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  • John Pope

    Lead Editor/Moderator

    70 Posts

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    John Pope, a.k.a. JohnP@Dell, has been involved with social media since 2006 and computers since, well, let's just say...

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    Jennifer Hughes

    Community Content Manager

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    Jennifer leads the content coordination for Dell’s social media properties. She has been involved with social media s...

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    John Blain

    Gaming Guy

    63 Posts

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    John has been active in social media at Dell since April of 2006, starting with the blog outreach team, and now as the ...

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    Chris Byrd

    Digital Life Liaison

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    Chris works closely with the online community on all things "digital life" and is known on Twitter as @ChrisBatDell. Wh...

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    Natalie M. Davis

    Manager, Global Operations for Community Team

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    Natalie and her team engage in conversations on Dell and non-Dell social media sites. She has over 10 years of marketi...

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    Jay Pinkert

    Raconteur

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    Richard Bernier

    Dell Community Security Liaison

    28 Posts

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    I have been with Dell for five years; two of those have been spent with the conversations group. You may have seen me o...

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    Anne B. Camden

    Consumer Product PR

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    Anne has been with Dell Corporate Communications for 10 years, proudly practicing product PR the entire time. Started o...

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    Ed Hassinger

    Software Engineer for Austin-based NetQoS

    14 Posts

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    It feels like I bought my first "IBM-compatible PC" just last year. And despite two decades and stints with nine failed...

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    • Important Life Lesson – How to Cope With The Loss Of Your Favorite TV Show

    Randy Gibson

    Imaging & Display Guy

    8 Posts

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    Randy is a technical writer and senior analyst for the Dell Solution Network. A nine-year veteran of Dell, he specializ...

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    Jesse Leonard

    Vista and Ubuntu Linux Liaison

    7 Posts

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    Jesse Leonard, a.k.a. Dell-Jesse_L within the online Dell community, has been involved in the Dell Forums for eight yea...

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    RichardatDELL

    Two Ears, One Mouth Advocate

    6 Posts

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    After a career in Canadian politics, Richard moved to the U.S. to build out a career in communications. He joined Dell ...

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    Ellen Murphy

    Consumer Public Relations, EMEA

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    Ellen works on the Consumer PR team in EMEA. She has nine years of marketing and communications experience, ranging fro...

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    Winnie Wong

    Alienware Marketing Communications

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    Winnie has been a part of the Alienware family since 2000, when there were only 64 employees on the payroll. Her passio...

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    Stefanie Nelson


    5 Posts

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    Stefanie has been entrenched in online media since the mid 90s, currently runs the marketing communications programs fo...

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    Michelle Mosmeyer

    Dell Communications Analyst

    5 Posts

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    Michelle has been with Dell Global Communications for more than eight years. In that time, she’s worked in Executive ...

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    Vida Killian

    Dell IdeaStorm Manager

    4 Posts

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    Vida has been with the Dell social media team since 2006. Her first computer-related memory involved BASIC programming...

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    Michelle Forde

    Dell's Red Carpet Reporter

    3 Posts

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    • Red Carpet Reporter – The Big Night
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    Lionel Menchaca

    Chief Blogger

    3 Posts

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    Lionel Menchaca (LionelatDell in Twitter) has lived and breathed social media for the last couple of years and wishes ...

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    Matt Parretta

    Dell Analyst Relations

    3 Posts

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    Matt has been at Dell since 2006 and is responsible for relationships with consumer industry analysts. He spent four ye...

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    • New Tech Analyst Blog Spots Holiday Trends
    • Dell Dock Gets a Face Lift
    • Photography PhD Not Required

    Anna Hutchinson

    Product Reviews Manager

    2 Posts

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    Anna manages Dell’s product reviews program and works with journalists and tech experts across the United States. She...

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    • It’s Not Just What’s In the Box That Counts
    • "Techspeak" or Plain Talk, Dell Awards and Reviews Site Deals in Both

    Michael "Odee" O'Dell

    Team Dignitas, Managing Director

    2 Posts

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    I've been a gamer since I got my first computer, a ZX8, in 1980. Last year I was able to fulfill a lifetime dream and t...

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    • “Frontier” Views on Current, Future State of Gaming
    • Join Team Dignitas Live on WebCam at the M Festival Tomorrow

    Kara Krautter

    Foodie in Training

    2 Posts

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    Although I spend most of my day managing the Small Business blog for Dell, any free time I have seems to involve food. ...

    Recent Posts

    • Sharing Your Love for Fashion Just Got More Fun
    • Online vs. Print: Where Do You Find Recipes?

    Jennifer Allison

    Global Consumer Internal Communications

    2 Posts

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    Jennifer joined Dell’s Corporate Communications group in 2006 to focus on executive and employee communications for t...

    Recent Posts

    • New Dell Products at CES 2009
    • Separating Ourselves from the Animals

    Deborah R. Wood

    Independent Communications Consultant

    2 Posts

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    Open to learning about almost any topic and a professional interest in helping people communicate in new and traditiona...

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    • Mind Your Social Media Ps and Qs
    • Passionate About Your Stuff? Check Out itaggit.com

    Jacqui Zhou

    Lead Editor/Moderator of Direct2Dell Chinese (http://chinese.direct2dell.com/)

    2 Posts

    About

    Born and raised in Shanghai, China, Jacqui always wanted to travel and see the world. After she earned a college degree...

    Recent Posts

    • “Bandit” Cell Phones: Part II
    • “Bandit” Cell Phones Find Favor Among Chinese Consumers

    Bill Bivin

    Community Liaison

    1 Posts

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    Bill works with the online community as the Community Liaison for laptops, and has worked at Dell since 2003. His Twitt...

    Recent Posts

    • What's Your Mini OOBE Look Like?

    Andrew Ford

    Head of marketing, corporate accounts, Dell Europe, Middle East and Africa

    1 Posts

    About

    Andrew is a keen internet, e-mail and social media enthusiast, and has worked in the IT and telecoms industry since the...

    Recent Posts

    • Your Data -- How Much is Out There? Is It All Bad?

    Chris Kinnair


    1 Posts

    About

    Chris "Blackmane" Kinnair is the world famous Team Dignitas Call of Duty 4 leader and when not practising to win tourna...

    Recent Posts

    • Chris "Blackmane" Kinnair Reviews Warhammer Online

    Bob Blomquist

    Senior Manager, Electronic Media

    1 Posts

    About

    Bob has spent 15 years at Dell working in a number of communications roles ranging from video productions to broadcast ...

    Recent Posts

    • Social Network for Pedal Mashers

    Richard Margetic

    Global Online Digittante

    1 Posts

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    Richard has been with Dell for the past three years with earlier stints at IBM, PwC and Microsoft, all in online. His I...

    Recent Posts

    • Xobni|inboX

    Ricardo Guerrero

    Global Online Project Manager & "Twitter Dude"

    1 Posts

    About

    Hailing from Colombia, South America, Ricardo has worked at Dell since 1999 as a content developer, and most recently ...

    Recent Posts

    • Twitter: It’s Not Just TMI About Your Friends!

    Kerry Bridge

    Dell EMEA Digital Communications

    1 Posts

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    Recent Posts

    • Exclusive Interview with MTV Nominees ABRI at GiTEX

    Dawn Lacallade

    Lead Stormchaser

    1 Posts

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    Dawn has been with Community for several years and is currently the Lead Stormchaser for Dell Ideastorm. She has been w...

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    • Wii Fit: Who Says Exercise Can’t Be Fun?

    Mary Ellen Krautter


    1 Posts

    About

    I've been on the cutting fringe of the technology world since 1981 when my husband brought home one of the first person...

    Recent Posts

    • Coming Out of the Closet: The Ideal Home Office for the Not-So-Techie Gal

    DJ Moe

    DJ With Dubai's Channel 4 FM

    1 Posts

    About

    DJ Muhannad Al jazireh (aka DJ Moe) was born Aug. 14, 1969, to parents who still haven't the faintest idea of what to m...

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    • One Step Closer to the European MTV Music Awards

    MoneyGuyBK


    1 Posts

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    MoneyGuyBK is one of our most active and helpful customers on the Dell Community Forum, where he has earned “Supersta...

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    • You and Your Idle PC Can Help Humanity

    Debbie Gormley

    Care Community Liaison

    1 Posts

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    I’m a native Texan, Austinite if you will. I don’t think I’d ever move away from here but there are many other pa...

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    • Shopping on the Internet

    Shaun Clark

    World Class Gamer

    1 Posts

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    Shaun Clark (game name Apollo) is a name that has been partnered with command and conquer since the release of EA's tit...

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    • My Weekend at the M Festival in the UK

    Amie Paxton

    Dell Channel Community Manager

    1 Posts

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    With over nine years of interactive program management in technology and advertising, social media is transforming Amie...

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    • Online Resources for Baby Names

    Stuart Wallock

    Dell Senior Manager, Global Community & Personalization

    1 Posts

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    Loving new tech things to play with since I started gaming on my Atari 2600 way back when, I have been working with Int...

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    • New Dell Special Art Edition Laptops

    Mark Horner

    Team Dignitas

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    • Coming Home a Winner

    Eric Erway

    Program Manager, Global Online

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    Eric serves as a program manager for Dell’s Global Online team, working with multiple groups to translate customer re...

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    • Making Technology Work for You

    Gunther Hoffmann

    Team Dignitas

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    Gunther "SiS" Hoffmann, of Antwerp, Belgium, is a member of Team Dignitas and ranked No. 1 in his home country for Trac...

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    Rick Scott


    1 Posts

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    Rick is a PADI open water scuba instructor and photographer. He splits time between his home in Austin and his ranch ne...

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    • For Under $500, Gear Up for Amazing Underwater Shots

    Todd Smart

    Dell Community Outreach Administrator

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    My job is to support our Community Liaisons as they help to resolve customer issues. I’m originally from Western New ...

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    • Wireless Networking is Great, But There Are Practical Concerns

    Camille Nisich

    Global Communications Operations Manager

    1 Posts

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    Camille returned to her roots in 2007, joining Dell’s Corporate Communications team after nearly seven years in the c...

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    • When Your Photo Filing System Fails You

    Mary Ellen Gitachu

    Dell Corporate Communications

    1 Posts

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    ME (EMMIE) works in corporate communications at Dell. Originally from the East Coast, she’s tracked around the states...

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    • Over the Net and Through the Webcam to Grandmother's House We Go

    Kathryn Diana

    Dell Product Reviews

    1 Posts

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    Kathryn is a member of Dell’s product reviews team and works hard to get products into the hands of gaming journalist...

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    • Brass knuckles?! Genius!

    Geoff Knox

    Supervisor, Global Operations for Community Team

    1 Posts

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    Geoff has been with Dell since 2005 and has been working with Dell’s social media efforts since 2006. He has been a f...

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    • To Be, or Not To Be, on the Vista SP1 Bandwagon?

    aikiwolfie

    Frequent Contributor to IdeaStorm

    1 Posts

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    I got my first Atari when I was only 2 years old - 1980 I think - and I've had a computer of some kind ever since. Past...

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    • Cyber Sisterhood Reads from ‘Round the Web
    • Brass knuckles?! Genius!
    • Are Developers Suffocating the PC Game Industry with DRM?
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    • April 15 Is Almost Here
    • Cyber Sisterhood Reads from ‘Round the Web
    • When Your Photo Filing System Fails You
    • Hurry, Cut the Red Wire!
    • Conflicker Malware Poised to Strike on April Fools’ Day
    • Cyber Sisterhood Reads from ‘Round the Web
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      attracting mostly
      y...
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      customer service policies are
      outrageous Read the ...
    • Dell customer service - bad
      business practices Read the Ripoff
      report for more
      d...
    • I emailed this link to my sister.
      She has been looking for this info
      for a long time.
    • Jennifer - Great post and sorry for
      the late response here. I work in
      the fundraising ...
    • It was interesting to browse trough
      :-) keep up the good work and
      thanks for sharing.
    • It was interesting to read...you
      have some great information on your
      blog. Your insight...
    • You made some good points there. I
      did a search on the topic and found
      most people will...
    • Camille, After many years of
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    • Description Stopped
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      Name: CLR20r3 P...
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      you love shoes, then you're going
      to LOVE ShoeHunting....
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    • These are a good idea and the color
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      so cutesy cutesy...
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Archive for the ‘Security’ Category

April 15 Is Almost Here

Wednesday, April 8th, 2009

If you reside in the U.S. and haven’t completed your federal (or state) income tax, there isn’t much time left. Stress and anxiety always seem to show up right before that due date — and con artists know this. image

You may have received e-mail spam promising help with taxes. But, some of these offers are scams as Trendmicro.com has identified. So, don’t pay attention to these scams, file your taxes right away. If you run out of time or are missing information, you can file for an extension with the IRS, form 4868.

Often we’re unable to distinguish what is real or fake because we tend to want to believe in what makes us feel better.

Posted in Security | 3 Comments »

Hurry, Cut the Red Wire!

Monday, March 30th, 2009

ZDNet reports that researchers have discovered that the Conficker worm can be detected on a computer by simply asking for it over a network. This revelation is just in time because on April 1, Conficker is supposed to go boom!

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This update is great, for servers and large networks, but it does not help personal computer users that much. What will help is the Microsoft Security Bulletin update MS08-067. This update came out last year. If there is anyone out there who has turned off auto-update in Windows, turn it back on. For those who forgot or would like to check the auto-update status, just go to Microsoft update center. There, you can find out if you’re missing anything.

If you have questions about Conficker, go to trendmicro.com — they put out a really good blog today that answers many questions.

Posted in Security, Tips | 1 Comment »

Conflicker Malware Poised to Strike on April Fools’ Day

Friday, March 27th, 2009

If you haven’t heard, Conflicker is the new pain in the @#$ malware worm. It’s a bad virus that spreads itself to other computers and networks. Conflicker first showed up last November, and since then has been modified to a B and C version. The C version is what we really need to be aware of, because on April 1 that variant is expected to become active in computers that have been sitting dormant.

Conflicker.C can be a serious threat. Once a computer has been infected with it removal is difficult, as is restoring the computer back to health. An article at Maximumpc.com has more information and outlines all the bad things that Conflicker can do to your computer.

I am not trying to scare anyone, but I would recommend that you update you anti-virus software.

Posted in Security | 2 Comments »

Cyber Sisterhood Reads from ‘Round the Web

Friday, March 6th, 2009

Geek Sugar shared a cool Web site this week that helps you find the right shape of eyeglass frames for your face. Check it out: Frame Finder

I guess it was only a matter of time. E-mail scams get makeover for recession as viruses in the form of job applications. Be on the lookout.

Sunday is International Women’s Day. Check out the site for all the cool happenings or follow on Twitter.

cyber Sisterhood

Posted in Events, Security, Tips | No Comments »

Girl Scouts and Microsoft Tackle Online Safety for Girls

Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009

The new program has resources for both teenage girls and their parents. There is an all-girl editorial board that explores a differclip_image002ent Internet safety topic each month online (lmk.girlscouts.org). The girls then share what they have learned in an e-newsletter, which is distributed to adults the following month. The adult site (letmeknow.girlscouts.org) and newsletter are designed to serve as tools to help families have open and honest conversations about the dangers that girls face online.

The girls are tackling some big topics, such as Cyberbullying and Online predators and have plans for many more topics. Girls can join the conversation while parents may consider signing up for the newsletter.

cyber Sisterhood

Posted in Cyber Sisterhood, Security | No Comments »

Solicitation Overload

Thursday, February 26th, 2009

I bet you get a lot of mail that is intended to sell you something.  I always get the ones that say I won a free round-trip ticket if I call some special phone number.

Solicitations are not inherently bad. letters In fact, some may have something you really want or need.  Here’s the problem I have: they get out of control.  After awhile they all start to look the same.  It can be a daunting task to separate the good offers from the junk and possibly fraudulent solicitations.  I actually look at a few.  But that’s when one or two come in at a time.  When five or more come in, it is impossible for me to keep up, and the offers pile up on my desk.  I love looking at my Dell and Sharper Image catalogs but they disappear within the stack of junk.

If you live in the U.S. and want to cut down the amount of solicitations, go over to fdic.gov and learn about your options.  Also, if you are becoming overwhelmed with phone solicitations, you can go to fcc.gov to find out how to get some control of that.  Good luck!

Posted in Security | 2 Comments »

Who Are You? You Are Who?

Monday, February 23rd, 2009

Tell me about yourself by providing your Social Security number? That is what happens in the U.S. when you apply for an apartment, car loan or credit card. There are employers that use your credit record to determine if you are a viable candidate for a position. Some insurance companies use your credit information to rate coverage costs.

reports

So how does someone maintain good credit? Simple: pay the bills on time and honor all financial commitments. You already knew that. But did you know that your credit can be destroyed by no fault of your own. It is when your identity is stolen. Someone can use your credit information to obtain goods and services, which you end up having to owe. FBI statistics from 2006 indicate that 9.91 million Americans were victim to identity theft.

They say that it can take up to a year to clean up identity theft damage with the credit bureaus. But, there are services now that can help protect from this happening. Check out LifeLock, and Identity Guard. They can notify you when your credit bureau report is being pulled and they monitor for suspicious activity. So, take a look at some of the available services. If you decide not to purchase any identity protection service then go to the Federal Trade Commission’s Web site to get more information on how to protect yourself.

Posted in Security, Tips | 2 Comments »

Educate Yourself About Education

Thursday, February 19th, 2009

As we all know, economic times are rough right now.  The U.S. government just passed a large stimulus package that is supposed to help.  This package will take a little time to filter through the economy before we see things get better.

school_books Some of you have decided to take action and improve career opportunities with online degree programs.  This is a great idea!  But, how do you know which program is right for you or even if the degree will be worth anything?  Go to Directory of Schools for a list of accredited institutions that can help you decide.

There have been cases in which an online degree may have helped people learn new skills but were not accredited.  Take a look at Counterfeit Degrees before you settle with an online college.  Make sure the school you choose is recognized as an accredited institution.  Good luck!

Posted in Security, Tips | No Comments »

From MySpace, Some Timely Suggestions for Online Safety

Thursday, February 12th, 2009

clip_image001

Earlier this month, MySpace reported that about 90,000 sex offenders had been removed from the site.  You can read the full story at ocregister.com. This is a good thing, but it does not mean that it is now totally safe to go out and play in the MySpace backyard.

It is not that hard for someone to recreate another account.  All they have to do is change their identity, picture, hardware and Internet connection.  They will simply become someone else but with the same bad intentions. 

MySpace has some suggestions on how to be careful; you can read the tips at iamharriet.blogspot.com.

Posted in Security, Social Media, Tips | No Comments »

Who Is Behind the Face?

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

Most of you have heard about Facebook. Some of you may already have an account. The word about Facebook is that it’s a cool social networking place that really has its act together. Unfortunately, as Techcrunch reports, someone is making a mess of things.

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It looks like accounts have been hacked for the purpose of scamming money. The profiles are studied so that the criminal can better take on the account owner’s identity. Then “personal” messages are sent to people on the account’s friends list. The messages try to coax people to help with money.

This problem was first reported earlier this month, including Scott Fish with his post, “Your Friends may have hacked accounts.” He stumbled across the “phishing” scam when he noticed irregularities on his friend’s profile pages.

Have fun with social media, just watch yourself. Be smart, use secure passwords, use your instincts and you’ll be okay.

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