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Recent Comments:
Hacker conference announces internet security flaw {WalletPop}
Aug 4th 2009 6:31PM Admittedly I was way too relaxed about my browser environment until I became more aware of the infamous browser breach of SSL, email phishing, etc.
I subscribe to security blog RSS feeds so I am privy to firefox version updates, and I have trained my 20something kids to look for Extended Validation SSL when shopping/banking.
Computer maintenance is just like housekeeping. Ignore it long enuf and some nasty stuff starts collecting in the corners of your room.
New Gmail feature fights phishing {WalletPop}
Jul 17th 2009 1:50PM DKIM sounds interesting, although of course the best way to protect one's users against phishing is to never request any kind of personal information from pages linked to reminders in the first place -- I think most banks send out reminders sans embedded links nowadays.
And, as fine as this is, it will remain incomplete until google implements Extended Validation SSL -- which would be great for legitimizing bank emails, cause the link stream would be green url bar to green url bar, etc (a break would signify a site that isn't to be trusted). But, alas, google has been slow in adopting this. Glad to see they are looking for other phish-fighters, though.
San Francisco Dream House Raffle {Luxist}
Jul 8th 2009 3:24PM Just a heads up that Friday is the deadline to enter the SF Dream Home Raffle. It's uber-exciting!! I always wanted to stomp around in that wonderful city.
Here is the page where it explains "how to enter"
http://www.sfraffle.com/HowToEnter.aspx
Good Luck Every one!
Go phish: PayPal, others, teach customers which emails to keep and which to throw back {WalletPop}
Mar 10th 2009 2:10PM Well can I just shout out "it's about time!."
I did extensive selling on eBay and was also using PayPal to process my transactions. This was early 2000 and I was educated in the *trenches*. My first phishing emails came in asking me to verify/confirm my account. Since I was using my eBay and PayPal accounts daily I was immediately suspicious.
Anyway it happened, I was caught off-guard one morning and the minute I went to the scam site- I knew it. How? not by the websites appearance but the url was wrong, Enuf said, I have dodged a few bullets over the last few years and took it upon myself, yes my very own crusade to warn others.
Recognizing a secure website environment that uses SSL and now EV SSL which has more obvious visual cues, is easily explained and demonstrated to even new computer-users. And just to drive the point home, I compare a "safe site" one with a valid certificate, and point out the obvious neon-green-glow of the url, to a site that clearly raises red-flags in the ecommerce world. My mom and dad (octogenarian-geeks) are all-over the bright green!
Is an identity thief filing your taxes? {WalletPop}
Feb 27th 2009 9:31AM oh-my goodness, filing taxes was complicated enough and now I have to concern myself with threats from identity thieves..
here's another scenario to consider. the identity thief takes my information, files, and uses an unsecured site (without extended validation SSL aka the green url bar) because he could care less about security.
then another online-scammer gets hold of my financial data, it could happen right? are there any statistics on individuals filing 3-times?
oh btw I rec'd a call last year from "an IRS agent" saying that if I gave him some information he could make sure my refund was "expedited". Can you imaging falling for that?
The IRS softens up rules for collecting from distressed taxpayers {WalletPop}
Jan 8th 2009 3:18PM Yeah it looks like the only perk for me will be free e-filing. Even then I am going to be discriminating about the site I choose.
I never assume I can tell a scam site from a real one by first glance. I check out to ensure it has Extended Validation (EV SSL). Acquiring an EV Cert is much harder since it subjects the company to a lengthy background check. A quick check -- when they have EV SSL the url bar turns green.
The changing car buying experience {WalletPop}
Oct 29th 2008 5:21PM Wow changing-- ya think! My neighbor is shopping bmw-lexus one of those small luxury sedans. He spent so much time "hemming and hawing" last week the car salesman/dealer CALLED HIM three times to drop the price.
Oh man it's a whole new ballgame. My lease is up in December = Perfect Time. They are going to be eager to rid the 08's off the lot And unlike my tennis club click chicks I am not so fussy.
I have been on all the sites looking at the "free maintenance" deals instead of the 0 percent APR/s cause let's face it the loans are going to be given out to those with halos around their wallets. Check your scores before you go pre-qual with any of them.
I am buying this time and also interested in the Green-Factor. yes I am growing up and care about the environment and the "footprint" I am making. Found this excellent site to compare all my choices. at www.carfunfootprint.com you can plug in the make and model -- then it scores cars based on fuel efficiency and their "fun" factor. It was pretty surprising to see some of the results and a lot more amusing than reading car spec sheets online.
Happy Negotiating
LizzyG
Top 25 things vanishing from America: # 23 -- Newspaper classifieds {WalletPop}
Jul 15th 2008 11:38AM well if I can take this one step further into the future ... the bitter reality is that the "monsters" of the world, are dying a slow death as well. Using the ole fundamental approach of ads and boards is a time-suck, money-pit, call it what you want. There are sites like Dayak popping up on the internet to correct the inefficiencies of the hiring process and establish a true "recruiting marketplace" machine.
just my 2-cents. BTW great series of articles... I have an opinion on almost almost all of the vanishing areas.
Top 25 things vanishing from America: #7 -- Personal checks {WalletPop}
Jul 15th 2008 10:44AM Yes it was an easy transition for me to exchange the duplex checks in for a quick and convenient card swipe. But try convincing my mom and dad.
Being a part of the sandwich generation for awhile, I have learned to pick my battles carefully within my family. Instead I am quietly pro-active to secure my sanity and “peace of mind”
First I loaded my parents up with a lifelong supply of the Bic click pen with the Secure Ink … it can’t be washed off the check. But it’s not just checks, think about the legal docs, prescriptions etc. Then I registered mom dad and my entire family--- we all live under one roof, for TrustedID. That might seem extreme but my life is too complex to deal with any unnecessary craziness caused by identity theft, credit fraud, oh and once again becoming more popular—medical id theft.
Anyway I sure hope the checkbook will hang on for at least five years. On a side note I was surprisingly disappointed to hear about “watering holes”.
LizzyG
