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Windows XP – Moving Files to Windows 8.1

Moving Files from Windows XP to Windows 8.1

By Don Trauger – Kennett

Windows XP security updates will end this month (April 2014) if Microsoft stays with their plan to discontinue further XP security updates. This means your security rests with only your anti-virus software program. This may be the time to seriously consider purchasing a new computer. If you are planning to buy a new Windows 8.1 computer to replace your old Windows XP computer, the following information will help to make the change as smooth as possible.

If you want to transfer your personal files, Address Book and Favorites from the XP computer to the Windows 8.1 computer, use a flash drive. Plug the flash drive into the USB port of the XP computer, open the Windows Explorer program under Accessories and copy your personal files and Favorites directly to the flash drive. To do this highlight My Documents on the left then highlight all the items in the right pane by clicking the first item then holding down the Ctrl key and pressing the “A” key. Right click on the highlighted group of items and click Copy. Select your flash drive on the left and in a blank space in the right pane right click and click paste. Answer “Yes to all” if you see a window pop up. This is also a great way to back up your data in case of a hard drive failure.

The Address Book need only be copied if you use Outlook Express. The best way to handle that is to open Outlook Express and “export” the address book. Click File, move the mouse to Export and click Address Book. Click Text file and click Export. Give the exported file a name then click Browse. In the window that opens, locate your flash drive by clicking the down arrow in the “Save in:” field. Select it then click Save. Click Next in the CSV Export window and click Finish. You should get a confirmation window saying the export has completed. If you use a browser such as Internet Explorer to view your email, then you should have no need to to go through the export process.

Once you have all your data on the flash drive plug the drive into the Windows 8.1 computer and copy the files to their logical destinations. For example, open Windows Explorer on the 8.1 computer, select the flash drive then select the appropriate document files in the right pane and paste them into the Windows 8.1 Documents folder. Note that the Documents folder in Windows 8.1 replaces My Documents in Windows XP. Repeat this basic procedure for the other folders such as My Pictures, My Music, etc.

Microsoft has said it will upgrade existing Windows 8.1 computers to make another change to the user interface. In other words it will look more like Windows 7 and maybe with a touch of Windows XP. We’ll see.

In the May issue I will cover the subject of setting up a Windows 8.1 computer.

The PC Club meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 7 PM upstairs in the Ardmore room of the Community Center. During the April meeting we will review some of the features of Windows 8.1 and show how to change the startup so it boots directly to the Desktop screen.

Your Privacy and Windows 8.1

Windows 8.1 privacy – An Concern for Your Security by Don Trauger for this part

It’s interesting to note that as advances are made in technology, especially with consumer items, your personal data is being compromised almost every step of the way. Windows 8.1 doesn’t go as far as the Fire phone but it has some privacy settings that should be reviewed.

To adjust your privacy settings move the mouse pointer to either the extreme upper right of lower right corners. Hold it there until you see the Charms bar pop out from the right side of the screen. Click the gear (Settings) at bottom of the bar, then click Change PC settings at the bottom. Next, click Privacy in the list on the left side of the screen. Under General my recommendation’s settings that all the settings but one should be turned off. The one that should be on is the SmartScreen filter. To change a setting click on gray space opposite the little black bar. If a setting is grayed out it means it cannot be changed. Next, click on Location. All of the settings should be turned off. Click Webcam and turn off all the settings. I know some of you use Skype so you can turn it on when needed. Clicking Microphone you will see Skype again so it needs to be on when using that program.

The idea behind Windows 8.1’s Privacy that it too will harvest your personal data if you permit it. Maybe it’s not as bad as the Fire phone but it certainly is crafted along the same lines.

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Your Privacy and Fire Phone

An Concern for Your Mobile Security part by Don Trauger

I’ve just read about Amazon’s new Fire phone. A reporter describes it “as the most effective device ever sold to harvest the owner’s personal data”. The phone uses its camera and microphone to collect your data then uploads it to Amazon’s servers. Then it returns the results to you. This happens when you press a button on the phone that activates the camera and microphone and at the same time it sends your GPS location. If you use the built-in web browser in the phone your privacy is compromised even further. One good thing is you can delete any image or recording the camera and microphone sends to Amazon.

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Telephone Scams about Your Computer

An Concern for Your Security by Don Trauger

Have you received an unsolicited phone call from a person identifying themselves as either a Windows or Microsoft tech who will help repair all the errors on your PC? Many HM residents have received such a call.

Certain types of Malware running on your computer allow scammers to monitor your computer and they’re not doing it to provide free tech support. In fact, they don’t want you to know that they’re watching you.

Unless they’re returning your call, legitimate tech people don’t call you. Microsoft never does and there is no valid “Windows” support company. Think about the last time you called tech support. You were probably on hold for an uncomfortable amount of time. Do you really think they’re going to call you and offer support you didn’t know you needed?

So if you get this type of call, consider it a scam. It almost certainly is.

Quite often, the people calling claim to be from Microsoft or another legitimate company. They may try to convince you to download their “repair program,” which is actually Malware. They’ll try to trick you into giving them remote access to your PC, allowing them to look for passwords and other sensitive information. Remote access also lets them change settings and lower your PC’s protections.

And, of course, since they’re providing you with a “desperately needed service,” they expect to be paid for their trouble. Your credit card number is a valuable asset for a criminal.

So what should you do when you get a call of this nature?

First and foremost, don’t do anything they ask. Don’t install their software. Don’t give them remote access to your PC. And don’t give them any useful information.

But play along long enough to get some information on them. If you have caller ID, note their number. If you don’t, ask for their phone number and promise to call them back.

Then, as soon as you’re off the phone, call the East Goshen Police at 610-692-5100 and report the incident. They are interested in hearing from you.

If you have or think you have Malware running on your computer, you should run an anti-malware program. Malwarebytes is free and the best one to choose. An anti-virus program will not necessarily detect or remove many types of malware because it’s not engineered to be a Malware removal program. Malwarebytes can be downloaded from http://www.malwarebytes.org/

In addition, make sure you have a basic understanding of your PC’s security software to be sure you are getting daily updates. Also doing a scan of your computer on a frequent basis will result in good protection for you. My recommendations are, along with Malwarebytes, the free Bitdefender anti-virus program. That can be downloaded from Bitdefender at http://www.bitdefender.com/solutions/free.html. Bitdefender updates and scans automatically so there is little to do on your part. Malwarebytes needs to be updated manually but come to the PC Club Meeting on July 8th, 2014 at 7:00 PM upstairs in the Community Center to learn how to do it.

Microsoft Phone Scam

A Security Scam by Sally Shabaker
Note: Microsoft has nothing to do with this rip-off.

How it works: The scammer calls you, and asks for you by name. He says he is a computer security expert from Microsoft (or another legitimate tech company). The “security expert” is plausible and polite, but intrusive. The one that called me had a distinctly East Indian accent. He said my computer had been infected with malware, and that he could help me solve the problem. At first, I was suspicious, but when he asked me to give him remote access to my laptop, I was certain something was wrong. If I had agreed, the scammer would have used the access to harness my personal data. I hung up the phone immediately. Even so, he called back three times before giving up on me.

Prize Scam

A Security Scam by Sally Shabaker

You’ve just won $5,000! Or $5 million. Or maybe it’s a fabulous diamond ring, a car or luxury vacation? More likely, it’s a prize scam, and you’ll find the prize isn’t worth much — if you get a prize at all. Here’s one way to think about it: If you have to pay, it’s not a prize. Legitimate sweepstakes don’t make you pay a fee or buy something to enter or improve your chances of winning — that includes paying “taxes,” “shipping and handling charges,” or “processing fees” to get your prize. There’s also no reason to give someone your checking account number or credit card number in response to a sweepstakes promotion. Again, you may be told to wire money to an agent of “Lloyd’s of London” or another well-known company — often in a foreign country — to “insure” delivery of the prize. Wiring money is like sending cash; don’t do it. Once it’s gone, you can’t trace it or get it back. The same goes for sending a check or money order by overnight delivery or courier, or putting money on a prepaid debit card.

Another prize scam: You get a text message that says you’ve won a gift card or other free prize. When you go to the website and enter your personal information, you’ll also be asked to sign up for “trial offers” — offers that leave you with recurring monthly charges. Worse, the spammer could sell your information to identity thieves. When you see a spam text offering a gift, gift card, or free service, report it to your carrier, then delete it. Don’t reply or click on any links. Often, they install malware on your computer and take you to bogus sites that look real but are in business to steal your information.

This type of scam is also known as “The Sweetheart Scam” because it is usually a young and very sympathetic person who calls. Once money has been sent in your money, the caller then begins to build a relationship with the victim to get them to send in more money. “These people can be very, very convincing. Not even the victim’s own children can persuade them that they are being scammed, because the victim has come to view the caller as a friend. “Once the scammer believes they have made a connection with you, they will continue to call and are very persistent, even if you try to put a stop to it,” notes Marc. “One Hershey’s Mill resident has changed phone numbers three times to avoid receiving such calls. Once you fall for it, the scammers are encouraged and will keep on trying.”

Utility Company Scam

A Security Scam by Sally Shabaker

PECO Energy in Pennsylvania has received numerous complaints from customers who received phone calls from people claiming to be PECO employees. The callers tell them that they are hundreds of dollars behind on their bills and at risk for having their service cut off. “This type of scam is usually done during peak seasons,” says Marc. “Now is a prime time for electric company scams, because of the need we all have for air-conditioning.”

The scammer tells the customer that the fastest way to avoid having their service turned off would be to go to Walgreens or CVS and buy a prepaid Green Dot Visa debit card, because that would be the same as cash. Once they have the card, they are to call the scammer back and provide them with the information on the debit card.

Here are some tips to avoid this type of scam. Any caller requiring payment via debit card is a huge sign that you are being taken in. Another sign to look for is if the call-back number to provide the card information has a 718 area code, which is for parts of New York City, far outside the range of PECO. The AARP also warns people to beware of calls from the 876 area code, which is often used by scammers from outside the county. Never give any credit card or bank account info to anyone who calls you directly. Hang up and call PECO back on the number listed on their website or on your bill. Ask anyone who contacts you in this manner to provide you with information to confirm they actually know who they’re calling. They should be able to tell you your full account number, the amount and date of your last payment and the exact amount due.

Grandparent Scam

A Security Scam by Sally Shabaker

You get a call, often late at night, from someone pretending to be your grandson. It goes something like this:
“Hi, Grandma,” the caller says. “I’m in trouble and need your help.” If told that he doesn’t sound like your grandson, the caller will give an excuse like his nose has been broken in an accident, when in truth he is holding his nose. The caller goes on. “I’m in jail in South Carolina (or somewhere else). I was out with friends and got into an accident. I’ve been arrested on a DUI, and I’m too embarrassed to tell my parents. Can you wire $1500 for the bail money? Please don’t tell Mom and Dad.” Your grandson sounds afraid and desperate. Don’t fall for it. Ask the caller a personal question that only your grandchild would know, such as the name of your pet. Better yet. Hang up and call your grandson or his parents. Chances are his cell phone is on, and it’s likely your grandson is at home listening to music or studying. He knows nothing about this plea for help. One big tip-off – the request to wire money. “Scammers frequently use wire services to obtain your money,” says Marc. “Many of these scams originate in Haiti or Europe, so they are out of our jurisdiction for prosecution. Nonetheless, you are urged to notify local police if you believe you have been targeted by a scam.”

Bench Warrant Scam

A Security Scam by Sally Shabaker

This scam is prevalent now in various part of Chester County where residents are targeted by bogus phone calls and threatened with arrest by Deputy Sheriffs on a bench warrant for failing to report for jury service in Chester County Court. Sometimes the caller ID is faked so that it appears the call actually comes from a sheriff’s office number. Other times, the caller simply overwhelms the targeted victim by using official sounding rank and titles from the so-call “Warrant Department.” To avoid the threat of a bench warrant being served, the person answering the phone is told to go to a convenience store or pharmacy to purchase pre-paid greendot MoneyPak cards in amounts ranging from $300 to $1500, and then call the scammer back with the MoneyPak card numbers.

Be aware. The Chester County Court does not require anyone to purchase any kind of monetary device to avoid arrest. Contact between the court and jurors is made through the U.S. Mail, and any phone contact by real court officials will not include requests for social security numbers, credit card numbers or any other kind of sensitive information.

If you receive a call requesting money, notify the Jury Services Office (610-344-6174) or the Chester County Sheriff (610-344-6855.)

“It is now possible for devious people to manipulate caller IDs, so don’t accept at face value that the call is actually coming from the number on the caller ID,” Marc says. “Just because you think it’s safe, you can never be sure it is reliable.” In addition, Marc advises people not to answer a call if they don’t recognize the caller ID.

Common Security Scams

Hershey’s Mill Director of Security by Sally Shabaker

You may think Marc Fraser has little to worry about as Director of Security for our peaceful, bucolic community where the violent crimes taking place in large cities are practically non-existent. But you would be wrong. His biggest challenge is protecting Hershey’s Mill residents from telephone or email scams. Scams targeting seniors have become so prevalent that they’re now considered “the crime of the 21st century,” according to the National Council On Aging. Why? Because seniors are thought to have a significant amount of money sitting in their accounts. Although they’re considered a “low-risk” crime, scams which rob seniors of their money, identity, self-respect and peace of mind are devastating to many older adults.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer, American seniors have lost an estimated $2.9 billion in financial scams in the last decade. Marc estimates the amount of money from all reports of scams he has received from either Hershey’s Mill residents or from children whose parents have been scammed totals over $100,000. These are stunning figures that should alert all of us to the possible scams we may fall victim to. “I’ve received reports from over 20 residents in the Mill who have been targeted or have fallen for a scam,” says Marc. “There are probably more who have not reported anything to me or the police out of embarrassment. If you think you have been targeted, I urge you to notify the Westtown East Goshen police (610-692-9600) and notify Marc (610-431-4006) at once.”

There are all sorts of scams out there, but five types of telephone scams appear to be consistently targeting Hershey’s Mill residents. “I wish we could do more to prevent the problem, because once it occurs, the scammer is hard to trace and prosecute, and money is even harder, if not impossible to recover.”

BE ALERT TO SCAMS

  • Bench Warrant Scam
  • Grandparent Scam
  • Utility Company Scam
  • Prize Scam
  • Microsoft Phone Scam

Here’s the important bit: no legitimate IT security pro is ever going to call you in this way. For one thing, they can’t tell that your PC is infected. They’ve got your name from the phone book, or any one of the thousands of marketing lists on which your details probably reside. Basically, somebody is sitting in a room calling number after number hoping to find a victim. It’s not personal, but it is ultimately dangerous to your financial and technological health.

This is what tipped me off. I asked myself why a huge software computer company like Microsoft would use the telephone to handle a problem when it would be so easy for them to alert their users and fix the problem online. If you receive a similar call, hang up. It is not a legitimate call. If you continue the conversation, don’t provide any personal information such as credit card or bank details. But whatever you do don’t allow a stranger to guide you to a certain webpage, or instruct you to change a setting on your PC or download software. This scam preys on people’s insecurity about lack of tech knowledge. It is very easy to be a victim, and the best defense is sharing knowledge. It is much easier to put the phone down if you are forewarned.