Computer/ Internet Tips & News
January/February 2021

  • Fake Amazon and other well-known company scams that you need to be aware of
  • Storing passwords in your web browser - what you need to know to keep them secure
  • Easily access previous tips newsletters
  • Get regular computing device maintenance and priority support
Reno's PC & Technology Help Experts since 2003 

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Fake Amazon and other well-known company scams that you need to be aware of so that you don't become a victim
Scammers are becoming increasingly clever. Every month we hear from clients who have been scammed by letting someone take control of their computer and coerce them into paying for support for non-existent computer or account-related problems. With a little bit of knowledge of how these scams work, you won't become a victim yourself.

Read on about some of the most common scams we've encountered recently:

  • A pop-up, email or phone call from a well-known company such as Amazon, Windows/Microsoft, Apple, or Netflix notifies you that you just made a large purchase or there's a problem with your device or account. You're told to call, click a link or talk to a fraud representative to confirm the purchase or account information.

  • WHAT YOU SHOULD DO: Ignore the pop-up, email or call. Log into your account normally (not via a link in the email) and check for any unrecognized activity. Most likely there is no problem at all. If you receive an unexpected phone call, don't answer - or hang up. Unfortunately you can't trust unknown or unsolicited callers to be who they say they are.
  • If you're still in doubt call the company using the phone number listed on their official website, or printed on a card you have from the company. Alternatively, call a trusted tech-savvy friend, family member or computer technician.
Storing passwords in your browser - what you need to know to keep them secure
In recent months the password managers built into your web browser have become more robust and helpful. Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Safari all have a password manager which can be used to store your website logins, and have recently offered the ability to check your passwords for known data breaches and inform you of your passwords that aren't unique.

These browser password managers are fine to use as long as you know that the stored passwords can be accessed by anyone who has access to your computer or mobile device. If your computer or device is locked with a password or PIN your browser passwords become much more secure.

Easily access previous tips newsletters
You can easily access tips and news from previous newsletters on our newsletter archives webpage. Articles you may have missed or wish to read again include:

  • Massive government and business computer systems hack - what you should do ASAP
  • Goodbye Flash Player
  • Your old cellphone may stop working soon
  • We can help with more than just computers and smartphones
  • How to fix most printer problems
  • Watch the world from home
  • How to send a message or email from your phone correctly
  • Ad blockers becoming less effective
  • Why you don't need to buy AntiVirus for your device
  • Is it time to replace or optimize your Wi-Fi?
  • Be proactive about computer maintenance
  • Why you should keep your computer ON when you're not using it
  • Canceling your TV service
  • Why you should never unsubscribe from certain emails
  • How ads follow you around the internet
  • Are you prepared if you lost your data?
  • Check to see if your email address was exposed in a data breach
  • Are you fed up with your internet provider's email "service"?
  • The one spec your next computer must have
Get regular computing device maintenance and priority support
It's time to be proactive about maintaining your computing devices - rather than calling after problems get out-of-control. With reports of websites and databases getting hacked occurring on a daily basis, and the increasing chance of your personal information being compromised, it’s more important than ever to keep your computing devices secure, up-to-date and maintained.

Thanks to the peace-of-mind that our Computer Maintenance Plan provides, clients that sign-up for the plan don't have to worry about the seemingly constant barrage of updates, security patches and computer hackers. They also get priority callbacks and messaging replies.

With our Computer Maintenance Plan we will maintain, update and check the security on your computer - and other devices (when performed on-site) - on a convenient regularly scheduled basis.

For more information read more...


Thank you!

Mark Cobb
Owner/Technician/IT Consultant