Here’s what’s inside our January 2016 Newsletter:
SCAM ALERT – MYSTERY SHOPPER SCAMS
GO PINTEREST-ING! – COOL STUFF TO PIN ON YOUR PINTEREST BOARDS
FREE FEATURED APPS – THESE THREE ARE WELL WORTH A LOOK
SITES OF THE MONTH – GREAT SITES TO CHECK OUT IN JANUARY
TWO TO VIEW – A COUPLE OF AMAZING VIDEOS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS
SHORT TUTORIAL/FAQ – HOW CAN I GET RID OF FACEBOOK ADS?
The Gulfcoast Networking Team
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SCAM ALERT – MYSTERY SHOPPER SCAMS
Believe it or not, getting paid to shop is a legitimate way to make money. “Mystery shopping” involves going under cover as a typical consumer to help stores learn more about their customers’ experiences. Mystery shoppers are usually reimbursed for their purchases, and often given a small payment. There is even a company called Secret Shopper that facilitates this service for businesses.
The problem comes in when scammers pretend to be a legitimate provider of secret shoppers to take advantage of people who want to pursue this line of work. They use email and newspaper ads to lure victims, then give them an initial “assignment” of checking out a money wiring service. They send a check, which the “shopper” is instructed to deposit into a bank account, then wire part of it back. Of course, the check is bad so the victim is left in the position of having to pay the bank for the missing funds.
If you’re interested in becoming a mystery shopper, follow these suggestions to avoid this scam:
~Legitimate mystery shopper requests appear online for free so don’t respond to newspaper want ads or emails promoting these positions.
~Never pay a fee or wire money to an unknown source.
~Mystery shopping doesn’t require certification so don’t be fooled into paying for it.
There are resources available if you do become a victim: Contact your local police department, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state’s Attorney General.
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Looking to start the year out with something new? Drop by and talk to us. If we don’t have it, we can most likely get it or aim you toward the best bargains out there.
2016 will continue our emphasis on becoming more proactive and less reactive.
For our business clients, this means more emphasis on becoming our clients’ IT department and fully managing things so that our clients can avoid crises. We offer a complete managed IT solution and our goal for 2016 is to convince more of our business clients that being proactive is less expensive than asking us to respond to a crisis after their business grinds to a halt because of something that could have been prevented.
For our consumer clients, this means that we are going to encourage you to consider one of our Safe Computing Packages. It is the same idea, but in an affordable package designed for individuals.
We want to be the folks you call when you have a question about that phone call you got from “Microsoft” or somewhere else telling you that your computer has problems. We want to be able to keep the con artists from being about to take advantage of you.
We want to be the folks you depend on to keep your computer running smoothly and that you come to at the first hint of a problem rather than waiting until things break completely.
Look for more security notices and helpful hits to go out to our email list in 2016. If you aren’t on our email list, be sure to sign up here.
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GO PINTEREST-ING! – COOL STUFF TO PIN ON YOUR PINTEREST BOARDS
Creamy Hot Cocoa With Cute Snowflakes
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/291537775858253254/
Snow Angel Cupcakes Are A Holiday Treat
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/291537775858253299/
Beautify On A Budget With DIY Wall Décor
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/291537775858253413/
You haven’t started pinning on Pinterest yet and you want to get started?
To sign up, go here https://pinterest.com/join/signup/
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FREE FEATURED APPS – THESE THREE ARE WELL WORTH A LOOK
PlayerFM
With PlayerFM, you can find, subscribe to, and play podcasts with an easy interface. Use the “Play Later” feature to save episodes for later listening.
Learn More Here: https://player.fm/
GrubHub
Just when you thought getting food delivered couldn’t be any easier, there’s GrubHub. Find your favorite places, order, and pay — all through the app.
Learn More Here: https://www.grubhub.com/
Finding Rover
Like insurance for lost dogs, Finding Rover allows you to enter your buddy’s photo into a database for easy identification in case he gets lost.
Learn More Here: https://player.fm/
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West Pasco Chamber of Commerce Business Development Week
http://www.westpasco.com/pdf/BDW%20Brochure-Web.pdf
A full week of presentations designed to help local business owners step it up to the next level. Most of the programs are free. (Meal events have a charge.)
Dream Home Giveaway
http://hgtv.com/design/hgtv-dream-home
Here’s your chance to win not only your dream home, but also complete furnishings, a new car, and $250,000 in cash! Just enter the HGTV Dream Home 2016 sweepstakes before February 18. Meanwhile, you can browse photos of this Florida paradise, check out videos, and vote for your favorite space
Expand Your Knowledge With Bite-Sized Courses
http://gohighbrow.com/
If one of your New Year’s resolutions is to broaden your knowledge of the world, this site offers an easy way to do it. You sign up to get free content emailed to you each morning that can be digested in just five minutes. Choose from 62 courses across 10 different categories including art, health, history, science, and more.
Restaurant Copycat Recipes
http://food.com/package/copycat-recipes?pn=5
Craving some of your usual restaurant picks but don’t want to go out to get them? This site features user-submitted recipes for many classic favorites. Brew up some Dunkin’ Donuts Iced Coffee, prepare Red Lobster Shrimp Scampi, or create Denny’s-style French Toast. Complete with directions, reviews, and nutrition information.
Clever Ideas For Repurposed Storage
http://bobvila.com/slideshow/get-organized-25-clever-ideas-for-repurposed-storage-5752#.VmdX2mSrRhF
>From lunchbox-turned-electronics-organizer to dishrack-turned-file-holder, this slideshow gives you 25 great suggestions for using old storage items in new ways. Looking for a way to round up art supplies? Look no further than an unused cake tray. Want a unique wall shelf? Try an old suitcase.
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TWO TO VIEW – A COUPLE OF AMAZING VIDEOS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS
https://youtu.be/7eII9h5Ear8
Lighting Up The Slopes
You’ve never seen night skiing like this! Suits of LED bulbs and beautiful colored lights on the mountain make the skiers’ decent something to behold.
Firefighter Rescues Kitten
Prepare yourself by getting out the tissues before watching this heartwarming video of a firefighter saving a kitten from a burned house.
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SHORT TUTORIAL/FAQ – HOW CAN I GET RID OF FACEBOOK ADS?
Question: The ads on Facebook are really annoying, and there are so many of them. Is there a way to eliminate them?
Answer: The reason Facebook is free to users is that the company makes money by selling ads. As much fun as Facebook is, remember that its true customers are its advertisers, and the product they’re buying is your attention. So, Facebook would be doing a disservice to its customers if it removed all ads. However, you can reduce the number of ads you see and make them less annoying. Here’s how:
~When you see an ad, move your mouse pointer to the upper-right corner and click on the “X.” Then you’ll see some options for how you want Facebook to treat similar ads in the future. Pick the one that makes the most sense for you. You can use a similar method for sponsored posts in your news feed – in this case, you’ll see a down-arrow in the upper-right corner.
~Many Facebook ads are customized for your interests based on your online browsing behavior. (This is why you might notice ads for that cute scarf you were looking at on Amazon right after you viewed the item.) Tools on the Digital Advertising Alliance Consumer Choice Page allow you to learn which companies use this method and opt out from them.
~Facebook gives you an option to adjust your ad preferences within its settings. To access these options, go to your home page and click the down arrow in the upper-right corner of your screen. Select “Settings.” In the left-hand column, choose “Ads,” then make your selections from there.
If all else fails, consider trying a browser extension like Facebook Ad Block, which claims to remove all ads from your Facebook page.
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We hope you found this newsletter to be informative. It’s our way of keeping
you posted on the happenings at our shop.
Thanks for your business!
Best regards,
Rob Marlowe, Senior Geek
Gulfcoast Networking
6335 Grand Blvd
New Port Richey, FL 34652
727-847-2424
(We have used our best efforts in collecting and preparing the information published
herein. However, we do not assume, and hereby disclaim, any and all liability
for any loss or damage caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors
or omissions resulted from negligence, accident, or other causes.)
©2016 Gulfcoast Networking, Inc
Portions ©2016 Cornerstone Publishing Group, Inc., used with permission