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Registry Backups (Sep 2019)

Technology Tips – Published September 2019 in the Guide and Digest

By Don Trauger – Kennett

Microsoft has decided, unwisely, to eliminate Automatic Registry backups. They said they did this to decrease the “disk footprint size of Windows.” What is troubling is that they did this unannounced in October of 2018. That decision has no merit as one backup, or restore point, is only about 2 Gb’s or less. Typical hard drives are 1000 GB’s, less your Windows operating system (about 15 GB’s), your programs and files. A total of 50 – 200 GB’s of used storage is typical on a well maintained computer. Based on 200 GB’s used, one automatic backup or restore point is only .25% of the available storage space.

Part of Windows, the Registry is the brain of your computer. It stores all the settings for files, programs and of course Windows. Another term that can be applied is that it is a database for everything going on in your computer. When things go wrong with your computer and a reboot doesn’t fix the problem, you may have to use a restore point to get it to function properly.

Here’s the procedure for working with the Registry. Type CO in the “Type here to search field” in the lower left corner of the Desktop screen. If you don’t see it, right click a blank area of the Taskbar (bottom of screen), move to Cortana and click “Show search box”. Then click “Control Panel” on the top left. At the upper right area of the window click the down arrow next to “View by:” and click “Large icons”. This will allow you to see all of the components of the Control Panel. Click “System” then click “System protection” at the upper left. When the window opens click the “Configure” button. At the top make sure the circle next to “Turn on system protection” is highlighted. Near the bottom of the window click and hold the mouse pointer on the slider and adjust it for about 10 GB’s plus or minus 20%. Click OK. Next click the “Create button”. You will now actually create a manual restore point. It’s safe and you will see why later in this article. Now give it a name, anything will do, and click the “Create” button. After the restore point has been created click Close. Next, in the main System Protection window click “system Restore” and click “Next”. You will now see your newly created restore point along with older ones. When you have to restore you computer you normally pick a restore point that was created earlier than when the problem occurred. Normally, having 2-3 restore points is sufficient. I recommend you create a manual restore point once a week or so since the automatic feature has been disabled by Microsoft. Click on “Show more restore points” to see all that have been saved. If you click a restore point it will also activate the “Scan for affected programs” This is information for you to consider if necessary. Click “Next” and follow the screen prompts to complete the restore.

Finally, for advanced users, you can modify the Registry to allow automatic updates to once again take place by completing the following procedure:

FOR SAFETY, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE MADE A MANUAL RESTORE POINT BEFORE MODIFYING THE REGISTRY.

1. Load the Registry Editor by typing regedit.exe in the “Type here to search” field and press the Enter key.
2. Navigate to HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Configuration Manager
3. Right-click Configuration Manager and create a new Dword (32-bit) Value
4. Name the new value EnablePeriodicBackup
5. Double-click EnablePeriodicBackup and set the value to 1. Click OK then close the Registry Editor program.
6. Reboot your PC
After that, the backups will continue to happen automatically and they get saved to the Windows\System32\config\RegBack folder.

This topic will be discussed at our regularly scheduled PC Club meeting on September 17th
upstairs in the Community Center at 7 PM. Also, bring your questions about Windows 10 to get the answers you need.

Free – Wise Disk Cleaner and Registry Cleaner Programs (Mar 2022)

Technology Tips – Published March 2022 in the Guide and Digest

By Don Trauger – Kennett

 

This article is an update of the March 2020 Tech Tips article. Most of the information remains the same, however, the Disk Defrag feature has been updated for newer PC’s. Disk Defrag optimizes the storage drive for improved performance. The two programs also clean your computer from unneeded files and Registry entries.

 

Download the Wise Disk Cleaner. Enter in your web browser (Edge, Chrome, Firefox, etc.) https://www.wisecleaner.com/wise-disk-cleaner.html then press the keyboard’s Enter key. Then click the Free Download button. Download the Wise Registry Cleaner. Enter in your web browser https://www.wisecleaner.com/wise-registry-cleaner.html then press the keyboard Enter key. Click the Free Download button. Both downloaded programs will be found in your Downloads directory. Open File Explorer, double click the Downloads folder then double click WDCFree to install the Disk Cleaner. After WDCFree is installed, double click WRCFree to install the Registry Cleaner.

 

Double click the Wise Disk Cleaner icon on the Desktop screen. Click the Scan button to analyze the amount of your computer’s junk files. After the scan completes it will display the number of files that will be removed, and the total size freed up. Next, click the Clean button to actually remove the files. For a deeper cleaning, click the Advanced Cleaner button at the top of the window. Click the Scan button and when it’s finished click the Clean button. Do not try to delete any other files should if they are displayed. Two other items at the top of the window are Slimming System and Disk Defrag. Slimming the System requires good computer maintenance expertise. Click Disk Defrag to analyze what type of storage drive your computer has and it will indicate whether it is an HDD or the newer SSD type. Click the Smart Optimize button to optimize either type of drive. For HDD drives optionally click the down arrow next to the Smart Optimize button and choose Full Optimization for the best performance gain. It will take a while to complete this task.

 

Next, double click the Wise Registry Cleaner icon. Click Deep Scan to clean unused Registry entries. Make sure you observe the results of the scan. Do not try to remove anything that is unsafe to remove. Two other items included are System Tuneup and Registry Defrag. System Tuneup makes changes to your system to improve overall performance. Personally, I find it unnecessary to run it. Do not run the Registry Defrag as it is also unnecessary and could cause problems.

 

In addition to WDCFree and WRCFree, Microsoft has their own cleanup tool – Storage Sense. It is good for cleaning up Microsoft specific unneeded files. Open Settings, click System, scroll to and click Storage. Wait until it analyzes your system, then click Temporary files. Wait again until it scans your drive. Leave the Downloads unchecked. All other selections should be checked. Click Remove files. Wait until it completes.

 

Finally, my recommendation is to run all three programs once a month leaving the Wise Registry Cleaner until last. This procedure will ensure that proper maintenance is achieved.

March 2020 Pickleball Update

Hi Fellow Pickleball Player,

“The Times They Are a-Changin’” sang the iconic singer/songwriter Bob Dylan in 1964. The same can be said for the Hershey’s Mill Pickleball Program in 2020.

A few months ago, we requested a pickleball ball machine from the Master Association. Our request was approved and a top-of-the-line ball machine has been purchased. Funded 50/50 by the Master Association and the HMSG, the ball machine will be an excellent teaching tool at the upcoming clinics which will be held periodically once the season begins (dates to be determined). It will also be instrumental in improving the game of any player who wishes to use it. Stay tuned for dates when instruction on how to operate the machine will take place.

Last Thursday, the Master Association approved a plan to add 4 additional permanent pickleball courts to the area where one tennis court now sits. The 4 new courts will be a mirror-image of the existing permanent 4 courts. We believe the 8 permanent courts will meet the needs of Hershey’s Mill residents now and in the future as more and more players discover the fastest growing sport in the country and in Hershey’s Mill. This world-class facility is being financed by the Master Association (80%) and the HMSG (20%). Construction is expected to begin in late May or early June. When completed, the Hershey’s Mill pickleball courts – in their beautiful God-given setting – will be the finest anywhere and will be enjoyed by many residents year-round for years to come.

A special thanks to John DeVol and the HMSG Board of Supervisors, Ed McFalls, Karl Grentz, the Master Association Board of Directors and the Master Association members for supporting the ball machine and the court expansion. Without their support, neither would have become a reality.

In early May, an interview about the great game of pickleball featuring Lynn Mander and Tom Fant will air on Hershey’s Mill TV. Lynn is an outstanding hostess as well as a terrific and knowledgeable pickleball player. Tom is a man for all seasons: a singer, dancer, scribe, pickleball veteran and “The Father of Winter Pickleball” at Hershey’s Mill. Check the May Guide and Digest for dates and times of the interview.

Friendly reminders:

  • There will be 5 Pickleball Pizza Parties this year, held the second Thursday of each month beginning in May.
  • Pickleball Opening Day will be Saturday, April 25th at 9:30 AM.
  • Open Play continues at 2:00 PM seven days a week through April 30th when it changes to 9:30 AM (advanced players continue to play at 12:30 PM through April 30th when they will begin playing at 1:00 PM).
  • HMSG EXPO 2020 will take place at the Community Center on Friday, May 22nd from 3:00 PM until 5:00 (a “play day” will follow the next day — beginning at 9:30 AM with a talk by Sharon Duffey of SmartBody on injury prevention).

We are excited about the direction of the pickleball program at the Mill. The times are indeed changing.  And we look forward to seeing you on the courts soon.

Your Committee of Sorts

Computer Networking (Jan 2018)

Technology Tips – Published January 2018 in the Guide and Digest

By Don Trauger – Kennett

 

First, let me explain what computer networking is. For home use it’s connecting 2 or more computers together in a way that they can share files and printers. Sharing files allows you view or edit files that are on another computer. The computers can be connected either wired (Ethernet cable) or wirelessly. The wireless method that follows is the most popular.

 

Windows 10 makes it easy to accomplish this networking task but one thing you must do is to copy the files you want to share and paste them, depending on the type of file, in special network folders called “Public Documents”, “Public Pictures”, “Public Music”, etc. You can do this on both computers or just one depending on your needs. For example, you may have a Word file in the regular Documents folder in “computer #1” that you want to share on “computer #2”. To  allow access to that file from “computer #2”, you must first copy that file to the “Public Documents” folder on “computer #1”. Networking 2 computers only works across these “Public” folders.

 

To start the sharing process open the File Explorer app, a yellow folder icon located on the Taskbar.  Click the “Documents” folder, locate the file you want to copy, right click it and click “Copy”. Scroll down, if necessary, until you see “Network” at the bottom on the left side. Open the “Network” folder and click “computer #1”. Click “Users”, Click “Public”, click “Public Documents” to open that folder. Right click a blank area of this folder then, in the pop-up menu, click “Paste”. For convenience you can make a Desktop shortcut icon on either computer for access to the “Public” folders.

 

One note is that “computer #1” and “computer #2” are used as examples in this text. Your actual computer names will obviously be different. Also, since this is a home scenario, you can turn off password sharing. Open the Control Panel by typing “co” (no quotes) in the “Type here to search” box at bottom left, click “Network and Sharing Center” or choose “View network status and tasks”, then click “Change advanced sharing settings” at the upper left. Next, across from “All Networks”, click the little down arrow. At the bottom click “Turn off password protected sharing”.

 

Networking will be discussed at our January 16 session at 7 PM upstairs in the Community Center’s Ardmore room. There also will be time to answer any other questions you may have about Windows 10. Also, make sure to visit our website http:\\\\www.hersheysmill.org/ to read about the latest FIOS transition information. Type telecommunications in the Search field at upper right to see past and present information regarding the transition.

Screen Readability

Don Trauger – Kennett

As we age, the vision that we may have had in our younger years, is not what it used to be. Even with glasses visual acuity is often
compromised. On the newer LCD computer screens with high resolution, the font size is often tiny. Although the content is sharp it
can be hard to read. Now I’ll tell you the procedure to improve this problem with different Microsoft operating systems.

First, make sure your monitor is adjusted properly using its contrast and brightness settings. If you have a high resolution picture
from a digital camera, this can be used to set the contrast and brightness for a life-like setting. If a picture is not available go
to www.google.com and search for “nature wallpaper” or “landscape wallpaper”. Click a life-like picture then click on full-size image
to the right. Do several to get an idea of a life-like image. To see more pictures click on “Images for Nature Wallpaper or “Images for
Landscape Wallpaper”. With a life-like picture on the screen you can now adjust your monitor’s contrast and brightness for the best
quality. Check your monitor’s manual for instructions on the location for the contrast and brightness controls.

With Windows XP right click a blank area on the Desktop screen. Click Properties and then click the Appearance tab. Next click the
Effects button. In that window put a check next to “Use the following method to smooth edges of screen fonts”. Click the little down arrow
and click “ClearType”. OK the window. Next, click the Settings tab. Under “Color quality” choose “Highest (32bit)”. Click the Advanced
button. Under “DPI setting”, click the down arrow and choose “Large size (120DPI)”. OK the window. The following adjustment can be used
but it will distort the screen image so that circles may not be round any longer and it can also cause other side effects in all operating
systems. This adjustment is the Screen resolution slider setting under the Settings tab. If you move the slider to the left everything on
the screen will appear larger but possibly distorted and fuzzier. Set it to where you are satisfied with the results.

Windows Vista is similar. Right click the Desktop, click Personalize. On the left side click “Adjust font size (DPI)”. Choose “Larger
scale (120 DPI)” and OK the window. Next, Click Display Settings. Here you can adjust the Resolution, and Colors (Highest 32 bit is recommended)
if necessary.

Windows 7 allows additional adjustments. Click Start then click Control Panel. Click Appearance and Personalization
(View by: Category at top right). Click Display. Choose “Medium – 125%”. On the left side, click “Adjust resolution”. Use the recommended
setting if at all possible. Next, click “Calibrate color”. Follow the instructions on the screen. It will be followed by a ClearType procedure
to improve text quality.

Windows 7 does the best job of tuning your computer display for your individual needs. However, XP and Vista also provide the ability to make
your screen easier to read. One thing to remember – don’t use Windows High Contrast setting should you encounter it. It may seem to be an easy
fix for readability problems but you will incur color distortions, and other visual side effects that conflict with normal Web surfing.

Help with the above information is available at the PC Club meetings. We meet the second Tuesday of every month at 7:00 PM upstairs in
the Ardmore room of the Community Center.

Set Your Router’s QOS (Quality of Service) (Dec 2017)

Technology Tips – Published December 2017 in the Guide and Digest

By Don Trauger – Kennett

 

I usually write about Windows 10 but I thought I would touch on routers with this article. Also, this content is geared more toward those of you that are “tech savvy”. Previously I have written about routers and have said to turn the power off then on to reestablish Internet connectivity or position them for best signal strength. Now we’ll enter into the internal settings of routers where the QOS setting can be checked or changed as necessary.

 

QOS serves an important service particularly when watching video streaming or movies on the Internet. It’s purpose is to control the router in such a way that movies and the like lack any stutter or other artifacts that may produce unwanted visual/audio effects. For example, you may be watching a movie while someone else in your household is downloading files. Both are important but with QOS turned on the movie gets the appropriate bandwidth from the router to produce a smooth visual presentation. The file downloader will notice no difference.

 

Setting QOS requires you to  open your browser, clear anything out of the address field and type in: 192.168.1.1 and press the Enter key. Comcast uses 10.0.0.1. You should see a sign-in window where you type in your Username and password. Username is typically “admin” (no quotes) and password is the same password you used to first set up the router. Keep in mind that the preceding address number doesn’t work for all routers so you may have to consult your manual or do a Google search for your model router to get the correct address.

 

Once inside the settings area look for QOS. It may be in the Advanced Setup area. Click it to open QOS. Newer routers have an automatic QOS setup feature. First, you may have to run a speed test so the router can set the QOS to match the speed of your Internet provider (Comcast or Verizon). There’s one more setting associated with QOS. It’s called WMM. It’s a subset, if you will, of QOS. Its primary function is to prioritize the same main features of QOS (movies and video streaming) BUT only when you are connected to the router wirelessly. Just make sure it’s turned on. After that is complete, click Apply or Save then logout out of your router settings. The preceding guideline is based on a Netgear Nighthawk router so yours can be different.

 

What does all this buy you? Well, not much if you are just the ordinary web surfer and email user. However, with the proliferation of Internet video streaming, movies and different devices including Internet connected Smart TV’s, the router is playing a more important role.

 

Like your PC, routers can benefit from updates. There is often a button to click to update the router along with a visual reminder message. Security is the watchword.

 

We’ll discuss this subject and demonstrate the basic idea of optimizing your router for video at the PC Club meeting on December 17 at 7 p.m.

Seniors with Covid-19 show unusual symptoms

Hershey’s Mill
Fellow Hershey’s Mill Residents,
(This has been sent to all HM residents registered on the HM email platform)

Update # 21

**Seniors with Covid-19 show unusual symptoms, doctors say**
Shared From: CNN through Apple News
Judith Graham, Kaiser Health News
Updated 7:36 AM EDT April 23, 2020
Older adults with Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, have several “atypical” symptoms, complicating efforts to ensure they get timely and appropriate treatment, according to physicians.
Covid-19 is typically signaled by three symptoms: a fever, an insistent cough and shortness of breath. But older adults — the age group most at risk of severe complications or death from this condition ― may have none of these characteristics.
Instead, seniors may seem “off” — not acting like themselves ― early on after being infected by the coronavirus. They may sleep more than usual or stop eating. They may seem unusually apathetic or confused, losing orientation to their surroundings. They may become dizzy and fall. Sometimes, seniors stop speaking or simply collapse.
“With a lot of conditions, older adults don’t present in a typical way, and we’re seeing that with Covid-19 as well,” said Dr. Camille Vaughan, section chief of geriatrics and gerontology at Emory University.
Altered immune response
The reason has to do with how older bodies respond to illness and infection.
At advanced ages, “someone’s immune response may be blunted and their ability to regulate temperature may be altered,” said Dr. Joseph Ouslander, a professor of geriatric medicine at Florida Atlantic University’s Schmidt College of Medicine.
“Underlying chronic illnesses can mask or interfere with signs of infection,” he said. “Some older people, whether from age-related changes or previous neurologic issues such as a stroke, may have altered cough reflexes. Others with cognitive impairment may not be able to communicate their symptoms.”
Read early signals
Recognizing danger signs is important: If early symptoms of Covid-19 are missed, seniors may deteriorate before getting needed care. And people may go in and out of their homes without adequate protective measures, risking the spread of infection.
Dr. Quratulain Syed, an Atlanta geriatrician, describes a man in his 80s who she treated in mid-March. Over a period of days, this patient, who had heart disease, diabetes and moderate cognitive impairment, stopped walking and became incontinent and profoundly lethargic. But he didn’t have a fever or a cough. His only respiratory symptom: sneezing off and on.
The man’s elderly spouse called 911 twice. Both times, paramedics checked his vital signs and declared he was OK. After another worried call from the overwhelmed spouse, Syed insisted the patient be taken to the hospital, where he tested positive for Covid-19.
“I was quite concerned about the paramedics and health aides who’d been in the house and who hadn’t used PPE [personal protective equipment],” Syed said.
Anecdotal case reporting
Dr. Sam Torbati, medical director of the Ruth and Harry Roman Emergency Department at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, describes treating seniors who initially appear to be trauma patients but are found to have Covid-19.
“They get weak and dehydrated,” he said, “and when they stand to walk, they collapse and injure themselves badly.”
Torbati has seen older adults who are profoundly disoriented and unable to speak and who appear at first to have suffered strokes.
“When we test them, we discover that what’s producing these changes is a central nervous system effect of coronavirus,” he said.
Dr. Laura Perry, an assistant professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, saw a patient like this several weeks ago. The woman, in her 80s, had what seemed to be a cold before becoming very confused. In the hospital, she couldn’t identify where she was or stay awake during an examination. Perry diagnosed hypoactive delirium, an altered mental state in which people become inactive and drowsy. The patient tested positive for coronavirus and is still in the ICU.
Dr. Anthony Perry, an associate professor of geriatric medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, tells of an 81-year-old woman with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea who tested positive for Covid-19 in the emergency room. After receiving IV fluids, oxygen and medication for her intestinal upset, she returned home after two days and is doing well.
Another 80-year-old Rush patient with similar symptoms — nausea and vomiting, but no cough, fever or shortness of breath ― is in intensive care after getting a positive Covid-19 test and due to be put on a ventilator. The difference? This patient is frail with “a lot of cardiovascular disease,” Perry said. Other than that, it’s not yet clear why some older patients do well while others do not.
Data collection of atypical symptoms
So far, reports of cases like these have been anecdotal. But a few physicians are trying to gather more systematic information.
In Switzerland, Dr. Sylvain Nguyen, a geriatrician at the University of Lausanne Hospital Center, has put together a list of typical and atypical symptoms in older Covid-19 patients in a forthcoming paper in the Revue Médicale Suisse. Included on the atypical list are changes in a patient’s usual status, delirium, falls, fatigue, lethargy, low blood pressure, painful swallowing, fainting, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and the loss of smell and taste.
Data comes from hospitals and nursing homes in Switzerland, Italy and France, Nguyen said in an email.
On the front lines, physicians need to make sure they carefully assess an older patient’s symptoms.
Other complicating factors
“While we have to have a high suspicion of Covid-19 because it’s so dangerous in the older population, there are many other things to consider,” said Dr. Kathleen Unroe, a geriatrician at Indiana University’s School of Medicine.
Seniors may also do poorly because their routines have changed. In nursing homes and most assisted living centers, activities have stopped and “residents are going to get weaker and more deconditioned because they’re not walking to and from the dining hall,” she said.
At home, isolated seniors may not be getting as much help with medication management or other essential needs from family members who are keeping their distance, other experts suggested. Or they may have become apathetic or depressed.
“I’d want to know ‘What’s the potential this person has had an exposure [to the coronavirus], especially in the last two weeks?'” said Vaughan of Emory. “Do they have home health personnel coming in? Have they gotten together with other family members? Are chronic conditions being controlled? Is there another diagnosis that seems more likely?”
“Someone may be just having a bad day. But if they’re not themselves for a couple of days, absolutely reach out to a primary care doctor or a local health system hotline to see if they meet the threshold for [coronavirus] testing,” Vaughan advised. “Be persistent. If you get a ‘no’ the first time and things aren’t improving, call back and ask again.”

Click Here to be taken directly to the article

NEIGHBORS:
– Please check on your neighbors regularly.  A simple phone call checking in may make all the difference in someone’s day. We are all in this together – call a neighbor or two today.  If you just moved here an don’t know any one, call one of your Village Council members.
-Please communicate this information to any neighbor that does not receive emails.
– Please check with your friends and neighbors to be sure they see the COVID-19 emails.
COMMUNITY UPDATES
1)    Please tune into Hershey’s Mill Community TV (HMTC) Channel 1971 for updates via scrolling banners
2)    Please log onto hersheysmill.org for updates on the HersheyMill website.
We thank you for your understanding and patience as we navigate these unprecedented times.
To your health and safety,
Wash your hands, stay healthy,
Karl Grentz
President
Board of Directors
Note: Emails sent out Community wide through the HM Email Platform are for internal HM use only and not for public distribution, posting on any type of website, with the exception of the hersheysmill.org website, or used in any other manner available to the general public or those residing outside Hershey’s Mill.

Paoli Hospital Auxiliary

Paoli Hospital Auxiliary

Our members are active leaders in volunteering, fundraising and enthusiastic supporters of Paoli Hospital, the Auxiliary and the Community. Through the years, proceeds from our fundraisers and businesses have supported the Maternity and Nursery expansion, the new Pavilion Campaign, the Cancer Center, Breast Health Center, as well as other important hospital programs and individual hospital department needs. To date, the Auxiliary has contributed $10 million to Paoli Hospital.

The Paoli Hospital Auxiliary’s current pledge is to support Paoli Hospital in the establishment of a new $10 million dollar Neurointerventional Lab & Program. With this lab, Paoli Hospital will be equipped to provide the most advanced, live-saving stroke care to our region, delivering a new standard of care for stroke patients.

We typically meet in the HM Community Center on the second Thursday of the month from September to June at 9:30 (no meetings January and February). Each meeting begins with a social gathering followed by a guest speaker/presentation followed by a business meeting.

“To support our hospital is our primary aim
To have FUN and FUNDRAISE can be one and the same”

 

Keyboard Shortcut Saves Keystrokes (Dec 2023)

Technology Tips – Published December 2023 in the Guide and Digest

By Don Trauger – Kennett

This clever Windows keyboard shortcut saves you a ton of keystrokes
Windows key + H: A Windows 10 and 11 feature you won’t want to forget.

 

Make it easier and faster to do your daily PC tasks. Speak your text rather than typing it. Windows 10 and 11 both offer a simple key combination for this very purpose.

Hidden Dictation Function in Windows 10 and 11

Open Microsoft Word or WordPad.

Press the WINDOWS key and H key together then let go to open the dictation function.  Click the “gear” icon inside the small window at the bottom of the screen for additional settings for the microphone and automatic punctuation. It’s recommended that you select both options. Click the microphone icon in the window to start dictation. Once activated it should turn purple and say listening. You may now commence your dictation. You must have a microphone installed but almost all laptops do. Once you are done the voice to text file can be saved in your Documents or OneDrive folder where it can be copied to another app as needed. I have found using this voice to text feature works well when replying to incoming emails. All you need to do is go online and get into the Reply mode for your email and instead of typing your reply just click the microphone icon and dictate you reply. Your voice will be converted to text just as if you typed your reply.

 

Any app that normally responds to a text input may respond to this voice to text feature. Experiment!!

Text & Email Scams

There are some HM residents receiving Scam Text Messages and asking what to do. Know that this is a Nationwide problem and not limited to Hershey’s Mill.

December 14 & 28 2022, the Technology Committee gave a Zoom presentation on Email, Text and Phone Scams, How to recognize them, How to determine if the messages are real or scams and What to do about them. The following is a brief portion of the Zoom Presentation concerning Text Messages.

Why Am I Getting Spam Text & Email Messages?

It may be because of your online activity: websites where you’ve registered or bought something online.

Many companies sell your personal information. You may provide your email address and even a phone number for all kinds of things you want access to on the web. The next thing you know, you are getting spam texts & emails.

But it could be completely random. If you’ve got a cell phone, then you’re “eligible” for spam texts.

Is It Spam or a Scam?

If you don’t recognize the source of a text or email message, it’s safest just to go ahead and assume it’s a scam. Replying to suspicious texts or emails can lead to a number of bad outcomes including:

Phishing Scams
Identity Theft
Unintended Subscriptions and Opt-Ins

What To Do About Spam Text or Email Messages

If you get a text or email message you weren’t expecting and it asks you to give some personal or financial information, don’t click on any links. Legitimate companies won’t ask for information about your account or provide a link by text or email.

If you think the message might be real, contact the company using a phone number or website you know is real. Not the information in the text message.

If you think the Text Message is a Scam or Spam message, the best course of action is to Delete the Message. Responding in any way tells the Scammers that this is an active number and they will keep messaging. Scammers often message different scams or the same scam from different phone numbers. Scammers will sell a list of ‘active’ numbers – so, delete, don’t respond.

Already responded? If you have already begun to engage in any way with a Scam Text, such as a Package Delivery Notice or any other type of Text, stop engaging immediately. Do not be tempted to respond any further.

Block the number and report the number as detailed below.

Typing in STOP

If the text is from a known entity, for example a political, solicitation or advertisement text, and you no longer wish to receive the texts from that known entity, simply text one word: STOP. No more, no less, just the Word STOP.

Typing in Stop is an automated feature required by the government for all Texts.

Blocking Text Scams From Your Phone

iPhone

From the Messages app, open the conversation, tap the contact at the top of the conversation. Tap the ‘info’ button, scroll down, then tap Block this Caller.

Android Phones

Open Your Phone App, Tap More, Go to Call History, Tap a call from the number you want to block.

Tap BLOCK/Report Spam

 

 

The contact won’t get a notification that the call or message was blocked.

When you block an email address from Mail, it goes to the trash folder.

Email blocking works across all your Apple devices.

For Mobile Phone assistance: If you are having any trouble Blocking on your phone, dial 611 from your mobile phone and ask for assistance.

How to Filter Unwanted Text Messages or Stop Them Before They Reach You:

Through Your Wireless Provider: Your wireless provider might have a tool or service that lets you block calls and text messages.

Check out ctia.org, a website from the wireless industry, to learn about options from different providers or Dial 611 from your Mobile Phone and ask your Mobile Carrier.

With a Call Blocking App: ctia.org

What do you do if you get spam or a message you didn’t consent to receive?

Forward it to 7726 (SPAM) so your carrier can put a stop to it.

See the website of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to learn about more ways that scammers target unsuspecting people via text.

https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-report-spam-text-messages

Final Thought

If you get a suspicious text but think it might be from a legitimate source, don’t reply to the text. Instead, contact the person or company using a phone number or website that you’ve confirmed is authentic. Never use the contact information in the text or email message.