Stay out of direct sun, if you can. Yes, heat usually comes with lots of direct sunlight. We've heard all the urban legends about your device's screen becoming damaged from sun exposure, but we can't find anything to support it. Either way, it's better to be safe than sorry. 5. Don't put your devices on ice if they start to overheat. If your smartphone, tablet, or laptop starts to show signs of overheating, place it under the shade to gradually cool off. Remember, do not put your device in the refrigerator or freezer; the rapid temperature change can cause condensation buildup that could damage the circuit. I hope you can use these tips to help you stay safe when you're using your devices this summer. If you need further assistance, please reach out to me with any questions you might have. I am always happy to help! Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@burtonkelso.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts organization can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829. Summer road trip season officially started on Memorial Day weekend, but you are bound to take a trip throughout the summer months for family vacations, college visits, weddings, and romantic getaways. Vacations can be fun but traveling can put you and your family at risk for identity theft and credit card scams.
Fortunately, in our digital age, your smartphone can play a big role in helping protect you from the dangers of cybercrime when you travel. Want to keep you and your family safe? Check out these quick and easy tips to keep you out of the crosshairs of criminals 1. Pay for everything with your smartphone. Apple Pay and Samsung Pay are two of the most secure ways to make payments. For the gas pump, you can avoid credit card skimmers designed to steal your credit card information. For shopping, your information is encrypted meaning criminals won't be able to wirelessly steal your card information. If you don't have Apple Pay or Samsung Pay, your debit/credit card should allow you to tap to pay at most major retailers. Use it and stay safe. 2. Use the hotel app to unlock your room. If you're staying at a major hotel this summer, download their app and enable the feature that will let you store your room key on your phone. Room keys are easy to lose and steal. If a criminal steals your card and knows your room number, you are in trouble. Room keys stored on your phone are safer. One less thing to worry about. 3. Use a Wi-Fi hot spot rather than that free wireless network. Not all free wireless networks are bad, but when traveling you never want to take a chance that that free Wi-Fi is actually a criminal's computer collecting your data. If at all possible, use a Wi-Fi hotspot for the Internet when traveling as it allows a secure connection that criminals won't be able to spy on. 4. If you HAVE to use free Wi-Fi, download a VPN. Your cellular signal won't be available everywhere you travel and sometimes getting Internet is a must. A VPN or virtual private network creates a secure tunnel for your data when you're on public wireless networks which means the bad guys can't see what you're doing. 5. No public computers. Public computers pose no threat, but what if you forget to log out of your secure accounts. It means the next person who uses it has access to your sensitive data. 6. Emergency apps and Road Assistance apps are a must. Emergency apps keep you alerted to the weather in your area. Mishaps occur on the road, so you need to be able to contact someone if you're stranded. I hope you can use these tips to help you stay safe when you're traveling. If you need further assistance, please reach out to me with any questions you might have. I am always happy to help! Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@burtonkelso.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Limiting screen time is always a battle, especially in summer. Your kids may have gotten used to increased screen time during the pandemic and will probably push back against you. The battle over smart devices like phones, tablets, gaming systems, and laptops can sometimes feel like too much.
As a parent with two teenage sons, I know the stress of trying to wrangle kids off their devices to have them do chores or even settle down for bedtime. The struggle is real! If left unchecked, too much screen time can lead to sleeplessness, irritability, and depression. No matter what devices your children play on, if you're wanting an easy way to help reduce stress in your life when it comes to allowing reasonable screen time this summer, follow these tips: 1. Make sure you set clear rules and consequences. You probably relaxed on those screen time rules during the pandemic and now that things are almost back to normal, you're having a heck of a time trying to reinstate them. Whenever you introduce your kids to technology, you need to set rules so there is no misunderstanding of how technology is supposed to be used. If you want your kids to do homework or chores before technology use, make sure they understand that upfront. If they are only supposed to play on their devices as opposed to your company laptop, you need to tell them. Sometimes you will sound like a broken record, but you need to keep reminding them what the rules are. Also, don't forget to stand firm with consequences if they don't follow your rules. Don't be afraid to take devices so they understand you mean business. 2. Set a good example as a parent when it comes to your devices. You are probably using your devices for work, but you also have to set a good example when it comes to your technology usage. If your kids see you constantly on your devices, then it sends a signal to them that they should be on them too. Set limits for yourself when using technology around your children. 3. Parents, everyone has to be on board with limiting screen time. Traditional home life, blended home life, or divorced home life, it doesn't matter. Everyone has to be on the same page when it comes to technology usage during the school year and during the summer months. If one parent is using technology as a babysitter and another parent has consistent rules when it comes to device limits, it's just going to cause confusion and frustration with your kids. Please, please, please ... I'm begging like James Brown, everyone get on board so you can have less stress. 4. Take devices away at night. There is no good reason children should have tech devices at night. This means you've enabled parental controls to shut those devices down after a certain time. It means you're not allowing your children to take devices to bed with them. If you don't, you will wake up to a sleep-deprived child who decided they needed to have an all-night marathon playing their favorite game with strangers, some of whom could be attempting to groom your child for a face-to-face meeting. 5. Make sure you set up other outdoor 'distractions' that will take them away from their devices. Things have opened back up again. Take your kids out of the house and leave those devices behind. Day trips, picnics, the list is endless of things you and your kids can do 6. Setup a 'No Tech' Zone for your kids. My wife always shares a story of an event that took place years ago when I made kids visiting stack their phones on the dining room table as we ate. You should do the same when it comes to areas of your home. Your child doesn't need a device in every room. They get too distracted. Areas you could make no tech zones include bedrooms, dining rooms, and even outdoors and road trips. This helps your children realize they don't need to have a device with them for every step they take in life. I hope you can use these tips to help you limit screen time for those kids in your life. Technology devices are designed to keep you and your children plugged in 24/7. If you need further assistance, please reach out to me with any questions you might have. I am always happy to help! Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@burtonkelso.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. There are many cyber threats on the Internet such as phishing schemes, credential stuffing, crypto-jacking, and cloud hacking, but nothing is as dangerous as having your computer, or smartphone infected with a virus. Devices unfortunately do many things that can make you think you have a virus on your devices such as failure to start, a slow device, or unknown error messages that appear out of nowhere.
Most viruses make themselves known once they are infecting your gadgets, but some lurk under the surface of your devices. Check out these quick and easy tips to help you locate and remove viruses on your personal devices. 1. Your devices begin to restart themselves. Devices will restart themselves when you haven't installed a critical update. If this happens, will get a notification, sometimes you won't, and that's okay. There are occasions when a random glitch will cause your devices to restart and sometimes your devices will restart because a criminal has access to them. They will restart your device suddenly to get malicious software to finish installing on your devices. If this happens, you need to shut your devices down immediately and have your favorite tech come to check your devices for infection. 2. Random Error Messages Appear. Most tech devices automatically take care of themselves and stay fairly problem-free so it's rare your devices will display error messages saying that you need to update drivers, or that there is a breach of your IP address. These are messages that appear from malicious software installed on your gadgets or the result of your browser being hijacked as a result of drive-by hacking. Sometimes a simple reboot of your device is all you need to do to remove these bogus messages. You can also attempt to find the malicious program and remove it from your device. 3. You fall for a tech support scam. If you fall victim to a tech support scam in which a crook wants to gain access to devices to help 'solve' a problem, there's a good chance they have installed software to log into your gadgets whenever it suits them to steal valuable information. Again, look to see if there are any unknown programs installed on your devices. If you find any that you are not familiar with, remove them immediately. 4. You can no longer access files on your devices. When you suddenly can't access documents, videos, and pictures on your gadgets, it's a good bet that your devices have been infected with ransomware. Ransomware is one of the worse forms of viruses on the web. This malicious program will lock or encrypt your files so you can no longer access them. It also could be a variety of Wiper viruses that will just wipe your device clean. If your devices get hit with ransomware or wiper, your only option is to restore your files from backup. 5. Your devices are running hotter than usual. If your devices are running hotter than usual, it's a good sign that someone has installed crypto-jacking software on your devices. Crooks who are looking to mine cryptocurrency will take over computers, tablets, smartphones, and sometimes gaming systems to use the power from those devices to generate more processing power to mine more crypto. If your device won't stay cool or shuts down because of overheating, someone is using your device to mine for crypto. If this happens, you will have to find the mining software running in the background and disable it. 99% of the cyber attacks that happen to your devices require user interaction. This means in most instances you will need to click on a link to open a door for a hacker to gain access to your gadgets or fall for a scheme that tricks you into allowing someone to gain access to your computer, laptop, smartphone, or tablet. In many instances, you can fix these issues by rebooting your Windows, macOS, Android, and iOS to see if your device works better. If you can't access files, this trick won't work, only restoring from the backup will. Also, running a scan with your anti-virus program might find the offending program. If not, you will have to call in the big guns in the form of your IT professional to help you with this. Cyberattacks are here to stay as we rely on our devices for work, school, and our personal lives. You should always stay vigilant to any threats that involve your devices. I hope you can use these tips to help you find out if your gadgets are infected with viruses. If you need further assistance, please reach out to me with any questions you might have. I am always happy to help! If you have Internet at your home or office, you know you need to have a modem and router to allow your devices to connect to the web. There are two options with your modem and router. First, you can just lease the equipment from your cable provider. Your other option is to purchase your own equipment to use. Of course, there is a one-time purchase, but once you buy it it's yours forever. There are many schools of thought when it comes to leasing your Internet equipment vs buying it outright. What should you do? Well, check out these tips and suggestions to help you make the right choice for your home or business.
If you think about it, purchasing a modem and router makes for a good investment because leasing equipment can add up pretty quickly. The monthly fee for leasing from your Internet provider can run anywhere from $8 to $12 dollars and while that sounds cheap, think of how much money you will spend if you multiply that amount by 12 or 24 months. There are probably some of you reading this not realizing you are leasing your equipment. Well, you are. To be double sure, check out your latest internet bill and verify there is an equipment or modem fee. Not sure how much you're paying, check out the current list of rental prices from the popular Internet providers: AT&T: $10 a month CenturyLink: $15 a month Comcast Xfinity: $14 a month Cox: $12 a month Google Fiber: Free Optimum/Suddenlink: $10 a month Charter Spectrum and Frontier offer free modems, but they charge extra for the router. Another thing that makes owning a modem and router attractive is when you end your service with one provider, you can keep your equipment and use it with your new provider. If you decide to purchase a modem and router, you have many to choose from with brands including Arris, Netgear, Motorola, Netgear, Cisco-Linksys, TP-Link, and Belkin. Before purchasing one, you'll need to check with your Internet Service Company to make sure the brand and model work with your provider. Modems can range in price from $75 or more. You might be tempted to purchase the most expensive one, especially if you want to fix wifi dead zones in your home, but stay within your budget and if you have wifi dead zones go with a Mesh Wi-Fi setup. So what do I think? Well, you need to keep leasing that modem from your Internet provider? Why? It all boils down to the support you will get from your ISP. If you're a tech-savvy person, then it won't be a problem setting up a modem and router. If you're not tech-savvy, then you will probably hang yourself in the basement trying to deal with tech support attempting to walk you through setting up your third-party devices. When you have problems with your Internet, and I know you have been down that road, you will actually get less support if you purchased a third-party modem/router to work with your Internet providers. When it comes to support from your Internet company, the only things they care about are if there is an Internet signal making its way to your home or business and if their equipment is receiving it. If you have your own equipment, they will not troubleshoot any issues you are having and will refer you to the company that manufactured the modem/router. In a lot of instances, the manufacturer will send you right back to your Internet company. See where this is headed? A merry-go-round of support! You understand that technology is constantly changing and so does Internet technology ... like every 3-5 years. Internet companies are always boosting speeds and changing tech to make sure you get the best speeds possible. If you have purchased a modem, this means you're purchasing new equipment every few years. If you are leasing equipment from your provider, you just need to walk into the store and swap it out for a newer one. This process happens if you have problems with your leased modem. Walk in the store and swap it out. Remember, if you're leasing it's their equipment and they have to support it. I hope you can use these tips to figure out if you should purchase your own modem or lease equipment from your Internet provider. If you need further assistance, please reach out to me with any questions you might have. I am always happy to help! Since the pandemic started in 2020, there have been a record-breaking number of data hacks. While there have been a few instances of insider cyber theft and good old fashion data breaches, many of the cyber thefts that have occurred can be traced to the dark web.
The dark web is the underbelly of the internet where a lot of criminal activity like human trafficking, drug dealing, and the exchange of your personal data takes place. How does your information wind up on the Dark Web? Well, check out these quick tips that will help you find out how your information winds up there and what you can do to protect yourself. The dark web has been around and has stayed under the radar for quite a while. If you want to picture where the dark web fits in in the grand scheme of the internet, think of the structure of an iceberg. Most of you are only familiar with what I will call the Surface Web. Like the tip of an iceberg, it's the portion that's visible. Sites like your email, streaming services, cloud services, and your favorite websites exist there. Believe it or not, your popular sites only take up about 4% of the Internet. Beneath the waves are the deep web and the dark web. The Deep Web makes up about 90% of the Internet and isn't accessible by the average person. This is where much government, academic, and medical information is stored. At the bottom taking up the remaining 6% of the Internet, is the dark web. Information on the Dark Web isn't indexed but can be accessed by using web browsers like Tor making it easy for any criminal to search and find countless data about you, your family, and friends. How Do Criminals Get My Information from the Dark Web? The primary items that hackers look for on the dark web are called "Fullz". This stands for "full package" and it refers to your personal information. It's a collection of your name, social security number, birth date, banking, and credit card numbers as well as other data that can be used to steal your identity. How Does My Information End Up On the Dark Web? The primary method of your information showing up on the dark web is from large-scale data breaches. Information targeted in those breaches is usually, customer and employee data, your email, phone numbers social security numbers, and more such as classified company data to get access to corporate sites and employees. When criminals get their hands on this information, they either sell it to the highest bidder or they use the information to get access to your online accounts or trick you into giving up your personal information in the form of phishing, vishing, and SMShing scams. What's on the internet and the dark web is there forever, which means once your information has been leaked, there’s virtually nothing that you can do about it. That’s why it’s essential to focus on taking preventative measures to mitigate security threats before there’s a problem. With this in mind, it pays to be proactive using the following methods: 1. Find out what information is lurking on the dark web. The website 'haveibeenpwned' can help you find out if your information was leaked in a large-scale data breach. If you visit the website and find out you have been "pwned", make sure you change your passwords to your online accounts. 2. Password managers can help you monitor as well. Password managers not only help keep track of all those complicated passwords, but they also monitor the dark web to see if any of the passwords you're using have appeared on the dark web. It's useful because criminals don't always act immediately if they get your information. There are password managers such as LastPass and 1Password that will keep track of your stuff, but you can also save your password in your favorite browser such as Edge, Safari, or Chrome. 3. ID Theft software plays a big role in helping you stay safe. If you find yourself in a situation where your information such as social security numbers, addresses, and full names leaked on the dark web, you should make the investment. in ID theft software. When criminals get access to this type of information, it can allow them to take out a loan or open a credit card in your name, receive your tax refund or medical treatment they didn't pay for, and damage your finances, credit score, and reputation. There are a lot of companies like LifeLock that can help guard your identity and finances from scams and hackers, as well as assist you if you have become a victim of identity theft. Ignoring cyberthreats and postponing preventive action is no longer an option. It doesn't matter what your financial situation is; you are being targeted by dark web hackers looking to capitalize on your personal information. I hope you can use these tips to prevent your information from being stolen by hackers. If you need further assistance, please reach out to me with any questions you might have. I am always happy to help! Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829. I travel quite a bit to speak on technology/cyber security and I'm always worried that somebody is watching me with a hidden camera. Call it paranoid or perhaps thinking I'm James Bond when I travel. When you think of hidden cameras, you probably think of the latest spy movies, but because of technology hidden cameras are becoming more common and can be set up by anyone.
These devices can possibly be set up anywhere you stay from your home, rented apartments, hotel rooms, even your office, and that Airbnb you're staying in this spring or summer. In today's Internet-connected world, you never know who might be spying on you and your family. Here are some quick and easy tips to help you find hidden cameras where you're staying as well as other tips to stay safe. I'm by no means a celebrity, but for even the average person you should be worried about Wi-Fi cameras. The good news is that cameras are pretty inexpensive, and they can connect to any Wi-Fi connection which allows anyone who has a smartphone and the camera app to monitor homes and offices. There are property owners who use them to protect from damage or theft which makes Wi-Fi cameras a great thing. On the flip side, you could have an abusive partner a prankster, or an extortionist who will take advantage of this technology. Much like AirTags have been transformed by abusers to track your movements, people will pervert tech to take advantage of you. You might think it's fiction, but a recent survey of Airbnb users showed that 11% of people who have stayed at one have come across a hidden camera. What's even worse, Wi-Fi cameras can be as small as 2 millimeters. How can you detect hidden cameras? Use the old fashion method of physically checking your surroundings. When you stay in a new place put your detective hat on. I always open drawers, look at lamps and paintings just like in the spy movies, and I suggest you do the same any place you stay. Are there holes in the wall? Are there objects pointed at the bed? Strange things in the bathroom that don't belong? If you're looking for that red light identifier of a camera, you won't find it. The purpose of small Wi-Fi cameras is to stay hidden. Use your smartphone. You know you can ditch any special equipment and use your smartphone camera and the built-in flashlight. To use this trick it has to be dark so turn off the lights and close the curtains. Point your smartphone where you think the hidden camera is and you should see a glare on the screen of your smartphone. Sometimes your smartphone won't let you use the flashlight, which means you will have to use a separate flashlight. Also, there are brands of spy cameras that use infrared to record in the dark. If you use your smartphone camera in the dark to find an infrared camera, it should show up as a pulsing dot. What to do if you detect a hidden camera. Truth be told, webcam spying isn't going to occur when you're staying in larger hotel chains. If you find something that looks like a camera, take a photo of it and do an image search to verify it is indeed a camera. If it is indeed a camera, contact the local authorities, the administrator of the place you're staying. Most places have rules against hidden cameras. I know it sounds obvious, but it's best if you leave the property immediately. It's always better to be safe than sorry. I've given you tips to make sure you don't fall victim to a prankster or a landlord who may be filming you without permission. Whenever you're on the road for business or personal, there are more dangers than hidden cameras. Here are some tips to help you stay safe whenever you're in unfamiliar surroundings:
Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us a www.callintegralnow.com In this cyber-crime environment we are currently in ,it’s more important than ever to keep your data safe and to keep a level of privacy while you surf the web. Using a VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a great tool you can use to stay safe online. It creates a tunnel for your Internet, which means criminals and other prying eyes can't see what you are doing when you're online. With so many VPN companies out there, it can be hard for you to choose which one is right for you. Read on to find out how to choose a VPN that will work best for you.
VPNs have been around for a while, but the discussion about VPNs is appearing in mainstream media because they are being used in Russia to get around some of the restrictions the Russian government is placing on its citizens to prevent access to western media. Also, with many companies switching to a remote workforce, VPNs offer remote workers privacy and security as they can work anywhere in the world and keep company information safe. Do You need a VPN? There are many schools of thought of whether you need a VPN and sometimes that depends on your Internet habits. Here are some things to consider.
1. Beware of 'free' VPNs. Free is everyone's favorite price when it comes to online services, but nothing is really free in life and online. If you decide to use a free VPN service you may be bombarded with ads from other companies. Also, free VPN services won't offer robust security and could easily be compromised. The web browser Opera offers a VPN built into it's interface. It's fairly simple to use and is pretty good. However, it does have some weaknesses and should only be used if you want to keep your searches private if you're looking at social media and email. 2. Where your VPN provider is located matters. Kaspersky is an anti-virus company based out of Russia. Although there isn't any proof they are selling your secrets to Russia, in this day and age would you want to take that risk? Same with your VPN provider. These companies have to comply with the rules of their country ... which means their laws can allow them to share your data. 3. Watch those reviews. Yes, product reviews are good in helping you select hardware and software, but in this Amazon and online review age, not all reviews are honest. Some companies pay people to leave reviews. Check multiple websites for VPN reviews and reach out to your favorite tech expert (like me) to find out the right VPN for you. 4. Check out the privacy policy. When you use a VPN, all of your traffic is routed through their servers to help keep your information safe and secure. If you're using your office VPN, that just means the folks in IT can see your information. If you're using VPN services from another company, they can see where you're going. All VPN providers need to keep a log of sites you're visiting, but they aren't supposed to share that information unless the authorities come to see your online activities. No one likes reading the terms of service, but when you're working with a VPN provider that's supposed to keep your information safe, you need to. 5. Will the VPN work with all of your devices. If you're like me, you work off multiple devices. I'm writing this article from a MacBook Air, but next month I could write my blog post from my Dell 2-1 laptop, my MacBook Mini, or my Dell desktop. You get the picture. Most VPNs support Windows, Mac, Android, Linux, and iOS, but not all of them do. Check to see see how many devices you can connect to at once. Some VPNs allow unlimited devices, while others only let you connect a limited number. 6. Get good customer service. Look for a VPN with reliable 24/7 customer service. VPN service is reliable, but you know that tech challenges appear from time to time so work with a company that will get back to you in a short amount of time. If your head is spinning after reading all of this information, check out my favorites for VPN services.
Although the internet has made your life easier, there are definitely risks involved in surfing the web. There are many threats you face daily, such as spam emails, hijacked websites, and compromised social media accounts which can cause identity theft and a loss of money.
With all of the dangers on the internet, you're probably wondering if now is the time to invest in cyber insurance. Depending on your situation and risks, it could be a good idea to look into it. Check out this post to see if you need to get cyber insurance for yourself and your family. What is cyber insurance? Cyber insurance, also known as cybersecurity insurance, has been around since 2017 was first created to cover the millions of dollars of damage companies suffer due to hacks and data breaches. Not long after, cyber insurance was created for individuals. Most cyber insurance policies will cover damages and expenses related to cybercrime, including:
Your policy could also cover the expense of recovering from ID theft or the loss of data that could occur in a data breach. There are so many different cyber threats that it’s impossible to list them all here, but most cyber threats should be covered under a fully-featured personal cyber insurance policy. How does cyber insurance work? Most insurance providers offer personal cyber coverage as an addition to your homeowner's or renters' policy. You can also purchase it as a stand-alone policy. There are limits to cyber insurance. Many policies will only cover a total amount of damages per year and there is a limit to the number of damages that are covered for a particular event. For example, you may only get $30,000 for ID theft. Finally, there is a deductible you will need to pay for out of pocket. Why would you consider cyber insurance? According to the Pew Research Center, nearly two-thirds of Americans have been exposed to data theft. If you've been under attack by online thieves, you understand the expense that is involved in recovering from a cyber-attack. It can take countless hours and thousands of dollars trying to re-establish your credit rating and reissue official documents such as social security numbers and your driver's license. Also, if you have tweens and teens, the risk of cybercrime increases as there are many social media and gaming sites they visit on a daily basis that can expose your family to dangerous threats. Also, your children are more likely to fall for phishing, vishing, or smishing scheme. Stopping cyberattacks is always your best bet. Cyber insurance offers some good protection but isn't enough to keep you and your family protected. 99% of cybercrime requires user interaction which means as long as you don't click on strange links in emails, text messages and stop sharing your personal information on social media and those weird phone calls that come in, you will stay safe from most threats. If you follow these six simple tips, you can avoid the vast majority of cyber threats:
Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Tax season is in full swing which means scammers are on the lookout for you, your tax information, and your refund. When you file your taxes online, it allows you to quickly get your taxes completed and the fast track to a quick refund. The downside to when you file online, it puts a big bullseye on your back, making it easier for crooks to track you with tax-related scams.
Want to stay safe? Check out these quick and easy tips to help you avoid criminals and scams this tax season. There are many tax scams that criminals use to trick you. Check out these scams and tips to avoid them: 1. IRS phishing scams. IRS scams occur constantly and are one of the many forms of a phishing scam. IRS scams are so prevalent that the IRS is in the process of considering having tax preparers upload a headshot to decrease scams. With an IRS scam, you will receive an “urgent alert” via email or phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS. There are many tactics they use to trick you such as: You owe a large amount of money; You’re due a large sum of lottery money, tax refund, or inheritance; The IRS needs you to update your online profile. In all of these cases look for generic greetings (instead of your name), poor grammar or typos, and conflicting web addresses. The IRS doesn’t initiate contact with you via email, text, or social media. They will never email you regarding any amount owed, or due. They will contact you via the U.S. Postal Service. 2. Social media tax scams. If you're like most people on social media, you're sharing a lot of personal details that scammers can use to take advantage of you. Criminals can use your personal information to get secure details about your life which can lead them to the dark web to see if your social security number or other information is there. 3. Fraudulent tax returns filed in your name. Tax-related identity theft happens when criminals steal your personal information, which can include your Social Security number, address, birth date, and other information, and use it to file an income tax return in your name. The sole purpose of this is so that crooks can steal your tax return. Have you had this happen? Check out the following signs: The IRS notifies you that an online account has been created in your name at IRS.gov and you know that you never signed up for such an account. You file your taxes by mail. The IRS then sends you a letter stating that a tax return has already been filed with your Social Security number. You try to file your return online only to have the IRS reject it, saying that a tax return connected to your Social Security number has already been filed. 4. W-2 phishing scams. In a W-2 phishing campaign, criminals pose as someone high up your company or organization. Then they send emails to you and other people in your organization asking for copies of W-2 forms, which include all the personal information you need to file a tax return. Sometimes these scams can occur if you accidentally send your W-2 via email and a criminal gets access to it. Don’t respond to emails, calls, or texts asking for your information. Never send W-2 or other tax information electronically without first verifying with your boss in person or on the phone that they actually sent the request in the first place. While it might seem like a hassle, it’s worth it to spend a few minutes verifying than spend years trying to undo any damage. More Tips to Stay Safe: The IRS will not call you demanding immediate payment through a prepaid debit card, gift card, or wire transfer. If you do owe the IRS money, they will first mail you a bill, and you will never pay the IRS through prepaid debit cards, gift cards, or wire transfers. Scammers like to use these forms of payment because they are difficult to track. The IRS will never threaten to have you arrested. The IRS will never demand payment without allowing you to question or appeal what you owe. The IRS will never ask you to give them your credit or debit card numbers over the phone. The IRS will never suddenly call you about an unexpected refund for you. Avoid falling prey to IRS scams by keeping your information and identity safe. Watch what you share on social media, avoid sharing your phone number with unknown people and keep your email private. Want to ask me a tech question? Send it to burton@callintegralnow.com. I love technology. I've read all of the manuals and I'm serious about making technology fun and easy to use for everyone. Need computer or technology help? If you need on-site or remote tech support for your Windows\Macintosh, computers, laptops, Android/Apple smartphone, tablets, printers, routers, smart home devices, and anything that connects to the Internet, please feel free to contact my team at Integral. Our team of friendly tech experts can help you with any IT needs you might have. Reach out to us at www.callintegralnow.com or phone at 888.256.0829. |
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