Intuit owns Quickbooks and they are really putting the screws to their desktop software users. They want their desktop software gone, but they won’t simply kill it. Instead, they are charging more and more for it, each year. I’d say it’s similar to them raising the temperature of a hot tub until you get out, … Read more
Microsoft is about to cause a problem for a small subset of computer users, and I need to explain it in detail. Most of you won’t be affected by this, but it is awful enough and portentious enough that I think many Office users should take heed. Follow me into these weeds: I’ve previously mentioned … Read more
Costco is such a big name in the USA, that their name is used in a lot of online scams. But this latest one is amazingly believable. You should see this fine example of Costco phishing, so that you don’t fall for it when it arrives in your inbox: The above graphic shows an email … Read more
Google Chrome is the browser I see most commonly in use on client computers. And I am comfortable with that. Chrome has some solid security features and synchronizes readily with other computers and mobile devices. But there’s one thing it does poorly and has always vexed me. It fails to protect your bookmarks as well … Read more
If you’ve looked at new laptops in the last few years, you may have noticed that some have a Copilot key added to the keyboard. Microsoft decided this would be a good way to promote their AI companion and get more people to use it. But if you don’t appreciate this, if you see this … Read more
A local PTO just received the invoice pictured below. They recognized this as a scam but I worry that it could fool some people. So let’s get familiar with this: This invoice was faxed to a local public school, and then handed over to the PTO members. It looks like a legitimate invoice, but: Invoice … Read more
Your TV has been collecting info about you for years now. What you watch, when you’re tuned in, how long you manage to stay awake, and more — all hoovered up and sent off to the manufacturer, for them to use and sell and share. Television-based data collection and automatic content recognition (ACR) wasn’t much … Read more
For those who use Shentel-based email, you may have encountered some scary warnings on their webmail site. I want to assure you that Shentel Webmail is safe to use, and those are false alerts. Shentel Webmail has been erroneously flagged by some antivirus vendors. I’ve spoken with Shentel tech support and they are aware of … Read more
Many people are finding my 2025 blog post, detailing how ScreenConnect is used in scams. I’m glad to hear how it helps people figure things out and free their computers of this particular problem. Since that writing, I’ve seen an increase in the abuse of this remote access program. I intend for this blog post … Read more
An esteemed client sent me the latest example of Shentel Webmail phishing this evening. I thought I would share the details, as I have many times before, but I later uncovered a phishing motherlode behind the fake Shentel website… A Phishing Email It typically starts with an email like this: It’s pretty standard fare, here. … Read more