In This Issue

Fake Ad Lockup Stickers

Apple/Mac News & Tips

Joe's Hours 
Mon to Fri - 9am to 5pm
Closed Saturday's & Sunday's

Turn on Ransonware Protection

Credit Monitoring/Free AAA

Windows News

Upcoming Holidays:   

  New Years: Closed Dec 31st, Jan 1st, 2nd, 3rd

Newsletter Past Issues 

 Computer Classes

CTRL + ALT + Delete  

New Years: Closed Tuesday Dec 31st, Wed. Jan 1st, Thurs 2nd, Fri 3rd

If you have an iPhone or an iPad & received an alert to upgrade to iOS18, it is now safe to do so. Note, I had the option to install 17.3 & 18. I read online that there were problems with 17.3 so I followed the advice & skipped it. After the update it showed in Settings that iOS 18.1 was installed instead of 18. I have tested my iPad & I have no issues.

Update - Dec 12th 2024 - 24H2 Windows Feature update is now ready to install. 

I installed it on my Windows 11 computer & I did not have any problems.

This "Buy a New PC Computer" nag is once again popping up on Windows 10 machines. If you see this pop up, just click on "Reminder me later" & it will go away.

If there is an important message that I need to share with you, it will appear in the Breaking News Section of the newsletter.  

This is the one that I created for Windows PC computers:

This is the one that I created for Apple Mac Computers:

For remote Windows PC clients, I am emailing the stickers with the invoice to cut out and tape to computers. In my estimate, about 30% of websites in search engines online contain this bad link which locks up your mouse and tries to trick you into calling the phone number on the screen. They get onto your computer, and into your bank accounts, and then the trouble really begins. Never call the number on the screen!  Always call me for help.

If you have AAA, I recommend that you sign up for the free credit monitoring that they offer. For non-AAA users, there may be a charge for the Essential plan. 

AAA just added this new free feature, Dark Web Monitoring.

If you have been a victim of a credit scam, or you received a letter in the mail listing you are part of a Cyber attack, I recommend the Deluxe Plan. AAA members get a discount at $10.95 per month. The questions they ask you is less intrusive than the other credit monitoring companies that are suggested to you by companies that said they were hacked. You are notified by email if they find a problem, and they will give you instructions on how to fix it. Otherwise you will get a monthly email summary stating that no issues were discovered (see below).

If you were a victim of a credit scam, these are the steps that they recommend you take:

If you become a victim of identity theft, quick action can help minimize the damage. These seven steps can help restore your identity and your peace of mind:

1. Place a fraud alert on your credit reports.
Contact one of the major Credit Bureaus – Experian®, Equifax®, or TransUnion® to add a fraud alert to your credit report. The first bureau you contact will alert the other two bureaus to your request. When you place a fraud alert, it flags your credit file and asks lenders and other creditors to contact you before authorizing new accounts in your name.

2. Freeze Your Credit
Placing a credit freeze, also known as a security freeze, helps to prevent unauthorized access to your credit file. Available from all three major credit agencies for free, credit freezes can only be lifted by the Personal Identification Number or PIN provided by the bureau when you placed the freeze.

3. Review your credit report
Take a look at your credit report to make sure no new accounts have been opened using your name. Every 12 months, you are entitled to receive a free annual credit report from each bureau at AnnualCreditReport.com. If you spot suspicious information or errors, alert the credit bureau and your lenders.

4. Contact the Federal Trade Commission
File an identity theft report with the Identity Theft Reporting Center at the Federal Trade Commission. The FTC offers advice on restoration services, and can also help you create a personalized identity theft response plan.

This identity theft report is a vital part of your identity restoration process. With it, you can file a police report and provide proof of identity theft to other agencies and organizations.

Once you file your FTC report, you will receive an Identity Theft Victim's Complaint and Affidavit so you can evaluate your ID theft experience and determine what to do next. The affidavit covers questions such as: Do you know who stole your identity? Has your personal data already been used by the identity thief? What type identity theft are you reporting?

5. Assess Your ID Damage
Make a list of all stolen items, such as your Social Security number, credit and debit card numbers, and email addresses. Keep hard copies and digital files for your records, law enforcement, and other agencies.

6. Contact your Creditors and Key Agencies
Contact your lenders and other creditors to notify them of any fraudulent accounts created using your name. Keep an eye on your financial statements and credit report to make sure fraudulent activity doesn't occur and report it if it does. Also, contact agencies responsible for issuing any stolen documents or identification to report the theft, such as the Department of Motor Vehicles for your driver's license.

7. Change your account passwords
Make your new passwords stronger, more unique, and more complex to help prevent future identity theft.

After identity theft has occurred, it's important to continue to monitor your personal information with credit monitoring and dark web monitoring. Identity thieves often wait years to use, sell or buy personal your data on the dark web. While credit monitoring will help you spot any new accounts in your name and other potential signs of fraud, dark web monitoring will notify you if your information is found at risk online.

If your antivirus program on your computer offers Ransomware protection, I am now recommending that it be turned on. The Windows computers come with a free antivirus program called Windows Security. It offers a free Ransomware protection, which I am now turning on. Everyday we hear about another company effected by a cyber attack. It is now time to protect our home computers from being a victim. If you are using Norton or McAfee, it should have the feature already turned on.

I receive a call once a day from clients who have a message link, like the one below on their computer screens. By using CTRL + ALT + Delete, and then click on Sign out, which still works on Microsoft PC computers. On Apple computers, use the Force Quit option from the Apple menu to close this fake window. Never call any numbers that appear on your screen. It will only lead to scammers draining your savings accounts. If you cannot get this message off your screen, call me for help.

"Microsoft Windows Build 24H2" is scheduled to be released this Fall to Windows 11 computers only. Windows 10 is no longer getting Feature updates, only Security updates.

I decided to ask Microsoft's AI app Copilot what new features will be included in this update and this was "its" answer:

So if your computer is able to get this update, I recommend waiting a few weeks to install it. All new releases are full of bugs and you do not want to be a crash dummy when it fails to startup.

 Apple/Mac News and Tips    

MacOS 15 Sequoia - to be released this Fall 2024

Here are the specs to check, if you can upgrade to this new Mac OS when it is released in October 2024. Click on Apple icon on top left, then click on "About this Mac" to see your computer specs.

Some of the new features Apple is prompting is iPhone Mirroring, which expands Continuity, (talking to friends and family from your Mac Computer during a phone call) by enabling full access to, and control of iPhone directly from MacOS. It will include a new passwords app that will help you to store and organize your computer related passwords (I still recommend an address book to store passwords). 

The new MacOS will have AI (Artificial Intelligence) that they are calling Apple Intelligence. Soon AI will be everywhere, computers, house, cars, etc. In the schools teachers are having trouble because students no longer need to think. They just ask AI in search engines for the answers to their homework assignments.

Safari is also getting some updates with a feature called Highlights that offers an even easier way to discover information on the web. Such as directions, summaries, or quick links to learn more about people, music, movies, and TV shows. When Safari detects a video on the page, Viewer helps users put it front and center, while still giving them full access to system playback controls, including Picture in Picture. 

Image Playground app - Users can create playful images in seconds choosing from three styles: Animation, Illustration, or Sketch. Choose from a range of concepts from categories. Type a description to define an image, choose someone from their personal photo library to include in their image, and pick their favorite style.

Apple updates can be buggy when they are first released, I recommend waiting at least a month before installing. Click on Remind me later option when it starts to appear on your computer in the top right corner of the screen.

Computer and Tech Classes  

The classes will be for Trilogy Residents only.  Space is limited. Classes resume in the Spring of 2025. Topics to come. 

I will also be a guest speaker at the Kings Ridge community in Clermont on January 8th 2025. Topic: Webmail VS. Desktop mail. We will be exploring the difference between these two types of email and how one type can be used to fix the other. Smart phones, Tablets and Computers (Mac & PC) will be referenced in this class.

For more information, please contact Joe McDonald 

Click on the NO or Cancel Button - Reminder!

Please click the "NO" button on the PC, and the "Cancel" button on the Apple/Mac to stay safe.  It is safe to click on the "Yes" or "OK" button in the Admin Account (if you are doing your own maintenance). If you have any questions, please contact me.

Note: The content of this newsletter is intended for clients of Joe McDonald only. Not intended for public use.