Technology Tips: March 2023 Edition

#Tips

Skyward IT Services

by Skyward IT Services

Skyward IT Services Network and Infrastructure Security Specialists

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Beware online job scams

Picture this: You’ve found your dream work-from-home job opportunity after an easy application process and communicating with a friendly HR staff member. After your interview, the district or organization sends you a letter congratulating you on your new role and asks you to send over your bank account information so they can deposit money for you to purchase equipment for your home office. But then, you notice that someone has withdrawn funds. You realize you were scammed by a fake company, have no dream job, and your money is gone.

Sophisticated scams like this are on the rise, and they can happen to anyone. Here are a few tips to help keep you safe on the job hunt and out of reach of prying scammers.

Make sure the job posting is on the district or organization’s job page and not just on a site like LinkedIn or Indeed.
Are you communicating with HR staff through text, or are they sending emails through insecure accounts like Yahoo and Gmail? These are signs that they are not from the actual HR team.
If they need you to send your bank or credit card information, this is a red flag.
Be wary of interviews that are conducted through Telegram, WhatsApp, Google Hangouts, or other free platforms.
Make sure to do a thorough search of the potential employer. Look for them on Glassdoor, Google reviews, and LinkedIn.
If they do send you funds, wait for the check or bank draft to clear before withdrawing them.
Finally, if it seems too good to be true (“unlimited earning potential,” “quick money”) it probably is.

If you do fall victim to this scam, immediately contact your bank, credit card company (including Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion), police (if it was a local scam), and the US government.

Alexa: Change your name

Has Alexa caused confusion in your household? Those with the name Alexa (or Alexis, or Alex, or anyone whose name contains similar syllables) can rejoice and change their Amazon Echo or Echo Dot to respond to another name.

Open the Amazon Alexa app on your iOS or Android, or go to alexa.amazon.com. Expand the menu in the upper left and select Settings in the side menu. Select Devices, then Echo & Alexa. Click on your device, then select Edit Name. If you have multiple Echo Dots in your home, you’ll want to change their wake words to be the same to eliminate confusion or lack of response.

Hybrid workplace hack: Bluetooth accessories

If you’re moving from office to office or building to building during a typical workday and use Bluetooth accessories, save yourself the hassle of errant messages or other embarrassing mishaps. Toggle off your Bluetooth before you’re in transit. One click vs. many.

Malware of the month

It’s a big month for basketball fans, and hackers are taking advantage. NBA fans have been notified following a data breach of a third-party communication service the global organization uses. The criminals created copies of names and email addresses of some of its fans. The number of individuals affected and the scope of the impact are not yet known. The NBA has launched an investigation and employed external cybersecurity experts.

This type of hack reinforces the need for absolute confidence in your vendor partnerships.