Tired of Spam Calls, Texts & Email?

 By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy Pixabay

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me that at least half the calls & texts that come in on my cellphone every day are spam.  It turns out I’m not alone.  In 2019, more than 63 billion spam calls were received by Americans. This resulted in 43 million consumers being scammed for $10.5 billion.  While the statistics for 2020 have yet to be released, you can be assured that as a result of COVID-19, the numbers are only going to go up.  If you’re sick and tired of receiving spam calls, texts and emails, here are some helpful tips.

Should Your New Year’s Resolutions Include Social Media?

By Catherine Powell

With only a little over two weeks left in the year, most people start to think about making their New Year’s resolutions.  Some of the most popular ones include working out, losing weight, and saving money.  The reason many of us create New Year’s resolutions is to try to get the year started on the right foot.  While shedding a few pounds or learning to stick to a budget is laudable, I’d like to recommend a cyber-resolution that should be on everyone’s list:  Social media discipline.

Thwarting Cyber Thieves

By Catherine Powell

Image courtesy flickr

What’s in a name?  To Shakespeare it was the start of a line Romeo used to woo the fair Juliet more than 400 years ago.  In more modern times, the value of a name can be vast, particularly if an identity thief manages to pilfer yours.  According to Forbes Magazine, the cost of identity theft during the past six years is more than $107 billion in the US alone.  What’s even worse than the dollars and cents cost of this crime is the effect it can have on your family, your friends and your job.  That’s because once stolen, an identity thief can use your good name to open fraudulent bank accounts, acquire credit cards, duplicate your social sites and even file for tax refunds with the IRS.  In short, once a thief gets hold of your personal information, they can make your life a living hell that could take you months to bounce back from.  If you don’t want to see your good name tarnished, there are some steps you need to take to protect your identity.