Students Of Success

Home security is one of the most important considerations for any homeowner. After all, feeling safe and secure in your home is vital, no matter where you live. Keeping yourself and your family safe is your responsibility, and it is important for every homeowner to periodically evaluate the security level of his or her own home.

There is, of course, no home security system that is completely foolproof, and a determined burglar can sometimes foil even the most sophisticated alarm system. However, a good home security system can cause those burglars to bypass your home in favor of easier prey.

The first part of evaluating the need for home security is to take stock of the area in which you live. If you live in a high crime area, it is probably a good idea to set up a multi-layered home security system, including security lighting, strong locks and a good home security system. Even if the crime rate is low where you live, however, it is important to create a home security plan to keep yourself and your family safe.

It is also important to remember that no security system will work without the diligence of the homeowner. Even the fanciest and most secure locks will do you no good if you neglect to lock them. Even the best home security system will be worthless if it is left turned off. It is important that you and your family take the security of the home seriously, and that every adult in the home knows how to work the security system.

When evaluating your home for a home security system, it is important to try to see the home through the eyes of a burglar. Of course, most of us are not criminally inclined, and this may be difficult to do. The key is to look at your home with a critical eye. Take a look at the exterior lighting of the home. Is the home well lit, or are vast areas of the exterior dark. Burglars and other criminals can easily hide in those dark spots around your home, and good lighting is the cornerstone of any home security system.

Good lighting is also important for making the home look occupied when you are away. It is important to leave lights on when you are away, but the home security or lighting system should also be capable of turning lights on and off, just as would happen if you were home. Lights that come on and go off at the same time every day is a sure sign that the occupant is away and that the home is rife for the picking. There are many excellent timers on the market that can be used to turn lights on an off according to the schedule you set.

Brooke Sikula is a freelance writer based in Ventura, CA and writes on a wide range of topics from home improvement to credit repair and everything in between. She is a regular contributor to http://www.home-improvement4u.com and http://www.get-home-improvement.com For more information and advice on home security, check out http://www.home-security4u.com

Even though I feel that I am fairly savy — after all, I read many technical e-newsletters, Internet articles and Internet Technology (IT) magazines — I was completely taken in by a clever con artist. If you want to read the whole story, check out the article, Curious about Con Artists: You Find Them in Unlikely Places — My Story. There are so many scary fraud schemes out there, I thought as a warning to you and for your safety, it would be a good idea to discuss some of the “biggies.”

Definition of Fraud: “In a broad strokes definition, fraud is a deliberate misrepresentation which causes another person to suffer damages, usually monetary losses.”

Fraud Tip #1. Phishing

1. This is one of the most prevalent and most convincing fraudulent schemes. It may refer to your PayPal account, eBay membership, bank account, credit card, or other account where you need an ID, password and/or personal information.
2. You receive a legitimate sounding e-mail message from support@… similar to the following:
   “Dear eBay member,
   You have received this warning because we have strong reason to believe that your eBay account had been recently compromised and it could be used by a third party without your authorization. In order to prevent any fraudulent activity from occurring we are required to open an investigation into this matter. To speed up this process, you are required to verify your eBay account by following the link below.”
3. When you click on the link listed, you are taken to a web page that looks exactly like the account page — for example, you are sure you are at your PayPal account page. You are asked for personal information, including ID and password, etc.
4. DON’T DO IT! Always go to the legitimate website on your own and check it out with them.

Fraud Tip #2. Patch or special download

• This supposedly is sent by Microsoft and you click to download the patch for an update. You will be downloading an unpleasant virus or worm. Microsoft will never, never send a patch by e-mail. They will check your machine for updates and then ask your permission to download them.

Fraud Tip #3. Internet Investment Scams

• The Internet serves as an excellent tool for investors, allowing them to easily and inexpensively research investment opportunities. But the Internet is also an excellent tool for fraudsters. That’s why you should always think twice before you invest your money in any opportunity you learn about through the Internet. Visit the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that has a great website that lists a huge number of scams.

Fraud Tip #4. Preventative Measures - tips for your protection

• The IFCC (Internet Fraud Complaint Center) has an excellent website that includes a tips page where you will read about Internet Auction Fraud, Non-Delivery of Merchandise, Credit Card Fraud, Investment Fraud, Nigerian Letter Scam, and Business Fraud.

In a perfect world, everyone would be honest and trustworthy, but, unfortunately, there are those who will try to take advantage of others. The Internet provides a fertile ground for their creativity and dishonesty. I hope I have alerted you to some of the most common frauds and also made you more skeptical and careful than you have been. I know I am now!

Chris King is a professional website creator / designer, storyteller, writer, free agent, and fitness instructor. You will find her business website at http://www.creativekeys.biz where you can sign up for her monthly Internet Tips E-zine. In addition visit Chris’ information website at http://www.creativekeys.net and her blog at http://www.curiositycubed.blogspot.com

While there is always blame to go around about who should handle emergency preparedness, there is little doubt that everyone needs to play their own role in preparing themselves for emergencies. Everyone can look back and see that there are problems and fingers to point, but it is essential that each individual prepare themselves for the terrible things that can happen. While we want to be able to have others be there, it just makes sense to have your own safety in mind.

Emergency preparedness starts at home. Here are some things every individual can do:

• If you do not have a good deal of money to purchase extra foods all at once, simply buy an extra can of food each time you shop. This extra can, can easily be stored away for when you need it. Purchase a large storage container with a lid to store extra food in. You’ll want to plan for enough food for each member of your family for at least three days.

• Water is also crucial. Same thing here, though. If you purchase bottled water already, simply put a few into the container each time. You will need at least a gallon of water a day for each member of your household for three days.

• You’ll also always want to make sure that you have enough of your medications as well. For many life saving prescriptions, they will allow you to fill the next prescription at least a few days in advance if not longer. Never allow yourself to get down to just a few pills.

• Make sure that part of your emergency preparedness is a family evacuation plan. This is important in any emergency. How will everyone get out? Who is responsible for the younger children and pets? And, where will you meet to know that you are out safe?

All of these things are the starting of a good emergency preparedness plan. Your safety is in your hands at least for a while so make sure that you prepare now.

For more information please see http://www.emergency-preparedness.co.uk.

Nobody wants to pay to remove spyware. At the very least, I don’t. The blasted stuff shouldn’t be on my computer anyway, so what ever would make me want to shell out cash to get rid of something that I shouldn’t have in the first place?

Spyware removal tools come in many different forms, and from many different places. Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware is from Sweden, and Spybot: Search and Destroy is from Germany, I think. (Their error messages come up in German, so I have to assume..)

Purchasing adware removal software can even be dangerous, so to speak. If you’re buying it from a pop-up then more than likely you’re just lining the pockets of the person that infected your machine in the first place. I’ve had many infested machines have icons for spyware removers magically appear on the desktop. Of course, if you want to actually clean anything, you have to shell out some dough.

If you’re going to go it alone, for free, then there are a few tools you’ll need. The first is Ad-Aware, as mentioned above. Spybot: S&D is a second excellent choice. The third, and much more advanced (and therefore difficult to use) spyware remover is HijackThis. Almost all scanners will miss various adware items, simply because there is so much produced nowadays so quickly. It’s impossible to keep up.

Once you have the aforementioned software downloaded, installed, and updated then you’re going to want to boot to safe mode. Why not scan now immediately? Cause the adware is still running. You can’t delete a file that’s in use. That said, safe mode is less effective than it used to be, but it still may work.

To get to safe mode: Reboot the machine, press F8 repeatedly once it restarts until a menu comes up that has “safe mode” listed. Select it, and press enter. Windows will load nothing but the essentials.

As soon as safe mode is loaded then go ahead and do a full system scan with Ad-Aware and Spybot or whatever you happen to have. Following that, reboot and see how your computer runs. If it still has issues, then HijackThis will be neccesary. In order to use this tool, you’ll need to have a pretty good grasp on what should and shouldn’t be loading in startup, as well as a grasp of what Browser Help Objects you need. (Technically, none, but some software you have installed may use them)

You can get HijackThis help, but if it eludes you then you really should have an experienced user have at it.

Kevin Souter is a full time computer repair technician, and runs sites in his spare time dispensing his knowledge on free spyware removal and computer repair.

Just like the original Trojan Horse that was built by the Greeks, the Trojan Horse Virus for your computer is actually something that is evil and bad concealed within something that seems good and positive. For anyone that might not know, a quick history lesson, the original Trojan Horse was given as a gift to the City of Troy by the Greeks who were losing the war but within this large wooden horse that was rolled into the gates of Troy was the Greek Army that came out at night when no one was looking and destroyed the city.

The computer virus variety of the Trojan Horse was first discovered in 2002 within sendmail and OpenSSH packages both included the Trojan Horse. It was done by a hijacker that broke into the distribution sites and replaced the software with his own damaged and infected ones. That is one way that your system can be given a Trojan, through software downloads and installation.

However, the most common way that users are infected with a Trojan program is through the spreading of it through emails. The sender will send it to the recipient within an email attachment that might say something like “nudegirls.jpg” or something along those lines that will make you curious and open the file.

Another increasingly popular way that Trojan Horses have been spread to users is through the ever increasing instant messenger programs such as Yahoo Messenger, AIM, ICQ, MSN messenger, and IRC. The one key to remember about Trojans is that they have to be triggered by some mechanism and will not spread themselves. For example, you can have one in your email but you do not open the link then it will not mess with your system.

A Trojan Horse, once on your system can do several things. First, it has the ability to completely take over your system and not give you access to any of your files. Next, it could possibly search your computer and monitor your usernames and passwords to various sites and even has the chances of getting your credit card numbers and sending all this information back to the creator.

The best way to keep your system from receiving any type of Trojan Horse is that of prevention. Never open files sent you by people you do not know because chances are that not only are these messages SPAM email but will contain some sort of link or file that will create a Trojan on your machine. It is fine to run anti-virus program on a daily basis but the fact is that Trojans are created so often that your definitions for viruses might not recognize the newest Trojans that have been created.

Trojans are not the kind of program that you want to speculate with so you should get your computer checked right away and continue to be leery of opening files by users you do not trust.

When not on his soapbox, Andrew Wroblewski is doing battle with the thousands of spyware programs that can affect you via his ant-spyware and spyware removal website: http://spyware.pcwash.com where you can get a free spyware scan of your computer system.

One good thing about writing articles for a living is that I get to learn about new things. Since I spend most of my time in front of a computer, it seems I don’t get out much and unless it’s on the nightly news, I don’t usually hear about computer scams. That’s how I found out about Phishing Scams. I had never heard of such a thing until I was asked to write an article about it, and I’m glad that I was asked. I now know what a Phishing scam is and I’m happy to share this information with you, in case your not very computer savvy either. Now most of us know enough not to openly give out personal information online to just anybody, and common sense tells us when something looks a little shaky when we see it. However, Phishing scams are hard to see because they are made to look like things we are used to. We do a lot of things online today, banking, paying bills, shopping, stock trading, etc. We usually don’t give it a second thought to give our information in doing any of these activities. That’s what these Phishing scams are hoping for, that you won’t give a second thought to giving them your personal information.

Phishing scams usually come as emails or pop-up messages to lure your personal information from you. “We suspect an unauthorized transaction has occurred in your account. To ensure that your account is not compromised, please click the link below and confirm your identity.” Have you received an e-mail that looks like that one? Or how about; “During our regular verification of accounts, we could not verify your information. Please click here to update and verify your information.” Both of these scams are called phishing, and it involves Internet schemers who send email or pop-up messages that lure you into giving them your personal information. Credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security numbers, and passwords, any information or sensitive material you think is safe. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), phishers claim to be from a business or organization that you deal with, including Internet service providers, online payment services and even government agencies. The messages can ask you to update or confirm your account information, or threaten you if you don’t respond immediately. The messages will then direct you to a website that looks just like the one you’re used to dealing with, but it’s not, it’s a fake website and its only purpose is to trick you into giving out your personal information.

FTC recommends never give out personal information to email or pop ups that ask you for it. Legitimate companies never ask for this information via email. Don’t cut and paste a link from the message into your Internet browser. Don’t “click” on a button or web address given to you via email unless you’re absolutely sure of were its going. For more information, look for websites pertaining to phishing scam information.

Leeanna is an expert author writing for Phishing Scams

P C. owners are constantly at risk from attacks by hackers.
Spy ware, viruses, trogan horses, and all sorts of other malevolent programs are all trying to take control of your computer.

What can we do about it?
How can we be sure that we are properly protected against them?

A hacker will generally not be interested in doing damage to your PC. His main interest is in gaining control of your computer so that he can use it to send out hundreds of thousands of e-mails in your name with the intention of crashing your mail server.

This can get you into very serious trouble with the server. This is something that you do not want. How are you going to prove that you were not to blame?

How do the hackers do it?
What tools do they use?

A port scanner.
What is a port scanner?
A port scanner can locate PCs that are on line and check for an open port.
A hacker using a program such as ‘Super Scan’ can find an open port to gain entrance to your computer. Once in, he can use your computer as if it were his own. The only difference is that to all intents and purposes it is you that is causing all of the trouble.

The main port that the hacker is interested in is port 80. This is the one that you use to log on to the internet.

I am not going to confuse you with all the various programs that are designed to show you what ports are open at any particular time. What you need to know is how to protect your computer against these attacks.

There are a number of programs designed to show you what is going on inside your PC. I will give you a short list of some that are recommended by some of the program makers.

The one that I would not be without is: www.testmyfirewall.com As its name implies it will test your firewall for flaws and scan for open ports and any other security problems you may have.
You do have a firewall, don’t you?

Another one is: www.pestscan.com This will scan for any nasties that are already on the computer.

Lastly, I use: http://www.security.symantec.com This will run a security check of all my systems.

Don’t put of what you should be doing today. Make sure that your protection is doing its job. Check that you have the latest version of whatever protection you are using. An out of date system is worse than useless. It gives a false sense of security and suddenly you find yourself in serious trouble with your ISP.

It is your responsibility to ensure that your computer will not cause problems for someone else. There are so many free systems out there that you have no excuse for not using one or more of them.

Be safe. Be happy. Be responsible.
All the best. …Bob…

—

Robert has been on line for over four years and earns a very good living from some of the very best affiliate programs on the web. This is one of his favorites.
If you are interested in growing your very own opt-in mailing list in the shortest possible time, take a look now.

http://www.bz9.com/robjfar ‘It’s free.’

Many of us are worried about leaving our home while on work or vacation and even when asleep, especially if the neighborhood is of notorious reputation. People are even afraid of leaving kids and old people at home for the fear that someone might break in and harm them. Some may even keep a weapon under the pillow. All these are not baseless fears but developed due to harrowing incidents of the past. People are becoming more and more cautious about protecting their homes by securely locking homes, not opening doors to strangers, informing neighbors if away from home for a long time and seeking assistance of home security systems.

Intruders and anti-social elements keep an eye on opportunities to gain entrance to homes. They do their homework well to look for the weakest points of entry to the home and all possible escape outlets like windows, doors and skylights. They too observe carefully if any surveillance systems are in use. Burglars might hesitate more to touch a house equipped with security systems like cameras, alarms and detectors.

Most people appreciate the value of securing their homes and there are several ways to do it. Even simple things like using heavy strong doors and windows and locking them takes more time to break into, and a burglar may be caught easily due to the noise caused. There are many kinds of safes too that can be placed in hidings for valuables. Good lighting outside at night is also a good idea. Alarms that go off easily scare intruders and warn people around that something is wrong. Installation of security systems is becoming more and more popular because of high safety they provide. They include control panels, many kinds of detectors, alarms and cameras. Budget and quality are the only considerations to ensure peace of mind.

A home can be made secure in different ways. Understanding the psychology of burglars, it is wise to invest some amount in maintaining security of a house rather than losing much more after a theft. This can be done using various security systems. They may not always be foolproof but at least they will reduce the risk of crime significantly.

Home Security provides detailed information on Home Security, Home Security Systems, Wireless Home Security Systems, Home Security Cameras and more. Home Security is affiliated with Home Security Alarm Systems.

An identity thief doesn’t just steal your credit card and personal information to start buying crazily in your name. He gets new cards, opens new loans, and leaves a long trail of unpaid bills in your name. He even uses your identity to commit acts of terrorism or other crimes. What are you to do?

Identity theft occurs more frequently than you would like to believe - and is committed frequently by someone you know. This is what happened to Linda Foley, a magazine writer, who learned that her own employer had swiped her identity to open cell phone and credit card accounts. Now Foley, along with her husband, fight back as the Co-Executive Directors of the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) in San Diego, California.

Can This Happen to You?

After Bridget J. Thomas learned that her identity was stolen by a bank employee at a branch 300 miles from the one she used, she was shocked. And that was just the beginning of her nightmare! When the thief was caught, she was working at a different bank in a different state. After her arrest, collection agencies continued to hound Ms Thomas.

Setting the Record Straight Might Not Be All That Easy - or Quick!

Setting the record straight is the tip of a nightmarish iceberg that can take months - even years to accomplish – often with undue pain and suffering for the victim. In serious cases victims spend an average of 600 hours and $1,400 in out-of-pocket expenses to repair their credit. Until they can prove their innocence, they are more likely to be:

• charged higher rates for insurance and fees for credit cards,

• rejected for student loans or home mortgages,

• arrested for crimes they did not commit,

• unable to get or keep a job.

A Call From A Collection Agency Or A turndown For A Loan Is Often the Only Tip-off That Your Identity Was Stolen.

A thief needs only one thing to open the doors to his windfall - your Social Security number. Unfortunately it is routinely used by government agencies, health care providers, utility companies, merchants, employers, and financial institutions. Often, your Social Security number is publicly available. That’s how General John M. Shalikashvili, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, became a victim. His Social Security number and those of many other military officers were published in the “Congressional Record” and were later posted on the internet. Thieves used their identities to open 273 new credit cards accounts and run up a bill of over $200,000.00 in charges.

Develop a Form of Defense

To stop identity thieves in their steps, there are several things you can do. You can begin by freezing access to your credit file. By doing so, you cause your file to become off-limits to anyone who does not know the secret PIN (Personal Information Number) of your choosing. This sets the wheels in motion to protect you from the bad guys - anyone who attempts to apply for credit in your name. It causes their application to be rejected; although your credit cards won’t be affected. And if you want to apply for new credit or let a bank, store, or agency run a background check on you, you can get a credit thaw. For example, if you decided to shop for a big-ticket item, like a car, you might thaw your history for auto dealers.

Other Things You Can Do - Starting NOW!

• Periodically check your credit report for suspicious activities. Americans are now entitled to a free annual credit report from each of the three bureaus: Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion.

• If you elect to shop online, use a credit card rather than a debit card. With a credit card, you have the extra protection of maximum liability of $50.00 for unauthorized purchased.

• Learn more about “phishing” email scams, and other schemes, frauds, and cons to separate you from your identity and your money.

In the Event You Do Become A Victim

Here are some steps to take:

• Act fast and prepare yourself for an uphill battle uncooperative and unsupportive credit card and law enforcement agencies. For guidance and support, I suggest that you turn to organizations and agencies like ITRC, the Federal Trade Commission, and others.

• Call the fraud dept. of one of the three credit bureaus, Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion, and request that a fraud alert be placed on your credit reports. (The other two credit bureaus will automatically be notified.) The alert lasts for 90 days and requires creditors to call you before opening new accounts in your name; however, a word of caution is in order here. There are no legal requirements to honor alerts and merchants who are eager to make a sale may ignore them.

• Close your credit card accounts and change the passwords on all your financial and banking accounts.

• File a police report. Although credit bureaus won’t extend a fraud alert without it, be aware that local police departments may be reluctant to provide a report. Many may lack the resources to properly investigate the crime.

• Mail copies of the police report to all three credit bureaus with a cover letter demanding your complete credit file.

• Call every credit where you know a bogus account has been created and have them close your file immediately. Demand copies of all fraudulent applications for credit and billing statements. Creditors don’t want to divulge that information, but they will if you enclose a copy of a police report and forward your request it in writing via certified mail.

Conclusion: Face it, identity theft is a growing problem affecting everyone in some way or another. With the increase popularity of internet usage, it has become easier for cybercriminals to steal our identity. In 2002 alone, the victim total due to identity theft climbed to 10 million, a new high. The cost to the economy was up an astonishing 41 percent to $52.6 billion, according to The Identity Theft Survey Report, available from the Federal Trade Commission at the website (www.consumer.gov/idtheft/). Each year these totals are climbing with no apparent sign of slowing down.

What are your chances of becoming a victim of some form of identity theft? According to the Federal Trade Commission is one in ten.

“So what am I to do?” you ask. My recommendation is that first you educate yourself with information and resources at your disposal. Next, purchase identity theft insurance.

Known as The Master Blog Builder, Etienne A. Gibbs, MSW, helps small business owners and non-profit organizations improve their customer relationship marketing. Often he comes across cases that are red flags calling identity thieves to come in. Hence, he started “Protecting Your Identity” blog at www.ProtectingYourIdentity.blogspot.com. Contact him at www.MasterBlogBuilder.com/ for more information.

Many people think that spy gadgets are good only for amateurs,
wannabes, and intelligence professionals. The truth, though, is
that spy gadgets are extremely useful for the everyday Joe or
Jane. This is because these items, also called surveillance
equipment, can be very useful in helping you defend your home,
family, and property. There is no reason to poo-poo these
gadgets. In fact, if you have a security system of some sort,
you already use spy gadgets to help protect your home.

The spy gadgets most in use by average consumers are home
surveillance related items. These are things like cameras and
listening devices that help you keep tabs on what is happening
inside and outside of your home. These gadgets are not the same
as having a monitored security system where someone else keeps
tabs on your home. These pieces of equipment are part of a
system that you control and that you use to personally ensure
the safety of your home.

Cameras are among the most useful of the spy gadgets. They can
be placed outside or inside the home, and come in a variety of
styles. For instance, there are hidden nanny cams that look like
regular household objects but that are, in fact, recording what
the babysitter does with the kids when you are away. Outdoor
cameras can help you identify vandals and would-be prowlers.

Listening devices, however, also have their place. Often, just a
silent picture lacks context. With spy gadgets in the form of
listening devices, it is possible for you to have sound with the
picture. Additionally, if for some reason the visual is blocked,
a sound can give you information. Just like the hidden cameras,
many listening devices also come disguised as ordinary objects.
Others are guarded when they think someone is listening or
watching. Disguised objects helps you see who the person really
is, since she or he will not realize that someone is paying
close attention.

With the right spy gadgets you can protect your family, your
home, and your property. All you need to do is install a
surveillance system that you operate, and you can protect the
things and people most precious to you with the help of spy
gadgets.

(c) 2005 Copyright www.spyassociates.com. This article is about:
Spy Gadgets. To learn more about Spy and Surveillance Products
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