Play Audio – WTAM 1100 Newsradio – Tech Tuesday – December 9th, 2014
Tech news continues to be dominated by stories about the massive data breech at Sony. While there is still little known about exactly who is behind the attacks, some security experts have stated there’s a good chance that the hack began with phishing attacks aimed at Sony employee emails. This highlights just how important it is to use the same safe online behavior with your work account as you should with your personal email.
Play Audio – WTAM 1100 Newsradio – Tech Tuesday – December 2nd, 2014
The National Retail Federation estimated that 126.9 million shoppers were planning to shop online on CyberMonday. The holiday weekend surprise for many was just how many people shopped via mobile devices. Mobile accounted for 52.1% of all online shopping traffic and 27.9% of sales on Thanksgiving according to IBM’s Smarter Commerce team.
That’s a lot of people trying to get good deals online while pretending to be productive at work on Monday! There’s plenty of online shopping to be done, though. (You remembered to get Uncle Larry a gift, right? No?)
Here are 5 Geek Squad tips for consumers:
* Be wary of crazy deals and too good to be true links in your email inbox – You’ve heard it a 100 times, but the truth is, it’s still a common way to get scammed online.
* Avoid public WiFi for shopping, like at that coffee shop at the mall. It’s important to remember that you’re sharing that network with everyone else at that location, and there’s always the possibility of someone watching data on that network for sensitive information like credit cards in the same way they might peek over your shoulder from the table nearby.
* While convenient, uncheck settings to “remember your credit card info” It’s just one less bit of your information available to anyone that gets access to your account on those servers.
* Mobile Devices are vulnerable, too – get the latest software updates for your smartphone, just like you do for your personal computer.
* Safeguard all your devices – If you haven’t, put a passcode on it to prevent a potential thief from getting access to your data should your phone get stolen while out shopping.
Once those gifts start arriving, visit geeksquad.com/techtips for how-to videos and tips for many of the most popular tech gifts this holiday season.
Play Audio – KELO AM 1320 – FM 107.9 – December 1st, 2014
CyberMonday, was created by Shop.org in 2005 as a way to the public into online deals on the Monday after Black Friday. As Internet access become more widespread, online shopping has become a common way to get those gifts throughout the holiday, but there’s still plenty of deals on this day in particular.
I spoke to Greg of the Greg Belfrage Show on KELO AM 1320 – FM 107.9 about how shoppers can keep safe while getting gifts this CyberMonday.
Play Audio – WTAM 1100 Newsradio – Tech Tuesday – November 25th, 2014
The holiday season is fast approaching and more people than ever are purchasing gifts for friends and family online. Unfortunately, ’tis also the season for online crime, and cybercriminals are on the lookout for ways to interfere with your online shopping. Whether it’s your smartphone, tablet, or computer, you need to protect your personal information in order to shop safely and securely online.
Fret not, Geek Squad has tips on safe online shopping during the holidays!
Part 1: Let’s Be Safe Out There:
– Research “too good to be true” sites or offers.
– Only make purchases from secure websites.
– Use strong passwords on banking and financial online accounts.
– Whenever possible, use a credit card rather than a debit card.
– Only shop using your own computer or smartphone.
– Avoid shopping on public Wi-Fi networks.
– Do not save your credit card information on the merchant’s web site.
– Be sure you understand the return, refund, and shipping and handling policies before you place your order.
Part 2: Scams in the Wireless World:
– Watch out for fake hotspots in popular public locations.
– Avoid clicking on links in unexpected messages.
– Be on the lookout for phishing text messages claiming to be your bank.
Need more help? Our Geek Squad Agents will be available 24/7 throughout the holidays for Online Support at geeksquad.com/chat, at 1-800 GEEKSQUAD (800-433-5778), and at your local Best Buy during normal store hours.
Play Audio – WTAM 1100 Newsradio – Tech Tuesday – November 4th, 2014
While Microsoft support for Windows XP ended on April 8th, there are still some owners who are holding onto their Windows XP systems for a while longer. Either they have a proprietary business app that’s only designed for the older operating system, or they simply don’t want to move onto Windows 8 quite yet, those systems still need protecting in an online world full of malicious software.
Eventually, even the most stalwart Windows XP users will need to upgrade as 3rd-party software support wanes and old hardware begins to fail. Fortunately, Microsoft is be making their next operating system more inviting to those users.
Find our more in Meet Windows 10, a Geek Squad UK guide to the features Windows users will most be interested in when it arrives in the latter half of 2015.
Tech news continues to be dominated by stories about the massive data breech at Sony. While there is still little known about exactly who is behind the attacks, some security experts have stated there’s a good chance that the hack began with phishing attacks aimed at Sony employee emails. This highlights just how important it is to use the same safe online behavior with your work account as you should with your personal email.