|
Welcome to this week's edition of the Computer Kindergarten Newsletter.
Today is Sunday, December 9, 2007
To all of our friends, we wish you a very Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Holidays, and a happy, healthy and peaceful New Year.
From all of us at Sharper Training Solutions - Ceil, Liv, Kristin, Francine, Angela, Nichole, Debra, Lisa, Marian, Nicole, Margaret and Mary
In this Issue:
Special Feature: Holiday Scams to Watch for This Season
Tips & Tricks: Keyboard Shortcut – Insert Today’s Date in Microsoft Excel
Question: Printing Address Labels for Holiday Cards
This Week's Topic: Email on Multiple Computers
Tips & Tricks: Electronics Buying Guides
Question: Deleting Cookies in Internet Explorer 7
Websites of Interest: Green Christmas; Eating Healthy; Beatles Lyrics Archive
We will not be publishing this newsletter for the next three weekends so we can celebrate the holidays with our families and friends. See you in 2008!
Please visit our website for holiday information and history, greetings, fun, graphics, recipes and much more:
Merry Christmas!
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/christmas.html
Happy Hanukkah!
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/hanukkah.html
Happy Kwanzaa!
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/kwanzaa.html
Happy New Year!
http://computerkindergarten.com/html/newyears.html
**************************************************************
Special Feature: Holiday Scams to Watch for This Season
The following is from scambusters.org
As the Christmas shopping season shifts into high gear, take time to think carefully before making your purchases and any charitable donations.
Although scammers are always prowling for victims with the following scams, consumers are especially vulnerable during the holidays. With so much to do, many otherwise cautious people let their guards down.
Con artists are ready to exploit busy, distracted shoppers -- some desperate to buy popular gift items. They're also ready to "ramp up" their emotional appeals when posing as representatives of real (or real-sounding) charities.
We believe the following 5 Christmas Scams will dominate the 2007 Christmas season. However, if you use common sense and take our advice, the Grinch won't have a chance of stealing YOUR Christmas.
Top 5 Christmas Season Scams
1. Fly-By-Night Web Merchants. Each holiday season features THE gift -- an item so "hot" that many store shelves are quickly emptied, causing people to literally lose their minds in an effort to buy it.
To exploit scarcity, scammers set up websites offering this product, as do dishonest online auction sellers.
After raking in the money, the scammers shut down their "stores" and disappear. If you're "lucky," you are simply left with no gift item. If you're unlucky, you are further victimized by a ...
2. Phishing Scam, run by someone who will use your credit card information to charge more products and services to your account and/or sell the information to identity thieves.
In most cases, however, phishing scammers launch websites that look nearly identical to those of larger, reputable merchants -- not unknown companies.
Typically, you're contacted by email with a tempting offer or dire warning, and then directed to click on a link, which takes you to a fake website. Once there, you're told to enter personal and financial information wanted by the thieves.
You can find out more about phishing scams here.
http://www.scambusters.org/phishing.html
Safety Tips: To avoid falling prey to either Christmas scam #1 or #2:
-- Shop only with reputable merchants, preferably ones you've used before.
-- Confirm that the website actually BELONGS to that merchant. Don't click on links in unsolicited emails. Type in the URL yourself.
-- Use a credit card, not your debit card. Even if you never get the merchandise, credit cards aren't directly linked to your bank account, and you're also not responsible for more than $50 in fraudulent charges.
-- If possible, use one-time use credit card numbers, called "controlled payment numbers" or "virtual account numbers," for your online purchases. We've talked about these before (see #4 about a third of the way down the page). Bank of America also offers these now (they call it ShopSafe). We personally use these special credit card numbers all the time -- it's much safer.
http://www.scambusters.org/mastercard.html
3. Charity Scams. Scammers may pose as representatives of charitable organizations that are real (or merely sound real). At this time of year, their emotionally-charged appeals are more likely to strike "pay dirt" with normally savvy people.
We recently reported a new email phishing scam that's soliciting donations to help victims of the California wildfires.
http://www.scambusters.org/travelcard.html
You can be sure that other scams will soon be asking for donations to this cause and many others. The scams may involve nationally recognized charities aiding well-known causes, or local groups handling problems closer to home.
Safety Tips: Whether you're approached by email, telephone or in person, be VERY wary of high-pressure, donate NOW pitches.
Avoid "charities" whose representatives won't answer reasonable questions, such as (specifically) how the money will be spent.
And NEVER give cash or supply credit card information via email or phone. Don't write checks payable to an individual solicitor. If you've never heard of an organization, confirm for yourself that it's real.
You can find 9 tips to help you avoid charity scams here.
http://www.scambusters.org/charities.html
4. Gift Card Scams. Nearly every major retailer offers gift cards, many of which hang on racks at checkout counters. Today, most cards are protected by scratch-off security codes and protective packaging to prevent information theft.
If cards are not protected, however, scammers can write down the numbers while the cards are on display, and then call an 800 number to learn when the cards have been activated.
After that, stealing is as simple as rushing to the merchant and making purchases before the REAL cardholder gets there.
Safety Tips: Purchase gift cards online, if possible. Or, only buy the cards from retailers when they're kept behind registers or available upon request.
Check out our Special Issue on "New Gift Card Scams: 8 Tips to Protect Yourself."
http://www.scambusters.org/giftcard.html
5. Holiday E-Card Scams. You may receive an email from an unnamed "relative," "neighbor," or "friend" who has supposedly sent you an e-card that can be viewed by clicking on a link.
Clicking on that link, however, may unleash anything from spyware and pop-up ads to viruses and Trojans. In some cases, nothing bad happens until you first download software from the e-card website. (The software is supposedly needed to "run" your e-card.)
Sometimes, unwanted or malicious software is downloaded to your computer with your permission -- after you agree to certain "fine-print" terms and conditions, usually without reading them.
Safety Tips: If there's any doubt about an e-card's authenticity, don't click on any links inside.
Delete e-cards from people you don't know without opening or reading them, and never click to accept terms from any company without actually reading the fine print.
Most important, install antivirus and anti-spyware software and keep it up to date.
You can find a lot more information on e-card scams here.
http://www.scambusters.org/ecardscams.html
When it comes to any type of scam -- at any time of year -- we suggest you trust your instincts. If something doesn't feel right, do more homework or buy from another vendor.
Here's hoping you have a happy and scam-free Christmas season!
**************************************************************
Tips & Tricks: Keyboard Shortcut – Insert Today’s Date in Microsoft Excel
Question: Your tip last week on inserting the current date into Word was helpful. I use Excel a lot but it doesn’t work in there. Do you know of an Excel command for inserting today’s date?
Answer:
Yes, Excel has a function to put today’s date into a cell. Type the following into the cell where you want the date:
=today()
Note: that is a left and right parenthesis with no space in between.
To read last week’s article, please visit our Newsletter Archives online:
Tips & Tricks: Keyboard Shortcut – Insert Today’s Date in Microsoft Word
http://www.computerkindergarten.com/html/120207.html
**************************************************************
Question: Printing Address Labels for Holiday Cards
I would like to print labels for my holiday cards this year. Could you tell me how to do this? Thank you.
Answer:
You can use your word processing program to create mailing labels for your holiday cards and newsletters. Following are the steps for Microsoft Word and Microsoft Works.
Microsoft Word
To set up the labels, click on Tools on the menu bar, then Envelopes and Labels. (Depending on your version of Word, you may have to click Tools, Letters and Mailings, Envelopes and Labels). Click the Label tab at the top of the dialog box. Click the Options button where you will choose the product type.
You'll find the Avery Standard number on the box of labels. Scroll down (or up) in the Product number area and click on the number for your labels. Click OK.
Click the New Document button, which will create a new page. In it you'll see gray lines representing labels. Type the first label. Press the tab key to move to the next label. Continue typing all labels.
To print, insert the label paper into the printer. Since all printers are different, you may want to print a test copy to determine direction the paper goes in.
Click File on the menu, then Print. Click the OK button.
Microsoft Works
Click Tools on the menu, then Labels. Choose Multi-entry labels; click the OK button.
Choose the Avery Standard number for your labels. Click the New Document button.
This will create a new page. In it you'll see gray lines representing labels. Type the first label. Press the tab key to move to the next label. Continue typing all labels.
To print, insert the label paper into the printer. Since all printers are different, you may want to print a test copy to determine direction the paper goes in.
Click File on the menu, then Print. Click the OK button.
To print labels from an existing address book, use Microsoft Word's mail merge function. For specific directions on this, please visit our website:
http://stsico.com/html/merge.html
**************************************************************
Today's Topic: Email on Multiple Computers
Question: My wife and I each have our own computer but we use the same email address on Outlook Express. If I open an email first on my computer, she does not receive that email. The same thing happens if she opens an email first. Since these are usually emails from our children and grandchildren, we would both like to read these emails. Can we change the settings so we both get all emails?
Answer:
Yes, you can change the settings.
First of all, here is the reason this is happening. When you receive an email, it stays on your Internet Service Provider’s computer, called the server, until you open the email. Once you open it, it goes to your computer and is erased from the server. So the second person who checks the email does will not see the ones that have already been read.
You can change the settings so that the emails can be checked and remain on the server until you tell Outlook to delete them. You will have to do this on both of your computers. Here are the steps:
Open Outlook Express. Click Tools on the menu and then click Accounts
In the window that is now open on your screen, click the Mail tab at the top and then click on your mail account. Click the Properties button to the right of the account.
In the mail properties window, click the Advanced tab at the top.
On the advanced page, look for the Delivery section. Click to put a check mark next to Leave a copy of messages on Server.
Click the OK button. You will have to do these same steps on the other computer.
Once you change these settings, you and your wife will both receive all emails. When you are done reading an email, you can delete it as usual.
**************************************************************
Tips & Tricks: Electronics Buying Guides
If you are thinking about buying electronic gifts this holiday season, and do not know where to start, here are some websites that you can visit for information and assistance.
From about.com, How to Buy a Digital Camera
http://tinyurl.com/4xhwv
From pcworld.com, How to Buy a Desktop PC
http://tinyurl.com/2llpe2
From laptopadvisor.com, Laptop Reviews & Buying Guide
http://www.laptopadvisor.com
From ehow.com, How to Buy an MP3 Player
http://tinyurl.com/onrsw
From about.com, Before You Buy an iPod
http://tinyurl.com/3aykro
**************************************************************
Question: Deleting Cookies in Internet Explorer 7
My new computer has Internet Explorer 7. I am usually pretty good at keeping the cookies cleaned out but I can not figure out how to do this in IE7. please help.
Answer:
It is a little different; here are the steps:
Click on the Start button (or Start Orb, if you are using Windows Vista). Open Control Panel. Open Internet Options. (If you do not see Internet Options, click Classic View on the left).
In the window that now appears on your screen, click the General tab at the top. In the Browsing history area, click the Delete button.
The Delete Browsing History window will open. In the Cookies area, click the Delete cookies button. A small window will open asking you if you are sure you want to delete all cookies. Click the Yes button.
This will delete all the cookies on your computer. Click the Close and OK buttons to close the open Control Panel windows.
To learn more about Cookies, please visit our Newsletter Archives:
http://www.computerkindergarten.com/html/071507.html
**************************************************************
Websites of Interest:
Green Christmas
This website offers tips on how you can celebrate in an environmentally responsible style with eco-friendly gifts, recycling, and reusing.
http://tinyurl.com/35k84d
Eating Healthy
Take a look at this website for a list of the World's Healthiest Foods and some tips for eating healthy.
http://whfoods.org/foodstoc.php
Beatles Lyrics Archive
Do you like the Beatles? This website is an amazing resource containing lyrics from almost every song written by the Beatles.
http://www.beatleslyricsarchive.com/ |
|
