Some essential WordPress plugins for SEO reach.

Some essential WordPress plugins for SEO reach.

Can Virtual CIOs be the solution businesses seeking? IT Services

Can Virtual CIOs be the solution businesses seeking?

Technologies that every small business must have.

Technologies that every small business must have.

Top 10 Facts about Comprehensive IT Assessments

Top 10 Facts about Comprehensive IT Assessments

High Responsive IT Solutions for your Small and Medium Business

High Responsive IT Solutions for your Small and Medium Business

Managing your finances with these four automation ideas

Managing your finances with these four automation ideas

Computer Virus

Computer Virus

Virus Protection

Virus Protection

Should you build your own PC?

Should you build your own PC?

Email Spam

Email Spam

Email Scams

by Wisideeple1939 on / IT

Every time you open your email program chances are you’ll find a message that contains an email scam. When you think of the word scam you might automatically think of a criminal trying to steal your money. Email scams, either directly or indirectly, are designed to cheat you out of your money one way or another.

Email scams can come in all shapes and sizes. This article will provide some examples of the types of email scams you might find on the internet today.

Employment Scams

One of the more popular types of email scam you might encounter is the employment scams, usually dealing with foreign or overseas employment. These scams are often targeted towards people in Asian and other countries with high unemployment rates. There are a few ways in which the unsuspecting recipient could be scammed:

  • An offer of guaranteed employment within a certain period of time, for a fee.
  • The criminal claims to be working on behalf of a real company overseas. After a telephone interview or a face to face interview, the victim is told they got the job but need to pay a certain amount of money to cover administrative fees, work permits, visas and so on.

Get Rich Quick Scams

These are emails that offer the recipient a chance to earn money effortlessly and quickly. An example of this type of scam would be the Advance Fee Fraud, also known as the “Nigerian 419” scam. In these scams, you get an email from a government “official” asking for your assistance in transferring money from a bank in their country to another one. The victim is asked to provide letterhead and other information from their current bank (including bank account numbers) to expedite the transaction. Of course, there is no money coming from that foreign government. The only money changing hands is the money the criminals take from your bank account.

Other examples of getting rich quick email scams include:

  • The Foreign Cashier’s Check Scam
  • Work at Home scams
  • Investment opportunity scams
  • Foreign lottery scams

Credit Card / Loan Scams

The victim receives an email stating they’ve been pre-approved for a credit card or a personal loan. The victim is asked to pay a fee to guarantee the loan or credit card. The criminal keeps the money, and the victim receives nothing.

Credit Repair Scams

An email is sent out that guarantees the recipient can “fix” their bad credit or bankruptcy for a fee. No company can fix someone’s credit – it’s just the con artists preying on the desperate yet again.

Product Scams

Whether it’s herbal male enhancement pills or weight loss drugs, the products sent out don’t live up to the claims made in the original email messages. The victims are just throwing away good money on products that don’t work.

Protect Yourself from Email Scams

Don’t respond to unsolicited emails you receive that promise you a windfall. Chances are they are a scam or a Phishing email. Be skeptical of any claims made in these emails you receive. You can always go to your favorite search engine to determine the legitimacy of the email.

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Webroot Desktop Firewall

by Wisideeple1939 on / IT

The term firewall is used quite a bit when talking about computer security. What exactly is a firewall, and do you as a personal computer user really need one?

A firewall creates a barrier that controls communication between your computer and the internet. It can be either hardware based or software based. A hardware-based firewall is built directly into a piece of computer hardware or an accessory such as a router. A software-based firewall is installed on your computer. Click here to try Webroot’s Desktop Firewall, a software-based firewall for free.

A personal firewall is important for security

A personal firewall will protect your computer from being hijacked by someone else. Webroot’s Desktop Firewall provides protection in two ways:

  • First, Webroot’s Desktop Firewall block unauthorized access to your computer. If you have a high-speed DSL or Cable connection your computer is at greater risk. It’s important to realize your computer is vulnerable to certain kinds of attacks even if your email program and internet browser are closed.
  • Second, Webroot’s Desktop Firewall lets your computer run in “Stealth Mode” while you’re surfing the internet. What this means is your computer is invisible or hidden from attackers while you’re on the internet. The Internet Storm Center reports that the typical computer (one without a personal firewall) will come under attack within 20 minutes of hitting the internet.

Doesn’t my computer have a firewall built in?

Windows do have a firewall program that comes along with it, and yes it does provide you with protection against incoming traffic. It does not provide protection against outgoing traffic. If your computer does become infected with a virus, worm or keylogger, information can be transmitted from your computer. Webroot’s Desktop Firewall provides protection against both incoming and outgoing communication.

A personal firewall is an important component of your computer’s security. Along with a good anti-virus and anti-spyware program, a personal firewall such as Webroot’s Desktop Firewall will give you peace of mind while you’re on the internet. Click here for a free, fully functional trial of Webroot’s Desktop Firewall.

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Registry Cleaner

by Wisideeple1939 on / IT

If your computer starts to run less efficiently over time, one of the reasons could be Windows Registry errors. Some versions of Microsoft Windows, such as Windows 95, 98, 98 SE, ME, and NT/2000, use a database called the Windows Registry to store settings and options. The registry contains settings and information for all of the preferences, users, software, and hardware for your computer. All changes made to installed software, file associations and Control Panel settings are stored in the Windows Registry. For your computer to work at maximum efficiency, using a registry cleaner such as Registry Mechanic on a regular basis is essential. Registry Mechanic cleans your Windows Registry and helps return your PC to, and keep it at, the optimum performance it experienced when it was new.

Windows Registry errors occur when entries in the registry become corrupted, abandoned, or are simply no longer correct. People who use their PC often and for a variety of reasons are apt to be installing and uninstalling applications regularly, and keys can become invalidated. A registry key is used to store a setting for a specific application. As files are switched or moved around, new registry keys are stored in the Windows Registry – but the old or invalid keys are still there. Eventually the Windows Registry becomes bogged down with keys, and it takes your PC longer to sort through the invalid registry keys and find the valid ones – hence the slowing down of your entire system. This can be likened to you saving all of the old papers and memos that you use at work and keeping them in the same pile as the newer and more relevant paperwork. The bigger the pile gets, the more papers you have to search through to find the right ones, and the more time it takes to find them.

If Windows Registry errors are not addressed, it can affect more than just the speed at which your computer performs. Eventually your computer will suffer stalls and begin experiencing crashes on a regular basis. Important files can be lost or corrupted due to this, further compounding the problem. Jumping in and trying to fix your Windows Registry manually is not recommended, since it is a fragile system, and even one incorrect change made to the registry can result in your computer being rendered inoperable. At that point your only remaining option might be to have the operating system restored along with any other applications that you might have installed which can be extremely costly.

A good registry cleaner works by detecting the data in your Windows Registry that is obsolete or invalid. Although the registry cleaner will not automatically remove files, as this could be potentially damaging to your PC, it will remove invalid Windows Registry entries. A good registry cleaner will scan your computer, set possible invalid or corrupt keys into a separate file, and alert you of what it found. It can help you clean your Windows Registry of files and entries that are no longer needed and even help you decide which ones can safely be deleted.

Cleaning up your Windows Registry errors is a tricky issue, and an efficient Windows Registry cleaner can take you through it step by step so that no mistakes are made.Registry Mechanic is a trustworthy Windows Registry cleaner that can make the process of cleaning your registry worry-free, and help your computer return to a healthy and efficient state of operation. For many people, their computers are an important part of their work and/or their communication with friends and family, as well as an essential source of information and information storage. Having a computer that meets your needs in a timely and efficient manner is important, and Registry Mechanic can make sure that your computer is working properly whenever you use it.

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Webroot Window Washer

by Wisideeple1939 on / IT

Window Washer is a software program that protects your privacy by “washing away” traces of your online and offline activity on your computer. It also works as a system optimizer, improving your computer’s performance by removing unnecessary and/or unwanted information from your computer.

There are two reasons you need Window Washer:

  1. Window Washer improves the performance of your computer.
  2. Window Washer protects your privacy.

Click here to get Window Washer for your PC.

Improved System Performance
When you use Microsoft Windows, there are files stored on your computer that you don’t even know exist. While these files are not harmful, they do take up valuable space on your hard drive. Webroot Window Washer will delete any files that you don’t need. This in turn will make your PC run faster both on and off the internet.

Privacy Protection
When you surf the internet, information is left behind about where you’ve been. A list of recently viewed websites remains in your internet browser, and sometimes websites will leave cookies on your PC. Window Washer will clean away this information so no one can find out what you do or where you’ve been on the net.
When you work offline, a list of recently viewed or modified documents will appear in your start menu. Window Washer prevents a document from being stored in this menu.

Privacy protection becomes especially important when you share a computer with someone, or if other people have access to your computer. If someone gains access to your PC they will not be able to see where you’ve been on the internet, or what documents you’ve worked on recently.

Window Washer is Easy to Use
Window Washer is easy to use. You don’t need a lot of technical knowledge to install or configure the program. The interface is very user-friendly and simple. You can schedule an automatic wash session based on your individual needs. You can have Window Washer clean your PC every time you start Windows, every time you close your internet browser, or even at time intervals of every 15 minutes if you want.

There are several tools that every computer user needs to protect themselves and their privacy. You need a good anti-virus program, a good anti-spyware program, and a good internet privacy / system cleaner program like Webroot Window Washer. Click here to download it now.

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Internet Optimizer Programs

by Wisideeple1939 on / IT

Optimize your internet connection today with an Internet Optimizer. You can increase your internet speed up to 200%. They are designed to work with all types of internet connections (dial-up, DSL, satellite or cable) and can work with Microsoft Windows 98, NT, XP, ME and 2000.

Many people don’t realize that there are settings on your computer that must be changed in order to obtain the best internet speed possible. Also, be aware that every time you install a Windows update or security patch these settings can be returned to their default values which means slow, non-optimized web surfing. An Internet Optimizer is an easy way to keep your computer settings at their optimal values.

Getting an Internet Optimizer is a great idea for anyone who’s frustrated with their current internet experience. Have you just purchased a new computer? Upgraded to DSL or cable connections? This is an easy way to optimize your internet surfing and even get quicker downloads.

Your Internet Optimizer allows you to optimize your internet bandwidth so you can get every bit of speed that is available out of your internet provider. Your computer will be set up to allow you to get the best performance out of your existing hardware. Web pages load faster and download complete quicker. Tweak your DSL connection, cable connection, satellite connection or dial-up connection so your internet experience will be fast and easy. You’ll have the tool you need to keep your internet surfing at its peak. Use SpeedUpMyPC 2.0 to optimize your internet connection.

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