Gone Phishing

Over the past few weeks I have received numerous strange calls on my cell phone.  These calls are all coming from the same 800 number and a little research indicates that I am not the only one getting these irritating and potentially malicious calls.   The calls are coming from 800-754-0961.  After about the tenth call that I ignored (you have to give them an “A” for effort) I decided to do some investigation.  What I found is that it is a “phishing” scam. 

If you should answer this call or place a call to this number you will be connected with an automated system identified as “Verizon Wireless.”  It should be identified as “Joe’s Bait Shop and Phishing Emporium.”

Phishing is attempting, via some electronic means, to get personal information such as passwords, credit card details, social security account numbers and even cash by masquerading as a trustworthy company or service.  This “Verizon” scam seems to have been around for a while.  I guess it took them a while to find my number.

Calling or answering a call from this number will present you with a very professional greeting indicating that you have reached Verizon Wireless.  You are immediately asked for some personal information such as the last four digits of your social security number or the password for your Verizon Account.  You are invited to make a payment by entering you credit card number.  All of this is bogus.

If you pay your Verizon bill by credit card they already have that information.  Same for the account password.  No legitimate company will ever ask you for your password on the phone. You already know it and so do they, so why would they ask?

I talked to Verizon this week and they confirm that this 800 number is not connected with the company.  A quick search of the web will show that this scam has indeed been around for several years and seems to ebb and flow over time.

The lesson here is to be very careful to whom you provide information.  For example, in one call the “phisherman” may just ask for the last four digits of your Social Security Card.  Two weeks later he might ask for the first six digits.  Voila….they have it all.

When communicating over the phone with a company or service be sure that you are indeed talking to that company.  If you are in doubt, hang up and place a call to the company using a telephone number that is verifiably one that the company really uses.  These numbers can be found on your bill.  When in doubt hang up.  If they have a legitmate reason to contact you, they will get in touch with you.

I  have a complete guide to Phishing scams.  To get a copy just call me at 800-555-5555 and give me your credit card info, your social security number, your bank routing number and account information.  Oh yes, I will also need your mother’s maiden name.

Gone Phishing

Over the past few weeks I have received numerous strange calls on my cell phone.  These calls are all coming from the same 800 number and a little research indicates that I am not the only one getting these irritating and potentially malicious calls.   The calls are coming from 800-754-0961.  After about the tenth call that I ignored (you have to give them an “A” for effort) I decided to do some investigation.  What I found is that it is a “phishing” scam. 

If you should answer this call or place a call to this number you will be connected with an automated system identified as “Verizon Wireless.”  It should be identified as “Joe’s Bait Shop and Phishing Emporium.”

Phishing is attempting, via some electronic means, to get personal information such as passwords, credit card details, social security account numbers and even cash by masquerading as a trustworthy company or service.  This “Verizon” scam seems to have been around for a while.  I guess it took them a while to find my number.

Calling or answering a call from this number will present you with a very professional greeting indicating that you have reached Verizon Wireless.  You are immediately asked for some personal information such as the last four digits of your social security number or the password for your Verizon Account.  You are invited to make a payment by entering you credit card number.  All of this is bogus.

If you pay your Verizon bill by credit card they already have that information.  Same for the account password.  No legitimate company will ever ask you for your password on the phone. You already know it and so do they, so why would they ask?

I talked to Verizon this week and they confirm that this 800 number is not connected with the company.  A quick search of the web will show that this scam has indeed been around for several years and seems to ebb and flow over time.

The lesson here is to be very careful to whom you provide information.  For example, in one call the “phisherman” may just ask for the last four digits of your Social Security Card.  Two weeks later he might ask for the first six digits.  Voila….they have it all.

When communicating over the phone with a company or service be sure that you are indeed talking to that company.  If you are in doubt, hang up and place a call to the company using a telephone number that is verifiably one that the company really uses.  These numbers can be found on your bill.  When in doubt hang up.  If they have a legitmate reason to contact you, they will get in touch with you.

I  have a complete guide to Phishing scams.  To get a copy just call me at 800-555-5555 and give me your credit card info, your social security number, your bank routing number and account information.  Oh yes, I will also need your mother’s maiden name.

Mobile Hot Spot Saves the Day

Time was when a vacation meant severing connections with the work a day world for a week or two. Going to the beach or to the mountains was a chance to get away for a time without many of the modern conveniences that both make our life easier and more connected. For many, vacations have turned into a time when we are prone to multitask even more than we regularly do. We are on vacation. We enjoy the beach and fresh air. We change our daily schedule. But many of us also stay connected to our “day job” using mobile phones and laptops.

When searching for a vacation spot, albeit a campground or a five star hotel, the availability of high speed Internet access is often as important as a great view or proximity to attractions. My wife and I have been taking a week each year to join friends on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The seashore there is outstanding and the weather, other than for the occasional September hurricane, is beautiful.

For the past few years we have enjoyed having high speed Internet access where we were staying. I was able to keep up with office emails and appointments and still enjoy time in the sun. This year, partially because of the recent hurricane that hit portions of the islands, we stayed at a place that did not have a working Internet connection.

This would have put a real crimp in my plans for the week but my smart phone came to the rescue. My phone, like several other phones from various vendors and carriers, can be used as a Mobile Hot Spot. This feature makes my phone a wifi hub and connects any computer device with wifi capability to the Internet using the phone’s 3G or 4G mobile connection. In other words the phone works just like the wifi hub in your house or office, but instead of connecting to the Internet via an Internet Service Provider like RoadRunner or Fuse, it uses the mobile phone network, in my case Verizon.

The connection, dubbed by some providers as “myfi,” is not as fast as a regular wifi/broadband connection but the speed is more than adequate to access email and my office network. You sign on to the hot spot the same way you sign on to any wifi service at home or at the local coffee shop. You can password protect the access if you wish.

When using “myfi” you will notice that the mobile phone’s battery will only provide about one hour of service. It is a good idea to keep the battery charger connected to the phone when using the hot spot feature for longer than a few minutes. Also, some plans charge a premium for hot spot technology. You may want to ask your provider if it is included in your plan.

If you do a lot of traveling and need Internet connection, the mobile hot spot feature on your phone may be just the ticket.

Mobile Hot Spot Saves the Day

Time was when a vacation meant severing connections with the work a day world for a week or two. Going to the beach or to the mountains was a chance to get away for a time without many of the modern conveniences that both make our life easier and more connected. For many, vacations have turned into a time when we are prone to multitask even more than we regularly do. We are on vacation. We enjoy the beach and fresh air. We change our daily schedule. But many of us also stay connected to our “day job” using mobile phones and laptops.

When searching for a vacation spot, albeit a campground or a five star hotel, the availability of high speed Internet access is often as important as a great view or proximity to attractions. My wife and I have been taking a week each year to join friends on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The seashore there is outstanding and the weather, other than for the occasional September hurricane, is beautiful.

For the past few years we have enjoyed having high speed Internet access where we were staying. I was able to keep up with office emails and appointments and still enjoy time in the sun. This year, partially because of the recent hurricane that hit portions of the islands, we stayed at a place that did not have a working Internet connection.

This would have put a real crimp in my plans for the week but my smart phone came to the rescue. My phone, like several other phones from various vendors and carriers, can be used as a Mobile Hot Spot. This feature makes my phone a wifi hub and connects any computer device with wifi capability to the Internet using the phone’s 3G or 4G mobile connection. In other words the phone works just like the wifi hub in your house or office, but instead of connecting to the Internet via an Internet Service Provider like RoadRunner or Fuse, it uses the mobile phone network, in my case Verizon.

The connection, dubbed by some providers as “myfi,” is not as fast as a regular wifi/broadband connection but the speed is more than adequate to access email and my office network. You sign on to the hot spot the same way you sign on to any wifi service at home or at the local coffee shop. You can password protect the access if you wish.

When using “myfi” you will notice that the mobile phone’s battery will only provide about one hour of service. It is a good idea to keep the battery charger connected to the phone when using the hot spot feature for longer than a few minutes. Also, some plans charge a premium for hot spot technology. You may want to ask your provider if it is included in your plan.

If you do a lot of traveling and need Internet connection, the mobile hot spot feature on your phone may be just the ticket.

TV on the Go

With college and professional football season in high gear, the newspaper supplements and direct mail advertisements are full of new ways to “keep up with the game” while on the road. Mobile TV, Flo TV, and other technologies are the new “must haves.” While the devices and the programming may at first glance seem familiar, they are very different from what you use today to watch TV.

Most providers of these services are touting the fact that you can watch hundreds of TV programs anywhere you wish. While these claims are often true, there are a few things you should keep in mind before you decide to sign up.

First of all, you want to be able to watch the programs so you need to have a phone that supports these video services or a special stand alone receiver. The receivers come in various flavors. There are models for hand held use, table top viewing, or for in-car installation.

The services employ different transmission technologies from those used by regular broadcasters or cable providers to send TV channels to your home. The mobile devices required for these services can not be used to watch regular TV channels and visa versa. Since the small portable receivers look very much like the battery operated mini DTVs that have been available for years, one could presume that you can use the new and old devices interchangeably. You can’t.

You can’t receive these services in all areas of the country, so before you sign up ask to see the coverage area map. Even if you are located in an area that is indicated on the map as being “covered,” you may wish to take a loaner device and make sure. The channels are broadcast using some of the same technologies used by mobile phones and wireless broadband and, as such, are prone to many of the same reception issues.

There is a growing catalog of channels and programs offered by the leading TV services like ABC, CBS, ESPN, CNN etc. Some of the programs are the same as you will see on regular broadcast channels while other programs are developed especially for the small screen size of the portable devices.

Some of the services require a multi-year contract and a monthly fee. Many mobile carriers like Verizon, AT&T and Sprint offer the service as an add-on. Depending on the programming package you chose, you can expect to pay between $15 and $50 extra per month on top of your regular mobile bill.

In a couple years, as more bandwidth becomes available and transmission technologies become more reliable, there will be other mobile TV services coming on line. Also look for devices that can receive multiple formats to be available, so you won’t need a bag full of different devices in order to watch the various services.

TV on the Go

With college and professional football season in high gear, the newspaper supplements and direct mail advertisements are full of new ways to “keep up with the game” while on the road. Mobile TV, Flo TV, and other technologies are the new “must haves.” While the devices and the programming may at first glance seem familiar, they are very different from what you use today to watch TV.

Most providers of these services are touting the fact that you can watch hundreds of TV programs anywhere you wish. While these claims are often true, there are a few things you should keep in mind before you decide to sign up.

First of all, you want to be able to watch the programs so you need to have a phone that supports these video services or a special stand alone receiver. The receivers come in various flavors. There are models for hand held use, table top viewing, or for in-car installation.

The services employ different transmission technologies from those used by regular broadcasters or cable providers to send TV channels to your home. The mobile devices required for these services can not be used to watch regular TV channels and visa versa. Since the small portable receivers look very much like the battery operated mini DTVs that have been available for years, one could presume that you can use the new and old devices interchangeably. You can’t.

You can’t receive these services in all areas of the country, so before you sign up ask to see the coverage area map. Even if you are located in an area that is indicated on the map as being “covered,” you may wish to take a loaner device and make sure. The channels are broadcast using some of the same technologies used by mobile phones and wireless broadband and, as such, are prone to many of the same reception issues.

There is a growing catalog of channels and programs offered by the leading TV services like ABC, CBS, ESPN, CNN etc. Some of the programs are the same as you will see on regular broadcast channels while other programs are developed especially for the small screen size of the portable devices.

Some of the services require a multi-year contract and a monthly fee. Many mobile carriers like Verizon, AT&T and Sprint offer the service as an add-on. Depending on the programming package you chose, you can expect to pay between $15 and $50 extra per month on top of your regular mobile bill.

In a couple years, as more bandwidth becomes available and transmission technologies become more reliable, there will be other mobile TV services coming on line. Also look for devices that can receive multiple formats to be available, so you won’t need a bag full of different devices in order to watch the various services.

Why the iPhone™ is not myPhone

OK, I admit it; I am upset with Steve Jobs. Before the iPhone™ was released last month he sent complementary phones to Walt Mosberg of the Wall Street Journal and David Pogue of the New York Times so they could write reviews. Perhaps Ollie forgot to give me the package that came from Apple but I don’t think so. I guess Steve thought that a column in the Harrison Press was just not that important! Well there is always the next model, Steve.
You have to give Apple credit. When they introduce a new product they do it right or at least loudly! There was more reporting about the iPhone™ than there was about Paris Hilton’s revolving jail door. So what is all the buzz?
Well, I have to tell you I have only had about 15 minutes of “quality time” playing with an iPhone™ but that time and a review of the documentation and other reports have given me some reactions to share with you.
First, the “Cool Factor” rating is off the charts. The sleek, compact, shiny case is enough to impress both techie and artist. The touch screen and a display that senses the orientation of the phone, changing from horizontal to vertical depending how you hold the phone, is just plain cool.
The “Swiss Army Knife” concept of adding iPod, PDA and Internet browser capacity thus making the phone do much more than make calls seems to be somewhat successful. There are some shortcomings, at least in version #1. The connection to the Internet using AT&T is very slow, the battery is sealed and can not be replaced by the user, the phone will not play Flash® videos and you must use AT&T as your carrier. In some parts of the country AT&T is reported to have spotty coverage.
There is one other factor that will keep me from contributing to the value of Apple stock in the near future and that is the price. With the introductory price of the phone set at a hefty 500 bucks and a service contract with AT&T required, you will spend the better part of $3000 for the first two years.
As much as I would like to be “cool,” I think I will just save the cool cash and stay with my three-year-old Verizon phone.
Oh yes, Steve, feel free to send the complimentary updated model of the iPhone™ to the Harrison Press office and I will pick it up.

Why the iPhone™ is not myPhone

OK, I admit it; I am upset with Steve Jobs. Before the iPhone™ was released last month he sent complementary phones to Walt Mosberg of the Wall Street Journal and David Pogue of the New York Times so they could write reviews. Perhaps Ollie forgot to give me the package that came from Apple but I don’t think so. I guess Steve thought that a column in the Harrison Press was just not that important! Well there is always the next model, Steve.
You have to give Apple credit. When they introduce a new product they do it right or at least loudly! There was more reporting about the iPhone™ than there was about Paris Hilton’s revolving jail door. So what is all the buzz?
Well, I have to tell you I have only had about 15 minutes of “quality time” playing with an iPhone™ but that time and a review of the documentation and other reports have given me some reactions to share with you.
First, the “Cool Factor” rating is off the charts. The sleek, compact, shiny case is enough to impress both techie and artist. The touch screen and a display that senses the orientation of the phone, changing from horizontal to vertical depending how you hold the phone, is just plain cool.
The “Swiss Army Knife” concept of adding iPod, PDA and Internet browser capacity thus making the phone do much more than make calls seems to be somewhat successful. There are some shortcomings, at least in version #1. The connection to the Internet using AT&T is very slow, the battery is sealed and can not be replaced by the user, the phone will not play Flash® videos and you must use AT&T as your carrier. In some parts of the country AT&T is reported to have spotty coverage.
There is one other factor that will keep me from contributing to the value of Apple stock in the near future and that is the price. With the introductory price of the phone set at a hefty 500 bucks and a service contract with AT&T required, you will spend the better part of $3000 for the first two years.
As much as I would like to be “cool,” I think I will just save the cool cash and stay with my three-year-old Verizon phone.
Oh yes, Steve, feel free to send the complimentary updated model of the iPhone™ to the Harrison Press office and I will pick it up.