Protect Yourself from Scams: Top Tips for Identifying Fraudulent Texts and Emails

Received a Weird Text or E-mail?

DO NOT USE ANY LINKS PROVIDED IN THE E-MAIL or SMS. Unknown links can mislead you or possibly get you to install malicious software on your device! If you are using a computer to read the message or e-mail, you could hover your mouse over the link and it should show you what the shortened URL actually is or where link text is going to take you, but this does not always work.

There are many ways that scammers are trying to steal your hard earned money. Two of the most prevalent are usually sent via text message or email, and sometimes a combination of both. And both methods used, lead to a website that wants you to insert your credit card information. How did they get your phone number and email? How do you spot if the site is fake?

Lets have a look at what they send and how they try to fool you into giving up your credit card details or personal information.

 

Where did they get your details?:

Most of the information used by scammers comes from a data broker that has sold your information online. This could be from anywhere that you provided your number, e-mail or both and possibly your name and address too. In today's world, many shops, websites and businesses ask people to provide various details for their records and unfortunately, once you have provided the details, you have no guarantee that they will keep it safe.

Another place that your details could be found is from when a company has had a data breach, or has been hacked, and a list of customer details has been found, sold, or exposed to the internet. This is also out of your control and could be tough to deal with as the more details a scammer has on a target, the easier it will be to fool them.

Example 1 of what they send you, the SMS:

 You receive a text or SMS message from an unknown number claiming that you have a delivery pending, but needs a clearance fee paid before the package will be sent. Included is a shortened URL so that you cannot verify where the link will take you. By using a link shortener extension or website  a short URL can be created. This is supposed to help with long URL's but can be used to hide them. The only way to see where the link leads is to click on it and see, or hover your mouse pointer over the link to view the actual address (Not possible on a cellphone though). This makes the SMS slightly more believable and in so doing hopes to fool as many people into clicking on the link as possible.

Here is where this short URL will take you, click on the image on the right to enlarge it. The scammer has used a known courier company, and has copied the logo and a few other details from the actual courier site to help fool you. There are however a few ways to find out if the web page is valid or not. Some obvious problems that you should come across:

 

1. The hamburger menu on the top left does not work.

2. The company logo is not clickable.

3. No company details, help or support info.

4. Strange URL in the address bar.

 

 Here is an edited version of the link URL, it is expired and does not work any more, but I have not put the entire link:

 

https://pub-456somerandomtextea98.r2.dev/cc.html

 

As you can see, the URL is not under the domain of the company, and uses an r2.dev as the domain extension. Some examples of a domain extension would be .org or .edu or even .gov for government sites.

 

The extension used in the scammers link is actually from a Cloudflare bucket. Here is the definition of a bucket from the Cloudflare website: Public Bucket is a feature that allows users to expose the contents of their R2 buckets directly to the Internet. What that means is that a scammer can easily create a small website inside the bucket, using the actual companies artwork, have a card payment option below, and have it available to the internet. In this way the scammer can replace the images with another companies artwork, create a new bucket and URL address, and start a new scam under a different name. 

If you do enter your bank details into the website, they will most definitely be stolen and used to purchase items or steal money from your account. And once they have your money, it will be very hard to get your money back as most banks will not cover this type of fraud.

Example 2 of what they send you, the E-mail:

 Below are two different emails from different scammers. Both included invoices, for two different products, which are paid for already. So how are they trying to scam you?

Click on the images to enlarge them for more details.

These types of e-mails are called “phishing” attacks and are used to find personal information about you, then use that to steal money from you. What the scammer is trying to do is get you to either reply to the email, which verifies that your email is active and possibly your correct name, or to get you to call the help line number provided so that they can talk to you personally. If they can talk to you personally they might be able to gather more information from you, as they will be asking detailed questions about who you are, where you live, and possibly an identification number. If you do unwittingly provide more details, the scammer will find it easier to target you in other ways.

 

There are many ways to tell that these types of emails are not from a reputable person or company:

1. The senders e-mail address and the name used in the email are different.

2. E-mails from companies that end in @gmail/@somethingelse.com instead of the official name.

3. Bad spelling and grammar.

4. Low quality images and text.

With this type of scam, they are trying to get you to think, Great!, free stuff, let's contact them and see if I can get it. Its an incentive to get you to action the scam and provide more details than you normally would.

 

What should you do?

DO NOT USE ANY LINKS PROVIDED IN THE E-MAIL or SMS. Unknown links can mislead you or possibly get you to install malicious software on your device

 

 1. Verify first if you did place the order

The first and foremost is think if you did actually buy or order something related to the email. It could be that you order a large amount of goods and services online and it might be tempting to reply to the email or phone the numbers provided. 

You can log into the website where the sale originated and view pending and current orders. . 

Most of the sites have a history of what has been ordered as well as the status of the orders. Also it is quite easy to pull a bank statement online and verify all purchases quickly. 

 

 

2. Does the email look "scammy"?

Verify that the e-mail does actually look official. This can be difficult as the scammer might have gone to the effort of making a high quality message to fool you. If you have ordered from the same company or person in the past, compare if the invoices and e-mails are similar. This however is not the best way to verify if it is a scam or not, but there could be bad spelling and grammar, which should indicate that it is a scam. Here is an example:

 

The text above comes from one of the email images listed above and does not make any sense.  Professional companies verify their sales emails and there should not be any mistakes such as this.

 

What to do if you know it is a SCAM:

 The best is to not open the e-mail or SMS. Most times you have a preview of the message and might be able to decide if it is scam related and then delete the message or e-mail straight away. If you needed to open the message as you were unsure, delete it right after deciding that it is a scam without opening any attachments or clicking on any links.

You could also go a few steps further by blocking the sender or telephone number, thereby ensuring that you cannot receive other scam messages from them. This might only help for a short while as scammers are continuously updating e-mail and phone numbers. Usually, your antivirus/scanning system of your chosen email provider will mark the e-mail as junk or malicious and automatically move the e-mail to the relevant folder or delete it. If this is not happening you can verify your mailbox settings. Or it could be possible that the scam is very new and the e-mail system needs to be updated.

Last Thoughts:

Most importantly is to pay attention to which site(s) you are entering your credit card details into. The URL might even have the padlock in the address bar to say that it is secure and verified, but this is only for the information sent between your browser and the website. It has nothing to do with what you are entering and your bank or credit card.

So be careful out there in the digital wonderland. There are many places that you might fall into a trap that can cost you money or cause extra stress in your life. The best is to double check, and if you are not sure, do not enter your credit card details.

Cheers!

 

 

 

  

Get Ahead with AI: Overcoming HR AI Bot Filters for More Interviews

 

Human Resources and AI

HR departments have been using software to screen resumes for years, and now with easy access to AI, the software can screen thousands of resumes/CV's very quickly. From a human resources standpoint this saves them a huge amount of time and effort. The job posting draft is created inside the software and can be tweaked for the position so that the correct requirements are listed.

The job posting can then be verified by the hiring manager and once confirmed it is posted online or with the recruitment agencies employed by the company. This results in a massive amount of applications being sent in, and it would be physically impossible for a small HR department to sift through and find the best applicant.

How to Beat the BOTS

Firstly, you will need to gather your files. Copy all the job listing text, or if it was advertised in a newspaper, use an image to text app, and save the text to a text file on your computer or device. The more information that the job listing has, the better, as this will help in one of the steps to follow. 

Next would be to adjust your resume/CV manually so that it is inline with the job you are applying for, listing your related experience and so on. Every job has unique qualifications, and a tailored resume maximizes the chances of passing through applicant tracking systems. Tailoring your resume ensures it is not only optimized for AI systems but also speaks directly to the employer’s specific needs, helping you stand out from generic applications. Save your newly edited resume in an easy to find location, possibly in the same folder/location where you saved the job listing text.

The next step is to open your favourite AI such as ChatGPT or Copilot and look for the upload button. What you need to do is upload the job listing, and your resume.

 

 

 

That was the easy part. The next step is critical though. You need to explain in a prompt to your chosen AI what it needs to do with the two files that you uploaded. You need the AI to detect and highlight the most important keywords in the job listing and rewrite your resume to optimise it for the job you are applying to.

 

Here is an example of the prompt that I used:

 

"You are an expert in crafting resumes optimized to make resumes stand out when being reviewed by applicant tracking systems. Attached is the job description to which I'm applying, and my most recent resume. First, highlight keywords present in the job description that are lacking in my resume. Then, note which keywords may be the most difficult to incorporate into a rewrite of my current resume bullets. Finally, ask me any questions about my career experience to help you be able to incorporate those additional keywords as I will eventually have you rewrite my resume."

Your chosen AI will then get to work analysing your two files and and list all the requests from the prompt.

As you can see from the image above, ChatGPT started listing the missing keywords and under-represented information required by the job listing. I am not a Siemens engineer so there were many issues in the list from ChatGPT. But this is just an example of what AI can do for your resume so lets continue.

Your next task will be to answer the questions listed by the AI so that it can use that information to update and add it to your resume. Answer the questions with lots of detail so that the AI can use your experience and knowledge to build the best resume possible. While AI can help with the technicalities of resume optimization, it's essential to ensure that the experience and skills listed remain truthful and aligned with your actual capabilities. Finish by telling your chosen AI that you have completed answering the questions. Next you will need to prompt the AI again to update and rewrite your resume by sending it another prompt. Here is an example:

"Re-write the contents of my resume seamlessly incorporating the important keywords you originally highlighted into my bullet points accompanied by strong action verbs. Assure my bullet points are no more than 2 lines (but ideally one line each) and that the resume is optimized for the job description."

After a few seconds you should see a new resume being generated for you with all the included keywords and highlights from the job listing. From there you can easily copy and paste the text from the AI into a new document and start building a new and improved resume that will hopefully help land you the interview. 

Conclusion

One of the problems with systems like this is the fact that there is no human intervention after the HR software has been used to create a job listing for a new position. Many things can go wrong here, an incorrectly configured system could quite easily disregard almost all the resumes sent in and deny your resume the chance it should get.

Many other people are also using AI software to help improve their resumes too, which means that a lot of the resumes are going to end up having the same details and keywords. But if you do not do this, you are at a disadvantage as the HR bot can only do what it was configured for, and that is to analyse the text on everyone's resume and select the best match.

Basically, what is happening is you are now using AI to fight AI, and hopefully get that much needed interview. If you cannot get interviews, you cannot be hired. So think carefully when typing in the prompt to ask AI what you want it to do. The more specific and detailed you are, the better the resulting resume will be.  

"Applicant Tracking System (ATS)," "AI for job applications," "Resume optimization tips," "Beat resume screening bots," "AI-powered resume writing."

Cheers!

The Best Way to Use Antivirus Software: Why Windows Defender and Malwarebytes Are All You Need

 

In today's digital age, protecting your computer from malware, viruses, and other cyber threats is critical. Many people believe that they need to install multiple antivirus programs, each offering different features and levels of protection. However, this can be overkill and can often lead to unnecessary system resource consumption. A more streamlined approach involves using Windows Defender as your primary antivirus solution and occasionally running Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for deep scans. This setup ensures maximum protection without bogging down your system's performance.

In this article, we’ll explore why this combination is the best way to protect your system and why having just Windows Defender enabled for day-to-day use is both effective and efficient. We'll also cover additional benefits of using Windows Defender, such as file and memory protection, tamper protection, and more.

Why Windows Defender Is the Best All-Around Antivirus

1. Integrated Protection With Windows Defender

Windows Defender, also known as Microsoft Defender, comes pre-installed with Windows 10 and Windows 11. Over the years, it has evolved from a basic antivirus solution into a comprehensive security suite that provides robust protection. One of its key advantages is that it’s deeply integrated into the Windows operating system, meaning it works seamlessly without the need for third-party software.

Windows Defender operates in the background without the need for constant user interaction, making it ideal for users who want a simple, no-fuss solution. It doesn't bombard you with pop-ups or ads, which is common with many other free antivirus programs. This streamlined experience enhances both security and usability.

2. System Resource Efficiency

One of the biggest complaints about traditional antivirus programs is that they can hog system resources. Some antivirus programs are notorious for using large amounts of CPU and RAM, which can slow down your computer significantly, especially when running scans or real-time protection. Windows Defender, on the other hand, is lightweight and well-optimized for performance. It runs quietly in the background, offering real-time protection without significantly impacting your system's speed.

By relying on Windows Defender alone, you avoid the clutter and bloat that comes with running multiple antivirus programs simultaneously. This minimalist approach also reduces potential software conflicts that can arise when different antivirus programs compete for the same resources or attempt to quarantine the same files.

3. Comprehensive Threat Detection

Windows Defender is designed to detect a wide range of threats, including viruses, ransomware, spyware, and phishing attacks. Its cloud-based threat intelligence allows it to stay updated on the latest threats, making it an effective tool for identifying new malware before it can cause harm. While some users might feel inclined to add additional antivirus software to catch threats that Windows Defender may miss, the reality is that it’s highly effective at detecting even the most recent forms of malware.

The Role of Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for Deep Scans

While Windows Defender is sufficient for everyday protection, occasionally using a secondary tool like Malwarebytes Anti-Malware for deeper scans can be helpful. Malwarebytes is not designed to replace your primary antivirus solution but instead acts as a supplemental tool to remove threats that might slip through the cracks. Here's why you should consider using Malwarebytes:

1. Specialized Malware Detection

Malwarebytes Anti-Malware excels at detecting and removing specific types of malware that might evade traditional antivirus programs, such as rootkits, adware, and certain forms of spyware. By running a deep scan with Malwarebytes occasionally (once a month or whenever you suspect an issue), you can ensure that your system is entirely clean.

2. No Real-Time Protection Needed

Since Windows Defender already provides real-time protection, you don't need to enable this feature in Malwarebytes. Instead, install Malwarebytes, run a deep scan, clean up any detected threats, and then uninstall the program. This avoids having two programs running in real-time, which could result in conflicts or unnecessary resource usage. By limiting Malwarebytes to manual deep scans, you get the benefit of additional malware detection without impacting your system's performance.

3. Temporary Installation for Maximum Efficiency

One of the major benefits of using Malwarebytes as a secondary tool is that you don’t have to keep it installed. Since you only need to run deep scans occasionally, there’s no need to let it take up space on your hard drive or consume resources in the background. Uninstalling it after each scan ensures your system remains as optimized as possible. All you need to do after the installation is wait for the antivirus update to complete and you are good to go.

Benefits of Using Windows Defender Beyond Antivirus Protection

While real-time protection and efficiency are critical, Windows Defender offers several additional benefits that go beyond traditional antivirus protection. These features further solidify it as the best all-in-one solution for most users:

1. Protected Folders and Ransomware Protection

One of the standout features of Windows Defender is its ransomware protection through "Controlled Folder Access." This feature blocks unauthorized apps from accessing protected folders, ensuring that malicious programs can't encrypt your files for ransom. You can add specific folders to the protection list, such as Documents, Pictures, and Videos, safeguarding your most important data.

Windows Defender also integrates with OneDrive, Microsoft's cloud storage service. In the event of a ransomware attack, you can recover your files from OneDrive without paying the ransom.

2. Memory and Kernel Protection

Windows Defender helps protect your system's memory and kernel, the core parts of your operating system. Through features like Memory Integrity and Core Isolation, it ensures that malware and other malicious actors can't modify critical system components. These features work in the background, ensuring your system's stability and security without requiring any configuration on your part.

3. Tamper Protection

Tamper Protection is another crucial feature of Windows Defender. This setting prevents unauthorized changes to your security settings, ensuring that malware or malicious users can’t disable your antivirus protection. Once Tamper Protection is enabled, even someone with administrative access can't turn off key security features without your permission.

4. Integration With Windows Security Dashboard

The Windows Security dashboard provides a centralized hub for managing all aspects of your system’s security. Here, you can view the status of antivirus scans, check for security updates, and manage firewall settings. The convenience of having everything in one place means you can easily stay on top of your system’s health without needing to juggle multiple third-party apps.

 

Password Managers in Bundled Antivirus Software

Password managers are a great tool but using the managers bundled into your antivirus software is not the best option. The stand-alone password managers have extra features and take roughly the same amount of time to set up as the included version of the antivirus package.

However, if you stop paying the subscription fee of the antivirus package, you will also lose the password manager functionality after a set amount of time. This means that you will need to copy or export all the saved password and find another solution. Therefore it would be best not to use a password manager built into antivirus software as you never know when you will either stop paying for the antivirus package, change to a different antivirus or opt for a free version that does not include the password manager.

 

Conclusion: Simplicity and Efficiency Win the Day

In an era where cybersecurity threats are evolving rapidly, having a robust defence system in place is critical. While the temptation to install multiple antivirus programs may be strong, doing so often leads to system slowdowns and conflicts. Windows Defender, with its comprehensive protection and lightweight design, is an excellent solution for everyday use. It provides real-time protection against a wide range of threats, including viruses, ransomware, and spyware, all while remaining unobtrusive and efficient.

Supplementing Windows Defender with occasional deep scans using Malwarebytes Anti-Malware ensures that your system remains thoroughly protected. By only keeping Malwarebytes installed temporarily, you maintain system performance while gaining the peace of mind that comes with knowing your computer is malware-free.

Ultimately, this minimalist approach to antivirus protection ensures that your computer remains safe and fast without unnecessary bloat or complexity. Let Windows Defender quietly and effectively safeguard your system, and only call in Malwarebytes when a deep cleaning is necessary.

Cheers!

 

Revolutionize Your Pet Care: Essential Tech for Pet Owners

 Looking for ways to help keep your pet happier and reduce the stress of having a pet? Have a look at the cool tech gadgets that are becoming available specifically designed for your pet.

Many gadgets and options have been around for years, such as the automatic feeders, water fountains and battery powered toys to keep your pet fed, watered and entertained. Many people have cameras installed and can monitor their pets while at work or away. These tech options take things a bit further to help keep you and your pet happy. I am not affiliated with any of these products, I was looking for something for my pet and came across some really cool tech options and thought I would share.

 

Doorbells for Dogs!

I must admit, this one put a smile on my face when I saw it. With a bit of patience and some training you can get your dog to ask nicely to be let into or out of the house. There are various options from single to multiple buttons and the setup is super quick and easy.

No more scratching on the door or damaged paint and wood. Best of all is if your pet is trained properly there will be no more mess inside.

Cat Litter Bot

This one might be a bit on the expensive side, but I am pretty sure that if it does what they claim it can do, it will be worth it.

 

An automatic litter cleaner with filters to reduce odour, they come in a variety of sizes and shapes as well as open and closed tops. Able to handle multiple cats and some come with a clean paws mat to stop litter from being tracked through your house. That sounds pretty amazing.

Some have the option to install an app on your phone which can tell you if the litter waste box is full or not and tracks usage history for monitoring cat health.

 

What more do you need? 

Camera with treat dispenser

I've had a camera installed to keep an eye on my pet in the past and they work quite well.

This one takes things to the next level by having the ability to dispense a treat while using the app on your phone, has a two  way mic/speaker setup to say hello to your pet, and can connect to Amazon's Alexa to set an automated treat dispense timer.   Very cool!

This one looks like it is a fixed base and cannot swivel, which is a pity, but I am sure this will change in future models.

 

 

GPS for Pets

This one has probably been around for a while but I still think it is very cool. The GPS trackers now come in a range of sizes and can be used for cats and dogs. I suppose the smaller the device gets, the less battery time it has but it is still a great help to find a lost pet. You just have to remember to keep the battery charged.

They are also rugged and water proof so no worrying about your dog jumping into a pond.

Automatic Pet Door

For both dogs and cats, the automated door lock claims to work with the common microchips implanted in many pets as well as RFID collars and tags.

So if you have pets that can wonder in and out of the house, but do not want other animals gaining access, this is the way to go, as the door only unlocks when  a known chip or RFID tag is near.

They come in a range of sizes too which is great for people who have large and small animals.

Portable Dog Bath

A portable  dog bath with vacuum function to suck the dirty water back up into a separate tank for disposal? Count me in.

 

The one in the picture claims to be a dual use dog cleaner and carpet/upholstery cleaner, so if your dog was playing in the mud, then used the automatic pet door to enter the house and decided to take a nap on your couch, you can now clean your dog and your couch at the same time!

 

 

There are still a lot of other cool gadgets and tech out there for pets to make your life easier and your pet happier. These were just a couple of cool ones that I came across and thought I would mention. If you are looking for dog training, dog care e-books or probiotics for dogs follow this link here

 

Cheers!