We are living in tough times. While we started off thinking a lockdown is a novelty and having fun with it (Imagine not having to go to the office to work? How cool!), we have settled into the reality where people are away from each other, we are prohibited to gather, and we aren’t allowed to travel. Suddenly, this lockdown has become such a bore and hassle that we have forgotten the fun side of everything. Before, we considered what’s happening like a little inconvenience. After all, we are only asked to stay indoors as our contribution to the world overcoming this crisis. But then, everything has started to lose significance and meaning. What started as a fun and even ideal set-up for most of us working has become something that has affected our mental state, big time. Since we can’t meet up with friends physically, we’ve lost our rhythm, we can’t blow off steam by engaging in outdoor activities, our stress and anxiety levels have gone haywire. We may be suffering from simple cabin fever, but then, there surely has to be something more to what we’re experiencing now. What can we do to get back our “sanity”? How can we keep our heads together and come out thriving even when the COVID-19 crisis is through? Build positive habits Think of what your life will be like once the world shifts to the “new normal”. Would you still want to wake up at 10 in the morning and go through the rest of your day in pajamas and uncombed hair? Surely not! Continue good habits you’ve had prior to the lockdown, such as your early morning jog and a healthy breakfast after. You will have to tweak some elements of your habits like doing a home workout instead of a jog, but you get the idea. They say you form a habit after doing it for 21 days straight, so if you start developing one now, you should have enough time to make your system get used to it. Before you know it, you will keep on doing the activity without even thinking about it.
Extend yourself Nothing can set your head straight then feeling a sense of accomplishment because you have helped another human being. Doing something good for your community doesn’t require you to leave the corners of your home. Check out volunteering opportunities that would usually be posted on social media and see where your skills can take you in making a difference with other people’s lives.
Unleash your creativity Remember the days before the worldwide lockdowns when you thought about an art project and thinking maybe you can go ahead with it only if you had time? Well, you surely have a lot of time on your hands these days, so why not keep yourself sane by applying your creativity in your daily activities? Go ahead and start your art project or get your creative juices flowing with your cooking, crafts, or even with just how you arrange your furniture and appliances at home.
Accept the Struggle and Emerge Better It is a common practice for everyone to appear strong and be positive during times of crisis. But then, in our efforts to make everything appear fine, we sometimes overdo it by sweeping anything that resembles negative emotions under the rug. Is this really healthy? Not. There will be moments when we struggle, maybe because we know of someone who suddenly got tested positive of the virus, or a mom struggling with homeschooling her kids. Whatever these struggles are, we should acknowledge them and not let them get bottled up inside. What’s more important to staying mentally stable these days is to acknowledge our challenges and working through them instead of ignoring them or pretending that everything is fine when it is obviously not.
Another thing you can do to keeping mentally fit is addressing challenges right away instead of letting them fester until they become unmanageable. If you have problems regarding lost data in your laptop, we can help you right away. Don’t wait for everything to blow up by reading here: https://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net/external-hard-drive-recovery. Making Yourself Mentally Strong in a Crisis is Possible was first published to HDRA Blog from Hard Drive Recovery Associates - Feed Making Yourself Mentally Strong in a Crisis is Possible is republished from Simply PSD from https://www.simplypsd.com/2020/07/making-yourself-mentally-strong-in-a-crisis-is-possible/
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There have been a couple of circumstances when I encountered the term “VPN”. The first time was when I read about people downloading movies en masse in the late 2000s. “Experts” in the field of piracy then advised those who want to download stuff to use a VPN so that their identities can be masked and the authorities would not be able to trace their illegal activities. I had a friend forward to me a copy of a movie he downloaded illegally, and the quality was so poor that I didn’t bother finishing the film and waited for it to be released in theaters of my little ‘ol town. Suffice to say that first experience didn’t warm me up to this VPN thing everyone else seemed to be enamored. The next time I heard of VPN was when I started playing Pokémon Go. One of my friends who also played the hottest game at that time had “caught” so many Pokémon, even those I only read of as available in other parts of the world. When I asked him how he got this monster that players can only catch in Japan when I know for certain that he hasn’t even taken a plane ride in his life, he nonchalantly replied, “VPN”. And so, I tried this VPN thing for myself. Apart from the game, I noticed my browsing speeds were at a snail’s pace. Right there, I decided virtual private networks are not my thing. If you are considering installing a VPN on any of your devices, take note that they also have a number of disadvantages. With all the hype you surely may have heard about VPNs, there are some things that may make your web experience not that pleasant. It is up to you to weigh the pros and cons, but for now, let’s look closer into the cons. You will encounter issues in speed As I remarked earlier, a VPN may decrease your internet speeds. As a VPN works hard to encrypt your network traffic that should result in your improved security and anonymity, it also will use more resources and may time more time. Thus, the introduction of some overhead can slow VPNs. You may find ideal VPN services that strike a balance between security and speed, but prepare to shell out some cash for that, because these services are paid.
Your VPNs can stalk you Some VPN service will give you access to their private servers to provide you with enhanced services such as improved speed and security, but at a price: your data. This can be hidden in their fine print when you agree to their services, and who has the time and patience to read the fine print? So you have to be aware that if you’re getting free private connection for cents, chances are high that they are tracking your activity.
VPN Security for Business Users Businesses usually benefit from VPNs because they allow remote employees access to the network of the company. This is especially beneficial nowadays that people are working from home and afraid to go outdoors least they want to get the COVID-19 virus. But then, the company’s network admins may not have a lot of control over the devices that remote employees use to connect to their network, which is obviously a security risk.
100% Anonymity? Not Really Even die-hard users of VPNs can still have their identities revealed. If your DNS leaks, or your VPN gets disconnected while you are still browsing, or if your VPN provider has agreements with government agencies that your information may be forwarded in the interest of national security, then you may not really be anonymous after all. Just know that VPNs aren’t really the Alcatraz of web user identities that they claim themselves to be.
While you need to exercise a bit of caution when using VPNs, so must you with important documents. If your system got hacked because you used a cheap VPN, we may help you with recovering files. Read more to see your options on data recovery with your laptop here: https://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net/laptop-data-recovery. Know Some Not-So-Good Points of VPNs was initially published on http://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net from Hard Drive Recovery Associates - Feed Know Some Not-So-Good Points of VPNs is courtesy of SimplyPSD.com Blog from https://www.simplypsd.com/2020/07/know-some-not-so-good-points-of-vpns/ Unless you’ve been stuck in the 1990s computer knowledge, you’ve surely encountered VPNs. Virtual Private Networks are private networks that exist because two (or more) locations need to be connected with each other so that it would appear and they would work like they are in the same network. For us non-technical people, when a VPN is created, people who have access to it can be far from each other and they can use it to access the network itself or another network (that be a public one). Businesses use VPNs so that their private networks can be more secure and so that remote employees, as in people who are not working near or are connected to the network in their office, can have access to company data that are hosted in those office networks. This benefit is highly popular nowadays, with lockdowns forcing employees all over the world to work from their homes. For individual users, VPNs can be relied on if you want to be anonymous while you are browsing. VPNs are also known to do a good job in securing your data when you are using networks that have poor security, like free WiFi public networks. Thus, when it comes to assessing the pros and cons, you might get swayed that VPNs do provide more advantages than disadvantages. But then, if you are considering using one, you may need to really know what these pros are so that you can maximize its usage. VPNs provide enhanced security VPNs primarily encrypt all your network traffic, so its transmission through the network is very secure. Thus, when you are using an unsecured network like WiFi hotspots in malls, airports, and libraries, using a VPN can prevent eavesdroppers on that network you’re using from seeing your traffic and therefore they cannot steal confidential data stored in your devices such as your credit card information or passwords.
VPNs allow you to bypass geo-restrictions Do you get frustrated when YouTube doesn’t allow you to view the video you so want to watch because “it is not available in your region”? with a VPN, you can forget about these frustrations as a VPN gets all your network traffic through a tunnel, which makes it look like you are accessing the web from another location (the VPN’s), not your actual location. Thus, if you want access to sites that heavily put geo-restrictions on their content, a VPN can transform you into a ghost and give a free pass.
VPNs allow you to download anonymously Your ISP can put you on a watchlist if you are a heavy downloader because you are maximizing their service to inconvenient levels. When you use a VPN, your IP address can be masked, so you will appear as if you’re accessing sites and torrents from other locations. Your ISP and even some government agencies may not be able to track you. But beware – make sure you only download legally.
VPNs allow businesses to let their remote employees work efficiently As mentioned earlier, VPNs allow connected users to access a network as tough those users were on a local network. If you are a remote worker from home in this lockdown period and would like to have access to files from your office network, ask your IT guys for VPN access.
If you are working from home and need help with recovering lost data, we can also help you. Read on to know how we can be of assistance with your hard drive woes: https://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net/how-to-fix-a-hard-drive. Why Not Take Advantage of a VPN? is republished from Hard Drive Recovery Associates Blog from Hard Drive Recovery Associates - Feed Why Not Take Advantage of a VPN? was initially seen on SimplyPSD from https://www.simplypsd.com/2020/06/why-not-take-advantage-of-a-vpn/ Two months into lockdown because of the coronavirus, most of us have may have already realized that spending the entire day watching TV shows on Netflix and playing video games can only be good for weeks or a month at most. Vegging out and doing very minimal stuff for days, a scenario most of us may have dreamt of before this pandemic broke, has already started to feel like a drag. We don’t have friends to support us with their physical presence, and there’s only too much “we’re with you in spirit” anyone of us can handle. But then, there are ways we can turn this downtime into something more productive. Not that we’re encouraging you to be active or work yourself bone-tired every single day until the end of the lockdown period (although that’s another idea you might want to explore), but why not look into adding to your skillset and exploring side hustles during this time? Securing a side gig or two is a great way to make yourself productive this lockdown period, not to mention get yourself extra income. With the world economy currently in very tumultuous waters, it doesn’t hurt to be in a secure financial disposition, something which income from side jobs can help you with. Not sure where to start? Here are some areas and skills you may want to look into. Consider web development and design There are so many opportunities available for skilled people in the field of web development and design nowadays. This is because the nature of web design and development work is predominantly online, which favors the current situation of remote work. You can develop and design a website everywhere, as long as you have a trusty device and a reliable internet connection. Get your skills in this lucrative sector by enrolling in online classes ASAP, and soon enough you can get jobs and earning a lot.
Sharpen your pens (or dust off your keyboard) As everything, especially businesses, require an online presence nowadays, an endless amount of work is available for content writers who can fill blogs, websites, white papers, and social media accounts with content. If you have great grammar, can be interested or can stir up interest in just about anything, and can whip up blog posts, articles, and social media posts at a drop of a hat, then, there is a wide array of opportunities waiting for you. Get your keyboard (or your pen or typewriter if you’re old school) ready!
Get your millennial game on by being a YouTuber If you’re a good communicator and don’t shy away from the spotlight, why not develop your YouTube channel? With almost everybody staying home and not having a lot of choice but to entertain themselves with online content, there’s never been a perfect time to grow a follower base. Not only will you be getting some cash if you successfully grow your channel, but you can also share with the public (or at the very least, those who watch your videos) the things you are passionate about. Isn’t that a great way to keep sane this anxiety-inducing season of COVID-19?
Why not start a social media career? If you’re one of those people who can’t ween themselves from checking their Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram feeds every 5 minutes, why not turn this obsession into a cool career? You can manage an online community, posting on a company’s Facebook account, or inform followers of a certain social media personality of what’s new? If you’re strategic enough to think of ways and tactics to grow these social media assets, you are for sure in demand.
Now, if the important documents you need to secure some side gigs have gone missing, we can help you recover them. Otherwise, if you think your laptop has been compromised, read on: https://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net/can-you-recognize-a-hacked-computer for more information. Stay Busy and Get Rich With Some Side Gigs This Lockdown was originally published to http://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net from Hard Drive Recovery Associates - Feed The following blog article Stay Busy and Get Rich With Some Side Gigs This Lockdown was initially seen on SimplyPSD.com Blog from https://www.simplypsd.com/2020/06/stay-busy-and-get-rich-with-some-side-gigs-this-lockdown/ Businesses, beware! Ransomware attacks have developed through the years, with attackers implementing more covert and advanced techniques, while at the same time learning from the mistakes in implementation that occurred in earlier generations of attacks. Moreover, a number of attacks have become more devious with a new component that involves data leaks, which in turn makes companies vulnerable, as they are exposed to graver threats than traditional data loss that used to be the only threat posed by ransomware. So, how has ransomware threatened so many institutions? How has it evolved into a more threatening event? Are businesses ready and have they equipped themselves with the necessary tools to combat these attacks? Finally, can the government do anything about this, since there have been some government institutions that have been affected? Not just business, but whole towns! The trends that have been prevalent in 2019 indicate that not only will these attacks be more present, but they are likely to happen more. And this will not only affect businesses, but also entire towns. In fact, it has been reported that for every six towns in the state of Massachusetts, one is a victim of ransomware.
The academe is not spared Even higher institutions of learning have also fallen victim to cybercriminals peddling ransomware. Niagara University had to cancel classes on the second week of February as their computer system came under attack. The university’s IT personnel discovered on February 12 that ransomware attacked has caused some of its email servers to lockdown.
The new danger What sets the new wave of ransomware cybercriminals apart from the older generations is that they have taken extortion to a new level by exposing data that they stole online and threatening whole batches of data if they do not get paid by the companies in exchange of unencrypting the data they got.
Recovery comes with a price Not only is being victimized by ransomware an expensive experience, but recovering from it is also more expensive as well.
It can close your shop A few businesses have become bankrupt because of ransomware. This is because ransomware can cost a business their data, cash, and accounts, which in turn will make their customers look for other options. Direct costs in the form of ransom cybercriminals can reach thousands of dollars, and more losses are incurred because of indirect costs. But then, there are ways businesses can adopt to lessen their risk.
While a ransomware attack might make you feel helpless, trying to recover lost data shouldn’t. We can help you with our full suite of services. If you have a Mac, click here to see how we can help you. The Costs of Ransomware is republished from www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net from Hard Drive Recovery Associates - Feed The following post The Costs of Ransomware is courtesy of http://www.simplypsd.com/ from https://www.simplypsd.com/2020/06/the-costs-of-ransomware/ The Oscars on February 9 was one for the books. For the first time in its award giving history, the Academy gave the Best Picture recognition to a movie that is not in the English language and produced outside the USA. Parasite, a South Korean film about a poor family trying to infiltrate the lives of a rich family also took home trophies for Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best International Feature Film. But then, that wasn’t all South Korea’s appearances during the televised (and streamed) ceremonies. During one of the commercial gaps, another South Korean brand claimed the spotlight, none other than phone maker Samsung. To tease its upcoming unboxing event, Unpacked 2020, to be held on the 10th in San Francisco, the phone giant showed off its next foldable phone to the delight of the TV viewers. Not to say that Samsung still doesn’t have foldable phones, as it already has. Looking back, their first release of the foldable phone in September last year, had people wax nostalgic, although a lot were still unimpressed with their fragility. But whether you’re a Samsung-stan or not, the ad sure got a lot of people talking! Did the ad show anything new? From the 20-second ad, we saw the device’s homage to retro fashion. The clamshell clicks are there, but there also seems to be the addition of new things like the degree of opening that would allow for facetime-style chatting.
But wait… what was that? So basically, the ad tried to make retro-chic again, and that for sure appeals to a lot of people on the lookout for a phone that brings them back to both the 1906s (Bardot and the quirky soundtrack allude to that) and the glorious 2000s when everybody had a clamshell phone. But then, eagle-eyed viewers of the commercial were able to spot a disclaimer.
One tall phone Other than the ad, some pictures of the Galaxy Z Flip (yes, that’s what the phone is called) were also leaked and the first impressions centered on how long the model is and how there’s a crease in the center where the phone folds (pretty much the point of the second entry here).
Sizing up the competition Of course, when we talk about foldable phones, it cannot be helped that people will mention the brand that is almost synonymous with clamshell phones – Motorola. With this trend of flip phones re-emerging, Motorola’s new Razr has been touted as the more durable option, especially with complaints of the Samsung Flip having a flimsy screen emerging during its launch last year. But then, is the Razr as durable (aka flip-able) as it is marketed to be?
Motorola fights back Not to be silenced, Motorola releases its own video proving that once and for all, the Razr is still the king of foldable phones.
You might get excited with these clamshell phone offerings, but one thing that can surely unnerve you is when you lose files and data If this happens to you, don’t fret – we’re here to help you. Click this website to know more info. Samsung’s Updated Flip Phone Gets Teased in the Oscars Read more on: http://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net from Hard Drive Recovery Associates - Feed Samsung’s Updated Flip Phone Gets Teased in the Oscars was first published on SimplyPSD from https://www.simplypsd.com/2020/05/samsungs-updated-flip-phone-gets-teased-in-the-oscars/ When Windows 10 was released in the middle of 2015, it came out with three versions – Windows 10 Home, Windows 10 Pro, and Windows Pro 10 for Workstations. Like previous Windows release, the public was quick to conclude that the Home version is, as its name implies, best for household use by the family. Individual contributors and office workers will benefit from the Pro release, and large working groups is the obvious target for the Pro 10 for Workstations. But then, people that have been using the Pro version have been singing it praises, this despite the constant bugs to updates. So now, people who want more than what the Windows 10 Home provides and even those who still have Windows 7 (which has been de-supported in the middle of January 2020), ask, “Is updating to the Windows 10 Pro worth it?” and “What would the differences be between Windows 10 Home and pro?
Remote Desktop Take note that all versions of Windows 10 can remotely connect to another Windows 10 PC. However, if you're looking for remote access, only Windows 10 Pro has that. Staying with Windows 10 Home edition will not let you find settings to enable remote desktop connection, although you can connect to another PC, if that PC runs on Windows 10 Pro.
Bitlocker For those who prioritize their security and keep their data safe from possible intruders, it's time to consider switching to Windows 10 Pro even with its extra cost. Also, for those who have gotten used to Filevault of MacOS', the Bitlocker found in Windows 10 Pro is the most similar to that service you're looking for.
Trusted and Secured Boot Working in tandem Secure Boot and Trusted Boot aids in keeping your system away from malware and rootkits, allowing you full control of it. Trusted and Secured Boot, as their names suggest, works by checking each component of the startup process before it is loaded.
Hyper-V Virtual machine fans, rejoice! Hyper-V on Windows 10 Pro allows you to run virtual machines on CPUs that support virtualization.
Windows Sandbox Anyone active on the World Wide Web will, at one point in their online lives, get a suspicious file. Whether your suspicions about a certain file are founded or not can be put to rest, thanks to Windows Sandbox that will "quarantine" a file, let you open or run it, and finally discover whether it is harmful or not.
While these differences may convince you to join the Windows 10 Pro bandwagon, you may most likely be all alone when dealing with data loss and recovery. But do you really have to deal with it all by yourself? Not on our watch! Allow us to help you with our expertise in data recovery. Take a look at the services we provide by clicking here.
The post Ready to Go (Windows 10) Pro? is available on http://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net from Hard Drive Recovery Associates - Feed Ready to Go (Windows 10) Pro? See more on: https://www.simplypsd.com from https://www.simplypsd.com/2020/05/ready-to-go-windows-10-pro/ When the iPadOS was released in September 2019, a lot of people believed that this might already be the endgame for mobile operating systems. People were impressed with the iPadOS, claiming that it has made iPads that powerful to the point that iPad owners can already consider their Apple tablets as their main computer. The addition of new capabilities may have been overwhelming at first, but as the users got used to it, it only became a testament to how Apple has incorporated a lot of improvements to it, particularly in the areas of touch gestures and multitasking. But then comes Microsoft with Windows 10X. Windows 10X is not really something new; it is a version of Windows 10X that is, as of February 2020, still a work in progress. This reengineering of Windows 10 has so far (at least according to those who have experienced it through an emulator for developers) resulted in a sleeker look and a system that is specifically catered for dual-screen devices, such as Microsoft’s own Surface Neo and Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Fold. And by the looks of it, Windows 10X may give iPadOS a run for its money.
What you see when you boot it up While Windows 10X is indeed a new “expression” of Windows X, you won’t necessarily get tiles and a taskbar when you open it just like what you see when you turn on a device running on Windows 10. What you’ll see is a Start menu that is centered and a thicker Taskbar, which feels like the dock on iPads.
Multitasking gestures One of the current selling points of the iPadOS is making multitasking and its associated gestures easier for users. This is one area that Windows 10X also wants to also be recognized in, and so far, reviews on how multitasking can be done with it are promising.
Notifications Microsoft has reportedly made controls and notifications look better by not making it as heavy as what is currently seen on Windows 10. Although there’s been an improvement in its looks for Windows 10X, the iPadOS may still be better in not letting controls and notifications be too distracting and allowing them to be more accessible through gestures.
Apps In this regard, it is obviously iPadOS on the advantage, with its plethora of apps available in Apple’s App Store. The Windows 10X can still support Win32 apps, Univeral Windows Apps, Microsoft Store Apps, and Progressive Web Apps, but as we all know, the availability, much more the variety of apps in the Microsoft Store cannot compete with Apple’s. Finally, having all the apps working on dual-screen devices has created more issues for Windows 10X.
Now, if you’re thinking to get a dual-screen device once they are released, consider the factors we laid out for you above. If you need a new device because you ran into a problem with the hard drive of your current one, we can help. Our team of experts can assist you with hard drive problems, so reach out to us here. Is Windows 10X a Threat to iPadOS? was first published to Hard Drive Recovery Associates Blog from Hard Drive Recovery Associates - Feed Is Windows 10X a Threat to iPadOS? is republished from SimplyPSD.com Blog from https://www.simplypsd.com/2020/05/is-windows-10x-a-threat-to-ipados/ Do you still remember the time when everybody made fun of AirPods as early as when Apple teased it in late 2016? One of the most scathing and funny commentaries about it was Saturday Night Live's little skit about it, when it ridiculed the way Apple promoted these cordless earphones as the best device to jam to your favorite songs. How are you supposed to dance and jump to your heart's content when they will most likely fall out from you ear with all the movement? Fast forward to three years, AirPods and wireless earbuds have become almost ubiquitous as their wired counterparts. Everyone suddenly wants the convenience of listening to music from your smartphone without being bothered by cords getting in your way. Somehow, no one seems to be laughing at how popular AirPods are, that people want to own one despite their steep price tag. But then, as the technology is still relatively new, there are still problems users must deal with when enjoying wireless earbuds. What are these problems and are there fixes to them already? The most common problem: Lost AirPods They may not be directly related to the device itself, but then users would consider misplaced earbuds the most common problem they encounter. May it be because of an earbud popping out of the user’s ear while in use (which is actually not as common as a lot of people might think) or because it rolled over from where the user placed it last, there are a good number of solutions.
Problem pairing? Another common problem AirPod users experience is difficulty connecting the device to your iPad, iPhone, or other Mac devices. Experts advice putting them back in the charging case, let it stay there for ten seconds, then try using them again. If that doesn’t work, look deeper.
Uneven connection Another issue that’s common among AirPod users is an uneven connection. The left side may play the music while you can’t hear anything on the right. As with the pairing problem, it is advised that you put both in the charging case and try them after 10 seconds.
Continuous disconnection Of course, there's also the issue of AirPods that keep disconnecting from the device you're supposed to be listening to. Although bad Bluetooth connection is the common culprit, there may be other factors.
Audio quality As mentioned earlier, the technology behind AirPods is still relatively new. Thus, subpar audio quality may still be a problem. There are a lot of factors that can cause this problem, and you will need to look deeper into what’s causing the audio from your AirPods to not be perfect. Just this year, though, a firmware update has caused the active noise cancellation feature to adversely affect sound quality.
There may be quick fixes to problems you may encounter with your AirPod but having to deal with lost data in your laptop can be a huge challenge. Read on to know how we can help you: https://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net/laptop-data-recovery. For MacBook users, click here to better understand your options. Free Yourself From AirPod Woes is courtesy of http://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net from Hard Drive Recovery Associates - Feed The post Free Yourself From AirPod Woes was originally published on http://www.simplypsd.com/ from https://www.simplypsd.com/2020/05/free-yourself-from-airpod-woes/ With thousands (if not millions) of people getting into the digital and online economy every single day, it is not surprising to see the rise in cybercrimes as well. Scams, frauds, and hacks have victimized internet users by the thousands every year, making everyone susceptible, even those who don’t consider themselves as risky. There are victims of extortion, where cybercriminals take money or other material objects from their victims who they have coerced. Extortionists online can employ methods such as ransomware, bomb threats, and even sextortion conditions. There are also victims of phishing scams that have not only taken the form of emails but also SMS and instant messages. The scammers usually pretend to be established and legitimate business and persuade customers to make their account information updated. Of course, when updates are done, personal information is provided. Finally, there is a rise in what has been termed as love scams. In these online dating scenarios, virtual relationships blossom between a fraudster and the unsuspecting victim. Armed only with a fake profile on one or more dating sites, these scammers earn their victims’ trust and before they know it, the latter would already get swindled to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. Let’s look deeper into this and see if there are any solutions.
How do romance scams begin? Here's the deal: According to the Better Business Bureau, victims of online romance scams in the US and Canada have lost more than $1 billion. What's worse, because of embarrassment and other personal reasons, victims tend to not report these scams. As a result, cybercriminals get more emboldened, gathering more victims who they scam hundreds of dollars until everything piles up and they end up getting thousands.
Are senior citizens at the most risk? Here's an extreme case: an elderly (80 years old, to be exact) widower in Oregon lost $200,000 to an online romance scam. That's how grave these situations can go.
How romance scammers work So, how do these scammers operate? They build a pretty believe profile for themselves. However, there are tell-tale signs of a romance scammer. They are not agreeable to meet-ups even if there are no inconveniences, they almost always have physically attractive profiles, their English isn't on a native speaker level despite them claiming that they have university degrees and have traveled around the world, they want to talk in other platforms to avoid scam detection by legitimate romance apps, and they are not too keen on video chats. Scammers tend to use stock images of models, who may be styled to sell a specific product. Photos of them posing with beverages and electronics may feel staged and unnatural because indeed they are. If you already suspect something, request a family photo – they will have a hard time producing one since the model they’re impersonating may have not shot a family-themed campaign. Alternatively, they have been known to steal pictures of real people, to make themselves seem more believable. (Via: https://www.welivesecurity.com/2020/02/14/how-romance-scammers-break-your-heart-bank-account/)
A platform shift Since last year, crafty scammers have slowly shifted from online romance platforms to apps that appear to be neutral and safe, like Google Hangouts and Words With Friends. The public deems that being in such wholesome apps won't make them victims, but scammers like those in Australia are somehow always ahead of the game.
FBI offers love advice (on how to avoid online romance scams) For people looking for love and get victimized by scammers instead, the FBI offers a number of tips.
We hope that nobody falls victim to these unscrupulous activities, just like we hope for everyone to not be victimized by data recovery concerns. If you feel like you lost data, we can help you recover it. Visit us here: https://www.harddrivefailurerecovery.net/laptop-data-recovery and see how we can save you from worries of missing files. The following blog article The Case of Bad Love: Getting Scammed on Romance is republished from HDRA Blog from Hard Drive Recovery Associates - Feed The Case of Bad Love: Getting Scammed on Romance Find more on: SimplyPSD from https://www.simplypsd.com/2020/05/the-case-of-bad-love-getting-scammed-on-romance/ |
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