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Scam Warning
– Fraudulent Rental Property Postings
The Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) recently
issued an alert after receiving many complaints from victims of rental
property scams. The common theme in these scams is fraudsters using the
Internet to try and capitalize on the desperation of people needing to
find affordable rental property within a short amount of time.
Here's a typical scenario: You're searching online (on Craig's
List or elsewhere) and come across an ad about a rental home in a great
area at a great price. It appears to be legitimate so you start
communicating with the "owner" by email. You're told the place is yours if
you wire money to cover an application fee, security deposit, first
month's rent, etc. You wire the money and then never hear from the "owner"
again.
How does this happen? Scammers hijack legitimate home
listings including the photos, change the contact information, and then
list the modified ads on another site. Or they make up listings for places
that aren't for rent or don't even exist.
Take these precautions
to avoid becoming a victim:
- If the rental price sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Research average rental rates for similar properties in the area.
- If you're communicating by email, check for common red flags like
poor grammar, misspellings, character/spacing mistakes, and excessive
capitalization.
- Be suspicious if there seems to be an unusually strong sense of
urgency to rent the property quickly or if the person insists on
communicating only by email.
- It's a red flag when the person says he/she currently lives overseas
or is out of the country on business. Scammers often tell victims this
to explain why they can't meet in person.
- Never send money to anyone you haven't met or don't already know and
trust.
- Do your homework online. Search the rental address, the landlord's
name, and any contact information used in the posting before you
proceed.
- Do not fill out a detailed rental application and return it to an
unknown person either by email or postal mail. You put yourself at risk
for identity theft.
Please be careful out there! You don't want
that "home sweet home" to turn sour.
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NCKCN
NextGen® Wireless Special Continuing by Demand
We've had such great success
with our new 4G WiMax fixed wireless, that we are extending the free
installation and equipment special until August! If you live within 10 to
15 miles of Beloit, Belleville or Lincoln, NCKCN's WiMax wireless
Internet could be the answer for you. Super Fast Fixed Wireless for
Internet, running your business, watching games, streaming movies, on-line
gaming and more. True broadband speeds, the fastest available ; no usage
limits, quick installation and all from a local company, the original
Internet Provider in North Central Kansas. Sign up by August 1st 2012, and
receive free account setup, free installation and have your equipment fees
waived. Switching couldn't be easier!
If you like fast Internet,
call NCKCN today at 785-738-2218. Or go to online here and sign
up today.
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Two To View
– A Couple Of Amazing Videos You Don't Want To Miss
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Oh Baby! This Boy Is
Strong! At just 9-10 months of age, baby Jonas is already
displaying an impressive combination of upper-body strength and
determination. Take a look as he does chin-ups on the edge of the
desk in order to try and see what's playing on the computer screen.
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Delightful Dog Duo
Dining With a little help from four human hands, two dogs
enjoy a meal at a busy restaurant. You can't help but smile as you
watch them politely dab their mouths with napkins, eat from china
bowls using silverware, and interact with each other and the
waitress. |
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This Month's
FAQ – How Can I Tell If My Computer Might Be Infected With
Malware?
Question: Lately, my computer has been acting
strangely and I'm concerned that something is wrong. Is there a way to
tell if it's infected with malware?
Answer: There are
common warning signs (listed below) of the presence of malware and if your
computer is exhibiting them, it could very well be infected. Keep in mind,
however, that some of these symptoms could be caused by other reasons; for
example, slow performance could be due to insufficient hard drive space.
A sudden change in how your computer is running is often the
result of malware. Watch for the following signs:
- Slowness - Your computer suddenly takes much longer than
before to run programs, access files or the Internet, or even shut down.
- Freezes - Your computer frequently seizes up or you can't
leave websites or close your Web browser.
- Frequent pop-up messages - Be especially vigilant if these
are warnings that you need to purchase software to remedy a security
threat. (The software is generally fake.)
- New browser homepage – Malware, once installed on your
system, can change browser settings without your knowledge. A sign of
this is an unexpected change in your browser homepage to a site you
typically don't visit.
- Mysterious messages - Your friends and family receive email
messages from your account but you didn't send them. Or they notice
status updates on Facebook or Twitter that couldn't possibly have been
posted by you.
- Automatic start-ups - Familiar programs on your computer (or
ones you didn't know were there) start unexpectedly or you're randomly
connected to unknown websites.
Remember, prevention is always
better than cure when it comes to malware so make sure you keep your
computer's security software updated. Please contact us if you need
additional information or recommendations.
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Sites Of The
Month – Great Sites To Check Out In June
Fresh Recipes For Summer food.com/recipes/summer – What's
on the menu for your family this summer? If it's backyard
entertaining, picnics in the park, and shopping at farmers' markets,
you'll find new recipes here to fit the bill perfectly. Try the
Chipotle Taco Burger, Creamy Corned Zucchini and Peppers, Greek
Salad Skewers, or Frozen Cappuccino Bars.
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Learn About Teen Challenges notmykid.org – The
challenges kids and families face today are complex and have the
potential to devastate lives and derail futures. This site provides
facts and resources on topics including substance abuse, depression,
eating disorders, safe dating, bullying, and Internet safety. Learn
the warning signs and find out how to take action to help your
child. |
History Meets Mystery mysteriousplaces.com – Who
made the head statues on Easter Island? How was Stonehenge
constructed? Why did the Mayans build pyramids? You can explore
sacred sites and ancient civilizations around the world by visiting
this site. If you want an even closer look, check out the travel
information to help plan trips to these exotic destinations.
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Keep Caring For Your Car carcare.org – To keep your
car safe, dependable, and on the road longer, you need to keep up
with recommended maintenance. This site can help by building a
service schedule for your car when you enter the make and model. You
can even have service reminders emailed to you. Also, be sure to
check out the "Ask the Tech" and DIY sections.
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Civil War 150th Anniversary nps.gov/civilwar – Although
150 years in the past, the Civil War's causes and consequences still
reverberate today. This new website from the National Park Service
features an impressive collection of Civil War stories, photos, and
illustrations as well as a timeline and map of battles. You can even
get a firsthand account on Twitter by following @CivilWarReportr.
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Short
Tutorial – Changing The Default Search Engine On Your
Browser
Are you searching for a new
twist to your computer routine? Perhaps changing your default search
engine would do the trick. While Google remains number one in the search
engine rankings, you may want to start regularly using one of the other
popular options such as Bing, Yahoo! Search, or Ask. Simply follow the
steps below for your browser and operating system.
Changing The Default Search Engine In The
Search Bar When Using... Internet Browser: Internet Explorer
8 Computer Operating System: Windows XP, Windows Vista,
and Windows 7 |
- With Internet Explorer open, click your cursor arrow on the down
arrow on the right side of the Search Bar (to the right of the
magnifying glass) and select "Add" from the resulting drop-down menu.
- When the Manage Add-ons window opens, make sure "Search Providers"
is selected and then click on the search provider of your choice. If you
don't see your favorite search engine on the list, choose "Find More
Search Providers" from the bottom of the window.
- Once you have chosen the new search provider, click the "Set as
default" button and your new selection will be labeled "Default" in the
"Status" field.
- Click the "Close" button to save your changes and close the Manage
Add-ons window. The Search Bar will now show the name of your new search
provider.
Changing The Default Search Engine In The
Search Bar When Using... Internet Browser: Internet Explorer
9 Computer Operating System: Windows Vista and Windows 7
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- With Internet Explorer open, click your cursor arrow on the down
arrow on the right side of the Search Bar (to the right of the
magnifying glass) and select the icon of the search provider you prefer
from the bottom of the drop-down menu.
- If you do not see the icon of the search provider you prefer, click
on the "Add" icon from the bottom-right of the drop-down menu.
- When the Manage Add-ons window opens, make sure "Search Providers"
is selected and then click on the search provider of your choice. If you
don't see your favorite search engine on the list, try sorting the list
by selecting "most popular" from the top of the list.
- Once you have chosen the new search provider, click the "Add to
Internet Explorer" button. You will have the option to make this your
default search provider in the resulting pop-up window.
- Click the "Add" button to save your choice. The icon of your newly
added search provider will now be available in the search drop-down menu
described in step 1.
Changing The Default Search Engine In The
Search Bar When Using... Internet Browser: Mozilla
Firefox* Computer Operating System: Windows XP, Windows
Vista, Windows 7, and Mac OS X |
- With Firefox open, click your cursor arrow on the down arrow on the
left side of the Search Bar field and select one of the other search
engine options from the resulting drop-down menu. If you don't see your
favorite search engine in the list, choose "Manage Search Engines" to
add even more.
Changing The Default Search Engine In The
Search Bar When Using... Internet Browser: Google
Chrome* Computer Operating System: Windows XP, Windows
Vista, Windows 7, and Mac OS X |
- With Chrome open, click your cursor arrow on the icon that looks
like a wrench in the far right corner of the screen and select
"Settings" from the resulting drop-down menu.
- The Basics window will open. In the "Search:" section, click on the
down arrow to display other search engine options. Select the one that
you would like to make as the default. If you don't see your favorite
search engine in the list, choose "Manage Search Engines" to add even
more.
- Close the tab to finalize your changes.
Changing The Default Search Engine In The
Search Bar When Using... Internet Browser:
Safari* Computer Operating System: Windows XP, Windows
Vista, Windows 7, and Mac OS |
- With Safari open, click your cursor arrow on the down arrow on the
left side of the Search Bar field (to the right of the magnifying glass)
and select one of the other search engine options from the resulting
drop-down menu.
- Alternatively, you can manage your default search engine on the
"General" tab of the Safari Preferences accessed through the top Safari
menu.
* Tutorial written for the latest non-beta version of
the browser available at publishing time.
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We hope you found this
newsletter to be informative. It's our way of keeping you posted on the
happenings here. If, however, you'd prefer not to receive these bulletins,
click here.
Thanks for your business!
Thank You
The Staff at
NCKCN
NCKCN -
North Central Kansas Community Network 109 North Mill Beloit, KS
67420
785-738-2218
©2012 Cornerstone Publishing
Group Inc.
Trademarks: All brand names and product names used in
this eNewsletter are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered
trademarks of their respective owners.
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