Hello, and welcome…
Rick’s Daily Tech Tips Update for Saturday, June 24, 2023
Topics covered in this issue…
• My best tip for protecting your sensitive info from scammers
• Opinion: Microsoft can’t seem to stop trashing their own reputation
• Q&A: Which is faster, the fastest hard drive or the slowest SSD?
• Is bottled water really better than tap water? The answer might surprise you.
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Today’s featured tech tip….
My best tip for protecting your sensitive info from scammers
I frequently write about things you can do to protect your online accounts and your personal information from scammers and hackers, but there’s one tip that can do more to protect you against fraud than all the others combined…
Don’t post any piece of sensitive info on any website or social media platform that isn’t absolutely necessary for effectively using that site or service.
Why? Because information that can’t be seen or accessed in some other way can’t be stolen and subsequently exploited.
For example, anyone who takes the time to look at my personal profile on Facebook won’t see very much except for my name, my profile photo and the URL to my tech blog.
Therefore, there’s virtually nothing on there for a scammer or hacker to steal and exploit.
The same goes for other types of sites as well…
Most any “service” type of website will require that you input certain types of information, but there are typically fields that you have the option of leaving blank. I recommend that you do just that whenever possible.
It really concerns me when I look at a friend’s profile on social media and see their full name, their street address, their phone number, their mother’s maiden name and their birthdate.
All of those pieces of info together can be used to steal that person’s identity. The only thing missing is their social security number, and an experienced scammer can easily dig that up once they have all the other info.
I recommend that you be an absolute miser when deciding which pieces of personal and financial information to make available online.
Here are my two primary rules of thumb for Internet safety and security:
1 – If it’s optional, I don’t post it. Period.
2 – If it’s mandatory but I can get by with making something up, I make something up to ensure that piece of info can’t be used for a nefarious purpose even if it gets stolen.
Bottom line: The scammers of the world are getting smarter by the day. It’s your job to make their job as hard as possible by keeping as much of your private information private as you possibly can.
The latest from Rick’s Daily Tips Tech Blog…
• Opinion: Microsoft can’t seem to stop trashing their own reputation
Do you agree?
• Q&A: Which is faster, the fastest hard drive or the slowest SSD?
This post has the answer (and it isn’t even close).
• Click here to see today’s ‘Picture of the Day’.
Every morning I post a new photo that I find inspiring, intriguing, or just plain beautiful to look at. Jumpstart your day by checking it out.
Rick’s Daily Pick…
LaView 4MP Bulb Security Camera
Ever wish installing a security camera was as simple as screwing in a light bulb? Well, with this little gem, it is!
Today’s post from ‘My Daily Smile’…
Is bottled water really better than tap water?
The answer just might surprise you.
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Note from Rick: I’ve been a very satisfied InMotion customer for years. Their hosting services are top-notch and their customer service and tech support are literally the best I have ever had occasion to use, bar none.
Tech news that caught my eye…
• Cable and satellite TV providers may soon have to show hidden fees up front
• NFC technology is getting better range and charging capabilities
• Hacker behind 2020 Twitter breach sentenced to 7 years in prison
• YouTube fan accounts will soon need a disclosure in the channel name or handle
• Gmail is making a small change that could have serious consequences
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Thanks so much, and have an amazing day.
Your tech buddy,
Rick Rouse
https://www.RicksDailyTips.com