Website Scraper

A strange email from promotions@ a vaping retailer.

It makes no sense as it claims we use a specific piece of software for scraping websites. This means software that basically copies what you see on a website rather than trying to read the programming code behind the website.

Only cheats use such software and the radio station certainly doesn’t.

The email goes on asking questions, asking for our opinions of how it works and if the price correct and should they buy it and so on.

Maybe they are dumb enough to think the radio station will advertise their products – there’s no chance of that.

Maybe they just want a reply so they can chase for a mention.

Not going to happen.

Stupid emails like that one just get deleted.

If you have any experiences with these scams do let me know, by email.

November 4, 2022

Encrypt Your Laptop Safely

If you lose your laptop or it is stolen – unscrupulous people may be able to access the information on the computer or take out the drive and access it through another computer.

Bitlocker will encrypt the hard drive in your computer. You wont notice any difference in normal use but if your computer is stolen or lost then that encryption will stop criminals accessing your data or making use of the computer.

Windows 10 and Windows 11 devices include Bitlocker as standard, to prevent these problems.

BitLocker also lets the user lock the normal start-up process until a PIN is entered or a USB flash drive is inserted into the device. This makes the device much more secure but many people don’t want to do this.

Hardware

BitLocker provides the most protection when used with a hardware component called Trusted Platform Module (TPM). The TPM is installed in many newer computers by the manufacturers. It works with BitLocker to help protect user data and to ensure that a computer has not been tampered with while the system was offline.

Bitlocker works on computers with TPM but it has more capability when combined with TPM.

Password Recovery

What happens if you lose your Bitlocker password?

There is the BitLocker Recovery Password Viewer which enables you to locate and view BitLocker Drive Encryption recovery passwords that have been backed up to Active Directory Domain Services (AD DS). This would commonly be available in businesses but not for personal purchasers.

If you are considering this ty[e of improved security for your devices, consult your computer seller or another expert for advice.

November 2, 2022

Wellness APPs Privacy Policy

Many people now wear a wellness gadget or use a wellness app on their smart phone. These take many forms but the most common is around fitness.

The APP or gadget counts your steps, your breathing, perhaps your heart rate, distance covered, time spent sleeping and so on.

But it may also have confidential information about you such as your name, address, age, weight and more. The device will likely track your route and if that’s regular then someone accessing your data can find out where you will be.

How much information is stored will be described in the device’s privacy policy but how many people read those?

Not a lot.

Does the owner of the APP sell your information to third parties?

You’ll have to read the policy to find out.

Data Protection

Personal health information is protected in the UK by privacy laws including the Data Protection Act 1998.

You may have paid a lot for your device or APP or may have chosen a free APP – did you wonder how they make the money that pays their bills?

Fitness APP companies may share your details with Marketing companies for payment. Under GDPR you have to agree to that but it may be buried in the small print for the APP, which you agree to. After all, how many people actually read all of the small print?

Should You Worry?

It’s up to you to take the time to read the privacy policy and then decide if you trust the supplier and see whether you can limit the data they access and what they do with it.

Get informed first then make your choices.

If you have any experiences with these scams do let me know, by email.

October 31, 2022

Product Safety Issue Scam

An email message arrived written as though I was an Amazon seller and there’re were some safety problems with my products sold on Amazon.

Latest stats from Amazon show just under 10 million companies/people registered as sellers and about 2 million active sellers.

So that’s a lot of people for scammer to target, but sending out random emails, even by the millions isn’t going to reach many of them.

“We remind you that you are responsible for the products you list on Amazon”.

“We are writing to let you know that products you have offered for sale have been removed due to the following safety issue”.

That last line then shows a link claiming to be about a product recall but it’s to a phishing website made to look a little like Amazon and it asks for your login ad password of course.

Those details are sent automatically to the scammer which can then make use of your acco8nht to sell bogus products, scam other people, but products in your name and have them shipped to his scammer colleagues and so on.

“We will automatically dispose of any remaining products 30 days after this message, at your cost”.

The email is from amz.co.uk.de which may look like Amazon but is a meaningless website address in Germany.

If you have any experiences with these scams do let me know, by email.

October 30, 2022

Stupidest Scam of the Week Running Dry

American conspiracy theorists must have great fun inventing new ever more ludicrous conspiracies and laugh watching mindless idiots believing in them.

The United States is home to the Great Lakes, the largest freshwater system in the world, which alone contain 6 billion billion gallons of fresh water.

But the USA does have local droughts at times as do most countries.

That does mean lost crops and lost income – sometimes for years but no one dies of thirst and the entire country cannot possibly run out of water.

But this latest scammer says “The US is about to run dry and a nationwide water shutdown is imminent”.

The evidence for this is … non existent.

So, she switches to a personal testimonial.

“I don’t need anyone to confirm this for me because I experienced it for myself. In fact I was pronounced dead because of it”.

Brain dead perhaps – but that’s all.

Pathetic.

If you have any experiences with these scams do let me know, by email.

October 29, 2022

Time-Wasters Update

An email from Santander bank tells me that my security is their priority. Plus, my account is temporarily under review. Is that worrying? No. The email looks professionally written and looks genuine and has the correct logo and address. But the sender’s email address isn’t Santander – it is support @anyhowverrecruit.com so it’s obviously a scam. I won’t be clicking the link to verify my account as requested.

“Do you know there is a proven method for reducing debilitating knee pain and helping you live pain free that works faster and more effectively than any other?” is a good sales pitch in the email title, but it’s just a scam message. The message just wants you to click the link to see the answer, but there’s nothing genuine about the message. Never click links in unsolicited emails however harmless they may look.

Many scam email titles are really the opposite of the contents following – they are designed just to make you question something then read the email and fall for whatever they are selling. “Your coffee is cancelled” is the title, but the message is about a supposed 10 second coffee trick that increases your fat burning enormously but also prevents an elevated heartrate or any other side effect of caffeine. Either you take caffeine and get the energy boost and elevated heart rate or you don’t take it and get neither effect. Rubbish email from a scammer.

There are endless Coinbase scam messages, most of which tell you either you have lots of money in your Coinbase account or that it’s about to be closed due to some problem in your information or a change in legal requirements or someone has accessed your account. The latest sets of such messages go back to ‘Your Coinbase Account Has Been Temporarily Disabled’. All meaningless rubbish of course – especially as I don’t have a Coinbase account.

Almost all scam message start with a dramatic title e.g. “Sugar Hack Destroys Diabetes Type II”. That title guarantees the message is a scam. If there was such a method you would have seen it on the news and in the newspapers and magazines and every online service. But it isn’t true. Just more lies from evil scammers. This message goes on about whether zucchini or bell peppers are worse for diabetics to eat. You have to click to read the non existent scientific studies but the link takes you to a scam website ready to download malware onto your computer. To be avoided.

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