CompuClever Blog

DIY vs. Repair Shop

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Why is it that asking for help can be an overwhelming obstacle?  The reality is… there is a certain shame that comes from seeking help when we don’t know something.  No one wants to admit to being lost and needing directions and no one wants to feel like they are not smart enough.  Plus, we all want to join the ranks of DIY – Do It Yourself.  To be real, this takes assessing the situation and knowing if the issues are outside our expertise.  When we are simply spinning our wheels, it’s time to take it to the professionals.  The next task is to get good and reliable service that will lead to a real solution.  This article segues from some of our recent articles that focus on assessment of PC problems.  We’ll cover this in brief and provide links.  The main impetus for this article is to shine some light on PC repair technicians that are not trustworthy and to strongly emphasize how our users can benefit from available tools and services including those offered by our CompuClever support team.

Here is the article menu du jour:

  • Background:  We’ll start with the background story of one man’s experience with a not-so-honest repair shop.
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Virus vs. PUP and how to remove both

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We are going to tread carefully and examine two areas of PC ailments. We will strive to make this more understandable and to provide effective and free solutions for both.  If you look at how Microsoft deals with these categories you will find that they admit these two areas are not mutually exclusive and certain terms are used interchangeably.  For our purposes we want to be more definite so that we can pinpoint what steps you need to take in order to deal with these items if you are or ever have experienced them.  This article also assists you in preventing them from happening, provides free tools, and outlines the steps to get rid of both types.

How could a PUP be unwanted?  Well, in this case, we are not referring to a fluffy, playful dog or even Power Pup the Office Assistant.  We’re referring to a term that is increasingly being used to describe Potentially Unwanted Programs.  We are likely all too familiar with a virus infection; your PC becomes infected when opening something such as an email attachment or having something downloaded without your consent when visiting an infected website – even ones that are considered legitimate can be sabotaged.  Continue reading...

Cookie Time

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There is one type of cookie that the Cookie Monster would not find appealing – computer cookies. But what are they and what are we to do with them? We are going to expand on what is known as “web” or “browser” cookies that are stored on your PC as a result of online browsing. The benefit to keeping these on your system is minor and they can be used in ways we do not wish. As a result, we pass on instructions on how to safely get rid of them.

This article begins with information about cookies: what they are and what we recommend you do about them.  We will also be covering information related to using PC Clean Maestro.  In this way you are more informed about remaining secure and keeping your information private.

Cookie!

A cookie is a file that is sent from a website when you browse to that site.  Every time you visit the same site the Internet browser sends the cookie from your PC to a server to notify the website of the user’s previous activity.  In this way it is easier to login in to some sites that you have previously visited because your name is already present so you only have to add in your password.  Continue reading...

Tech Support Fraud

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Have you ever played that “Whac-A-Mole” game?  It’s the one where moles pop up out of a hole and you bonk them on the head and down they go.  It doesn’t matter how many you bop on the head – they keep popping up.  That’s pretty much how it is with fraudulent phone call scams.  There have been some fines handed out to companies and individuals engaged in these scam activities, but they still keep popping up again and again.  If you have ever had one of these phone calls you would agree – the callers are convincing. 

We’re going to start off with a description of how this scam works followed by legal action taken against the scammers, and recent activity.  Following this we will offer advice in terms of what to do when getting called and what to do if you or someone you know has already had a call and been the victim of technical support fraud.

Description

A tech support scam involves a variety of “confidence tricks” that include part-truths, outright lies, and some aggressive sales pitches.  It typically involves someone calling you on the phone and posing as a computer support technician, quite often, from a well-known and reputable company.  Continue reading...

Hack, Hack

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Yes it is cold and flu season. But we are referring here to another kind of viral risk – online hacking. It has again crept into the news and hit some of us right in the pocketbook. We explore two recent hacks that have had an impact on the financial security of millions of users. While not much information is released as to how these attacks occur – perhaps so as to not promote further offenses – we can focus on the effects of these attacks and what can be done to protect ourselves. A counter measure to these breaches is the onset of new technological security advances. It can be a challenge for us to keep up with it all but we endeavour to understand it and explore the options.

There have been two recent hack attacks: one that compromised Yahoo mail users and another that targeted Target credit and debit card information. We will begin by looking at the Yahoo attack and provide some password recommendations.

Yahoo Hack

On Jan 30th Yahoo, the second largest email provider with 273 million accounts, confirmed an attack and announced that malicious computer software was able to access a list of Yahoo Mail accounts’ usernames and passwords. Continue reading...