Here’s what’s inside our July 2016 Newsletter:
SECURITY ALERT – FAKE SURVEYS ON FACEBOOK
GO PINTEREST-ING! – COOL STUFF TO PIN ON YOUR PINTEREST BOARDS
FREE FEATURED APPS – THESE THREE ARE WELL WORTH A LOOK
TWO TO VIEW – A COUPLE OF AMAZING VIDEOS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS
SHORT TUTORIAL/FAQ – HOW CAN I INCREASE THE SIZE OF TEXT ON A WEBSITE?
The Gulfcoast Networking Team
SECURITY ALERT – FAKE SURVEYS ON FACEBOOK
There are many Facebook scams that continue to make the rounds, and the “survey scam” is one of them. Here’s how it works: Scammers hook you by getting you to click on a link to something they think you’ll want. Typical ruses include celebrity gossip (“Have you seen what Justin Bieber did now — OMG!”), offers for free items (“Win a FREE iPad!”), or nonexistent Facebook features (“See who’s looking for you on Facebook!”).
When you click the link, you’re taken to a page requesting that you Like it and write a comment. This way, your Facebook friends will see it, too. Then you’re asked to perform various other tasks, such as downloading Facebook applications or completing a survey (hence the name of the scam), which could ask for personal information. It may come as no surprise that what you don’t get is access to the promised article, free item, or names of people who have looked you up on Facebook.
If you accidentally provided personal information, it might be used by scammers for various nefarious schemes. Be sure to check your financial accounts (and utilities like your phone bill) carefully. If you downloaded an application, it could be infected with a virus. Run a virus scan and observe your computer over the next few days for any hints of malfunction.
If you’ve fallen prey to this type of scam, take the following precautions as well:
1. Remove any posts in your Facebook newsfeed related to the scam.
2. Remove errant applications from your Facebook account.
3. Change your Facebook password.
4. Notify your Facebook friends of the scam.
Of course, the best prevention is avoiding the scam altogether. If you’re tempted to click a link with an offer that sounds too good to be true, remember that it probably is, and don’t click! (If you really need to find out what’s happening with Justin Bieber, there are plenty of other websites for that.) Never give personal information to random sources. Finally, never download files to your computer if you’re not sure what they are or who they’re from.
Outsmart the scammers, and stay safe on Facebook!
The “Free Upgrade” from Windows 7, 8, and 8.1 to Windows 10 runs until almost the end of the month. If you decide to take advantage of Microsoft’s offer, make sure you have a full backup of anything valuable before you do the upgrade. We’ve had more than a few machines that choke on the upgrade and then refuse to boot. Some folks like Windows 10, some folks hate it. We’re inclined to like it a lot, but it is not for everyone, especially businesses that are running software that hasn’t been qualified to run under Windows 10.
We often take advantage of the summer to complete our own upgrades. This year is no exception.
We just upgraded our Internet connection. We now have a significantly faster connection at a slightly lower monthly cost. We’re happy to help our business clients see if they can benefit from a similar upgrade.
We retired a rather old Webmail system last month. Only one person noticed.
We are in the process of cleaning up the email and web accounts on several of our older servers, in anticipation of hardware upgrades to take advantage of the more powerful gear that is now available. By and large, these upgrades should be transparent when we do them. Things will just get faster.
We have a few of our business clients using our IMAP capable mail server. For most of our consumer and business clients, this isn’t a big deal. The older style POP mailboxes simply work and you just don’t have to think about them. For some of our business clients with outside sales folks who live on their smart phones, it can be a VERY big deal. The IMAP protocol is more forgiving of lousy cell phone connections. If your business has a number of outside sales people, we need to talk. The switchover can be a bit of a project, but it definitely can be done. The only downsides are that accounts start off a bit more expensive than POP accounts and you need to regularly archive and clean up your mailbox or the data storage costs will add up. This option is ONLY available for businesses with their own domain name.
If you get a popup telling you to call Microsoft or a phone call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft, it is a scam. If you get the popup, just close your browser and start over. If you get the phone call, hang up. UNDER ABSOLUTELY NO CIRCUMSTANCES should you give the scammers remote access to your computer or give them your credit card number.
As always, we are here to answer your questions about computers, networks, and tech stuff.
GO PINTEREST-ING! – COOL STUFF TO PIN ON YOUR PINTEREST BOARDS
Watermelon Popsicles Help Cool Off Summer
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/291537775860511712/
Delicious & Healthy Berry Kiwi Smoothie
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/291537775860511751/
Kids Love Colorful Squirt Gun Painting
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/291537775860511786/
You haven’t started pinning on Pinterest yet and you want to get started?
To sign up, go here https://pinterest.com/join/signup/
FREE FEATURED APPS – THESE THREE ARE WELL WORTH A LOOK
GateGuru
A must-have for frequent travelers, GateGuru provides real-time flight information, details on amenities at each airport, weather forecasts, and discount car rentals.
Learn More Here: http://www.gateguru.com/
Sworkit
Sworkit is like a personal trainer in your pocket. Just select a type of workout and amount of time, then follow the video demonstrations for a power workout.
Learn More Here: http://www.sworkit.com/
SITES OF THE MONTH
Be Safe In The Sun
http://bit.ly/28R7dxh
This site is packed with information about sun safety. Start with the quiz to find out how much you know, then head to the articles and image gallery to learn more. Finally, check out the section on protection, and you’ll be ready for a summer full of fun in the sun without damaging your skin.
Smart Gardening
http://bloomiq.com/
Whether you started your garden weeks ago, or are just now thinking about putting in some plants, visit this site for great ideas about flowers, edibles, indoor plants, and more. Use the search tool to find specific plants, or check out the garden center directory to find garden centers
near you.
Future Of Food
http://pulses.org/
Pulses are the edible seeds of plants in the legume family, such as dry beans, dry peas, chick peas, and lentils. Because they’re extremely healthy — and, as crops, planet friendly — the United Nations has declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses. Check out this site for information, recipes, and more.
Lists To Love
http://www.listotic.com/
Want to know how to burn more calories, arrange flowers, or be a better driver? This blog can help you learn all this and more. With dozens of life hacks to make each day a little easier, lists are categorized under Crafty, Food & Drink, Hair & Beauty, and Just for Fun.
TWO TO VIEW – A COUPLE OF AMAZING VIDEOS YOU DON’T WANT TO MISS
http://www.eNewsletterHome.com/_eNewsletter/2016/1607_VIDEO_A.htm
Gwen Stefani And Friends Carpool
Join what may be the funnest carpool ever with driver James Corden of The Late Show, and passengers Gwen Stefani, George Clooney, and Julia Roberts.
http://www.eNewsletterHome.com/_eNewsletter/2016/1607_VIDEO_B.htm
Look, Don’t Touch
Everyone knows not to touch museum displays. Well … almost everyone. Watch the disastrous results when a man examines a hanging clock a little too closely.
SHORT TUTORIAL/FAQ – HOW CAN I INCREASE THE SIZE OF TEXT ON A WEBSITE?
Question: Sometimes reading online is hard when the text is very small. Is there a way to increase the size so I can see it better?
Answer: Yes, and it’s very easy to do. Just follow these steps: Download Graphics to View
1. Before you start, find the “+” and “-” keys on your keyboard. They’re usually up top, to the right of the numerals, and also on the numeric keypad on the very right of the keyboard.
2. Now, hold down the CTRL key (or the command key for Apple Macintosh users), and press “+” to make text larger.
3. If you’ve gone too far, simply hold down the CTRL key and press “-”
4. Keep in mind that in some cases the “+” and “-” keys on the numeric keypad may work better than those on the main part of the keyboard.
5. Use CTRL plus the zero key to return the text back to its original size.
Each system is different, and the above steps might not work for everyone. As an alternative, try this method: Hold down the CTRL key and spin your mouse scroll wheel forward or backward to make text larger or smaller.
There’s no reason to be uncomfortable looking at too-small text online. Try these solutions, and happy reading!
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, Inc
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.