SCAMS SCAMS AND MORE SCAMS

I have written stories about my life traveling on the road, but today I have decided to change tactics and write about email scams and viruses-starting with Face Book.
I got onto my Face Book to see what my friends and family are up to and on the lower right side a message popped up stating that a friend has just tagged me in two photos.  So naturally I clicked on it to see what photo of myself was being tagged.  Come to find out it was a report card that he supposedly did of himself about his friends. 
The report card stated that I was shy.  All my friends know that isn’t true!  In no way am I shy, but rather more out spoken.  So naturally I had to let this friend know he had me pegged all wrong.

A good example of a Face Book scam!!  I blocked out the names and faces to protect the innocent….


As I’m reading FB, this friend got on and couldn’t figure out what I was talking about in responding to this report card.  Long story short-he didn’t even do this report card.  So either this friend,  me or both have just been scammed!!
Just the other day another friend put up a thing about FB starting to charge and that you needed to copy and paste that particular story to keep from getting charged.  I went to www.snopes.com and soon learned this was false.  So I try to get her from reposting this false statement.
Whenever joining a social network like Face Book or Twitter, you are at a much higher risk for scams, virus and other nasty stuff that can get into your computer.
I’m not saying don’t join the social network, but be VERY cautious about WHAT you share on these networks.  Here are some helpful tips to keep you safe while surfing on these social networks.

1. In the instance of Face Book, when joining, they ask you some personal questions like Birthday, marital status, children, ect.
   
2. You can put your birthday, DON’T put the year you were born.
   
3. You can put your significant other/spouse DON’T add your children’s name.
   
4. DON’T put your address, phone number or state of which really reside in.
   
5. Periodically go into your personal, those that have joined you as friends, will have their phone numbers listed-go in and delete the phone number!
   
6. many of my Face Book friends play games-okay-if you choose to play, just remember you are subject to many, many scams, spies, and God only knows what else!  You will probably get loaded down with junk mail in your email box.  Keep a good anti-virus protection and spyware software program going on your PC if you choose to play those games.
   
7. I also have friends that copy , paste and post many phrases, a good example of one is stating that a good friend will be there for you and if they are a true face book friend they will copy and paste on their post.  WRONG!   By copying and pasting “sayings” opens a whole can of worms-literally….So instead of copying and pasting, if it’s something that I like what they are saying, I will just simply hit the thumbs up on their posting.  More than likely a hacker started that phrase and now he’s got your number-sort of speaking.

Now there is an upside to all of this.  Social networking is a great place to communicate at one time with ALL of your family and friends.  A few years back during one of the hurricane disaster, FEMA was encouraging and trying to promote social networking like Face Book or Twitter.  During a time of disaster when phone lines are down or limited.  It’s an easy way for a person to quickly get on and say: “Hey, we are okay and safe”.  by doing this simple little step, helps keep the phone lines from jamming up and open for those that really need it-like the emergency crew.
I use Face Book to let everyone know what kind of mischief we have found ourselves in our travel.  This way all of our friends and family can keep a quick tab on us and follow us along as we adventure slowly across America.  I also post my blog web page on it as well. 
Continue enjoying your social network, but just be very, very careful who you are friends with and what information you share!