What Everybody Ought to Know: It’s No Longer Enough to Install Off-the-shelf Security Software

Think about this: You had problems with your computer in the past. Now you want to insure that those little annoying nuisance, pests, threats, and risks from hackers and spyware don’t hide in your computer any more. So, you load up your computer with all the free and off-the-shelf security software you can find. Now, as your confidence rises, you think that your computer is as impenetrable as the gold at Fort Knox.

Wrong!!!! You have been fooled into thinking that your computer is fully protected.

Now think about this: With all the options available to you, how do you know which one offers the best protection for you, your family, or your business? Here are some questions you need to consider:

• Are you a trained computer and Internet security expert?
  
  
• Do you know exactly which security software is compatible with your system?
  
  
• Do you have the time to continually research all the latest security technologies?
  
  
• Do you know exactly which software you should install and which ones should not?

• Once installed, how do you keep the different software programs updated? In fact, how often are they updated: daily? weekly? biweekly? monthly? Are the updates free. And if so, for how long?
  
  
• If you encountered a problem that your installed security software could not fix, or you simply had a question, would you have access to free, live technical support?
  
  
• If not, what would it cost you? Would it be a one-time fee? Would it come with a warranty period? And what would it cost you when the warranty expires?

By now, I’m hoping that you’re beginning to see why it is not enough any longer to install off-the-shelf security software. There is a better option! You need a revolutionary full security service package that gives you peace of mind because its software programs work together, its technical support is always live and free, and at no additional cost.

Remember: When you say “No!” to hackers and spyware, everyone wins! When you don’t, we all lose.

Test your computer now!

Taking Your Computer to the Store is So Yesterday

By Joel Harrison
INVISUS Senior Technology Analyst

There’s nothing worse than having to get down behind your desk, memorize where all the wires go, and hope you can get them all back where they belong.

Except maybe paying too much for the repair once you get it to the store.

It’s time you stopped lugging your computer around town trying to find someone to fix it and take advantage of the latest software and services that lets the technician come to you – remotely.

With the advances in technology and the tools that are available, taking your computer to the shop is becoming a thing of the past. A technician can repair the majority of your computer problems without you leaving your house or them entering.

Remote help is taking over the support industry. And with the right support team caring for your computers, you don’t need to worry about a thing. They can do everything for you.

Sure, having to take your computer to the tech shop may still be warranted in some rare occasions, but you should always call for remote support first to see if they can get you up and running.

With just a phone call and a couple of clicks of the mouse, a technician can be connected to your computer to diagnose and repair errors and even clean off all the viruses and spyware.

Just sit back, relax, go get some dinner, and let the [INVISUS] technicians do everything for you. Ah, the beauty of remote support.

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Note: Whether your computer is at your home, church, or small business, you owe it to yourself, your family, congregation, customers, and employees to ensure that it is safe and secured from hackers and cybercriminal attacks.

Thus, I encourage you to test your PC right now by clicking on the test button in the upper, right column. After you've tested it, why not also take a moment to see if your small business is PCI compliant?

Fight Scammers with Scammer Alert Images

Like me, individuals, businesses, and organizations across the Internet are sick and tired of being victims of scammers and hackers and are fighting back.

I've added graphics from their sites with the intention of encouraging you to fight back, too. I further encourage you to post similar graphics on your websites or social networking profiles.

Beneath each graphic I've placed a link to the source. Be sure to view what they have to say.

Courtesy of KTVO News.

Courtesy of ESL Teachers Board

Courtesy of Subtle Particle.

Courtesy of The Scam Team, which was formed by a group of international trade and Internet communications experts. They are based in a little Spanish city called Palencia.

Courtesy of Champ Bulldogs.

Courtesy of PRNewsChannel.com.

Courtesy of the FBI and Central National Bank.

Courtesy of Nevada Fight Fraud.

Courtesy of PigBusters.net.

Karen Lodrick, Leading Nationwide Consumer Advocate for ID Theft Protection

Watch Karen's story on Good Morning America about how her identity was stolen, and how she caught (literally) the thief on the streets of San Francisco.

Improved Changes for You, Your Family, and Your Business!

Personal Computer Services for Home and Family:

Our personal computer services simplify your life and protect you against Internet predators and cyber-crime. Our expertise is in eliminating headaches and hassles with your computer, and saving you time and money. With our popular monthly service plans, you've got unlimited access to all the expert help you need - for one low monthly fee.

Try our monthly service plans with a 30 Day RISK-FREE TRIAL!

You've got two great plans to choose from:

* iSafe Service Plan

Professional grade protection against Internet predators, viruses, spyware, and other digital security threats that put you at risk and cause ongoing problems and big repair bills.

* iCare Service Plan

Total care for your computer to keep it safe, reliable and running like new. Professional grade protection, plus full system tune-up, optimization, maintenance, troubleshooting and repair for virtually any computer problem.

Professional Computer Services for Small Businesses:

You need multiple layers of protection to truly secure your business computers. Anti-virus is not enough. Our home office, INVISUS, offers a comprehensive suite of products to lock your systems down to keep your information's integrity intact.

Try our services RISK-FREE with our 30-day money-back guarantee!

You've got three great plans to choose from:

* iSafe Pro Service Plan

A comprehensive, maximum protection, professional computer security service plan for your business. Gives you maximum protection against cyber-crime and fraud for the digital age.

Affordable protection your business requires, and the security you and your customers deserve.

* iCarePro

Total care for your business computers to keep them safe, reliable, and running like new. You get Maximum Protection and Total Care of your computers.

Take your iSafePro protection to the next level and never worry again about computer problems or downtime! Get unlimited expert help from our certified INVISUS technicians who will troubleshoot and resolve virtually ALL your computer problems over the phone or through a secure remote connection.

* InfoSafe Service Plan

Information Security Compliance! An industry first! Makes it easy for you to get and keep your business compliant with federal, state, and industry data security laws and regulations.

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Backed by InfoSafe Services and Certification, you can be confident that you are compliant with industry standards and best practices for information privacy and security.

Click on banner for more information.

Looking at Fraud from the Inside Out

In this video a convicted business opportunity scam artist takes you behind the scenes so you can learn the tricks he used to cheat people out of their money.

He also instructs you about what questions you must ask in order to help you determine if a business opportunity is a scam or the real deal.

Video is courtesy of the US Federal government.

Some Safe Practices for Computer Security, According to the Federal Government

Access to information and entertainment, credit and financial services, products from every corner of the world — even to your work — is greater than ever. Thanks to the Internet, you can play a friendly game with an opponent across the ocean; review and rate videos, songs, or clothes; get expert advice in an instant; or collaborate with far-flung co-workers in a "virtual" office.

But the Internet — and the anonymity it affords — also can give online scammers, hackers, and identity thieves access to your computer, personal information, finances, and more.

With awareness as your safety net, you can minimize the chance of an Internet mishap. Being on guard online helps you protect your information, your computer, and your money. To be safer and more secure online, make these practices part of your online routine.

Visit FTC.gov/idtheft to learn what to do if your identity is stolen or your personal or financial information has been compromised – online or in the "real" world.

How do criminals get your personal information online? One way is by lying about who they are, to convince you to share your account numbers, passwords, and other information so they can get your money or buy things in your name. The scam is called "phishing": criminals send email, text, or pop-up messages that appear to come from your bank, a government agency, an online seller or another organization with which you do business. The message asks you to click to a website or call a phone number to update your account information or claim a prize or benefit. It might suggest something bad will happen if you don't respond quickly with your personal information. In reality, legitimate businesses should never use email, pop-ups, or text messages to ask for your personal information.To avoid phishing scams:

• Don't reply to an email, text, or pop-up message that asks for personal or financial information, and don't click on links in the message. If you want to go to a bank or business's website, type the web address into your browser yourself.


• Don't respond if you get a message – by email, text, pop-up or phone – that asks you to call a phone number to update your account or give your personal information to access a refund. If you need to reach an organization with which you do business, call the number on your financial statement, or use a telephone directory.

Some identity thieves have stolen personal information from many people at once, by hacking into large databases managed by businesses or government agencies. While you can't enjoy the benefits of the Internet without sharing some personal information, you can take steps to share only with organizations you know and trust. Don't give out your personal information unless you first find out how it's going to be used and how it will be protected.

If you are shopping online, don't provide your personal or financial information through a company's website until you have checked for indicators that the site is secure, like a lock icon on the browser's status bar or a website URL that begins "https:" (the "s" stands for "secure"). Unfortunately, no indicator is foolproof; some scammers have forged security icons. And some hackers have managed to breach sites that took appropriate security precautions.

Learn what to do in an e-mergency.

If you suspect malware is lurking on your computer, stop shopping, banking, and other online activities that involve user names, passwords, or other sensitive information. Malware could be sending your personal information to identity thieves.

Confirm that your security software is up-to-date, then use it to scan your computer. Delete everything the program identifies as a problem. You may have to restart your computer for the changes to take effect.

If the problem persists after you exhaust your ability to diagnose and treat it, you might want to call for professional help. If your computer is covered by a warranty that offers free tech support, contact the manufacturer. Before you call, write down the model and serial number of your computer, the name of any software you've installed, and a short description of the problem. Your notes will help you give an accurate description to the technician.

If you need professional help, if your machine isn't covered by a warranty, or if your security software isn't doing the job properly, you may need to pay for technical support. Many companies — including some affiliated with retail stores — offer tech support via the phone, online, at their store, or in your home. Telephone or online help generally are the least expensive ways to access support services — especially if there's a toll-free helpline — but you may have to do some of the work yourself. Taking your computer to a store usually is less expensive than hiring a technician or repair person to come into your home.

Once your computer is back up and running, think about how malware could have been downloaded to your machine, and what you could do to avoid it in the future.

Also, talk about safe computing with anyone else who uses the computer. Tell them that some online activity can put a computer at risk, and share practices for safer computing.

Where to report hacking or a computer virus:

Alert the appropriate authorities by contacting:

• Your ISP and the hacker's ISP (if you can tell what it is). You can usually find an ISP's email address on its website. Include information on the incident from your firewall's log file. By alerting the ISP to the problem on its system, you can help it prevent similar problems in the future.


• The FBI at www.IC3.gov. To fight computer criminals, the FBI needs to hear from you.

Get more in-depth information from
www.OnGuardOnline.gov.