Top Internet Scams And How To Avoid Them

(Editor's note: This article was written by MoneyMax, the Philippines’ foremost online platform for comparing financial and telecom products and services, for ABS-CBNnews.com. Find out more at MoneyMax.ph.)

MANILA, Philippines - Have you been a victim of any Internet scam?

Having a different time zone does not secure Filipinos from online mafias and independent hackers living abroad. Considering the growth of computer literacy and Internet usage in the country, more of our kababayans are exposed to potential online security threats and fraudulent activities.

The worst part is, being tech savvy or Internet smart does not automatically eliminate you from the never-ending list of prospective victims.

Based on the research of Ultrascan, an international research organization focused on Internet crimes, people who are experiencing emotional trauma are highly vulnerable to fraud and scam. Individuals who have personal dilemmas, such as separation or death of a loved one, are most likely to ignore red flags and immediately fall into traps.

Always remember that scam artists are heartless, creative people who will prey on anyone and take advantage of their weaknesses.

Here’s your guide to doing a reality check when facing scams:

You can’t be an overnight millionaire everyday

If it’s not in your spam folder yet, you must have already come across an email saying that you won a foreign lottery jackpot that is worth millions or even billions of dollars or you are the sole inheritor to a multimillion dollar fund.

No matter how difficult the times are, don’t resort to replying to these “claim-your-prize” emails because there’s a possibility that the email is intended to steal your personal data or your money. There are also some unsolicited emails telling you about an opportunity to make an investment with high returns. The keyword is “unsolicited”. If it’s unsolicited, it is most likely not worth your time.

Stop itching to satisfy your curiosity or generosity

You don’t have to click on every link. Some claim to be scandalous photos or videos that you need to check out. Most suspicious links lead to malware or spyware, but there are also some links which are designed to hack your online bank accounts or credit cards. Emails with links on how to donate money for disaster relief or for the treatment of sick kids or adults are also prevalent. Reassure yourself by directing your goodwill to legitimate and credible groups or institutions.

Don’t talk to strangers

Real and fake people create profiles on online dating sites where they can interact with people looking for romantic affairs and eventually extort money from them.

Another modus operandi is an email from a stranger who would like to get to know you better after coming across your Facebook profile. Protect yourself from any danger by blocking or disapproving requests from people that you do not know.

Despite our exposure to international scams, we shouldn’t ignore the fact that Pinoys are not always the victims. If you do a little research on online scams, you will find that the Philippines is one of the countries that is notorious for online “sweetheart”/dating and sextortion scams.

Isolation is not the best way to prevent yourself from being a victim. You can always stay connected as long as you follow a set of measures against suspicious online activities.

To learn more about the top Internet scams, check out this infographic from MoneyMax.ph:

Source:

Best Advertisement Ever by Intel...VERY AMAZING!!!

Why you should avoid Internet Explorer until bug fixed

By Jim Finkle, Reuters

Posted at 04/29/2014 9:47 AM | Updated as of 04/29/2014 6:39 PM

BOSTON - The U.S. and UK governments on Monday advised computer users to consider using alternatives to Microsoft Corp's Internet Explorer browser until the company fixes a security flaw that hackers used to launch attacks.
The Internet Explorer bug, disclosed over the weekend, is the first high-profile computer threat to emerge since Microsoft stopped providing security updates for Windows XP earlier this month. That means PCs running the 13-year-old operating system will remain unprotected, even after Microsoft releases updates to defend against it.
The Department of Homeland Security's U.S. Computer Emergency Readiness Team said in an advisory released on Monday that the vulnerability in versions 6 to 11 of Internet Explorer could lead to "the complete compromise" of an affected system.
The recently established UK National Computer Emergency Response Team issued similar advice to British computer users, saying that in addition to considering alternative browsers, they should make sure their antivirus software is current and regularly updated.
Versions 6 to 11 of Internet Explorer dominate desktop browsing, accounting for 55 percent of global market share, according to research firm NetMarketShare.
Boldizsár Bencsáth, assistant professor with Hungary's Laboratory of Cryptography and Systems Security, said the best solution was to use another browser such as Google Inc's Chrome or Mozilla's Firefox.
DELAYED UPGRADES
Security experts have long been warning Windows XP users to upgrade to Windows 7 or 8 before Microsoft stopped supporting it at the beginning of this month.
The threat that emerged over the weekend could be the wakeup call that prompts the estimated 15 to 25 percent of PC users who still use XP to dump those systems.
"Everybody should be moving off of it now. They should have done it months ago," said Jeff Williams, director of security strategy with Dell SecureWorks.
Roger Kay, president of Endpoint Technologies, expects several hundred million people running Windows XP to dump those machines for other devices by the end of the year.
They will be looking at Windows machines as well as Apple Inc's Macs and iPads along with Google's Chrome laptops and Android tablets, he said.
"Not everybody will necessarily go to Windows, but Microsoft has a good chance at getting their business," he said. "It's got to be a good stimulus for the year."
News of the vulnerability surfaced over the weekend. Cybersecurity software maker FireEye Inc warned that a sophisticated group of hackers have been exploiting the bug in a campaign dubbed "Operation Clandestine Fox."

Source

How To Fix SSL Error

A lot of internet users encounter this problem. You cannot browse any trusted sites like google.com, facebook.com, yahoo.com and etc. Here are some tips to deal with this problem.

Method 1:

1.       Clean your browsing data. Delete all your cookies and browsing history. Go to

      Start->Control Panel->Internet Options

      Under General tab, find Browsing History, then click delete.

2.   You can also download cleaner software for you to easily delete your browsing data. For me, I used             CCleaner. It is fast and easy to use. You can download it from HERE.

Method 2:

1.     Update your internet time. Go to Date and Time. Look for the tab Internet Time.  Click on Change               Settings.

2.      A window will pop-up, then click on Update Now.

Enjoy Browsing again :)

5 Things To Do When Internet Connection Is Down

Most people get irritated when internet connection is down. Here some tips for you to still enjoy even if there is no connection.

  1.       Listen to your Playlist

Play the songs in your music library. Listening to my favorite songs is the best past time for me.  I sing along with my favorite artists and bands. In this way, I can still enjoy the times without internet connection.

  2.       Movie Marathon

Movie has been part of everybody’s life. Watching movies is one of the best ways to do when internet connection is out. A movie would last 1-3 hrs; it’s long enough for your internet connection to get back if there are no major problems.

  3.       Clean Up your PC

Clean your computer when your connection is down. Clean it from software to hardware. This will boost the performance of your computer. So when your connection is back, it’s like having a brand new computer set and a brand new internet connection.

  4.       Catch some Zzzz’s

If you've been a nocturnal for many days, it means you lack of sleep. Always remember that we all need to go to bed 6-8 hours per night. Restore your energy by catching some Zzzz’s.

  5.       Organize things in your room/house

We see things clearer when they are organized. It lessens the stress and gives us positive energy. 

Nokia bids farewell, renames to Microsoft Mobile

Finish mobile brand Nokia Oyj will be dropping its iconic name this month in light of Microsoft’s acquisition of the company set to conclude in coming weeks.

A leaked letter acquired by Nokiapoweruser which was sent to Nokia’s suppliers said that the mobile brand will now have a new name: Microsoft Mobile Oy.

The deal doesn’t really mean the end of Nokia but it marks its consolidation with Microsoft as the companies, both former leaders of their respected industries, join forces to reclaim their titles from the likes of Samsung and Apple.

Microsoft spent 5.44 billion euros for the acquisition, which includes Nokia’s Devices & Services, mobile phones unit and licenses to Nokia’s patents. In addition, Microsoft will acquire the Lumia and Asha brand for use in future products.

Nokia will continue to own and manage the Nokia brand, retaining its patent portfolio and will grant Microsoft a 10-year license to its patents. In turn, Microsoft will grant Nokia rights to use Microsoft patents in its HERE services.

Around 32,000 people are expected to transfer to Microsoft, including 4,700 people in Finland and 18,300 employees directly involved in manufacturing, assembly and packaging of products worldwide

A copy of Nokia’s letter can be read below:

Dear Supplier,

On September 3, 2013, Nokia Corporation announced its intention to sell substantially all of its Devices and Services Business to Microsoft Corporation. We anticipate the transaction to close during April 2014.

Under the terms of the sale, Microsoft will assume all rights, benefits and obligations of the Nokia Devices and Services business, including Nokia’s agreements with suppliers, customers and partners which pertain to the Devices and Services business. Therefore, the purpose of this letter is to update you that the current terms and conditions that you have with the Devices and Services business will not change.

Please note that upon the close of the transaction between Microsoft and Nokia, the name of Nokia Corporation/Nokia Oyj will change to Microsoft Mobile Oy. Microsoft Mobile Oy is the legal entity name that should be used for VAT IDs and for the issuance of invoices.

NEW BUSINESS INVOICE DETAILS:

New name and registered address replacing Nokia Oyj/Nokia Corporation is:

Microsoft Mobile Oy

Keilaranta 7

02150 ESPOO

Finland

New Bank Accounts: Please note that Microsoft Mobile Oy is going to have new bank accounts, for further information please contact us via AP Portal: https://ap.nokia.com/APPortalExt/Login.aspx (registration required).

There is NO change in the invoice sending method, please continue to send the invoices via electronic channels as before.

For further information on changes (legal address/send to address) after the close of the transaction between Microsoft and the Nokia Devices and Services business, please check our Invoice Address Search tool (IAS): https://ap.nokia.com/APPortalExt/AddressSearch.aspx (No registration required), or contact us via AP Portal: https://ap.nokia.com/APPortalExt/Login.aspx (Registration required).

Please note that the only changes in the Purchase Order (PO) layout after the close of the transaction will be to remove the Nokia Logo and change the legal address, whereas the PO numbering format and sequence will not change.

Continuation of business with Nokia

In addition to becoming a supplier for Microsoft Mobile Oy, we appreciate that you might also remain a supplier to the continuing businesses of Nokia (i.e., NSN, HERE or Advanced Technologies) after the close of the transaction between Microsoft and Nokia Devices and Services. Nokia will communicate separately any changes in invoicing methods and addresses before the close of this transaction.

Best regards,

Nokia Devices and Services Financial Services Purchase to Pay Team

Source

Who owns the fastest internet connection in the world?

Yes, a 75 year-old granny owns the fastest internet connection in the world. She is Sigbritt Lothberg from Karlstad in central Sweden. Her internet connection was arranged by her son who is a Swedish internet legend.

Her internet speed is 40 Gigabits-per-second fiber connection.

She can download a full high definition movie in less than 2 seconds.

She can also watch 1500 high definition videos simultaneously. 

Microsoft Office ProPlus 2013 + MS Toolkit Activator 2.4.7

What’s New in Microsoft Office 2013?

·         Flatter look of the Ribbon interface and subtle animations when typing or selecting (Word and Excel)

·         A new visualization for scheduled tasks in Microsoft Outlook

·         Remodeled start screen^[25]

·         New graphical options in Word^[26]

·         Objects such as images can be freely moved; they snap to boundaries such as paragraph edges, document margin and or column boundaries

·         Online picture support with content from Office.com, Bing.com and Flickr (by default, only images in public domain)^{[clarification needed What kind of support?]}

·         Ability to return to the last viewed or edited location in Word and PowerPoint

·         New slide designs, animations and transitions in PowerPoint 2013

·         Support for Outlook.com and Hotmail.com in Outlook

·         Support for integration with Skype, Yammer and SkyDrive^[27]

·         IMAP special folders support^[28]

·         Excel 2013 supports new limit models, as follows:^[29]

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Download MS Office 2013

Click Here!

It's a torrent so you need to have a torrent downloader.

Enjoy! ^^

PSP Games On Smart Phones

Have you been addicted to a certain game in Playstation Portable or commonly known as PSP?

Now, you can easily add PSP games in your smart phones by using a single application.

Now here it goes:

Step 1: Download the Application “PPSSPP” from any appstore. It’s free so nothing to worry about.

Step 2: Install the application.

Step 3: Download the games you want to play or if you already have the game in ISO format, just simply                 copy it to the memory stick of your Android Phone. The destination folder is:

           "My Files ->Root->PSP->GAME"

            The PSP folder is automatically created by the application PPSSPP.

Step 4: After copying the game, open the application PPSSPP.

            You can see destination folders. Open the game that you copied in 

            My Files ->Root->PSP->GAME or simply tap Games.

Step 5: Enjoy ^^

How To Remove Write-Protection From External Storage

Having write-protection problem with your USB Flash Drive, SD Card, and other external storage?
Here are some tips to remove the write-protection.

For some of external storage, there are switch on the storage itself especially SD Cards.

And for those who don't have switch on their external storage, follow these steps.

Step 1: Plug-in your external storage to your computer.

Step 2: Open RUN. Go to Start →Type RUN in the search box or simply press Windows + R in your                     keyboard.

Step 3: Type "regedit" w/o the " " and press enter.

Step 4: This is the tricky part.

            Follow this location: 

            KEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\StorageDevicePolicies.

           
            If you cannot find the folder "StorageDevicePolicies"
            Click the folder "Control" and right click on the right plane.
            New → Key
           

            Rename the Key with "StorageDevicePolicies" w/o " ".

            Right click on the plane New →DWORD (32 bit) Value

             Rename it with "WriteProtect" w/o " ".

             Right click on it and click "Modify"

             Set the Value to zero (0) and click OK.

Step 5: Re-plug your external storage.

            Now try it.

            If still has the write-protection, check the value of WriteProtect.

            and Re-plug your external storage again.

Enjoy^^

Goodbye Bluetooth. Hello File Transfer!

Heard about the newest and coolest apps to transfer files?
Very fast, easy, and totally FREE!
There are a lot of them in the apps store.
For me, i'm using Fast File Transfer.
Based on my experience with this app, i can really say that it's much faster compared to Bluetoooth.

I timed it when i transferred more or less 500 mb file.
I was so shocked because it only took 5mins 47secs.
At first, i doubt it cause files might be corrupted or something is missing, but everything work so well.
So now, i'm using this apps to transfer files(movies) from my laptop to my Tablet without connecting any USB connector or turning on bluetooth.

I can now say "Goodbye Bluetooth!"
:)

Now i'll teach you on how to use it.

Step 1: You need to download the app in any App store available. I used Play Store to download the app.

Step 2: Open your wifi.
            NOTE: No Need Wifi Connection/Modem.

Step 3: Open the app. For me its Fast File Transfer.

Step 4: Set-up a Device Name and Password.

Step 5: Go to the file that you want to send. Send/Share the file and choose Fast File Transfer.
            (Stand by the first device)

Step 6: On the Second Device(i.e. that will receive file), open Wifi and Scan for Available connections.
            Look for the Device Name that you setup in the first device and connect. Use the password you                   setup with the Device Name.
     

Remember that "My GT-I9100" is the Device name you Setup in step 4.

Step 7: Check your First Device(i.e. that will send the file). There will be an IP address that is given to                   you. Take note on that.

Step 8: On the Second Device(i.e. that will recieve the file), open any browser(e.g. internet explorer,                     chrome, safari, opera). Enter the given IP address from the First Device.

Step 9: ENJOY!!!


THAT'S IT!!!
You are now downloading the FILE from the First Device.

I know it's a bit tricky but i know that you can do it.
Feel free to ask questions if you cannot get it right.

"NTLDR is MISSING"

NT LDR or NT LOADER

-it is a boot loader used by Windows Operating Systems.

"ntldr missing" is one of the most common error when starting a computer.

Causes:

-when your computer boots to a non-bootable device like flash drives and cd rooms.

-corrupt and misconfigured files.


How to Solve:

-Remove/disconnect all external drives from your computer then restart.

-Check the bios settings and make sure they are correct. Ensure that the first priority boot is your internal hard drive.

-Restore/repair the ntldr file from the original cd of your windows operating system.

-Check the connections inside your CPU. Make sure that your power supply can accommodate your setup. High-end computers need to have high-end power supplies also.

Download Accelerator Plus (DAP) FREE!

Which is better, IDM(internet download manager) or DAP (Download Accelerator Plus)?
To Download IDM click here

To Download DAP
follow these steps.

Step 1: Click here or here to download DAP

Step 2: Install DAP w/o serial number

Step 3: Enjoy!

Correct Way in Upgrading A Computer

In buying or upgrading a computer, we need to consider a lot of things. As a rapid development in our technology, we cannot have the things we want, like the latest and most trending gadgets. In computer parts, there are always upgrades every month. 6 months to 1 year is enough for your new computer to be left behind by the technology. That’s why we have some tips here in order for you to have an idea on how to upgrade a computer correctly.

Consider the things that will NOT upgrade in a very short period of time. You can spend much on these things as much as you want since you can used it until it is destroyed.

Case

Keyboard

Mouse

Monitor

Power Supply

How To Recover Deleted Files?

Many people commit mistakes in deleting important files or some maybe accidentally erased them. This tutorial will give you tips in recovering deleted files. just follow the simple steps below:

Step 1: Download any software that can recover deleted files. There are hundreds of them. 

            For me, I used Recuva because its FREE and totally working. 

           Download it from their main site or click here. 

Step 2: Install the software then open Recuva. Click Next.

Step 3: Choose what type of file you are going to recover. If you are not sure, choose All Files. Click Next.

Step 4: Choose the location of the files. If you are not sure, click I'm not sure. Click Next.

Step 5: In order to surely recover your files. Check Enable Deep Scan.

Step 6: Click Start!!!

This will take a while. Just be patient and you will not regret.

enjoy^^

How To Recover Files From A Broken Laptop?

Do you have important files in your broken laptop? Well, you can always recover your important files from your broken laptop if and only if your HDD is not damaged. Here are the steps in recovering files:

Step 1: Pull out Hard Disk from your broken laptop.

Step 2: Purchase an enclosure to make your Hard Disk External or Portable. The price is like 3$-4$.

Step 3: Install Hard Disk to the enclosure. See picture below.

Step 4: Connect it to a working computer. Your Hard Disk now is like a USB Flash Drive.

Step 5: Recover all your Files.

enjoy^^

Unlimited Anti-Virus for One Year

Avast! has the best free anti-virus. You can have a lifetime protection for FREE! You have one year free trial and if it expires, you can always uninstall and install again the software. It is automatically updated when you're connected to an internet. All you have to do is install the software and leave it there forever.

Step 1: Download the software from their main site or Click Here.

Step 2: Install the software.

Step 3: Register your Avast using your email address.

Step 4: Enjoy a totally free anti-virus!


^^

How To Make Your Pen Drive Bootable?

Now to make this bootable USB memory stick (Window 7 install) you will need at least one Windows 7 DVD 32bit or 64bit depending on what version you want to install and a blank 4gb USB or PENDRIVE.

1. Insert the Windows 7 DVD into your computer and the USB or PENDRIVE into your computer.

2. Open an “Command Prompt” and run “DISKPART”.

This will open a diskpart in separate window.

3. Type “LIST DISK” and take note what the disk number is of the USB or PENDRIVE. Check the SIZE column to know about your pendrive.

4. Then type “SELECT DISK Y” where Y is the disk number of the USB.

5. Type “CLEAN” ( This will clear all data from the USB or pendrive).

6. Type “CREATE PARTITION PRIMARY”.

7. Type “SELECT PARTITION 1”.

8. Type “ACTIVE”

9. Type “FORMAT FS=FAT32” and wait for 10 minutes or more depending upon the size of pendrive or usb.

10. Type “ASSIGN”.

11. The auto play window will now appears. Take note of the drive letter (e.g. G:\ ) and close this window.

12. Type “EXIT”.

13. At the command prompt type “xcopy E:*.* /s/e/f G:” where E is the drive letter of you DVD and G is the drive letter of your USB.

14. Now wait until it copy boot.wim and install.wim on to USB or PENDRIVE.

15. When xcopy is finished run “del G:\sources\ei.cfg” from the command prompt and your Windows 7 Bootable USB or PENDRIVE is ready for use. You can now either boot from the USB or just run setup.exe from the drive to start the install process.

This is how one can install window 7 through usb or pendrive.

How To Delete Cookies and Browsing History All At Once

CCleaner (formerly Crap Cleaner), developed by Piriform, is a utility program used to clean potentially unwanted files (including temporary internet files, where malicious programs and code tend to reside) and invalid Windows Registry entries from a computer.^[6] A public version 1.01 for Mac OS X has been released^[4] along with a Network Edition.

ref: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CCleaner


Step 1: Click HERE to download CCleaner.

Step 2: Install CCleaner.

Step 3: Run the software and it will delete all your cookies and browsing history.


enjoy^^

Internet Download Manager 6.17.11 plus Crack

Change logs:

-Resolved problems in downloading videos from other sites
-Added support for firefox
-Other bugs are fixed

Step 1: Click here to download IDM 6.17.11

Step 2: Download the Crack. Click here

Step 3: Install the IDM 6.17.11

Step 4: After installing, don't open the software.

Step 5: Copy and Replace the downloaded crack to the IDM Directory. 
Most commonly here "C:\Program Files\Internet Download Manager"

enjoy^^