Internet of Things – IOT

Posted on February 3, 2020January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Mac's, PC's, Printer, Technology Tips, Tips, Windows

Have you heard of the “Internet of Things” and wondered what it is? I know I have. Every time I hear the term, I have to think for a second to remember what it is all about!

Internet of Things refers to things connected to the Internet, things you might not expect to be connected together. Things as small as a lightbulb or as large as a refrigerator can be connected. Wikipedia has a good definition:

“The Internet of things (IoT) is a system of interrelated computing devices, mechanical and digital machines, objects, animals or people that are provided with unique identifiers (UIDs) and the ability to transfer data over a network without requiring human-to-human or human-to-computer interaction.”

We have Kevin Ashton to thank. Way back in 1999 he coined the term:

“I knew I wanted to get the word ‘internet’ into it, because then I could get some buy-in,” says Ashton. “All these old, white-guy CEO types were very excited about the internet, but at that time it was still just the dot .com revolution. It was all websites. For most people the internet was still dial-up. The Internet was something you got on via CDs from AOL.”

“No one was talking about the Internet of anything.”

Following are some real-life examples of the Internet of Things:

Your watch tells you it is time to stand up and walk
You tell your smart speaker to play your favorite music
Your vacuum tells you to change its filter
You tell the thermostat to turn up the heat when you are ten minutes away from home
Your security system sends you an alert
You turn the lights on or off in your home – from your cell phone
Your front door opens when you’re on vacation, but only for the house-sitter

What’s next for the Internet of Things?

According to IoT Analytics, there were approximately 9.5 billion active IoT devices at the end of 2019. And ThriveGlobal says that IoT will grow to 75 billion devices by 2025. Expect more of your devices to be connected to the Internet. You may move from simply owning a Smart TV to an entire Smart Home.

As always, Geek For Hire encourages you to be careful about what you share on the Internet! Here’s our article on how to delete your Alexa recordings.

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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 been providing 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 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3 support) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as 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. Prime is usually $119/year, but 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.

How NOT to Become a Victim of Holiday Phishing Scams

Posted on December 9, 2019January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Tips

It’s the Holiday season and, like me, you’re probably getting more emails than ever. Holiday phishing scams are on the rise! In the past few days, we’ve received a number of calls from people wondering if an email was “real” or not. In most cases, they were not. I think they send out so many of these messages in November and December because they know we are so overwhelmed between work and shopping and family that we’ll likely miss any clues.

Examples of Holiday Phishing Scams:

One person got an email from her “email provider” saying she needed to log in to her account right away because they claimed her mailbox had exceeded storage on her account. “Just click this link and you can log in!”
Another received an email from his “bank” claiming someone else tried to log into his account and he needed to click this link and log in right away to confirm his identity.
A third received a phone call from her “credit card company” saying there was fraudulent activity and she just needed to provide her birthday and last four of her social security number to confirm her identity.
A fourth received an email from a magazine he subscribes to. They wanted to let him know that his subscription was up for renewal and they were all set to charge his account on December 13th. If he wanted to make any changes all he had to do was click the link.

Scammers have gotten better and better about making you believe that a particular email is from a real company and not from a scammer.

Other Scams:

And don’t forget about Social Media. I think by now we’ve all received the private Facebook message that says “I can’t believe what you did! Check out the video!”, but when you click on the video you start spamming all of YOUR friends! But other private messages are more subtle. Always double-check with your friend to see if they really sent you the link.

Another recent scam is sending a link via a text message. I’ve been getting a lot of these recently. In fact, I received one just this morning! It was sent to 20 other people all with sequential cell phone numbers telling us to “Tap to load preview”

So that leads us to the question…

How do I protect myself from Holiday Phishing Scams?

First, be hyper-vigilant with your personal information. When a company calls you and says they want to confirm it’s you by having you provide your birthday, address, or the last four of your social, just say “NO!”. Tell them you’ll be happy to call them back at a number you already have for that company to take care of the issue.

Next, check to see that the email even makes sense. Are you receiving a message from a bank you no longer do business with? Did you get an email from your girlfriend saying she is stranded in Athens, but you saw her just last night?

Next, carefully review your emails before clicking on any links. Even if the logos are correct and the color scheme is correct, it still might be a scam. Is the message really from “Amazon.com” or is it from “Amaz0ne.com”? (Notice the letter “o” became the number zero.) Check the “from” address. And check to see if the link is shortened to a bit.ly link or is it the company’s actual web address?

I’ve written some other blogs about staying safe onlin recently. Check out:

Of course, you can sign up for our newsletter and receive our free report on how to protect yourself from phishing scams.

Conclusion:

Think before you click!

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10 Password Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make

Posted on October 29, 2019January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Passwords, Security, Tips

As a Mac and PC repair company, when it comes to password mistakes, we’ve seen it all! From people using “password” to log into their investment account, to people giving their email password to a hacker who calls them on the phone. (“But he sounded like a such a nice guy!”)

Here are 10 password mistakes you don’t want to make when logging into an account on the internet.

Don’t share your password with anyone. If someone needs to log into one of your accounts to fix something, make sure you trust them. And when they’re done, change your password on that account right away!
Don’t save your passwords in the “cloud”. There have been a lot of hacking attempts, and corporations are not always as careful with your data as they should be. In fact, we’ve had two customers who have lost access to their password account. One of them needed to log into ALL of her accounts and change the password on each one! I keep all of my passwords in an Excel spreadsheet. The spreadsheet is on my computer, which has a pretty secure password, and the file itself is password protected with a 12 character phrase.
Don’t keep a written list of your passwords next to your computer. (…or under your keyboard, or taped to your wall…)
Don’t keep a written list in your planner (aka calendar) or phone book.
Don’t auto-save passwords on your browser. This is the same logic as saving passwords in the cloud. Yes, it’s a pain to have to type it in each time, but corporations like Google and even Firefox don’t always follow great processes to keep your information secure.
Don’t use sequential numbers or letters, like “111111” or “12345678” or “qwertyuiop” or “abcdefgh”. Click to receive our Guide on creating a secure AND easy-to-remember Password.
Don’t use something easy to guess like “password”. Every year top security companies look to see which are the most commonly used passwords. (“Password” has always been in the top 5.) Wikipedia published this list in 2018. Make sure your password isn’t on this list!
Don’t use a password that’s under six characters. The longer your password is, the better. In 2017, it took four hours to crack a simple eight-character password and 200 years to crack a simple 12 character password. In 2019, with computer speeds ever-improving, those times will be shorter. Take a look at this infographic for more details.
Don’t use your name or your birthday, or any personal information.
Don’t use your mother’s maiden name. In the last century, most women were married and took their husband’s name. In 2019, that’s all changed. Along with other personal information, figuring out your mom’s last name is pretty easy. Just take a look at one of your Facebook acquaintances for a few minutes. You’ll be able to figure out their mom’s name as well as other personal information in no time at all.

Which of these password mistakes have you made? Are there others I should have included? Let me know in the comments below!

Please share this with your brother-in-law, who is making these password mistakes!

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I’ve created a Free Report on what to look for to protect yourself from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

Wireless Keyboard – Buying Guide, Seven Features, and our Recommendations

Posted on October 17, 2019January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Laptops, Technology Tips, Tips

We received a call recently from a long-time customer who wanted to upgrade his wireless keyboard. That was all the push Chris needed to do some research for a new toy! But, before I reveal what his new favorite is, let’s talk a little about seven different features you might look for in a new wireless keyboard.

1 – Mouse:

First, you need to decide if you want the keyboard to be paired with a mouse. The benefit is that you would only have to use one USB port on your machine. The downside is that not all keyboards come with a mouse, and you may decide that the wireless keyboard you can’t live without, doesn’t have a mouse.

2 – Ten-Key:

What’s your preference? Using the numbers along the row above the letters, or do you prefer to use the number pad off to the right of a standard keyboard?

3 – Media Keys:

Do you want to manage additional tasks from your keyboard? I like that I can control the volume from my keyboard, I can open a window to send a new email, I can open a new browser window, and so much more.

4 – Backlight:

Do you often work in a darkened room? You may want to consider a backlit keyboard. The laptops that Chris has been designing recently all come with a backlit keyboard, which is useful when you’re working in bed next to your sleeping spouse. If you primarily use your wireless keyboard at your desk, you probably don’t need a backlight.

5 – Size:

How big of a keyboard do you want? Do you want a portable one that clips onto your tablet? Should it be foldable to fit into your backpack? Or do you want a full-sized wireless keyboard that you can leave on your desk?

6 – Tactile Response:

Clicking? Silent? If this is important to you, make sure you know ahead of time what the keyboard will do.

7 – Ergonomics:

If you have issues with carpal tunnel or spend all day typing, you may want to look for a keyboard that has a unique design to keep your wrists in the proper position while typing.

I have a laptop. I don’t need a separate wireless keyboard!

That’s what I used to think. But my laptop is on the small side, and the keyboard is too. My fingers were continually confusing keys and mis-spelling words. Worst of all, the heal of my hand would accidentally touch the keypad, and the mouse would go flying to a different part of the screen. It was very frustrating. I’ve since learned that I’m not the only one to experience this. I solved this by purchasing a wireless keyboard, which is the size of a conventional keyboard, and works well for me.

Geek For Hire Recommendations:

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.

Chris’ new favorite keyboard is called the Logitech Craft. It has a funky knob on the top left side which allows you to adjust images in Photoshop or Illustrator. It has a backlit keyboard and (WHAT?!) can manage up to three devices from the single wireless keyboard! It’s compatible with both Mac’s and PCs. This one retails for $199, but Amazon and Best Buy currently have it priced at $170. I’ve seen it on other sites at prices ranging from $179 to $199
The wireless keyboard I had been using for the past few years suddenly died last month. I purchased a Logitech MK320, and I love it. It came paired with a mouse, which means only one USB thingie. That’s important to me because my laptop only has three USB ports. It has a separate ten-key which I like. And, as I mentioned above, I can manage more than just typing with this device! The keys are big enough that my fingers don’t confuse the “m” and the “n.” Overall, I like it and loved the price. It retails for $40, but Amazon currently has it priced at $32 and Best Buy for $25.
If you’re looking for a great keyboard for your kids, the wired LearningBoard keyboard comes highly recommended. It encourages learning and has very good reviews. Amazon has it for about $ 40.
Chris likes the Microsoft Surface keyboard, although this is a keyboard only. You’ll have to purchase the mouse separately.
Chris LOVES this Wired keyboard from Das Keyboard. Its niche is People who like a very high precision keyboard that has a lot of physical/tactile feedback when typing. It has media control keys and a volume control knob. One of its claims to fame is that it clicks when you type. Amazon has it for $170. If you miss the old typewriters, this is the one for you!

Please forward this to your colleague who constantly has spelling mistakes.

Note: This guide to purchasing a wireless keyboard was initially published on 15 January 2109 and updated on 17 October 2019.

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 been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB (Better Business Bureau) and by Angie’s List. You can find more on our website, or give us a call 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.

Tech for Seniors – Resources

Posted on October 1, 2019January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in AT&T, Cell Phone Service, Smartphone Apps, Tips, Verizon

I’ll bet you didn’t know that October 1st has been designated by the United Nations as the International Day of Older People. (UNIDOP for short!) When I found that out, it got me thinking about Tech for Seniors. Many of our customers are Seniors. Just like every other demographic, they are all different. Some of them call and say “I’m in my late 50’s and too old to learn this new technology,” while others are still working and adopting new technology well into their 70’s and 80’s!

United Nations 60+ Counts logo - Tech for seniors

Tech for Seniors – Resources:

Over time, we have found some resources to help our older customers. Here are just a few:

(Note: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)

Set up your Alexa / Echo / Siri to call a trusted contact when you can’t get to the phone. Keep in mind that it won’t be able to call 911 for you, but it could call a family member or neighbor. Check out this blog I wrote about why you can’t use Alexa to call 911.
At your next family gathering, ask your grandkids to show you how to use Facetime. That way you can have a video chat with them very easily throughout the year.
You should also make sure your computer keyboard fits your needs. I’ve talked to several people who have a separate keyboard and mouse even though they have a laptop. Laptops are getting smaller and the keyboards are almost too small to type on! After I made many (MANY!) fat-finger mistakes on my laptop, I got a wireless keyboard and mouse which helped immensely. I wrote a post about wireless keyboards earlier this year.
Head over to your local bookstore or even Amazon and browse some of the “Dummy” or “Idiot” books for help with specific topics. I also like David Pogue’s “Missing Manual” series. I got turned on to them when I got my first iPhone and couldn’t figure out how to do anything. It was very helpful!
Check with your local senior group, library, or Chamber of Commerce. They probably have classes on Social Media, photography, email, and other subjects that you may need help with. (Save the phone calls to your granddaughter for the tech emergencies!)
Then, cultivate a relationship with a tech expert that can come to you and fix problems and provide some training. Ask your friends for recommendations.

Conclusion:

Do you know how they say that age is a state of mind? Take your tech one step at a time. Learn it in little bits and be open to finding out new ways to do things. Before you know it you’ll be teaching your kids a thing or two!

Please share this with your “older” friends!

Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.

I’ve created a Free Report on what to look for to protect yourself from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

Digital Privacy and Alexa

Posted on July 9, 2019January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Cloud, Data Backup, Technology Tips

If you know anything about me at all, you know that I am passionate about privacy: digital privacy to be specific. The fact that our smartphones, tablets, and other smart devices are always listening to us, storing that information, and even selling it makes me crazy.

I’ve recently learned that the Amazon Alexa device keeps everything until you delete it. Whoa! I can delete that data on Alexa? (By the way, Alexa is just like Apple’s Siri. You can ask questions, set timers, and ask either of them to look up information on the web. Alexa is available with the Echo Dot and the Echo Show.)

Here’s how to maintain some level of digital privacy on your Alexa:

First, open your Amazon account on your computer using your favorite browser. We like Firefox because it tends to be a little more respectful of our privacy than some of the other browsers.

Then, hover over the “Accounts and Lists” down arrow.
Next, click on “Your Content and Devices” about 3/4 of the way down the list.
Then click on “Alexa Privacy” and then “Manage Voice Recordings.” From there, you will see an option to delete everything.

According to Tom’s Guide, some of the newer devices allow you to delete your history on a day-by-day basis by merely saying: “Alexa, delete everything I said today.”

Digital Privacy in the News:

There have been several articles that have caught my eye recently. Here is just a sampling:

Amazon confirms it keeps Alexa recordings forever
- “If you (like so many of us) hate listening to recordings of your own voice, you may be in for an unpleasant future, as Amazon has confirmed it hangs on to every conversation you’ve ever had with an Alexa-enabled device until or unless you specifically delete them.”
How to stop companies from selling your data
- “The second you fill out an online survey, purchase a new home or subscribe to a magazine, your information may be scooped up by a data company and sold to a subterranean market for personal information on millions of people. These data brokers are building profiles about you, using thousands of pieces of information such as your age, income, race, ethnicity and interests and helping marketers use this data”
Simple steps to take to keep your data secure
- “Social media services have become a significant part of our lives. However, despite these various benefits, some would still opt out of social media if it helped to restore their digital privacy forever.”
Tracking us with Digital “Fingerprints”
- “If there’s one lesson to learn about digital privacy, it’s that we can never grow complacent. Even if we secure our data so we are not tracked online, the ad tech industry will find ways to monitor our digital activities.”
Location Privacy and your Smartphone
- “Most smartphone users don’t really lock down their security settings, sticking with the default settings that came with the phone. When they add a new app to their phone, they may not think to check what data they are sharing with the app developer.”

Conclusion:

Be diligent about your Digital Privacy!

Please forward this to your friends with an Alexa device.

Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.

I’ve created a Free Report on what to look for to protect yourself from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

Phone Scams and how to protect yourself

Posted on June 25, 2019January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Security, Technology Tips

Privacy and Security

I’ve been reading some concerning news recently about the volume of phone scams going around. There are more and more each month. You might wonder why there are so many of them and why the authorities can’t put an end to all of them. There are good answers to both of those questions:

Why are there so many phone scams going around?

The reason is simple. People fall for phone scams. They voluntarily provide their user ID and password, or their name and birthday. Worse, they’ll hand over their credit card number to a random person calling on the phone. There are so many scams because they are profitable. Before you say “Well, I would never do that!”, you should know that the scams have gotten much more sophisticated over the past few years. It’s only after you’ve given out your information and hung up the phone, that you realize that maybe all is not as it seemed.

Why can’t the authorities put an end to these scams?

Are you familiar with the term “Fly-by-night”? It is used to describe a person that sets itself up as a respectable business person, accepting payment in exchange for a promised good or service. Then, all of a sudden, they’ve closed up shop and moved. Well, that’s what these bad operators are, with the added benefit of the internet.

Back “then,” you’d call the Police Department, and they would work with other Officers in the next county or state to catch them. Today, the scammers will collect your money, and almost before your call is over, they will have changed their IP address so that it looks like they’re in a different country.

The authorities can’t put an end to the scams, because they have a challenging time catching the perpetrators.

What should you do if you fall for one of these phone scams?

First, don’t beat yourself up about it. The people who call are very sophisticated and convincing. They know all the right words to say to get you to give them what they want.

If you provide credit card information:

First, call your banker to let them know. Ask them to deny the charge.
If you have online access to your bank account, log on at least once a day for the next few weeks to see if there is any suspicious activity.
You should also ask them for a new credit card with a new number.

If you allow remote access to your computer:

The first thing to do is to disconnect the computer from the internet. Unplug the ethernet cable or turn off the WiFi.
Next, run your virus scanner and delete any viruses or other malware that may be installed on your machine.
If you feel like they’ve installed something that you can’t get rid of, give us a call, and we’ll give your machine a good scrub.

How can you protect yourself from email scams?

I’ve created a Free Report on what to look for to protect yourself from “phishing” scams. Click here to receive it!

Conclusion:

Remember that Microsoft or Google will not call you if you have a virus on your machine. Run your virus scanner regularly, and just say no to people who call and want to access your computer, or want you to sign up for online computer support.

Please forward this to your friends who may be susceptible to phone scams.

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Poor Cell Phone Service – Some Tips to Remedy

Posted on February 26, 2019January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Android, Cell Phone Service, iPhone, Technology Tips, Tips

Even with all the improvements in cellular technology I still run into areas which have very poor cell phone service. There are the times when I’m the passenger in a car and the cell phone quality just gets worse and worse.

Does this ever happen to you? You’re talking on the phone and the quality of the call keeps decreasing. You keep waiting for your call to switch to the next cell tower but that never seems to happen. What should you do?

We used to drive up and over a section of the highway that we dubbed “The Hill of Cellular Death”. It was pretty much guaranteed that when you got about two-thirds of the way up the hill on either side, your cell call would drop. It got to be that I wouldn’t even answer my cell phone when the vehicle I was traveling in was within a half mile of that hill. Thankfully they now have a low profile tower on that hill and my calls don’t get dropped anymore.

What should you do when your smartphone gets really poor cell phone service?

This is what that pesky “Airplane Mode” button is for! Put your phone into “Airplane Mode” so that it turns off your cell service, your WiFi, and your Bluetooth. Leave it off for about five to ten seconds and then turn it back on. This will force the phone to search for the strongest cell tower in the area.

More Info:

Here’s a blog I wrote explaining what 4G service is.
Here’s another blog with locations for decent cell service along the Peak to Peak Highway.

Please forward this to your friends who complain about their poor cell phone service.

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

Need To Call 911 – Don’t Use Alexa!

Posted on January 29, 2019January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Technology Tips, Tips

Last week I learned that you can’t use Alexa or other “smart speakers” or “virtual assistants” to call 911 in an emergency. It seems like this would be the perfect use for such a device. You slip getting out of the shower, without your smartphone or smartwatch nearby, and break your arm. You call out to Alexa in the next room. “Alexa! Call 911!” And it says “I’m sorry, I can’t make that call.”

Well, why the heck not? (Go ahead. Say that with Lwaxana Troi’s voice like I just did!) It seems like that would be the perfect application for such a device.

Why You Can’t Call 911:

It turns out that the FCC needs several things in order to allow a device to access its Emergency System. Here are the most significant requirements:

First, it needs a two-way connection and must be able to receive incoming calls so the emergency responder can call back. Currently, most (maybe all) “smart speakers” aren’t designed for that.
Also, it needs to be able to provide an exact location. Frankly, I’m not sure what the issue is here since the location information is much more stable than your standard cell phone. After all, you’re probably not driving around with it in your car, or bringing it on airplanes to distant cities. It seems like you would just have to register the device to a set address and they would know where to go. (Unless you’re using it in your RV or Camper.)
Finally, once those obstacles are overcome, the FCC will probably charge a per device fee. They do this for landlines and cell phones now, so this would not be unprecedented.

Important:

If you do happen to call 911 accidentally, stay on the phone and let the dispatcher know it was an accident. Because they need to follow up on each call, even hang-ups, it takes less time for them to receive your “Sorry, wrong number” than to try to track you down after you hang up.

I am sure that this technology will all be worked out within the next few years. For now though, if you (or your parents) are at risk of falling, it would be better to purchase a medical alert necklace or bracelet, the kind you don’t take off for bathing.

Please forward this to your colleagues who have a “smart speaker” at home.

Information about Geek For Hire, Inc.

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

pwned? 1 PAINLESS step To Find Out If Your Email Info Has Been Compromised

Posted on January 22, 2019January 13, 2025 by Gail Eddy in Hackers, Passwords, Technology Tips, Tips

Have you heard of the term “pwned”? Last week Chris shared a news item with me about a recently discovered list of email addresses and passwords. These are for sale on hacker websites. If you are on this list or any of the other lists of stolen emails, you have been pwned. This list, “Collection 1”, consists of 772.9 million unique emails along with 21.2 million passwords. You might wonder why there are so many more email addresses than passwords. That is because so many people with multiple email addresses use the same password for everything.

Don’t do that!

A little history about the word “Pwned”:

The Urban Dictionary postulates that Pwned came into use after one of the designers for the game World of Warcraft typed “has been pwned” instead of “has been owned”. Another Urban Dictionary contributor says it is actually a commonly used chess term, where you use your pawn to check your opponent. Regardless of the various definitions, this term means “you are dominated”.

Have You Been Pwned? 1 Painless Step to Find Out:

Head over to Have I Been Pwned to find out if your email address is compromised. Many people use different email addresses for work and home. If you have multiple emails, be sure to check each of them.

This site will also tell you on which websites or apps the data breach has occurred. (My email is compromised.) I immediately changed the password for both accounts. It also told me that the breach came from my Dropbox account. I then changed my login information on Dropbox as well. Another breach occurred on my LinkedIn account so I changed my info there too.

5 Quick Steps to keep your information safe:

Change your password on each account frequently. I change my passwords every 3-6 weeks.
Change your password on financial accounts even more frequently – at least every two weeks.
Never use the same password again!
MOST IMPORTANT: Use a password that is hard to guess. Make sure you use at least 10 characters. You should use at least one of each of the following: an uppercase letter, a lowercase letter, a number, and a special character. I always end with punctuation too. Swap out letters for numbers or special characters. Lately, I’ve been using book titles to craft secure passwords. So “The New Relationship Marketing” would become “th3NewRel@t1onshipMarket1ng;” (Check it out. It’s a great book by Mari Smith.)
Next, always keep track of your passwords using a secure system. I use a password-protected spreadsheet. (Why don’t I recommend a cloud-based password manager? I’ve recently heard of two people who lost access to their online password tracking system. They had to go to each of their emails and apps to change their passwords. Each One!)

Let me know if you have an effective tip for setting up great, secure passwords.

Please forward this to your colleagues who never change their passwords.

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 been providing computer service to families and small businesses with Mac’s and PCs for the past eighteen years. His company is highly rated by both the BBB and by Angie’s List. You can find more on our website, or give us a call 303-618-0154. Geek For Hire, Inc. provides onsite service (Tier 3) to the Denver / Boulder / Front Range area as well as remote service throughout North America.