Hello October! And welcome to any new readers, especially those who stopped by my booth at Medfield Day. It was a lovely day, and I truly enjoyed chatting with everybody who came by!

The SOTM article for October is a bit different - rather than a specific scam, I discuss what to do if you've let scammers on your computer. Next, do you have a "cat on a keyboard" problem? And finally, I'm sure you'd prefer to keep your Venmo transactions private.

Enjoy the fall colors!

Regards,

Julie Marto

508-359-8176
508-333-8176 (cell)

P.S. I am still seeing some Windows 7 systems, and they are really not safe to use on the internet. If you are still using Windows 7, call me and we can discuss your options!
SOTM: You Let Scammers on Your System
Many of the scams I write about have a particularly troubling component - the scammers convince you that they need to log onto your computer to "fix" your problem. Even if you recognize that you are being scammed, don't give them any money, and kick them off your computer, once you let them on your computer you are in trouble.
How it works - There are lots of ways that scammers can convince you to let them onto your computer - your system might seem "locked up" with a fake tech support message, you might get an email with a fake receipt and a phone number to contest the charge, or you might even have searched for brand name product support and called a cleverly disguised fake.

What they are trying to do - Some of these scammers will "fix" the problem and demand payment for it. Some will convince you to log into your bank account and then steal your money directly. However, even if the scammers don't get money from you at that moment, by logging onto your computer they can quickly gather enough information (stored passwords, tax returns, and other personal data) to try to access your email or bank accounts, steal your identity, or sell to other scammers on the dark web. They can install malware on your system that tracks your keystrokes and sends every log-in and password you type back to them. They can even install software that quietly controls your system remotely, so they continue to have access to your computer or your webcam after you have ended the fake support session.

What else can happen - I have seen scammers lock people out of their own computers by adding a password known only to them, forcing their victim to call them back to regain access to their computer. I have also heard of scammers encrypting all of their victim's files, extorting them for big money for the decryption key.

What to do if you let them on your computer - The first thing you must do is kick them off, the quicker the better. The best and fastest way to do that is to shut down your computer by holding the power button down for at least 30 seconds. Once you are sure your computer is shut down, don't turn it on again until you have had your system cleaned by a professional.

Your next step is to change all of your passwords on a different device - another computer, a tablet, or your phone. You want to start with key passwords like your email accounts (they can be used to reset passwords) and your financial, medical, and social media accounts. If you let them into your bank account, call your bank immediately and let them know you have been a victim of fraud - they will lock down your account while you clean up the mess.

What I will do - Because many legitimate companies (including me) use remote support software, it can be tricky to know if you have opened yourself up to a scammer or not. If you are unsure, call me and let me know what happened, and I will give you my honest opinion of the situation.

If I determine you have let scammers onto your system, I will definitely want to schedule a drop off. There was a time when I felt comfortable just running cleaning tools on a computer that had been breached, but I now believe that the only option is to wipe the system, which must be done at my shop. I will back up your data and settings, wipe your computer, put a fresh copy of your operating system on it, and restore your data. I will reinstall what software I can, but you will end up having to reinstall things like your printer software, etc. If you'd like, I can deliver the system to you and do all the "in home" setup for an additional charge.

Unfortunately, once you have let a scammer on your computer you have opened yourself up to a much bigger risk than just the one-time scam. PC or Mac, you will need to have your system backed up and restored. So please, think twice before letting anybody log onto your computer system. If you find yourself in a situation where that seems like the only option, give me a call and run the situation by me. If you don't reach me, leave me a detailed message - I will call you back as soon as possible. Even though part of my business is cleaning up after these breaches, I much prefer not to have my clients victimized by scammers!
"Cat on a Keyboard" problems
scottish straight gray cat working at the computer as a developer online
Did you ever turn on your computer and find that everything on the screen is upside down? Or that the font on your email is so small you cannot see it without a magnifying glass? This is a category of problem I call a "cat on the keyboard" problem - basically, someone or something hit the wrong key, or sequence of keys, and messed you up!
I get called for these problems often, and they are generally pretty quick to fix. Not that I don't want the work, but here are some of the most common "cat on a keyboard" issues, and what to do if you run into one.

Windows based computer screen is upside down or sideways - Screen orientation is customizable, as some 2 in 1 laptops act like tablets, or desktop computers have portrait oriented monitors for text editing. However, most people in most situations just want a normal, landscape, right-side up screen. I am called to fix this problem more than any other "cat on the keyboard" issue, and the solution is pretty easy. On your computer keyboard, hold down the ctl and alt keys and then press the up arrow to get the display into normal landscape orientation. If the keyboard shortcuts don't work, right click on the desktop and choose display settings, then change the orientation to landscape.

Text appears too small or large on a website - All web browsers include a "zoom" function, where you can enlarge or shrink the text on any particular webpage. However, sometimes zoom gets out of control and the lettering on a webpage is way too big or too small for comfortable viewing. To adjust it back to a normal level, follow these steps:

  • Chrome or Edge - click on the three dots in the upper right, then click on the + or - next to Zoom
  • Firefox - click on the three bars (hamburger menu) in the upper right, then click on the + or - next to zoom
  • Safari - choose "View" from the top menu bar, then click on Zoom In or Zoom Out

No menu bar or toolbar on the screen - you have entered "full screen mode", where you have told an application that you want it to be the only thing you want to see on the screen

  • PC - Press f11 or alt f-11 to exit full screen mode
  • Mac - Press "esc" to exit full screen mode

Outlook emails are too small to read - Another zoom problem, but a bit harder to find the setting. This is the “zoom while reading” setting, which you only see when you open an incoming email. Within an incoming email, look in the upper right hand corner for "zoom", and set it to 100%, then check “remember my preference”.

If you find yourself with one of these issues, see if you can use these steps to fix it yourself! If not, I am happy to fix these with either a remote or an on-site appointment. And keep the kitty away from your keyboard!
Take Venmo Private
Lots of people ask me if I accept Venmo payments in my business. I don't, for a variety of reasons, but I do use it for personal transactions. Venmo is a convenient and safe way to transfer money between friends and family.

However, Venmo treats itself as a social media platform, publicizing your transactions. The home page of your Venmo app is a listing of who paid what to whom, when, and often why. I don't know about you, but I certainly don't want all of my contacts to know about all of my Venmo transactions. The easy fix is to make your Venmo transactions private.
For both iPhone and Android, the steps to change your privacy settings are the same: Open the Venmo app, and tap on the "Me" tab. In the upper right hand corner, tap on the "gear" icon. Tap on "Privacy" and, under "default privacy", change the setting to "Private (visible to sender and receiver only). While you are there, you can click on "Past Transactions" and tap on "Change All to Private".

Once you've done this, Venmo away! You can now reimburse your friend for lunch, and only she and you will know about it!