I don’t know about you, but I feel like the term “robocall” isn’t sufficient.  I mean, if a robot like C3PO or R2D2 wanted to call me, I’d love the opportunity to talk with them.  On the other hand, the robocalls that interrupt my day can make my blood boil.

Robocalls are so easy to make that just about anyone can do it from a home computer with the right software. The same software ensures that it’s not hard to fake the phone number it’s coming from either.

One of the most common questions I get is, “How can I make them stop?”  The truth is…. You can’t, really.

There are some steps that you can take, however, to keep them from being so disruptive.  Consider these options:

• Install an app on your mobile phone like Hiya or Malwarebytes that will monitor for nuisance and scam numbers.  Some have upgraded options to block those calls, although they’re not always perfect.  (Be sure to whitelist your contacts, so that you don’t miss a real call.)

• Set up your most frequent callers with a different ringer. That way, when you hear that ringtone, you’ll know it’s something you want to answer.  If you hear your regular ringtone, you can let it go to voicemail if you’re busy.

• Don’t answer calls from numbers you don’t recognize.  Picking up the phone and/or giving them a good tongue-lashing just encourages them because they know now that you might pick up. If the call is legit, they’ll leave a voicemail or text you.

• Be patient.  There are some sticky legal and technical issues at play that have allowed callers to spoof other numbers.  Technical teams in the telecom industry are working towards some workable solutions – some of which may involve {sigh} Congress. Be prepared to be really patient.

If you’d like to make some of the changes outlines above, but you’re not sure where to start…  I can help.

Ever heard of Credential stuffing?  Maybe you had a bite of it with your turkey at Thanksgiving.  Probably not. 

When there is a breach and credentials are stolen...  hackers can then take those details and try them on other programs.  All it takes to make that work is the same username and password reused just once. (Who, me?Let’s be honest, we’ve all done it!)

Think of all the times you’ve used the same username (usually your email address) and the same password on two different websites.  Would you believe that 90% of accounts are hacked in just this way?  Over 3 billion accounts hacked this way in 2016 alone - in large part due to the 1.5 billion user breach at Yahoo. After that breach, many users changed their Yahoo password, but did they change it on all the accounts where they were reusing it? I think it’s clear that step didn’t happen for many folks.

What can you do to make yourself less vulnerable? 

• Stop reusing passwords. (Did I just hear you sigh? Yes - it’s a nuisance - but a password manager can really help make it easier.)

• Turn on 2-factor authentication. Yes - another hassle. Just like locking your house, setting an alarm and turning on the front porch light... you can build a routine that makes steps like this second nature so it’s not so cumbersome.

Starting your kids off with good habits will make it easier for them keep their accounts safe & private as technology impacts more and more of our lives.

Not sure where to start? Drop me a line - I can help.

It’s frightening to think about changing your email address - worrying about what information you’ll lose; whose email address or phone number might get lost in the shuffle...

Years ago, that was an issue, to be sure.  Getting a new email account was like starting all over... when I transitioned to gmail a decade ago, it really was clearing the deck.

Now, however, companies like Google make it easy - they can pull in your existing emails to your new account; they can pull in all your contact info.  Moreover, I can help you change the settings on your original email so that it will be forwarded to your new address, so you don’t miss a thing.

Don’t let the fear of change prevent you from upgrading your email, if that’s what you want to do; it’s not as painful an experience as it once was.