WebWatch N8

Paypal scam

read all about it  in a 'Computer Active' warning

How much is your Facebook profile worth?

June 28, 2010

How third parties turn your data into cash

Narasu Rebbapragada, PC World

The information your post on your Facebook profile is making plenty of money for a number of companies.

Thanks to Facebook's Open Graph API (which simplifies the development of third-party applications that interoperate with the social networking site) and social plug-ins (which essentially splash Facebook's 'Like' button all over the internet), people who are interested in your data are getting a chance at a much choicer cut of it.

Additionally, Facebook's Instant Personalisation Pilot Program, which the social network introduced this spring, was the wake-up call for many users who had been ignoring the concerns of privacy watchdogs. In response, Facebook updated its privacy settings in late May, to some praise - and confusion.

Read on to see who's getting a look at what you do on Facebook. You're sharing more than you think - and you might be surprised at what your data is worth.

Facebook itself

It goes without saying that Facebook has unrestricted access to everything you do relating to its site, and its growing collection of profile data, preferences, and connections is prompting some experts to estimate the value of the site beyond the GDP of some countries.

For instance, a Mashable article reported that SharesPost, a marketplace for shares in privately owned companies, suggested an $11.5bn value for Facebook, versus a $1.4bn value for Twitter and a $1.3bn value for LinkedIn.

"You've filled out the biggest survey in the world for Facebook, and you didn't even know it," says Cappy Popp, founder and principal of Thought Labs, whose Doorbell application is one of the top 100 most-used apps on Facebook.

"You can't put a price on it because there's never been anything like it," Popp says of the user data that Facebook could accumulate over the next few years.

The new way scammers steal your money

Published 21 June 2010 By Rachel Robson of   lovemoney.com

If you use mobile banking, make sure you don’t become a victim of fraud...

Mobiles have come a long way over recent years and more and more of us are now using our mobiles for banking services.

Mobile phones have moved on a long way from the big brick I used to have when I was at university. I remember the days when the only game you could play on your mobile was Snake. But now phones are far more sophisticated and fancy.

In fact, thanks to the increasing popularity of smart phones, which are allowing us to use our mobiles to do pretty much anything, Berg Insight is forecasting that by 2015, 894 million people worldwide will use mobile banking or related services. That’s a 1,525% increase from the 55 million mobile banking users in 2009!

But there’s just one problem with this. And that’s the fact that as more of us use mobile banking on our mobiles, more of us are exposed to mobile banking scams.

The four big scams

Many banks now offer text message services through which you can set up alerts that are sent out when you get too close to your overdraft limit, or you can receive a weekly balance update whenever you spend a large amount on your debit card.

However, if you have a smart phone you can take this one step further and use your mobile to connect to the internet to use online banking services – just as you would on your computer. Some banks may require you to download software to connect you to their banking service and you’ll then be able to keep an eye on your transactions and move your money around.  

But while this can be really handy, it does mean you’ll be exposed to similar risks to those you’d be exposed to if you were just using the internet on your computer, as well as other dangers.

Danger #1

For a start, if you’re connecting to the internet with your mobile, you could be exposed to viruses or hackers who may be able to access your phone, just as they would with your computer. Fraudsters can use a technique called a man-in-the-middle attack to gain access to all the information on your mobile (and therefore your banking details) if you are logged onto a wi-fi network.

Danger #2

You may also find you’re susceptible to phishing text messages or emails – whereby you receive a message from someone claiming to be your bank and asking you to verify your account details by clicking on a link or phoning a number. Perhaps the message is purporting to be about a fraudulent transaction on your account - a double-bluff to make you feel anxious and trusting. However, follow the instructions and you go through to a fake website or call centre pretending to be your own bank. Give away your bank details and you'll get scammed!

Rachel Robson reveals five of the worst scams around...

Danger #3

Thirdly, there’s always the risk that someone could steal your mobile phone and therefore have access to all your private information and data – particularly if your settings don’t require you to type in your passwords each time. And if you keep sensitive information on your phone under addressbook entries like 'PIN number' or 'Barclaycard PIN', you're just asking to be scammed.

Danger #4

Finally, just as you need to be careful who’s watching you when you’re entering in a PIN at a cash point or Chip and PIN device, if you’re typing in passwords and other sensitive information on your phone, someone may be able to see you doing this – particularly if you have a habit of checking your bank details when you’re on a packed train on the way back from work.

So if you’re planning to use your mobile phone for your banking transactions, how can you make it safe?

For full details please click LoveMoney.com

Burglaries via unforced entry - 'Secret' exposed

Mysterious Burglaries that the Police and Insurance Companies don't warn us about. 

Have you heard about neighbours who have been burgled but the Police have not 'discovered' any sign of forced entry?

It is not that rare an event. Both the MET and Insurance Companies have been long aware of the circumstances and choose not to publicise nor acknowledge the method.

I will not publicise the 'secret' access method.

Anyone wanting to know the facts can email me [chicopac@gmail.com] for details.

Meantime, I strongly suggest that you use a deadlock for daytime locking of your front door plus a chain at night time. 

Remember to secure your rear garden access doors as well.

Its a thieves' secret that needs to be exposed.

Beware of the Microsoft Telephone Support Scam

I mentioned this particular scam back in December, but it's still going on and I thought it was worth another mention. Indeed, I received this scam phone call myself just yesterday, and I noticed that another PC Knowledge for Seniors subscriber has reported getting the same call this week.

In my case, the caller asked to speak to Mr Young, and when I asked who was calling he said he was my 'Microsoft service provider'. This phrase seems to be an easily-distinguishable hallmark of the call: as soon as you hear that, it's wise just to hang up. He launched into a seemingly-scripted speech about how my computer was downloading viruses and malicious software in the background while I was using it, and he could fix them for me. I won't bother going through our entire conversation, but the upshot was that he got tired of my questions, obviously realised he wasn't getting anywhere with me and hung up.

As I mentioned in December, if you persist with the call, the scammer will give you instructions to carry out on your PC which will lead to a window containing a long list of items. These will be technical-looking items that most PC users won't have seen before, but they're actually quite normal. However, the scammer tries to tell you that these are all the 'viruses and malicious software' that have infected your PC. From there, he'll try to convince you to pay him to have these items removed.

This isn't the only telephone scam I've heard of in which the caller claims to work for Microsoft: there's another in which the caller attempts to sell you an anti-crash and anti-breakdown solution for your PC (as if such a thing could ever exist). In any case, though, remember that Microsoft has no idea who uses its software, it doesn't have your phone number, and it certainly doesn't have any way of monitoring whether your PC is picking up viruses or is prone to crashing. (I did try to ask my caller how he could possibly know what my PC was doing, but he was reluctant to be drawn on that point.) With that in mind, anyone who phones you up to seemingly offer some sort of 'help' with your PC is obviously just trying his luck and hoping you do actually have a PC. Don't fall for it - just end the call as soon as you recognise what it's about.

Top 10 Worst Passwords

The following is a list of the most predictable passwords, and should not be used under any circumstances (Source: pcworld.com):

1. 123456
2. 12345
3. 123456789
4. Password
5. iloveyou
6. princess
7. rockyou
8. 1234567
9. 12345678
10. abc123

How to Strengthen Your Passwords
Other key findings in the report: it seems that almost 1 in 3 users choose passwords comprised of six or fewer characters; more than half use passwords based on only alpha-numeric characters; and almost 50 per cent used variations on their name, popular slang terms, or simple strings of consecutive characters from the average QWERTY keyboard -- such as 'asdfg'.

Imperva has made several obvious recommendations, suggesting most users adopt passwords with at least eight characters and to mix those characters between upper and lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. Passwords should be simple enough that they won't be too easily forgotten, but the idea is to make cracking the code virtually impossible for either an unknown or known hacker.

Toxocara T Canis

"A serious infection which potentially can cause sever eye infection and in the most serious cases can make humans go blind.  Children are most at risk"   Haringey People  page 29 February Issue

I quote this extract because some are concerned that people who come straight from walking the streets and relax by tucking their feet, still clad in their street shoes, onto seats. 

What serious risk is there of infecting floors, seating, chairs? 

Should we be even more caring and replace outdoor footwear for indoor slippers immediately on entry? Footwear to be supplied for residents and callers at the door?

Should pet owners also be made aware of animals coming in from the streets and cavorting with their uncleaned paws onto seating?

The possible danger is that of Children, especially, could touch the infected areas and could infect themselves via fingers in their mouths.

What are your thoughts? Please email me

Get your car ready for Winter - better late than never

With Winter well and truly upon us, now is as good a time as any to make sure your car stays safe and in tip-top condition during this time.  Our friends at Haynes recommend the following top 10 tips:

1. Don't leave the car unattended with the engine running while the windscreen defrosts - it's an obvious target for thieves (if the car is on the road it's also illegal)
2. Clean the wiping edges of the wiper blades with a tissue dipped in neat screen wash additive. This will help stop smearing and prolong their life
3. Warm (not boiling!) water is OK for defrosting windows, but watch where it runs away to - it could form an ice slick on the ground when it freezes
4. Make things easier for the battery by not switching on headlights, heater blower or heated rear window until the engine is running.  Similarly, switch off lights etc. before stopping the engine
5. If your car has air conditioning, run it for 10 minutes or so once a month to keep oil in the system distributed and stop the seals drying out
6. Switch off the heated rear window as soon as the screen is clear
7. Winter grade diesel can cope with temperatures down to -15C. If lower temperatures are expected, use an anti-waxing additive in the fuel tank (or stay at home!)
8. When parking overnight in freezing conditions, leave the car in gear and the handbrake off if it is safe to do so.  This will prevent the handbrake freezing in the "on" position
9. Don't reduce tyre pressures in the hope of improving grip on snow
10. When defrosting the windscreen, free the wiper blades carefully - perhaps with a squirt of de-icer - to avoid tearing the rubber

For more advice on Winter preparation from Haynes please click here

Postal Scam

Can you circulate this around
Especially as Xmas is fast approaching - it has been confirmed by Royal
Mail. The Trading Standards Office are making people aware of the
Following scam:

A card is posted through your door
From a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were
Unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a
Premium rate number). DO NOT call this number, as this is a mail scam
Originating from Belize. If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will
Already have been billed £15 for the phone call.
If you do receive a card with these
Details, then please contact Royal Mail Fraud on 02072396655 or ICSTIS (the
Premium rate service regulator) at
www.icstis.org.uk
 

What is the NHW ?

Check it out on Neighbourhood and Home Watch