Fear and Urgency - two key tactics

Good morning!  I actually had a different tip ready to send, but in the middle of the night I felt the need to change it based on a conversation I had with a friend late yesterday afternoon.  She was calling for "a friend."  The conversation went something like this:

Friend:  Jeline, I need some advice.  My friend received an email telling her a TV had been purchased on her Amazon account and that she needed to contact Amazon immediately.  

Me:  Did she do that?

Friend:  Yes, she called the number and they told that her data had been exposed and over 1600 people now had access to her personal information.  They told her if she would go buy two $500 gift cards and call back with the redemption information that Amazon would reimburse her.  And, then her data would be secured and the purchase would be removed from her account.  :-/

Me:  Did she do that?

Friend:  No, fortunately she called me after she had been contacted by them several times.  They keep calling but I told her to stop answering her phone.  And to delete the email.  I asked her if she went directly to her Amazon account and logged in to verify a purchase had been made.  Then, she told me she doesn't even have an Amazon account!!  :-/

I hope those of you who subscribe to this email will never be in a situation like this, but because these types of scams continue in different shapes or forms, I felt the need to caution you again because scams target ALL of us and even people who are well-educated succumb primarily because of two emotions:

1) Fear ("if you don't do this, something bad will happen" OR "there's been a large purchase on your account")

2) Sense of urgency  ("you have to do this immediately if you don't want data exposed" OR "call us immediately so this charge can be removed from your account")

So, let me remind you:  If you receive an unusual email or message in one of your accounts that plays on your fear or expresses a sense of urgency:
DO NOT RESPOND. 
Do not click on any links.
Do not call the phone number in the message. 
Do not buy requested gift cards.
Delete the message. 
And, if you just "really want to make sure"  go directly to your account in question, log in, and check recent activity. .

Feel free to share today's email with friends you think may benefit from a friendly reminder.  Scammers are omnipresent, and we all need to be reminded of this periodically.

Have a terrific Tech Tip Tuesday!  I'm headed outside shortly; the promise of stronger winds this afternoon is prompting me to get my walk done sooner than later.

Stop fumbling around and use your personal assistant!

Do you use the personal assistant (Hey, Siri or Hey, Google) on your phone to help you do things more quickly or easily?  If not, today might be a good day to start!  

Today every time you pick up your phone to check weather, time, messages, what's on your calendar, to call someone, etc. ask Siri or Google to do that for you.

Some examples:
Begin by saying "Hey, Siri" (iPhone) or "Hey, Google" (Android phone), then

1. What time is it?
2. Send a message to......
3. Remind me to pick up my prescriptions today.
4. Write an email to my mom.
5. What is the weather going to be like today?
6. What time is it in Munich?
7. Get directions home.
8. Find coffee near me.
9. Set a timer for 10 minutes.
10. Put a haircut on my calendar for April 1 at 10 AM.
11. Turn on the flashlight.

What other ways can/do you use Siri or Google?  Remember, your "personal assistant" is there to help you.  
Troubleshooting:
If Siri isn't working on your iPhone, check out these suggestions:  https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT207489
If Google assistant isn't working on your Android phone, check out this page:  https://support.google.com/assistant/answer/9795643?hl=en&co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid

Have a terrific Tech Tip Tuesday!  Since Kansas weather promises to be wet today and keep us inside, take some time to familiarize yourself with your personal assistant!

10 Photos to Keep on Your Phone

Even if you don't use the camera on your phone very often, consider snapping these 10 photos to keep on your phone just in case you need them: 

1. Your COVID vaccination card
2. Your driver's license and other ID's
3. Your car's license plate
   
4. Your car's VIN number 
   
5. Automobile insurance card
6. Your Medicare card
7. Your supplemental insurance card
8. Your dental insurance card
9. Pictures of your rental car before and after
10. Your Airbnb or VRBO rental - before and after

Additionally, you might want to consider snapping photos of your prescription medications.

Concerned that this personal information might be accessed by anyone who has your phone?  Take a look at how to password protect these photos on either an iPhone or Android device.

Have a terrific Tech Tip Tuesday!  The weather promises to be pretty nice the next couple of days here in Kansas.  So, take photos of #1-8 today and possibly your medication bottles BEFORE you go outside to soak up the sun!

Where is your router?

Is your router delivering the wireless speeds you expect when you are using your computer or mobile devices in your home?  The placement of your router can make a BIG difference.  Consider these tips for getting better speeds:

1)  Identify the rooms in your house where you use your wireless network most frequently.  Then pinpoint the middle point of those rooms and place your router there.

2)  Place your router high in a room because radio waves usually shoot the signal downward.  Also, if your router has multiple antennas, make sure they are pointed in different directions.

3)  Ceilings, walls, furniture, concrete, metal, and brick can all block the signal and slow it down.  Try to put your router out in the open.

4) Keep the router away from other devices that can interfere with or block the signal (appliances, microwave, cordless phones, baby monitors, and bluetooth-enabled devices.)

For optimum speeds, spend a couple of minutes today evaluating the placement of your router. If you happen to have a whole-house mesh system, make sure your satellite devices are placed nearest the rooms where you are using the WiFi signal.