The Secret to Blocking Scammy, Spammy Calls from Telemarketers

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If you are someone who gets spammy, scammy calls, you are not alone. You also know that they can be very annoying. Thankfully, there are a number of apps out there that can help. Here are a few of the best:

telemarketerCallApp

CallApp can be used to lookup numbers, and then you have a choice to pick up or not. It collects data from its users, and then passes on the info to you when a call comes through. CallApp Crawler is available for Android phones.

Call Control

The Call Control app allows you to block calls, do reverse look up, and even blacklist texts that are unwanted. It is easy to use, and the community supplies spam numbers to keep all members safe from scams. You can get Call Control on both Android and iOS phones.

Calls Blacklist

Calls Blacklist is another option that allows you to block calls, but also offers things like filtering calls by prefix. This means that you can block out all numbers that start with a certain prefix, like 803. You can only get this app for Android phones.

Hiya

Previously, Hiya was a simple reverse look up app, but now it also offers features like caller ID and call blocking. The app also has access to billions of records, including your own number. Hiya is available for both iOS and Android.

Norton Mobile Security

Norton Mobile Security is another option, but it isn’t necessarily an app that blocks calls. Instead, it’s a full security app that has call blocking as part of the features. This app is a great choice for people who want full security software on their phones, and it is available for both Android and iOS.

Safest Call Blocker

Safest Call Blocker is a simple app, but it is still very effective at blocking any and all unwanted numbers from telemarketers and robocallers. Just. Keep in mind that right now, it is only available for Android phones.

Should I Answer?

This is an app that looks up numbers, blocks calls, and categorizes it all to make it easy. There are more than 500,000 numbers in the data base, and you can get it for both Android and iPhone.

TrueCaller

This is one of the more popular call blocking apps out there, and it has a data base of more than 2 billion numbers. This is a great app for identifying spam numbers. But, you must keep something in mind. TrueCaller has all of this information because it also adds its users numbers to the list. This app is available for iOS, Android and other operating systems.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Erase the Data on Your Devices: The Secure Way

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With the holidays here, many of us will be receiving new digital devices. And many of those devices may end up on Facebook marketplace or eBay in a secondhand market. And I will buy them so I can find out what data you have left on them. I didn’t study not too long ago where I bought about 30 devices and ran forensics tests on them and found sensitive information on 17 of 30. Enough to steal lots and lots of identities.

data securityHave you sold or recycled an old phone or other device after you got a brand new one? What about an old laptop? Did you sell them to someone else or recycle them? If you have done any of the previous actions, it is likely that you have put yourself at risk.

A study from the National Association for Information Destruction discovered that approximately 40 percent of electronic devices that are sold second-hand still has personal information on them. This includes phones, tablets, and computers.

The data that was discovered on these devices include usernames, passwords, tax information, and credit card information. To make things even worse, the info was collected by using very simple methods; methods that almost anyone with a bit of computer knowledge can use.

Thankfully, there are things you can do to securely erase your device, including the following.

Correctly Prepare Your Device

It doesn’t matter if you are going to throw your device away (which you shouldn’t because that’s horrible for the environment) or sell it, you have to make sure that it is prepared correctly. First, you want to back up the data, and then you can erase the drive.

If you have a Mac, it is easy to do this by using the OS X Disk Utility, and if you have a PC, you can use software like Active KillDisk. If you are trying to do this with a smartphone, you can use software like SafeWiper for Android and then do a factory reset and remove the phone’s SIM card. Also, if you are throwing it away, smash it with a hammer before doing so. Yes, that’s a bit dramatic, but it ensures that people can’t get information on it.

Format the Drives

If you are getting rid of a hard drive or flash drive, or you have recently bought one, you should make sure to format them to get rid of any software that is left on them. Here’s how to do it:

Windows: 

  • Connect the device to your computer.
  • Open up Windows Explorer and find the drive on your system.
  • Right-click the drive and choose the “Format” option.
  • Choose the type of file system you want, and then under “Volume Label,” click “Quick Format” and then “Start.”

Mac 

  • Go to your computer’s Finder, and then click Applications/Utilities, then “Disk Utility.”
  • Click on the drive and choose “Erase.”
  • Next, click “Format,” choose the file system, and then create a name for the drive.
  • Click on “Erase.”

Formatting a Hard Drive on a Computer

To go about formatting a hard drive, you will find that it is a little more complex. To begin, you need a USB drive or a CD, and the goal is to completely erase the drive. Once you do this, you then have to re-install the operating system with the USB drive or the CD. Also, don’t forget to back up your data before you begin, or you will lose everything you have.

When doing this with a Mac, you should select the option on the computer to install from scratch. This will erase the drive. For Windows, you have to use the Windows Installer, and then choose “Drive Options.” Choose “Format,” “Next,” and then install Windows.

Even when this is all done, it is still possible for someone who has the knowledge to get data from your device. This is why it’s so important to educate yourself via security awareness training and remain vigilant.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.

Holiday Hacking is Very Risky for You and Your Family

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It’s the holidays once again, and each year, people flock to the internet to do online shopping. Hackers know this, and they set themselves up to steal your data.

Every year there is a big hack, and this year will likely be no different. Here are some tips to protect yourself shopping online now and in the future:

Do Business With Trusted Sites

There are zillions of websites that look perfectly legitimate even using HTTPS in the URL. Many of these sites utilize perfect grammar, they incorporate an online “chat” feature where someone engages you immediately, and they even have a functional shopping cart. But they are in fact built specifically to scam you. You will generally stumble upon these sites in Google search when looking for a specific hard to find item.

To prevent being scammed, only pay by a credit card which you can be refunded upon learning of the scam, never wire money, or use Zelle or PayPal or Venmo etc. And search the name of the company and its URL to see if anybody else has been scammed. You might find references via the Better Business Bureau, “Scam detector” or other reputation based sites, or various forums revolving around that specific product category.

Only Use Strong Passwords

You should have a different password for every site you use. Keep in mind that this password might be the only thing stopping someone from accessing your personal information including your address, credit card information, and more. The best passwords should contain upper and lower case letters, symbols, and numbers. Also, avoid choosing anything obvious like the name of your pet, and never, ever use the same password for more than one account.

Update All Device Software

All of us are probably guilty of not updating our software when it needs to be updated. However, there is one type of software you never, ever want to skip updating: your anti-virus software. Anti-virus software helps to prevent hackers from getting access to your accounts, and make sure to update your operating system and other software on your devices.

Always Use Two-Step Verification When You Can

Many companies offer two-step verification for customers If this is available, choose it! This adds one more layer of security that a hacker has to get through, and it’s quite difficult to do because not only do they need access to your account, but also need access to your device. Most major retailers allow this, including Amazon and eBay.

Ignore Strange Looking Emails

Also, keep an eye out for strange looking emails. Many companies send holiday sales emails, for instance, and some hackers will take advantage of this. They will send an email that looks like it comes from a legitimate source, like Macy’s, but it’s actually a fake email that is coming from a weird email address and not Macys.com.

Watch Your Credit Card Statements

It is also important to watch your credit card statements, and if something looks strange, report it immediately. Consider getting notifications and alerts for any charges.

Keep Your Devices Locked

Another thing you can do is make sure all of your devices are locked. A device that is unlocked can easily expose your personal info to hackers, so keep those devices locked with a biometric option, like a finger print, or a strong password.

Don’t Use Unsafe Apps

If you are shopping from an app, make sure it’s a trusted one. You should only download apps from the Apple App Store, the Google Play Store, or Amazon App Store. Also, make sure that you are looking into what permissions you are giving these apps. For example, does an app need access to your contact list? No, it doesn’t.

When Shopping From Your Computer, Stay Safe

Even if you are shopping from a computer or mobile phone, you need to be connected to a safe and secure network. Don’t use public Wi-Fi unless you are also using a virtual private network, or a VPN.

Though it should be the responsibility of online retailers to ensure their sites are safe, but we all know that this just doesn’t always happen. So, make sure you are taking these extra steps to stop hacking.

Written by Robert Siciliano, CEO of Credit Parent, Head of Training & Security Awareness Expert at Protect Now, #1 Best Selling Amazon author, Media Personality & Architect of CSI Protection Certification.