Blog: Tech News & Tips

Secure Messaging Apps

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Technology Tips

Contents

Recommended Messaging Apps

We’ve had several customers ask us about secure messaging recently. Last year it was disclosed that text messages between Apple and Android don’t use End-to-End Encryption (E2EE). This means (theoretically) that a message your iPhone sends to your friend’s Android could be compromised and read by others. Almost everyone we text with has an iPhone, but there are a few people who don’t.

With Facebook/ Meta tracking and retaining almost everything about its users, we need to look elsewhere for secure messaging.  Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp (owned by Facebook/Meta) are not recommended. Many people use WhatsApp to communicate with relatives and friends overseas. It may be time to look for a more secure channel. Facebook/Meta accesses and stores a lot of data about you. They then use this data to target ads, and sell your information to advertisers and other companies.* Some of this information includes:

  • Name
  • Email
  • Phone
  • Message content
  • Photos & videos
  • Browsing History
  • Political Views
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Health Information
  • Location
  • Contacts

It’s time for a deep dive into Secure Messaging apps.

Messaging Apps:

Besides Messenger and WhatsApp, some of the other Messaging Apps you may have heard of include Briar, Element, Matrix, Session, Telegram, Threema, Tox, Wire, and Signal. I’ll look at each with the following criteria in mind:

Criteria:

  • has End-to-End-Encryption (E2EE)
  • is free to sign up and use
  • has Two Factor Authentication (2FA)
  • allows texting, phone calls, and video calls.
  • Only collects and stores a minimum of personal data.
  • Works with Apple and Android
  • Ease of use – can you convince your non-techy friends to use it too?

Summary of each Secure Messaging App:

Briar:

Briar only works with Android.

Element:

Element has 2FA, is free for most users, works with Apple and Android, has decentralized servers, and works with Apple and Android. Why are we not recommending it? Everything I’m reading indicates that it is difficult to set up. That will turn a lot of my friends off.

Matrix:

Although Matrix.org ticks all the security boxes, it’s a bloated, slow app, and it doesn’t appear you can easily message others.Screenshot of messaging apps

Session:

Session doesn’t use true 2FA for authentication. I’ve also seen reports that Session texting is slow.

Telegram:

This app requires access to your Contact list and does not have full E2EE.

Threema:

Based on my research, everything else being equal, I would recommend Threema over other apps EXCEPT for 2 things. First, it’s not free ($4), so you’ll have a hard time getting your contacts to convert. Second, it’s not widely used, except in Germany. As Chris says about adopting new technology: “Cutting edge is good. Bleeding edge is not.”

Tox:

Tox does not use true 2FA.

Wire:

Wire does not have 2FA.

Signal:

Signal is the app that we recommend. It’s got E2EE, works with Apple and Android, and only collects your phone number. I started using it a few months ago and have convinced many of my non-technical friends to also make the switch. The one downside is that it uses centralized servers. For reasons that I don’t understand, decentralized servers are better. (Chris explained it to me, but it didn’t stick!) Signal allows audio and video calls in addition to texting.

Recent news about Signal doesn’t concern me. The reasons this was a problem are a) The person setting up the group chat included several people they shouldn’t have included, and b) US law states that government communications of this type must be preserved indefinitely. This chat was set up to delete all messages within a few weeks. There were other reasons, but those are the biggies. This was more “user error” than a flaw in the app.

Signal also allows audio and video calls. Audio calls work great, I haven’t tested video calls yet.

Secure Messaging – Conclusion: 

Download the Signal app and start asking your friends & family to use it too. One friend is already using Signal to communicate with family overseas. Setting it up gives you the choice of having people find you by phone number. I clicked the “NO” button there. I’ve recommended Signal in the past. Here’s an article about Signal from 2018, about the time I stopped using Facebook Messenger.

 

* (Twitter does the same thing, but it isn’t generally used as a messaging app.)

 

Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has provided computer service to families and small businesses with Macs and PCs for the past twenty-plus years. You can find more on our website or give us a call. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming, too. You can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More Tips Here:

Spring Cleaning Your Tech – 5 Easy Tips!

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Technology Tips

I don’t know about you, but when I think “Spring Cleaning”, I’m thinking about dust bunnies, not my technology. What about you? Do you think about Spring Cleaning your tech? Here are some tips for you:

Contents

Spring Cleaning Your Tech – aka Computer Maintenance:

FIRST – ANTI-VIRUS:

Take a minute every month or so to scan your computer for viruses. Many of our customers use ESET, which Chris has recommended for years. It’s easy to do. Just open the ESET/NOD32 app and click on “Scan Your Computer”. It will run in the background while you continue working. When it’s done, it will tell you and let you know if it has found anything suspicious.

Computer acting buggy? It's time for a little spring cleaning! One of the original Geek For Hire business cards
One of the original Geek For Hire business cards!

SECOND – BACKUPS:

Back up your computer regularly, especially if you have precious data on it. I use Dropbox, which backs up everything automatically. Also, the Dropbox app is on my phone so that I can access files from anywhere. The “Starred” folder is where I keep my frequently used files. These come up first, so I don’t have to search for them. I keep insurance documents and other essential papers and frequently accessed Word and Excel files in that folder.

THIRD – PHOTOS:

Purchase several thumb drives and make a copy of the photo albums you have stored on your computer. (I like this one with dual USB-C and USB-A for convenience.)  Keep one and give the rest as gifts to your kids, parents, aunts, uncles, friends, etc.

FOURTH – PASSWORDS:

There have been several significant data breaches recently, and the hackers have lists of birthdays, SS numbers, addresses, and associated passwords! Change your passwords for financial accounts now, and set a reminder to change it every month! That includes your checking, savings, and investment accounts. Don’t forget about any app or website where you’ve saved credit card information, like eBay, PayPal, Amazon, etc.

FIFTH – 2FA:

While you’re at it, please change the password on ALL of your social media accounts. This is especially true if you have a business account. Set up two-factor-authorization (2FA) at the same time. We’re getting a lot of requests about hacked Facebook or Instagram accounts. I haven’t heard any success stories here. Once your Facebook account is out of your control, there really isn’t a way to get it back.

Conclusion: 

Today is a great day to run your virus scanner, change passwords, and back up your data!

Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has provided computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past twenty-plus years. You can find more on our website, or give us a call. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming, too. You can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More Tips Here:

Do I need the Windows 11 Upgrade?

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Tips, Win10, Windows, Windows 11

Several customers have asked if they need the Windows 11 upgrade now. Microsoft ends its support of Windows 10 on October 14, 2025, and people are wondering what this means for them.

Photo of Bill Gates counting to 11. 1, 2, 3, 95, ME, NT, 2000, XP, 7,8,10,11Unless you have a compelling need, there’s no reason to upgrade from WIN10 to WIN11 anytime soon. According to an article in The Register,

“The problem is that there is no killer Windows 11 feature to drive the majority of users to upgrade other than “a way to keep the patches flowing.” 

The article goes on to say:

“Users are still steering clear of Windows 11, with some customers describing the sales pitch as ‘like trying to sell sand at a beach.'”

What does the end of support for WIN10 mean? Here’s the explanation from Microsoft:

“After October 14, 2025, Microsoft will no longer provide free software updates from Windows Update, technical assistance, or security fixes for Windows 10. Your PC will still work, but we recommend moving to Windows 11.”

Contents

After October 14:

After October 14th, you may need to upgrade to Win11. (Remember that October 14 is Patch Tuesday, so your Win10 machine will get a patch that day.) Here are some things to consider:

  • Do you have any older programs or apps vital to your business or personal life? Check to make sure they will work with Windows 11. One customer had a genealogy program that couldn’t work with the upgraded Windows. We had to go in and back out the upgrade.
  • Are you waiting for Microsoft to release Windows 12 and don’t want to go through the hassle of two upgrades? While Microsoft hasn’t announced a release date for Win12 yet, it’s unlikely to be before mid-2026, with some saying it won’t come before 2027.
  • If you keep Win10 and want to receive regular security patches, you must purchase the Microsoft Extended Security Update programs ($61/year). Be aware that this will only include security patches; no new features or Technical Support.
  • If you decide to keep WIN10 without the Extended Security program, practice digital hygiene by using strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, and keeping your anti-virus up to date,

If you’ve been considering getting a new PC, do it before next autumn. The new machine will come with Windows 11 already installed.

Bottom Line:

The short answer is No; you don’t need to consider the Windows 11 upgrade until October. Chris says that Windows 10 is the more robust Operating System, with equivalent or better security.

For historical reading, here’s my blog from when Win7 transitioned to Win10.

Let us know if you need help selecting a new computer or upgrading your machine to Win11.

INFORMATION ABOUT GEEK FOR HIRE, INC.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has provided computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past twenty-plus years. You can find more on our website, or give us a call. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming, too. You can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More Tips Here:

Ink Subscription? You’re Not Really Buying A Printer Anymore!

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Printer, Tips

A long-time customer contacted us recently. She wanted us to hook up a new printer with the Instant Ink program. The printer wasn’t purchased yet, and I remembered hearing that Ink Subscription printers weren’t all that great. I asked her to wait, promised to look into it, and would let her know. Here’s what I found:

Programs like the HP Instant Ink are subscription plans. When you get a printer compatible with these programs, you are not just purchasing a printer. You are signing up for a month-to-month subscription to print a set number of pages each month. You’ll receive more ink when the manufacturer determines you need it.

If you print the same number of pages every month, this may be an option to consider. If you print 10 pages one month and 100 the next, this program won’t work for you. In addition, if you discontinue the program, even if the ink is almost full, you won’t be able to use the rest of the ink in those cartridges.

Contents

Ink Subscription Error Messages:

There are many online complaints about the service, mostly about how the printer suddenly stops working, with no warning. The error is almost exclusively because a credit card was changed or the printer was disconnected from the network. Here’s an image of one of the error messages:

Instant Ink error message Update payment

When Ink Subscriptions Make Sense:

Photographers:

If you print a lot of photos, this could work out for you. Because you are charged by the number of pages, printing color-saturated images counts the same as a resume with lots of white space. The manufacturer monitors your ink/toner levels (through your internet) and will send you new ink when it’s low. Or, if you routinely run out of cyan before you need to replace the black, this could also work for you.

Disorganized People:

Not everyone is complaining about the service. Some people don’t want to remember to buy more ink. Here’s a comment from Reddit:

“My elderly mother had Instant Ink and liked it. She didn’t print much each month, but she did use her printer regularly. She is very forgetful and used to run out of ink all the time before she had instant ink. Mom FELT like she wasn’t spending much because it wasn’t much per month.“

But then the daughter added that it was a more expensive option:

“When that printer died, I convinced her to stop using the service, and I now take care of ordering replacement cartridges. She’s saving money even though she doesn’t feel like it.”

Convenience:

If you print about the same number of pages per month and don’t mind paying a little extra.

Bottom Line:

We can’t recommend ink subscription programs for several reasons:

  1. The company has easy access to your data, email, physical address, etc. Yes, that information is already “out there”, but if their system gets hacked, hackers can correlate emails with names, credit card numbers, and addresses. (Another reason to set up a throw-away email address for online purchases.)
  2. It’s inefficient and the Terms are complicated. When I read the HP Pricing terms, it took several readings before I could figure out exactly how pages could be “rolled over” from month to month. For example, if you go on an extended vacation and don’t use your printer for a month or more, you’ll continue to be billed, but you may not be able to roll over all those pages. (It reminds me of when we got our daughter an Audible subscription. We’d buy points every month for her to get a new Audible book because she was driving a lot at the time. The points would expire after a year if they hadn’t been used for a book. It took me a while to realize we were throwing away points every month!)
  3. Chris likens it to purchasing the printer and leasing the ink. HP owns the ink and the cartridge right until the ink is printed. If you change your credit card without telling them or turn off your wifi, HP will discontinue service to your printer right away.
  4. It’s more expensive. For example, the “Frequent Printing” plan is $14/month and lets you print up to 300 pages each month. You can purchase an HP 138X Black cartridge for $133 and print 4000 pages. At 300 pages/month, that would last about 13 months. The same 13 months on the HP plan would be $182. (Prices as of 15 January 2025.)Pricing for various HP Ink plans. 10 pages for $1.49/month, 50 pages for $4.99/month, 100 pages for $6.00/month, 300 pages for $13.99/month and 700 pages for $27.99 /month
  5. If you’re over the limit on your credit card and HP can’t charge you, they will discontinue service to your printer, and you won’t be able to print.
  6. If you’re off-grid, you won’t be able to use this program.

And our customer?

Here is what they ended up purchasing:

Image of HP OfficeJet Pro 9125e. Image copied from Amazon.

More Info About Ink Subscriptions:

Are you curious about Ink Subscription Program? Here are some links with more information:

Printer Problems:

Printers have, unfortunately, turned into are disposable appliances. It costs more to fix than replace a printer. Software problems are fixable. Customers frequently call us with those types of problems. With physical issues, purchasing a new printer is just more cost-effective. Here’s a blog I wrote a few years ago about some common printer problems.

If you do need to get a new printer, make sure you understand what you are buying. Remember, even if you get a printer compatible with an ink subscription plan, you don’t need to sign up for it. (It will mean throwing away the ink/toner that came with the printer.) We do recommend setting up a throw-away email for these types of subscriptions. Let us know if you need help setting up a new printer or connecting it to your network!

INFORMATION ABOUT GEEK FOR HIRE, INC.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has provided computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past twenty-plus years. You can find more on our website, or give us a call. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming, too. You can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More Tips Here:

STEM Toys for Kids

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Tips

We don’t have kids in our home anymore, so when I want a gift for a little one, I go online. We’re a tech company. My favorite gift is almost always STEM toys for kids. (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Generally, I’ll research to see which toys have won awards, which are well-liked by parenting magazines, which are highly rated online, and which my friends or family may have told me about.

Yup, I’ve done the work, so you don’t have to! And, so you know, if you purchase anything from the links on this page, we may receive a small commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. I first published this in 2021, but the idea hasn’t changed. STEM toys are still good for kids!

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Why are STEM toys good for kids?

STEM toys help kids develop a love of learning while they figure out how things work. Some people think that STEM is only about teaching kids how to code, but it is so much more than that. These toys help kids develop:

  • Spatial awareness
  • Reasoning skills
  • Engineering thinking
  • Critical thinking skills
  • Engineering design
  • Problem-solving skills

Think about an infant playing on the floor with pots and pans. Can this bowl fit into this pot? Can this pot go on top of this plastic container? How high of a tower can I make with all of these cookbooks? That’s the learning process in action! STEM toys build on that early learning.

Screenshot of a colorful marble run from Amazon

What are examples of STEM toys?

Learn more about the benefits of STEM toys for your kids:

INFORMATION ABOUT GEEK FOR HIRE, INC.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has provided computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past twenty-plus years. You can find more on our website, or give us a call. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming, too. You can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

More Tips Here:

Holiday Phishing Scams? Here are Four Ways to Protect Yourself

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Hackers, Passwords, Technology Tips

The winter holidays are coming up fast. We’re stretched thin. We’re planning trips to relatives for holiday meals, planning a holiday party for our work buddies, checking out the kid’s plays and concerts at school, shopping for gifts, and on and on and on.

And the scammers know it. They’re planning Phishing Scams.

Screenshot of Phishing definition from NIST: A technique for attempting to acquire sensitive data, such as bank account numbers, through a fraudulent solicitation in email or on a website, in which the perpetrator masquerades as a legitimate business or reputable person.
             Definition of Phishing from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

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Four Ways to Protect Yourself from Phishing Scams:

PASSWORDS:

Change your password for ALL your online financial accounts (banks, credit cards, investment, Paypal, etc.), social media accounts, shopping accounts (Amazon, LLBean, REI, etc.), and ANY account where you have saved your credit card info. Do this before Thanksgiving. There have been many data breaches recently, and millions of email/password combinations have been “harvested”.  I know! Once you change your password, you must change it on your phone, tablet, computer, and anywhere else you use the app as well. It’s a hassle, but do it. (Here’s a recent blog on creating a secure password.)

PURCHASES:

When buying something from an individual online, double-check that they are who they say they are. If they are on Etsy or eBay, check their recent ratings. Do they have a 4.8 star rating overall, but are the recent ratings all ones or twos? Are you buying something from someone you know (or a good friend knows)?  Ask them clarifying questions to make sure they haven’t recently been hacked. (Yes, that’s how I got scammed.)

EMAILS:

Read your emails very carefully. Scammers know we get a lot of emails this time of year, especially from online shopping accounts. They can guess that we might be ordering from Amazon or Costco and may email us saying there is a “problem” with our order. They want us to click on this handy link they’ve provided. The email has an excellent rendition of the Amazon logo, and they have “spoofed” the URLs to make them look like the link will direct you to Amazon. Don’t fall for it! Go to your account and verify any problems there.

One especially tricky email is from Norton and other anti-virus/security providers. They email that they will process your “subscription renewal” on a future date for big buck$. If you don’t want to renew, just call the number in the email. Then, they ask for permission to access your computer to make sure you don’t have any viruses. If you let them, they’ll have fun. You end up with stolen data and malware on your machine.

TEXTS:

Texts and emails are the most common way to get pulled into phishing scams. By now, we all know that text messages from “USPS” or “FedEx” about delayed deliveries are scams. Read the message carefully. Is it coming from a number you’ve already saved on your phone? Don’t click on that link! Go to the app or website you already have to confirm there is a problem and correct it there.

Conclusion:

Use secure passwords wherever you log in, AND change your passwords frequently. Be incredibly diligent with Social Media and Financial accounts!

Good luck and….Screen shot from Youtube Video of Michael Conrad on Hill Street Blues. He says to his team: Hey, let's be careful out there.

“Hey, let’s be careful out there.” (Hill Street Blues)

INFORMATION ABOUT GEEK FOR HIRE, INC.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has provided computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly.  You can find more on our website, or give us a call. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming too. You can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

I got Scammed

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Passwords, Technology Tips

I’m careful. Really, I am. But this week, I was scammed. There was a Facebook scam, and I fell for it.

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Scammed by Facebook:

Here’s what happened. If you know me (Gail), you know I’m pretty much off of Facebook, except for the random Reels that Chris sends me. When my sister sent me a link from her friend, I had no reason not to trust it. The description in the link said that this friend of my sister’s was putting her dad into a long-term facility and needed to liquidate his stuff. There was a long list of household items with photos and very attractive prices.

The post said she was out of town and would return in a few days, but “first come, first serve”. If we wanted something, we should put a 50% deposit on it, and she would hold it for us until we could look at it and pick it up. If we changed our mind, we’d get the deposit back. There was one item we were interested in. We sent the deposit and contacted her the next day about pick up.

The next day, rather than seeing the item and deciding if we wanted it or not and THEN paying the rest of the amount due, she now wanted 100% of the money upfront before we could look at it. I declined and asked for my deposit back. And I was assured that she would send it.

This is where my spider sense started tingling. It couldn’t tell me I was being scammed before I handed over the $200 deposit?

I contacted my sister at this point and told her that her friend was rude, but I was chalking that up to the stress of putting her dad into a home. I also mentioned that we decided against buying the item from her friend because the terms were changed, and I thought it sounded fishy.

My sister had sent this link to several people who she knew needed things. She contacted them and asked them to be careful. One of her friends texted back and said:

text message about scammed FB transaction: "I exchanged a few messages with her yesterday and was sure it was a scam. Reported it this morning to Facebook. I meant to tell you."

 

 

He “was sure it was a scam.” What did I miss? I fell for it. I got scammed, and I feel pretty stupid!

Lessons Learned (Don’t Get Scammed):

Just because a link comes from someone you trust does not mean they have thoroughly vetted the information. Because it came from my sister, and because she said this was a friend, I trusted the referral more than I should have. (I found out later that my sister hadn’t been in contact with her friend for several years.) So, first, do your own due diligence.

Chris says: “Trust is death in security.” Anytime you’re online, you must be extra vigilant about your security. You don’t have an actual person sitting in front of you, proving that they are who they say they are. If you know the person, ask questions to get them to prove themselves.

Ask multiple questions about the transaction before plunking down your cash. Are the answers you’re getting consistent? Are they getting impatient about your questions? Be doubly cautious when buying a digital product, like an event ticket.

Make sure you know everywhere you have provided your financial information.

Recommendations:

Know who you are dealing with.

Change your password on social media accounts frequently, at least once a quarter. Here’s my blog about creating a good, secure password.

Change your password on ALL accounts with access to your financial info monthly. This includes social media, like Facebook, if you’ve ever purchased something through Marketplace.

 

INFORMATION ABOUT GEEK FOR HIRE, INC.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has provided computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly.  You can find more on our website, or give us a call. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming too. You can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

If you’d like to receive our newsletters in your email, please click here.

Paypal Changes Legal Terms – What Should You Do?

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Passwords, Technology Tips

Did you get this seemingly innocuous, totally ignorable email from PayPal changing their legal terms?

Screenshot of PayPal email. They're changing their legal terms so they can share more of your personal info.

This is the kind of thing that actively annoys me. I try to lock down all the apps I use so they don’t share information I don’t want them to. When a company changes its legal terms by sending me an email and then changes my settings without my permission … well … I get mad!

One of the reasons we use PayPal is because it provides us with a bit of a wall between our financial info and the store or person we’re sending money to. I don’t want to say I don’t trust all the Etsy or eBay sellers out there, but when it comes to my bank accounts, I want to keep things private. I’m guessing you do, too.

Did you receive this email from PayPal? I noticed that Gmail helpfully put it in my “Promotions” tab, making it harder to find.

Contents

Here’s how to turn PayPal marketing sharing off:

  1. Log into Paypal
  2. Click on Settings (it’s probably the gear icon near the top)
  3. Click on “Data & Privacy”
  4. Click on “Manage Shared Info”
  5. Click on “Personalized Shopping”
  6. Toggle the button to “off”
  7. While you’re on the Settings page, change your password too.
  8. If you have multiple PayPal accounts, follow these steps for each.

Screenshot of PayPal sharing turned off Screenshot of PayPal sharing turned on

 

 

 

 

Conclusion:

Just because you went through all the privacy settings when you downloaded a new app doesn’t mean your info will stay private. Companies change their legal terms often. Double-check the settings for your apps at least once a year.

 

I’ve created a Free Report to protect you from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

INFORMATION ABOUT GEEK FOR HIRE, INC.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has provided computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly.  You can find more on our website, or give us a call. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming too. You can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

If you’d like to receive our newsletters in your email, please click here.

Secure Passwords

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Hackers, Passwords, Technology Tips

Contents

How to create Secure Passwords

Creating secure passwords is something of an art now. The days of easy-to-remember passwords are long gone. You can’t use your birthday, your kid’s names, “password,” or even “passw0rd” (with a zero) anymore. In many cases, you can’t use ANY of the passwords you have used before. As Chris says: “Complexity is your friend.” Here’s how long it takes to hack a password today:

Table showing how long it takes to hack a password depending on complexity and why you should use secure passwords
If the info is too small, open the image in a separate window. Thanks to Hive Systems for this resource (www.hivesystems.com/password)

Creativity is required! Here are some ideas to help you develop your own secure passwords. And, remember to change your passwords frequently, especially on Financial and Social Media sites.

Basic Rules for Secure Passwords:

  • No less than 12 characters
  • A mix of both small and capital letters, plus numbers
  • If the app allows it, add special characters too, like !@#$%^&*()+:’

Password Hack: Substitute Characters

You can use random words and change out some of the letters for numbers or special characters.

  • An “A” can become “@”
  • An “E” can become the number “3”
  • An “L” or “I” can become the number “1” or “!”
  • An “O” becomes the number “0”
  • An “S” becomes “$”

Password Hack: Random Words

Look around your office or whatever room you’re in. Pick a few things you see. Don’t forget items in art on the wall or fridge! Remember to substitute characters as mentioned in the first section.

Do you see a tree outside, a rainbow on a drawing on your fridge, a pelican on the postcard from your brother in Florida? Use it!

“Tree”, “Rainbow”, “Pelican” becomes “Tr3eR@1nb0wPe1ican”

Random Characters create Secure Passwords:

You can also tap random keys on your keyboard. Once you get to 30 characters, you can stop. Make sure it is sufficiently randomized. We don’t want to see “asdfghjkl;”! For example:

  • 3k5c9dl#8sx0e;4*fHeI3)%E c94

Hobby Hack:

Select several words related to your favorite hobby and create a password from that. I like using three words, but you can use more if you like. For example:

  • Sai!bo@tLifejacketTil11er
  • P@intingP1einAirLand$cape
  • W1neVintageC0rk$crew
  • H1kingTr@ilMapBoot$

Entertainment Hack:

Let’s say your favorite TV series is “House”. Now, House is only five letters; the minimum number of characters most apps require is eight. Hackers are more innovative and use better equipment these days. Today, the minimum number of characters we’d recommend is 15, but I think 25 is better. So, how do you stretch out your favorite TV series to at least 15 characters? Here’s how:

  • Name: House
  • Studio: Universal
  • Favorite Actor: Hugh Laurie

This brings us to “HouseHughLaurie” (15 Characters – fair) or “HouseUniversalHughLaurie” (24 Characters – better!) But, without numbers or special characters, it’s still not a good password.

  • You can try: “H0useHughL@urie” or “H0useUn!versalHughL@urie”. With either of these, you’ve got upper and lower-case letters, numbers, and special characters!

Trekkies have it easier. They just need the name of the show:

  • TOS becomes “StarTrekThe0riginal$eries”
  • TNG becomes “St@rTrekTheN3xtGeneration”

Get the idea? You can do this with favorite books, movies, famous people, etc.

Conclusion:

Remember to use Secure Passwords wherever you log in AND to change your passwords frequently. Be incredibly diligent with Social Media and Financial accounts!

Good luck and “Hey, let’s be careful out there.” (Hill Street Blues)

 

I’ve created a Free Report to protect you from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

INFORMATION ABOUT GEEK FOR HIRE, INC.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has provided computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly.  You can find more on our website, or give us a call. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming too. You can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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Data Breach

Posted on by Gail Eddy in Hackers, News, Security, Technology Tips
US Dept of Energy Data Center
Data Center – Rawpixel.com

The news seems flooded with stories of a major data breach of National Public Data. This is significant because NPD is a consumer data broker. According to the Electronic Privacy Information Center data brokers:

“…collect and aggregate many types of personal information: names, addresses, telephone numbers, e-mail addresses, gender, age, marital status, children, education, profession, income, political preferences, and cars and real estate owned. Data brokers also collect information on an individual’s purchases, where they shop, and how they pay for their purchases.

“In addition, data brokers collect health information, the sites we visit online, and the advertisements we click on. And thanks to the proliferation of smartphones and wearables, data brokers collect and sell real-time location data.”

If you’ve ever wondered about Identity Theft, this is it. It’s essential to know with all that info, the hackers can sell your data. They may sell your whole file to a woman or man who can open accounts in your name, buy a car in your name, earn income in your name (that you will owe taxes on), or even get medical care, ALL IN YOUR NAME.

Consumer Data Brokers are an unregulated business. They can buy and sell your personal and private information without you even knowing they have it! Because they’re unregulated, there’s not a lot you can do about the data they already have. (Write to your Congressperson and Senator!) But there are things you can do to limit the damage.

Contents

Q: What is a data breach?

A data breach happens when hackers virtually “force” their way into corporate or government data centers. As hackers get more innovative, there will be more and more data breaches. Click for Wikipedia’s “List of data breaches“. (It is a little out of date.)

Q: What happened?

National Public Data had a security incident in December 2023. Brian Krebs states, “In April, a cybercriminal named USDoD began selling data stolen from NPD. In July, someone leaked what was taken, including the names, addresses, phone numbers, and in some cases email addresses for more than 272 million people (including many who are now deceased).”

You can read more on Snopes, Bleeping Computer, and UC Berkeley. There are many articles with sensational headlines and click-bait. Avoid those! In addition, a citizen in Florida filed a class action lawsuit.

Q: Does this data breach include my information?

The first thing you should do is head over to PenTester. Enter your name, state, and birth year to see your status. (The Data Breach includes my data.)

Q: Should I freeze my account? What does that mean, and how will it affect me?

Experian has provided a good explanation about freezing and thawing your account:

“A credit freeze is a free service, guaranteed under federal law, that can protect you from credit fraud by limiting most access to your credit report until you lift it, or “thaw” your report. When your credit report is frozen, any lender who asks to evaluate your report for purposes of issuing a loan or other credit is denied access to the report. A security freeze won’t affect your credit scores, but it will prevent lenders evaluating credit applications from obtaining your credit scores.

“A security freeze prevents criminals from opening new credit accounts in your name, but it also blocks your legitimate credit applications. So, if you have a credit freeze in place, you’ll need to thaw your credit reports before applying for a new loan, credit card or other consumer credit.

“Once your application is processed, you can reinstate the freeze. Alternatively, you can use a temporary thaw to lift the freeze for a set window of time, such as one day or one week, after which the freeze will be reinstated.

“Credit freezes must be activated and lifted separately at each of the national credit bureaus. Procedures differ somewhat with each bureau, but all three enable requesting and lifting of security freezes online, by phone, and via postal mail. There is never a fee for applying or removing a credit freeze.”

Q: What do I do next?

Freeze your account on all three credit reporting sites:
If you haven’t been on these sites, you’ll need to create a new account with a secure password. Remember your login information so you can “thaw” your account if you need to.

Q: What about my email?

Check whether your email has been compromised or “pwned”. Enter your email address into Have I Been Pwned to find out. If it has, the site will tell you where. Go to each site, and change your password to a new one. THEN, enter one of your other emails to find out if that has been compromised, too. For example, I have separate emails for work, personal, and social media. I discovered that my email was breached on Ticketfly, Gravatar, and Factual, among others. (Check out this article I wrote a few years ago.)

Q: Anything else?

You might want to consider a data removal service. The jury is still out on their effectiveness, and we haven’t had a chance to review any of them yet. The primary services available are Incogni, OneRep, or DeleteMe. Here are a few independent reviews:

Conclusion:

Be very cautious about how and where you share your data, and secure your data via account freezing.

 

I’ve created a Free Report to protect you from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

INFORMATION ABOUT GEEK FOR HIRE, INC.

Chris Eddy of Geek For Hire, Inc. has provided computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. Angie’s List and the BBB rate Geek For Hire very highly.  You can find more on our website, or give us a call. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

We’ve been using Amazon Prime for the past few years.  We like the free and fast shipping.  With Prime, we have access to online streaming, too. You can get a free 30-day trial by clicking on this link: Try Amazon Prime 30-Day Free Trial. If you’re a young adult or a student, you’re eligible for a 6 month free trial!  As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

If you’d like to receive our newsletters in your email, please click here.