Robert’s Computer Service Blogs (864)494-6089

You Won a Prize (NOT)

June 24, 2022 by Robert Eyler

If you get an email or text message that say something like “You have won a prize” or “I have won the lotto and I want to split it with you” Unless you have registered for a drawing at that store it should be safe: however, before you click on any links in the email/text look at where it is coming from. If the email says hi@abc.com and you see the return email address as hi@acb.com. Then this is a scam email do not click on any links on that page or reply. Then delete it.

If you do click on the link for the prize you won is a headache of straightening out the mess the gave you.

Stay safe in the internet and real world.

Robert Computer Service
Robert Eyler (Owner)
(864)494-6089

E-Mail 𝖸𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖯𝖺𝗒𝖯𝖺𝗅 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝖾𝗆𝗉𝗈𝗋𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗅𝗒 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗂𝖼𝗍𝖾d

May 16, 2022 by Robert Eyler

I just get this email with title of “Y͏o⁫u⁬r⁮ ‎a⁬c‎͏c͏o⁮u⁬n‌t⁮ ‎h͏a⁬s͏ b឴e⁮e͏n͏ ‎r⁮e⁬s⁮t‌r‎i͏c⁫t⁬e឴d͏ ‎(‌R͏e឴͏f⁬ ‌- 54388444)” and from service@paypal.com. if you expand and look at the real email it came from it is <schlotzskysrewards@schlotzskys.com> with about 100 other email address that it was sent to.
With the message of 𝖸𝗈𝗎𝗋 𝖯𝖺𝗒𝖯𝖺𝗅 𝖺𝖼𝖼𝗈𝗎𝗇𝗍 𝗁𝖺𝗌 𝖻𝖾𝖾𝗇 𝗍𝖾𝗆𝗉𝗈𝗋𝖺𝗋𝗂𝗅𝗒 𝗋𝖾𝗌𝗍𝗋𝗂𝖼𝗍𝖾𝖽 with the reason why this is happening to you. Then Click on a link that DO NOT CLICK ON GO TO PAYPAL but it will look like PayPal. DO NOT CLICK ON THAT LINK. All they want is the information that your account has. Like your name, address, Phone, Credit Card Number or Bank account number. To take money out of. Then ask your friends for money by saying I am at place but I got in to a big jam and I am in jail can you send me $XXX to bail me out. If you feel you do have a problem type in paypal.com on your own.
Robert’s Computer Service
(864)494-6089

lotto Scam

April 28, 2022 by Robert Eyler

If you get this kind of text DO NOT REPLY this is a scam

“Hello, Hope you’re staying safe We are Wolverine FLL Club, $1.050 Billion winner of the Mega Millions Jackpot (POWER BALL). We are donating $100,000 each to 200 random individuals. We congratulate you because your Cell# was randomly picked after a spin ball. We have decided to help due to COVID19 pandemic. We are sending $100,000 to you as one of the selected 200 individuals. To verify/claim your winning, kindly send your full name to the Agent in-charge (602) ***-8529 JOHN ADAM”

Because of the copy number are not random. the numbers are all close to my number like (864) ***-0333, (864) ***-0329, (864) ***-328 and so on. DO NOT REPLY via text or email or call any links with in the message.

Tax deadline is today be careful of Scams

April 18, 2022 by Robert Eyler

Today is tax deadline day in the U.S. Crooks are paying attention too, by sending phishing email and text messages to consumers about email or text messages purporting to be from the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS does not use email, text messages or social media to discuss personal tax issues, such as those involving bills or refunds.

Cyber Security Today, April 18, 2022 – Ties are alleged between ransomware and extortion gangs, and a warning to app developers

The IRS doesn’t initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text messages or social media channels to request personal or financial information. Recognize the telltale signs of a scam
https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-scams-consumer-alerts#:~:text=These%20emails%20are%20a%20phishing,scam%20phishing%20for%20your%20information

Robert’s Computer Service LLC
(864)494-6089

If You Scanned That QR Code From the Super Bowl (or Any QR Code), the FBI Has a Warning for You

February 27, 2022 by Robert Eyler

QR code can be a good use for business to make it easy for the customers to view menus , store maps , and to get coupons.

The beauty of a QR code is that instead of asking someone to remember a website, you simply embed it in the code. When they scan the code, it takes them directly to whatever webpage you want.

Because of the easy of getting the QR codes the Cybercriminals are taking advantage of this technology by directing QR code scans to malicious sites to steal victim data, embedding malware to gain access to the victim’s device, and redirecting payment for Cybercriminal use and / or steal your data on your device.

If there is QR code in a place by like an ATM or place that make no since DO NOT scan them.

To get more information go to this web page.
https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/if-you-scanned-that-qr-code-during-super-bowl-fbi-has-a-warning-for-you.html

Robert’s Computer Service
(864)494-6089

Beware of USB (Thumb) drive that you find or get in the mail.

January 16, 2022 by Robert Eyler

There are groups of people that are mailing out USB drive to business and home users. If you find one in a parking lot DO NOT keep it just toss it in the trash. If you get one in the mail unexpected again DO NOT plug it in to your computer. Just trash it.
There is a scam tied with this USB drive. This drive can very will contain a malicious software that can do harm to you and your computer. They can download malware and/or ransomware to your computer and you not know it.

To get more detail information you can go to

Cyber Security Today, Jan 10, 2022 – Beware of unexpected USB keys in the mail, FlexBooker admits data theft and more

Robert’s Computer Service
Robert (864)494-6089

Scams Alart

November 28, 2021 by Robert Eyler

With all of the online shopping and shipping be careful with scammers and fake web sites.

If you get a phone call / text / email that is stating that your card was charged $XXX.XX for a high price item (Apple MacBook) order id #AMZ### on ##/##/### please call ###-###-####. DO NOT click or call the number or email or text. If you have a question, go to the website or call Amazon.

If you get a pop up on your screen saying that your computer may have a virus or there is a major issue you need to call us at ###-###-#### to get this fix. The same DO NOT CALL or text or email them. Call someone that you know and trust.

The next thing to look out for is if you get a call stating they are from your bank and there has been unusual activity on your card. If they ask you for your bank card number DO NOT GIVE IT. Just tell them you will call the bank back. ONLY use the phone number on the back of your card and NOT the one they give you.

Robert’s Computer Service

864-494-6089

Remove GEO tags before posting Pictures

November 8, 2021 by Robert Eyler

With the Holidays coming around and lots of pictures being taken. Before you post the pictures make sure you get your GEO tags out of the picture. You can also turn off GEO takes on the device before you take the picture. To delete your GEO tags.
1) go to the picture that you want to remove and right click on it
2) click on Properties
3) click on details tab.
4) At to bottom click on Remove Properties and Personal Information.
5) Save a copy of picture or over write the picture.
6) Click on OK. Your are done with it.
What is GEO tags? GEO tag is the information on what device it was taken on and the location of where it was taken. With that information they can find out where you hang out at and live and work. This should be done all year long not just in the Holidays.
Robert’s Computer Service
(864)494-6089

Facebook rebrand to “Meta” and dives into the metaverse during Connect event

October 31, 2021 by Robert Eyler

Facebook rebrand to “Meta” and dives into the metaverse during Connect event. The CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced that Facebook will be renamed as Meta, so that this can be more accurately represent the “meaverse” — so they can change thier focuses on augmented and virtual reality. The name change is an attempt to move away from identifying as a social media platform. It looks like instead of Facebook being the main company, with be a sister company to Meta as of 10/28/2021. If you would like to get some more information you can go to https://www.itworldcanada.com/article/facebook-rebrands-to-meta-and-dives-into-the-metaverse-during-connect-event/463150

Dell have discovered some vulnerabilities that are affecting some computers.

July 7, 2021 by Robert Eyler

There are 129 dell computers that has a vulnerability with the BIOS (Basic Input Output System).

The quick summary: Need to update your Dell BIOS manually. If you do not feel or do not want to do it you can give me a text or call me at (864)494-6089 or email me robert@roberts-computer.com

BIOS is essentially embedded software on the system and the first things that runs on the computer after power on and it is behind the computer logo.

What the problem is that it’s still just software. Dell has this product called BIOSConnect that allows a computer in BIOS to call – phone home to Dell for support purposes. So, it can update the firmware on the system. if you’ve lost your operating system and you can’t get it to boot or something’s missing, you can actually still get this thing to connect to the Dell servers in BIOS because that’s always going to be there.

But what’s happened here is the first vulnerability that they found, that Elysium found, is a problem with TLS certificates. And TLS is Transport Layer Security. It’s how the internet works. But this software is written in C code. Which at a very low level, so getting that TLS handshake correct is important, and Dell didn’t do that here. In fact, this system – if you have a privileged network attacker on the network, and they can intercept, like, a DNS call out to the Google DNS server of 8-8-8-8.

They can intercept the communication. Then impersonate Dell and hand back any readily available, freely available TLS certificate, and the software in the BIOS will accept that and say, OK, you’re Dell, right? and any certificate at all, this software says, we’re good here. Just about, as long as it’s not self-signed. It has to be from a certificate authority that’s in the – but those are not easy – not hard to come by. So, if you’re on the network, if the malicious actor is on the network, they can intercept the traffic, they can feedback the – some bogus certificate, and the service will then – the service on that computer will then trust the attacker, and then the attacker can exploit one of three buffer overflow vulnerabilities that were also found in the software. And that allows arbitrary code execution. There’s even one that allows arbitrary code execution in BIOS, so they could completely replace the BIOS of your machine

The end result could be replacing the mother board.

Dell dose have a fix to this problem. However, you should be this done ASPS by August when all of the details will be out in the wild. DO NOT DO IT VIA THE UPDATE TOOL due to you can not trust the tool. When you or someone dose the update. Do it manually.

You can go to dell.com then download the patches.

If you like you can give me a text or call me at (864)494-6089 or email me robert@roberts-computer.com