Back in the seventies when C.B.’s were all the rage everyone with a Citizens Band Radio had their own personal name or ‘handle’ as it was referred to.
In today’s modern times the computer has taken over the job that the C.B Radio had in those earlier years. So, I’m giving myself a computer ‘handle’.
Who knows this may start a new tradition for millions of computer operators.
My computer ‘handle’ is going to be “Tootsie Pop”.
Tootsie Pops are my favorite sucker and if you note the title of this blog “A Sucker Is Born Every Minute in Computer Land” I am going to admit how I have been suckered a few too many times by sinister forces out there in computer land.
I have always been a ‘special needs’ computer person. Thanks to my three adult children, grandkids and my computer repairman at Tech Plus in Morris I have been able to accomplish amazing things on this machine.
I can never duplicate my accomplishments, however, without consulting my band of computer helpers again and again and again! 🙁
Fraud is rampant on my computer. I just have trouble recognizing the fraud.
One day as I was cleaning off my mostly useless emails, I noticed a very official looking email from Frontier our telephone and Wi-Fi provider.
They stated they were redoing some of their technology apparatus and needed me to update my own information which ‘Tootsie Pops’ promptly did.
Checking in with my children I was gently reminded that I had just made my computer open to the world! I had been suckered.
Fortunately, I quickly changed my password and username, and all was well with the world. However, I have noticed that I frequently receive an official looking email from Frontier.
The fraudsters still have my email address. It’s in their ‘suckers’ file and every now and then they check me out hoping I will get careless and repeat my errors.
There was a craze on Facebook a while back urging the computer operator to open a post, complete a survey and then pick an expensive gift.
The gift was free, but I would have had to pay for the postage which would require that I reveal my credit card information.
I began to grow a little smug as I recognized I was catching on to the fraudster’s tactics. 🙂
But my author’s status became my Achilles heel. Several times I invested in a marketing scheme that was just that, a scheme! For way too much money my book would be displayed at a writer’s conference in New York or Los Angeles with hopes that it would catch the eye of a book agent or a major children’s book publishing company.
Of course, there were thousands of other books competing for the attention of agents or publishers. So, you can guess how those ventures turned out.
Then there was the time that my computer was not working correctly, and I contacted Frontier online hoping to get the problem solved.
Unable to correct the problem I noticed a phone number listed which I assumed was the phone number for Frontier my provider. However, when my call was answered a man with a very heavy Indian accent began speaking.
His first comment was, “Wow, your computer is filled with viruses!”
In no time he had taken control of my computer and began to root around inside!
The screen began to fill with images after images. What was this guy doing I wondered?
The phone number I had assumed was for Frontier help turned out to belong to some wild man in the far- off country of India!
I’m not sure what he did in my computer, but I was automatically signed up for a three- year repair contract that I didn’t want or need.
His announcement about my computer being filled with viruses alarmed me so that I panicked. In my panicked condition I gave him my credit card information.
I immediately could sense my grown children, their spouses and all the grandchildren shaking their heads in disbelief. In fact, I was doing the same thing. 🙁
I quickly unplugged my computer and raced it over to Morris and my computer man. He promptly undid what the alien had done to my computer.
And of course, there was that $400 three- year membership that I had just signed up for. After some haggling, I did get a partial refund.
The money I failed to have returned to me was a valuable experience that has made me a very suspicious, neurotic computer operator. 🙁
In fact, my stomach is upset right now after having to relive that frightening experience.
Last week I had an experience that suggested my computer skills were showing some improvements.
I have a website and of course you know that because if you are reading this blog, you are on my website. 🙂
I have my website through my publisher WestBow Press and I pay a yearly fee for them to maintain my website. When it comes due WestBow Press contacts me and I use that piece of plastic that so often gets me into trouble to pay the website renewal fee.
This week I received a very professional email addressed to Holiday Adventures for Kids (the name of my website) and it stated that my website renewal payment was due.
The email directed me to where I needed to click and make payment for my website renewal.
Then an amazing thing happened. For some reason I grew suspicious of the authenticity of the email. I read if over carefully a second time.
Everything was accurate about me and the website information. So why did I feel so uneasy?
Was I finally getting computer savvy?
“Just to be sure,” I told myself, “You had better call WestBow Press and check the accuracy of the WestBow Press email.”
Upon speaking with the website coordinator, I discovered that my website payment was not due.
I had foiled a fraud!
Plus, I had alerted WestBow Press of the fraud saving all of their other website subscribers from making renewal payments to a scammer.
I’m expecting a thank you any day now from WestBow. Perhaps a free year’s website subscription will be forthcoming!
Finally, I will gain respect from my grown children, their spouses and all eight of the grandkids.! 🙂
Life is good.
Until next time.
