Simple Tech Tips for Home Computer Users
Windows, Mac, and mobile tech support – networking – Internet safety – consumer technology
Today’s phishing scams are sophisticated, targeted, and designed to trap consumers. Find out how you can avoid falling victim to these scams in my latest article for The Northwest Herald: Phishing Scams Grow More Sophisticated.
In this week’s member-exclusive How-To Tuesday on Simple Tech Tips, we’re talking about how to spot fake apps on the App Store. Fake apps are running rampant on official app stores like Apple and Google, and security experts warn consumers to be cautious. But how can you recognize a fake app from the real deal? … Continue reading How to Spot Fake Apps on the App Store
Your phone’s location services are used by many apps — but they don’t always need it and could be revealing your location to strangers. Location information is valuable to hackers and is even bought and sold on the Internet. Find out if the apps on your phone are revealing your location and what to do … Continue reading Is Your Phone Revealing Your Location?
In this week’s member-exclusive How-To Tuesday on Simple Tech Tips, we’re talking about how to recognize phishing email scams. Phishing scams are designed to lure you into clicking links that lead to malicious web sites, and they’re not always easy to spot. Learn the hallmarks of phishing scams and the best ways to avoid them … Continue reading How to Recognize Phishing Scams
Ever type the wrong Web address by mistake? Did you know that cybercriminals snatch up typoed domains in order to create tempting lookalikes? Typosquatting is the practice of registering a domain that is a typo of a common site, like goole instead of google or microsft instead of microsoft. Most people don't notice typos, especially … Continue reading Typosquatting: How Mistyped Web Sites Lead To Malware and Scams
Your computer’s built-in antivirus software is no match against today’s Internet threats. Here’s why you should replace it with something stronger. Windows and Mac computers both have default antivirus programs, Windows Defender and Apple’s XProtect. (If you haven’t noticed XProtect running on your Mac, that’s because it runs silently in the background as part of … Continue reading You Need Better Antivirus Than Your Computer’s Built-In Software
There’s a new online scam called fleeceware making the rounds. Here’s how to avoid getting fleeced by it. Fleeceware differs from fake apps in one crucial way. Fake apps are typically malware in disguise, trading on the good names of reputable software to lure consumers into installing. Fleeceware apps, on the other hand, usually work … Continue reading Fleeceware Scams: The App Might Not Get You, but the Subscription Fees Will
Many parents are concerned about the amount of time their kids spend in front of a screen. But is screen time really as bad as they say? Is it possible for screen time to be helpful and not hazardous? Let’s start by acknowledging that too much screen time is not good for kids. There are … Continue reading Relax the Rules On Your Kids’ Screen Time
If there's one thing you do for your own computer safety, please, use strong, unique passwords! Doing so decreases your chances of suffering virus infection, account hijacking, identity theft, and even financial fraud. People continually re-use passwords, or create weak passwords, or don't change the default passwords on important devices like routers and smart home gadgets. … Continue reading The Essential Guide to Strong Passwords (2021 Edition)
One of the most common questions I hear from parents is, “How can I set up parental control software?” But parental controls aren’t a panacea for keeping your kids safe online. Let’s talk about when to use parental controls… and when not to use them. Most computers have basic built-in parental controls, like the ability … Continue reading The Pros and Cons of Parental Control Software
Simple Tech Tips for Home Computer Users 