topic Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF? in Electronics

HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

Noel7 — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 17:45:29 GMT

I would appreciate suggestions.

This morning I received an email from the reclusive brother of my lifelong friend. I was unable to open the message part, and unable to contact her and, fearing the worst, I replied to the email saying it was from me and giving him my iPhone number to call.

Later I was able to get her and she told me his computer had been hacked. Thanks for the warning, bro

I've turned off the iPhone and iPad, my daughter said she will come by after work and make sure they are updated, etc.

What do I do about my Dell desktop and stored information, anything?

Thanks for reading, any advice is appreciated.

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

hckynut — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 18:39:19 GMT

Hi Noel,

Reclusive brother yet he tells her his computer has been hacked? Wondering why you would even try to open an email from a recluse of a friend.

Unless I know the person and a familiar email address, i do not open any of them. As far as your "i" things? I know nothing about the type of protection that are inclusive to that brand. For what they cost, i would hope they are protected as well as the android devices.

What exactly is your fear? Is it physical harm or concern about your electronic devices? As for your Dell. Delete the email if it shows up/run a deep scan and any other protection program you have on that computer. You also can do a "System Restore", back to a date prior to getting this email.

Hope you are doing better. Seems like i read you are typing with 1 finger, which is what i am doing now. Take care of yourself, and i really want to thank you for your thoughts and prayers for my wife and myself.

Best wishes to you from Cindy and myself.

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

Kachina624 — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 19:41:18 GMT

Those types of messages are pretty common. I once got one from an eBay vendor with who I'd done business, certainly not a personal friend. It was about how he was in trouble in some foreign country and needed money. I immediately recognized it as a scam. His email account had been hacked.

I didn't do anything except ignore it. No damage done. It's pretty easy for crooks to get email addresses but unless someone responds, there nothing they can do with them.

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

KingstonsMom — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 19:49:21 GMT

I agree with John, I'd run whatever virus protection software you use and I'd run an anti-malware program too (MalwareBytes is a good one, free on their website), if you don't currently use one.

I've had my email hacked a couple of times over the years and the worst thing that happened was myself and everyone on my contact list got spammed.

You definitely need to change your password for your email acct, if they hacked your email once you clicked on that email, they now have your current one.

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

Noel7 — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 19:51:23 GMT

@hckynut wrote:

Hi Noel,

Reclusive brother yet he tells her his computer has been hacked? Wondering why you would even try to open an email from a recluse of a friend.

Unless I know the person and a familiar email address, i do not open any of them. As far as your "i" things? I know nothing about the type of protection that are inclusive to that brand. For what they cost, i would hope they are protected as well as the android devices.

What exactly is your fear? Is it physical harm or concern about your electronic devices? As for your Dell. Delete the email if it shows up/run a deep scan and any other protection program you have on that computer. You also can do a "System Restore", back to a date prior to getting this email.

Hope you are doing better. Seems like i read you are typing with 1 finger, which is what i am doing now. Take care of yourself, and i really want to thank you for your thoughts and prayers for my wife and myself.

Best wishes to you from Cindy and myself.

**********************************

Hi John!

@hckynut

Re:

"Wondering why you would even try to open an email from a recluse of a friend."

******************

We have all known each other since childhood. I see him about once a year at holidays.

The brother and sister live in a rural area, not together though.

I called her, no answer, I feared the worst... that he was emailing (his real email address) me to tell me she had passed. That's why.

Thanks for responding! From what I have been told, I don't have to worry about the iPad and iPhone, but I don't know if that's a guarantee or not.

I'm concerned about the Dell laptop and access to accounts and credit card connections.

You are the expert here, not me

I'm glad to hear Cindy is better, I am still with the two of you in spirit. I wast hospitalized recently and have been having a lot of follow-up appointments and tests, but I'm working on getting better.

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

Noel7 — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 19:54:01 GMT

@Kachina624

Thanks so much for responding, Kachina! I appreciate your easing my worries

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

Noel7 — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 19:56:31 GMT

IG, THANK YOU, TOO!

@KingstonsMom

My daughter just set up a new protection system for me. She and I can work on your suggestions tonight,

Again, thank you for the advice

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

chickenbutt — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 20:02:38 GMT

Did you run scans with your antivirus and antimalware programs? That is definitely where I would start.

I can imagine why you opened it, so no need to chastise that!

You know, a weird thing that has happened a few times - I have gotten emails that appeared to be from my husband but by the subject line of the email I could tell that something was not right. I did open the first couple of times but then inside the email was another thing that said it couldn't open it and I needed to click on something to open it. Of course I didn't do that, got out of there, and ran scans. But to this day I have no idea how that happened.

I told him about it and that maybe he needs to run some scans and make sure everything is up to date. He's not as careful (paranoid?) as I am, plus he's not terribly adept at computer stuff, so I worry about that.

Hope everything comes out ok! Scary, eh?

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

LTT1 — Wed, 10 Aug 2016 21:11:18 GMT

@Noel7

My only experience has been when the email (in "junk") did look somewhat right.

I clicked to open it (from an entity that looked like PayPal i.e. Paypal no caps). When opened it asked me to log in from that page.

Since financial entities tell you that they will never do this (log in from a site that isn't theirs) instead I went to their website from Chrome.

My account was fine; no contact was needed,etc, but you already knew about this type of spam, I'm sure.

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

Noel7 — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 17:59:09 GMT

@chickenbutt wrote:
Did you run scans with your antivirus and antimalware programs? That is definitely where I would start.

I can imagine why you opened it, so no need to chastise that!

You know, a weird thing that has happened a few times - I have gotten emails that appeared to be from my husband but by the subject line of the email I could tell that something was not right. I did open the first couple of times but then inside the email was another thing that said it couldn't open it and I needed to click on something to open it. Of course I didn't do that, got out of there, and ran scans. But to this day I have no idea how that happened.

I told him about it and that maybe he needs to run some scans and make sure everything is up to date. He's not as careful (paranoid?) as I am, plus he's not terribly adept at computer stuff, so I worry about that.

Hope everything comes out ok! Scary, eh?

*****************************

Hi @chickenbutt Thank you

As you know, these have been trying times for me: a lot of new medications, scary tests and a difficult recovery. For sure I do know not to open up odd emails, but I was so upset fearing the worst for my lifelong friend, I looked.

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

chickenbutt — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 18:02:31 GMT

Hey Noel! Totally understandable.

I think of you VERY often and send you my best positive thoughts and good vibes. You are such a lovely person. We've been here so long that I feel like I really do know just a few special people and you are one of those.

Take care!!

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

Noel7 — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 18:03:16 GMT

Thank you all for your advice and help.

@KingstonsMom, I took your advice to heart and we followed it closely. I have a couple of security guards installed by the tech whiz in the family, my daughter, and it turns out Windows 10 has deep scanning etc. available. We used that and she checked the others.

I was lucky, nothing untoward was found, so let me thank you again, THANK YOU

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

Noel7 — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 18:16:02 GMT

@chickenbutt

I feel the same about you, I value our friendship so much, and I think we have a lot in common. Birds, an interest in food, a love of photography, and several difficult things in life we must handle

You are funny, smart and kind.

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

chickenbutt — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 18:27:22 GMT

Ok, now I've cried twice and it's not even noon! Two totally different cries - first I was going to the store and they played 'Purple Rain' on the radio (every time I hear that song now I cry!) and now because of those very special, and beautiful, thoughts from you. Thank You for being you, and I will always wish for you all the best life can bring.

I admire your tenacity in trying to bring facts into a discussion and wish I could be that strong. After a while I just end up giving up because I am not that great at talking to walls.

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

Noel7 — Thu, 11 Aug 2016 20:10:03 GMT

@chickenbutt wrote:
Ok, now I've cried twice and it's not even noon! Two totally different cries - first I was going to the store and they played 'Purple Rain' on the radio (every time I hear that song now I cry!) and now because of those very special, and beautiful, thoughts from you. Thank You for being you, and I will always wish for you all the best life can bring.

I admire your tenacity in trying to bring facts into a discussion and wish I could be that strong. After a while I just end up giving up because I am not that great at talking to walls.

********************************

LOL, thank you, thank you @chickenbutt

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

Bahamamma55 — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 14:42:52 GMT

Hi to all; Number one in securing your devices in PC's use a good anti-virus I personally use Norton 360. And far as back up I use an external backup storage (clickfree). Cloud services as one drive, Norton or other cloud storage to keep your flies. Most modems or gateways have a built in firewalls now days, also make sure your wireless network is not broadcasting its SSID in the modems manufactures name and the password that is assigned to the modem change it. Use WP2-personal, encryption type AES, and your security key and ensure you not letting no one piggy backing off of your network. Do not open and saw the same responses from other if you don know the sender do not open.

Not long ago I had to wipe a friends compute hard drive due to a virus and reinstall Windows 7 Pro by which still receives the updates and patches. I left it up to him to upgrade to Windows 10. I use Chrome or Firefox I do not use IE. Windows 10 I use outlook and use all of my email filter clutter and junk and blocking features. I have a cool application its called magical jellybean key finder free application that shows all product keys to all of your running applications of Window OS, and Office as well.

Portable devices Apple I never have any security problems with them and can not put security with built in security with Apple products. Android use an anti-virus application and I use Cleanmaster on my Andriod devices I use Kaspersky firewall free addition on my Android tablet. When in Airplane mode using public network I do not access my banking or use CC on a public network it too easy to find a banks ATM. I use the RFID blocker card that QVC sells and have them in my wallet. Ransomware can happen to average users and to ensure your identity stays safe do not click those flashing banners claims you have a virus they themselves are a Trojan horse.

I hope I helped it does not matter what your computer is PC or MAC

Use logic and good protection. I use a Toshiba and have no problems.

Re: HOW DO I PROTECT MYSELF?

depglass — Sun, 21 Aug 2016 14:53:05 GMT

I would have called. On the telephone. You know, those old fashioned things we used before the internet. He probably had a land line and was listed with information. Other than that, you just can't take a chance.