Shine Computer Consulting

11/03/2025

I apologize for not updating this more often. This post is very important for you to read.

In the past week I have had 5 clients who have been scammed by online predators. I hate it! Here are some tips to avoid it happening to you.

1. If you get a pop-up that says Microsoft/Dell/HP, etc. has found a problem on your computer and you need to call a number, DO NOT DO IT!! No one knows if there's a problem on your computer unless they are sitting in front of it. No matter what it says, shut down your computer. Hold the power button if you need to.

2. Never, ever pay someone with gift cards or bitcoin. These are not traceable and your bank can't help. If it is a valid business, they will take cash, check or credit card.

3. If you get an email or text that says McAfee or Norton has renewed your subscription and you know you don't use them for antivirus it's a scam. They'll use some large amount to get you to call their fake number.

4. Call your bank if you have given them any information about your accounts or cards. They can work with you.

If you need more help, call me at 651-696-1006. My hours are 10-5 Monday through Friday.

07/17/2024

I've been seeing a lot of fake profiles on Facebook recently. Many of them are adding II or ii on the end of someone's name. If you get a friend request from someone you're positive is already a friend, don't automatically accept it. Check your current friends list to see if they are already there.

After you've confirmed that it's a fake request, then go to the fake profile and click the three dots at the top. Choose report profile, then fake profile, and finally a friend. Then type your friend's name in the box. You should find them in your list because they are already a friend. Then click next and finish the report.

This is the way to help others not fall for the fake profiles.

If you need help with this, let me know. 🙂

04/04/2024

Have you been hanging on to your old computer for too long? Are you getting mad that it's so slow? Now is the time to look for a new one. Windows 10 will be retired in 2025 and Windows 12 will be coming out at the end of this year or beginning of 2025. Everyone will be looking for new computers and the prices will go up.

Give me a call so I can help you find the right computer for you. When Windows 12 comes you will be ready!!

Shine Computer Consulting - 651-695-1006 Wheatland

03/23/2024

Please be very careful when you get texts and emails that claim to be from your bank, credit card company, etc. A legitimate text would not have a URL address of cJmBKtRS.conde13.com instead it would be glacierbank.com It's critical to be aware.

12/30/2023

Do you have a Gmail, Yahoo, Microsoft (Hotmail, msn, or outlook), or AOL account? Do you know that's it's very easy to lose access to your account because you didn't fill in all the info?

I've had three people in the last 5 years lose accounts that they've had for more than 10 years because they didn't keep up with the contact info. Two were clients and the other was my stepfather. Ray had changed his cell phone number and never updated his info in Yahoo. There was no way to get his account back once he forgot his password.

A couple of weeks ago I had a client who had not put in the phone info into Gmail because she lived in the mountains and cell phone reception was spotty. We tried to log into her account to add the info, but they couldn't verify. Luckily we were still logged into her Gmail email. She left the computer with me because they were going to send an email 5 hours later to confirm her identity. Once I received that one her computer, I added both an email and a phone number to contact.

If you have an email account that is not associated with your internet service provider, make sure this info is up to date and that if your phone number changes you update it. If you don't have a second email address to use, ask a friend if you can use theirs just for confirmation emails if needed.

To update the info in Gmail, log into your email in a web browser, then click on the letter in the upper right that corresponds to your name. Then click on Manage your Google Account. Then click on Personal info on the right. You can then add or update your information. See screenshots below.

To update Microsoft info, sign into Microsoft.com and click where you see your name in the upper right corner. Choose My Microsoft Account. One the next screen choose Security at the top, then Advanced security options.

For Yahoo, click on your name at the top right, then Account Info. Once there select View account recovery options. Scroll down to the section named How we make sure it’s really you. There you can put in a cell phone and additional email.

Make this your New Year's Resolution to check that your do have the info in your account and it is up to date.

If you have any problems in updating your info, call me at 651-695-1006 M-F 10AM to 5PM and we can work on it together.

08/04/2023

I have now seen 3 posts from people on Wheatland about this scam. If someone posts in a group and does NOT allow comments, it's a scam. Whether it's a lost dog, person, or a way to make money. They do not want people to be able to let others know that it's a scam.

Please be more careful about what you pass along on Facebook. Those of us who are old enough remember the chain letters we received years ago, these are the current version of those.

If you have questions, please call or text me at 651-695-1006. 🙂

07/19/2023

Another reminder that no one who is not working on your computer knows that there is an issue. If you get a popup while online; a phone call/email from Dell, Microsoft, Norton, etc.; or a message on your screen saying you need to call a number, it is all fake!!

I received a phone call yesterday from someone who had been hacked. We are so lucky in Wheatland that the banks take care of us. She had gone to her bank to withdraw a large amount of money and they wouldn't let her. The person she was on the phone with was rude and demanding. They claimed that they had paid something on her behalf and she needed to reimburse them. She had let the person on her computer and he was actually moving her money around in an attempt to steal it. The bank would not let her withdraw the money and they are now creating all new accounts for her.

If they don't ask for money, they will ask for gift cards. NO ONE who is legitimate will ever ask you to pay in gift cards.

They prey on the fact that you are trusting and get you frazzled by saying you have to do things immediately.

If you don't already have someone you can count on for computer repair, please find someone before you have an emergency. I often get quick calls and texts from clients asking if something is legit. I don't mind because I don't like scammers.

10/29/2022

If you're having trouble logging into your email on Outlook, check out this article.

Microsoft is working on a fix for ongoing sign-in issues affecting some Outlook for Microsoft 365 customers and preventing them from accessing their accounts.

06/28/2022

I've received several calls recently from people who can't get into their email accounts because they forgot their password. I've also had a few in the last year who have lost accounts because they didn't update their security information.

Make sure you know what your email password is and that you've provided a current cell phone number for them to text you a code when you're locked out. You can also use another email account for them to email you a code. This info is usually in your security options. If you don't have this info, you will most likely lose that account because they can't prove you are the person who created the account.

Don't wait to do this, do it today! It is no fun to tell someone that they have lost an account they've had for years. Make sure your account info is up to date.

06/06/2022

Have you been receiving lots of emails about a reward or survey or surprise? I have. 52 in less than a week. They are all scams. You can tell because many of the Subject lines contain special characters.

If you get something from Home Depot and it doesn't contain homedepot.com in the return address, it is a scam. I used them as an example because I received several emails that were purportedly from them.

So what do you do with those emails? If they didn't land in your junk folder automatically, make sure you mark them as junk before you delete them or move them to junk. That way the server can better tell which emails are junk. Do not mark emails that you've requested from retailers as junk. Use the unsubscribe link.

Any questions? Give me a call. 651-695-1006.