I got Scammed

Posted on November 6, 2024January 13, 2025 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.

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:

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.

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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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Paypal Changes Legal Terms – What Should You Do?

Posted on October 10, 2024January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Passwords, Technology Tips

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

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.

Here’s how to turn PayPal marketing sharing off:

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

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!

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Secure Passwords

Posted on September 16, 2024January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Hackers, Passwords, Technology Tips

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!

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Data Breach

Posted on September 2, 2024January 13, 2025 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.

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:

Experian

Equifax

TransUnion

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!

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Fire Season – 5 Tips to Keep Your Tech Safe

Posted on August 21, 2024January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Technology Tips

Yes, it’s Fire Season again. Even if there isn’t a fire nearby, the smoke blows far and wide. Sometimes, it’s hard to breathe; sometimes, we just get pretty sunsets. But, when you live in the West, you need to be prepared to evacuate at a moment’s notice.

Recommendations for Fire Season:

Here are our recommendations for preparing for Fire Season, keeping your data safe, and making sure your technology continues to work wherever you land.

Use a laptop or Macbook for your daily computer:

For most people, there isn’t a huge difference between a desktop and a laptop. Get the computer that ill allow you to grab it fast. You can still have a large monitor and keyboard on your desk. If you need to bug out, just unplug everything, grab the notebook, and go!

Get two charging cables for your laptop:

Keep one at your desk and the other in your laptop case. This way you can just grab the computer and GO.

Fire Season or not – Store your files in the Cloud:

Make sure you use the Cloud to back up your data. An external hard drive can accidentally get left behind. Or worse, you may not even have time to grab your laptop. (One of our customers was evacuated during the recent Lake Shore fire west of Boulder. He didn’t have a chance to grab anything, but did have his files uploaded to Dropbox. And, yes, his house was ok, but it did have a lot of smoke damage.) I’ve been using Dropbox for years, and I like its ease of use.

Get a Hot Spot:

Talk to your cell phone provider about turning your cell phone into a hot spot. As long as you have access to a good cellular signal, you can send a good wifi signal to your laptop from anywhere.
Speaking of “Hot Spots”, here’s a great video from Jefferson County Fire Department on what to do if you think you spot smoke or a wildland fire:

POWER!

Make sure you have several fully charged battery packs. I recommend getting two of these Power Banks. Keep one in your laptop case and the other in your car. Make sure it’s kept charged!

More Tips for Fire Season:

Keep the Geek For Hire phone number handy. We can talk you through most of the issues you may be having. Remember, if you just have a quick question, we don’t charge for phone calls under 10 minutes.
During Fire Season, remember to keep your precious photos and other valuables in a bin by the door, ready to go in case you do get evacuated.
Keep your fuel tanks at least half full throughout Fire Season.
Grab your laundry basket. All of your favorite clothes are already in there!

Keep Informed about Fire Season:

There are several websites I check on during fire season. One tells me where the smoke is, another tells me where the fires are, and another tells me about the winds.

AirNow.gov shows the smoke plumes:

Inciweb shows where the fires are right now:

Earth::Wind is one of my favorite apps. My only complaint is that there aren’t enough features to tell where you are. If you know your lat/long to 20 degrees and all the major rivers, you’ll do fine!:

On the bright side, we’ll be treated to some amazing sunrises and sunsets throughout fire season!

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

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Women In Science – A Book Review

Posted on October 19, 2021January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Tips

When you were a kid, did you ever lay down on your grandparent’s floor flipping through the pages of the Encyclopedia Britannica? Who cared that the book was 20 or 50 years old? The information was just so interesting! That’s how I feel reading Women In Science by Rachel Ignotofsky.

If you follow me on social media, you know that I love to celebrate women in the Science and Technology fields. (Women in STEM rock!) I was brought up by strong women – my mom (the Professor) started a Masters in Science program from scratch, and my stepmother was the first woman Stockbroker in the state of New Jersey. I didn’t really have a choice but to always be learning! Ms. Ignotofsky has streamlined the process of learning about interesting scientific women by researching 50 of them from 350AD to the present day.

Just 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.

What I loved:

She provided little snippets of information that float around her creative illustrations. (See the image below of a sample page from the book.)
She thoroughly researched each woman and captured the most important details in a one-page overview. Who influenced each person? What was their education? What obstacles did they need to overcome?
In addition to the 50 women, she included a brief acknowledgment of 14 other women scientists.
She has several pages dedicated to additional information about Lab Tools, STEM statistics, and a great glossary. (The glossary includes more of her illustrations!)
Ms. Ignotofsky created a general Timeline with dates of interest from Hypatia (a mathematician living in Alexandria around 400AD) to today. The timeline includes the first women to reach different milestones, along with different US laws which are aimed at reversing discrimination towards women in various forms.

What I didn’t love about Women In Science:

How can you choose just fifty women? What about Mileva Maric? She was a physicist who is said to have contributed enormously to Albert Einstein’s work. (Sarcasm alert: She was probably called Mrs. Albert Einstein.) How about Alexa Canady? She was the first black woman to become a Neurosurgeon. But in just a short 127-page book, there really wasn’t the space to include information about many more women.

Conclusion:

Even such a short book sparks the mind to go looking for more. Just type “First woman who…” into Google and see what turns up. What a wonderful rabbit hole to fall into!

Information About Geek For Hire, Inc.

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

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 at 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area and remote service throughout North America.

Here’s a link to our Covid19 Policy.

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More Tips Here:

Thinking about buying a personal computer?
… or about getting a new Mac?
Ready for the DSTime change?
And here are the 10 Password Mistakes you don’t want to make!

What To Look For When Buying A Computer

Posted on October 12, 2021January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Technology Tips, Tips

In the past few weeks, we’ve had more than a few people ask us what to look for when buying a computer. Is it pent-up demand after a year of hanging out at home? Was it for Back-to-School? Is it pre-planning for Black Friday? Is it the regular paycheck again and can finally afford to replace that old Windows 7 machine? (If you’re looking for a new MacBook or iMac, check out this article for Chris’ recommendations.) Whatever your motivation, if you’ve been wondering what to look for in a computer, here’s our advice.

Computer Purchasing Tips:

Laptop or Desktop:

We live out west where “fire season” is almost the same time as “hurricane season”. It starts in early summer and lasts through October or November. Because we never know when we’ll be evacuated, we lean towards laptops. We’ve found that there is not a whole lot of performance difference between desktops and laptops anymore. When someone says “Your next computer should be a desktop”, we respectfully disagree.

If you do prefer to have a computer on your desk, get an external monitor or two, a docking station, a wireless keyboard, and a mouse. With this setup, it will work just like a desktop.

Here’s my setup with the laptop and two monitors.

Because laptops are more portable by design, if you do get evacuated, you can just toss the computer in your laundry basket and head out to your vehicle. (More advice on how to keep your tech safe during fire season.)

Do you want a Touchscreen:

We find that touchscreens add extra complexity and end up making the total cost of the machine more expensive without useful functionality. Unless you have a real need for a touchscreen, we’d advise against getting one. (My current laptop has a touch screen which I almost never use. Partly because the lid is always closed!)

How much Storage:

Choose a Solid-State Drive over a traditional Hard Drive. SSDs are much faster than a physical hard drive. In addition, they are more robust because they have no moving parts. Check to see how much storage you are currently using, then double it or more for your new machine. You’re not going to take fewer photos in the future! And, as technology changes, those photos will be larger. I have a 2 TB SSD which seems to work well for me. (More information about storage, SSDs, and hard drives.)

How much RAM:

I always get confused between “memory” and “storage”. RAM is memory. When you’re buying a computer, get at least 8 gigs of RAM as two separate sticks, not one. If you’re the type of person who opens a bunch of windows and tabs, you’ll want to bump that up to 16 gig or more of RAM.

What kind of Keyboard:

Do you want a 10-key Keyboard? (A 10-key is the number pad generally to the right of the rest of the keys. Accountants and anyone who works with numbers use them.) I once got a USB-connected 10-key accessory because my computer didn’t have one. It worked, but it was cumbersome. If you think you’ll want one, make sure it is a part of your ordering process. Do you ever work in the dark? Think about getting a backlit keyboard. Do you like the clickity-clack of an old-style typewriter?

The size of the keyboard can also dictate the size of the laptop. If you’re an expert typist, a smaller keyboard may work well for you. If you tend to make a lot of typos, look at a larger machine.

Do you want a Video Camera:

If you do a lot of Zooming, Facetiming, or Google Meeting, think about getting a video camera. There is not as much of an ordering backlog as there was six months ago. Most laptops come with a camera already built-in. A higher quality external camera can be added later.

What size Battery:

One of the things to look for in a computer is battery life. Get the largest battery offered for the machine so you can continue working a long time without being plugged in.

Also, order a second power brick. Keep one on your desk and one in your laptop case to simplify travel. (And, if one of them stops working, you’ll already have a spare.)

How long of a Warranty:

When you’re buying a personal computer, don’t forget about the warranty. We’ve noticed that computers tend to have issues with their component parts at about the 3 ½ to 3 ¾ year mark. Get at least a four-year warranty from the manufacturer. Don’t get a warranty from the store. Sometimes, when you buy a new computer at a store, like Best Buy or Costco, they won’t offer a manufacturer warranty. In that case, get the longest warranty the store offers.

Against our advice, a recent customer got a one-year standard warranty on an inexpensive machine. They had a lot of questions that the warranty covered, but if they spill coffee on the laptop next year, they’re out of luck.

Read the fine print! Not all warranties provide coverage on liquid spills or falling off the rooftop of your car while driving. Don’t sign until you ask a ton of questions!

What kind of Processor:

The Core I3 processor is pretty slow. Chris recommends the Intel Core I5 or I7. (The I9 is also available. It’s smokin’ fast and a lot more expensive.) There’s more info about the Intel processors here. We’ve found that in most cases the AMD processors tend to perform poorly.

How much will a new computer cost:

Expect to spend at least $1000 on a machine that will still serve you and that you’ll still like in three years. Like most things, computers are a “you get what you pay for” kind of thing. There are “cheap” machines which are, unfortunately, sold for more than they are worth. Do your research and let us know if you need help. Also, most of the major manufacturers (Dell, Lenovo, HP) have payment plans. Ask! If you purchase a new computer for less than $800, expect to be disappointed.

What else do I need to know?

How long do laptops last?

Computers are still pretty robust. Expect to get four to ten years out of a good laptop or desktop, with more and more problems occurring after the four year mark. (FYI, we have a 2008 iMac that is still going strong.)

I really don’t know what to look for when buying a computer!

Need help? One of the services we provide is to work with different manufacturers to get the best machine possible for our customers. Chris will listen to your requirements and design a machine that will work for you. Because of our long association with Dell, Chris is generally able to get a 30-50% discount on those machines. He gets less of a discount with other manufacturers. We have a one-hour design fee for this service. If you’ve already done some selecting, schedule a consultation with us. Chris can review the design and make suggestions before you actually purchase the machine.

Information About Geek For Hire, Inc.

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

Here’s a link to our Covid19 Policy.

More Tips Here:

Are VPNs worth it? More here.
Are you interested in learning more about Extreme Privacy?
We have seen a lot of Facebook hacking lately. Here’s what you should do ahead of time to keep your account safe.
And here are the 10 Password Mistakes you don’t want to make!

How To Change Password on iPhone

Posted on September 22, 2021May 2, 2024 by Gail Eddy in iPhone, Passwords, Security, Tips

If you’re in the service industry you already know how to change password on iPhone. Having a secure passcode on your SmartPhone keeps your co-workers from posting silly things on your Facebook page.

All kidding aside, if your iPhone isn’t with you 24/7/365 there is a chance it could fall into someone else’s hands. Did you ever leave your phone on the desk in the library while you went to pick up the document you just printed, or leave it on the table in a restaurant while you use the restroom? Your phone isn’t as secure as you like to think.

Of course, we advise that you log out of all apps on your phone as soon as you’re done using them. And we also advise that you never store your credit card information in an app that you use on your iPhone. But who are we kidding? Even I don’t do that all the time, so I’m pretty sure you don’t either. And that’s why you need to make sure your iPhone is securely locked down when you’re not using it.

Should you Use a Passcode or Biometric Authentication?

We prefer using a very secure passcode over biometric authentication. Biometric Authentication is just a fancy way of saying they’ll use your fingerprint or Face ID to say that you are you. We think a passcode or password is more secure.

iPhone Passcode Requirement:

Many people use a simple four or six-digit numeric code to log onto their iPhone. This is simply not secure enough.

Geek For Hire recommends that you use a secure passcode with twelve or more characters, using a good mix of letters, numbers, special characters/punctuation, and capital letters. (The time it takes to crack a six-digit, all number passcode is measured in milliseconds. To crack a 12-digit passcode with mixed characters would take about 2000 years. Check out this article for more info.

If you want to know how to change iPhone passcode so that it is longer, follow these seven steps:

Open “Settings” and click on “Face ID & Passcode.
Then click on “Change Passcode.”
After you’ve entered your old passcode, click on “Passcode Options”, and then click on “Custom Alphanumeric Code”. This allows you to use more than just numbers for your code.
Enter your new passcode using a mix of letters, numbers, and special characters. It’s still important to use a passcode that will be easy for you to remember. For example, if you’re an avid reader:
- I Love My Library could become…
- I<3MyLibrary!
Write it down so you’ll remember it in an hour. After you’ve entered it a few times, your muscle memory should kick in and you can shred and toss that scrap of paper.
Don’t make it so hard that you get frustrated every time you enter it and decide you’re better off without a passcode.
While you’re on this screen, change the requirement for entering your passcode to five minutes or less.

What You Should NOT Do:

Don’t ignore the passcode altogether.
If you do use a four-digit passcode don’t use any series of numbers that form a pattern. For example, “1234”, or “1111”, “2580”, and “7139” are all really bad. But seriously, don’t use a four-digit code!
If you do use a six-digit passcode, don’t use “136974”, or any other pattern on the keypad.
Generally, don’t use an easily recognizable pattern or series of numbers.
And, of course, don’t use your birthday, your phone number, your name, etc.

How to Remove Passcode from iPhone:

Seriously? After reading all of that you want to know how to remove iPhone password? Here you go:

Open “Settings” and click on “Face ID & Passcode.
Click “Turn Passcode Off”
Confirm that you don’t want to use your Apple Pay cards and that your Apple Watch will lock.
It’s not too late! Please reconsider! Don’t do it! Click on cancel!

Conclusion:

You should have a passcode on all your portable devices, especially any devices that have credit card information or other private data. This includes your SmartPhone, SmartWatch, tablet, etc.

Information About Geek For Hire, Inc.

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

Here’s a link to our Covid19 Policy.

More Tips Here:

Are VPNs worth it? More here.
Are you interested in learning more about Extreme Privacy?
We have seen a lot of Facebook hacking lately. Here’s what you should do ahead of time to keep your account safe.
And here are the 10 Password Mistakes you don’t want to make!

Q&A: Computer Data Storage or “My computer is running out of space!”

Posted on September 15, 2021May 9, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Cloud, Data Backup, Hard Drive, SSD, Tips

We frequently get questions from our customers. Here’s one about saving files and computer data storage:

Question:

My computer is running out of memory. I have been using Dropbox on my computer for a while now.

I have files in Dropbox and they are also under “This PC”. I am thinking that the files under “This PC” should be cleaned up and then merged with Dropbox so that it isn’t using so much space. They are mostly duplicates. They will still be available on the computer any time and backed up and free up lots of space. Am I right.?

So paranoid about losing my files, mostly photos.

Answer:

The only thing I don’t like about Dropbox is that I cannot figure out how to save files in “the cloud” that are not also on my computer. So, yes, I’m paranoid about deleting things too. I would bet that there is a way to do it, but I haven’t figured it out yet.

I love Dropbox because it is a stress-free way to make sure that if my computer crashes, I still have all my files. But running out of space is a definite concern. Over the years, I have gone onto Dropbox a few times to see how I could delete a file from my computer but have it still stay in the Dropbox “cloud”. There is a way to do this. But, each time I look it up, I realize that it is too convoluted a process and there’s a non-zero risk I could lose my files.

So I keep everything…

Your Computer Data Storage Options:

When you’re running out of space on your computer you have four options:

Keep Everything:

This is by far the easiest option. Get a new larger Hard Drive or Solid State Drive and install it into your computer. This is my kind of option! My current laptop has a 2 TB SSD that is just under half full.

Delete files from your computer but not in the Cloud:

There are several cloud storage services to choose from. Figure out how to delete files from your computer but not from Dropbox. (If you’re more confident than I am, here’s the solution from two separate sources; one from the Dropbox Forum, and the other from Windows Report. (Or, of course, Chris could help you do this.) Dropbox also has something called “Selective Sync“.) If you’re wondering how to delete files on Dropbox, that’s easy! Just delete it from your computer, and it’ll be gone from Dropbox too.

Prune your files:

Start deleting the files you’ll never use again.

Do you really need those nine awful selfies you took? Why not just keep the one you posted on social media?
Do you need to keep the 17 drafts of the document you wrote for work in 2014?
When was the last time you emptied the “trash” folder?

Move data to an external SSD:

Back up all of your data to an external Solid State Drive (SSD), test that the files are really there, then delete them from your computer. Write the date on the SSD, and maybe print out the directory file, and put that all into an envelope. That way you can see later which drives have what data.

Please note: We often recommend products, parts, and resources that we like. Some of these are affiliate links, and we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

You might wonder why I specify a Solid State Drive. SSDs are more robust than standard physical Hard Drives or other computer data storage options like thumb drives. And, they are faster; much faster! Chris put together a list of recommended computer data storage devices.

You can also save all your photos from a trip to an SSD. Then you can bring it with you when you visit family and friends to show them too!

Back-Up Your Data:

But don’t forget! You should still be backing up your data on a very regular basis. A friend once told me: “Data doesn’t exist unless it is stored in three separate places.” In my case, I’ve got stuff on my computer, the cloud via Dropbox, and an external SSD that I back up to about once a month. Here’s a link to the SSD I use for backups.

(Are you still wondering what the cloud is? Here’s an article I wrote in 2018.)

Information About Geek For Hire, Inc.

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

Here’s a link to our Covid19 Policy.

More Tips Here:

Are VPNs worth it? More here.
Are you interested in learning more about Extreme Privacy?
We have seen a lot of Facebook hacking lately. Here’s what you should do ahead of time to keep your account safe.
And here are the 10 Password Mistakes you don’t want to make!

Leaves of Change or Colorado in the Fall

Posted on September 13, 2021May 2, 2024 by Gail Eddy in Tips

It’s Fall in Colorado, aka leaf-peeping season. Right now, there are a few yellow leaves here and there, but by mid-September, many of Colorado’s scenic byways will be blazing with color from our signature aspens and cottonwoods. And I’ll bet you’re wondering if there is an informative fall foliage map out there that will guide you to the best views.

I’m supposed to be writing about Tech Tips. So what do Leafers*, Fall Foliage Maps, and Peak Foliage have to do with technology? Well, there are websites and apps out there to help you find the best places and times to go for the tree color. Here are my favorites:

Predictive Peak Foliage Map:

I think this peak fall foliage map from the Smokey Mountains is the best one.

Even though the Smokeys are on the East coast, they’ve got an amazing predictive Fall Foliage Forecast map for the entire lower 48. David Angotti from SmokyMountains.com, who developed the map with his team says:

“The fall leaf map is intuitive and easy to use. When you visit the page, you will see a slider at the bottom. The slider will be set to the current week. You can slide the slider to the right to see the predicted progression of fall. The green indicates the trees in that area of the country have not begun to change colors. The brown color means that the leaves are past their peak. The remaining colors show a colorful depiction of the progression of fall.”

One big downside to this map is that you can’t zoom in to see your particular region or county.

Colorado Fall Foliage Map:

If you’re looking for a fall foliage map with only Colorado, I think the map from KDVR is spot on. It looks like the Peak to Peak region will peak mid-to-end of September.

Weather:

You can’t go leaf-peeping in the rain! Check the forecast a few days before, and then on the morning that you are setting out. If it looks like it’s going to rain or be very windy, see if you can rearrange your schedule to go leaf-peeping before the weather. I’ve got a couple of favorite weather sites. Simply enter the zip code or city name of where you’re going:

National Weather Service
Weather Underground

Driving tips:

If you find a great view and want to take a photo, pull all the way off the road.
If you notice someone driving up behind you really fast, they may have an emergency, or just need to get to work. Pull over and let them pass. Then you can continue taking in the view at your own pace.

Cell Service:

Several years ago, I published a guide to cell service along the Peak to Peak Highway. There has been some expansion of coverage, but it’s still fairly accurate.

Colorado Map:

I don’t know about you, but cell service isn’t always available. And I need to know where I am! I like this laminated folding map. (You should know that as an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.)

Weird Definitions:

* Leafers? Yes, it’s a word. According to the Urban Dictionary:

“A leafer is any American who travels north to see the leaves change colour. Also known as a wanna-be Canadian. Hogs your bars and parking spots.”

Information About Geek For Hire, Inc.

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

Here’s a link to our Covid19 Policy.

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More Tips Here:

Are VPNs worth it? More here.
Are you interested in learning more about Extreme Privacy?
We have seen a lot of Facebook hacking lately. Here’s what you should do ahead of time to keep your account safe.
And here are the 10 Password Mistakes you don’t want to make!