Who's Out To get You Now?!

Ever get the feeling every company you’re associated with is trying to screw you out of every penny they can get off you?!

Here are some nuggets of information I have experienced /been e-mailed in the past and want to share with you.

Add your topics for discussion below:

Keep Your Contact Details Private!...
Just had my yearly “Registration to Vote” letter through the door & I’m sure you’ll all be getting yours soon, if you haven’t already got it!

Remember to tick the box for “Exclude me from the edited Register” box on the far right in order to help stop potential ID fraud & nuisance telephone calls from sales people - as anybody can buy the edited register & call you through it.

Once on the Edited Register you can find your address & telephone number on the internet in numerous places... starting with www.192.com Do a name search & see if you’re already there now.

So check this out now! & make sure you tick that box. If you do not have the leaflet “Who has my personal details” - Right click over the pictures below & “Save Target As” - & also have a look at the Electoral Commision’s website here http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/pcsearch/EntryPage.cfm?CFID=199077&CFTOKEN=14053687 ).

Help decrease unwanted mail & faxes (and help also cut paper waste in the process) & phone calls by also signing yourself up to the following government agencies:

Mailing Preference Service http://www.aboutmyvote.co.uk/pcsearch/EntryPage.cfm?CFID=199077&CFTOKEN=14053687
Fax Preference Service http://www.fpsonline.org.uk/fps/
Telephone Preference Service http://www.tpsonline.org.uk/tps/


Doctors... Stop Yourself Being An Easy Target To Be Tracked Down (by your patients!)...
Check with https://webcache.gmc-uk.org/mygmc/home.do (or phone 0131 240 6410) to see which address you have registered (it is usually the one you get sent magazine from by them).

If it is your home address know that this is accessible by the public (and potential psychos if you’re doing A+E) by simply phoning them up and quoting your name (or GMC no. which is also freely available on the net). See for yourself. Change it to your work address now. This is potentially also quite a good way of tracking down someone from Uni / you used to work with. Find out their address & if they failed to tick a box on their Electoral Registration letter - you could punch their name & town into www.192.com & hey presto...


ID Fraud
I know personally of about 3 folk who have been the subject of identity fraud. Check out the following company which numerous banks are now offering you the chance to join (before they take a commission of course!) - so I suggest joining it yourself. www.experian.co.uk They sms / e-mail / call you if anyone is trying to access your credit rating and they also give you full access to your present credit rating so you can check what’s been happening with all of your information. Will post more once I get access to it (they send you your pin number to access your details in the post)


How safe is the computer you’re using?
Knowing that these are freely available for $99 will seriously make me think twice about using a computer in an internet cafe!
http://www.shomer-tec.com/site/product.cfm?id=99883AE8-C78E-8270-7752CB3593221CEB

Simple Advice when using a public computer
Once you’ve finished using the internet - log out of your e-mail then:
Press “Tools”
Press “Internet Options”
Press the following 3 buttons:
1. Delete Cookies
2. Delete Files
3. Delete History
That way - noone should be able to go on after you and see
a) what you’ve been looking at
b) your e-mail - as sometimes you can log straight in to someone else’s e-mail in this way if these steps are not followed on a public computer. You have been warned!


Mobile scams:
If you receive a phone call on your mobile from any person, saying that, he or she is a company engineer, or telling that they're checking your mobile line, and you have to press #90 or #09 or any other number. End this call immediately without pressing any numbers. There is a fraud company using a device that once you press #90 or #09 they can access your "SIM card and make calls at your expense. Forward this message to as many colleagues, relatives and friends as you can, to stop it.

Cheeky bastards! But not as cheeky as the random who called me to sell something. I asked him who his company was as he was asking if I had a mobile... "Shut up" he said. "I'm the one paying for this call."


You’ve just lost your mobile phone / had it nicked...
To check your Mobile phone's serial number (IMEI No.), key in the following on your phone: STAR HASH ZERO SIX HASH as (*#06#) A 15 digit code will appear on the screen. This number is unique to your handset. Write it down and keep it somewhere safe/e-mail it to yourself - along with your service providers phone no.

Should your phone get stolen, you can phone your service provider and give them this code. They will then be able to block your handset so even if the thief changes the Sim card your phone will be totally useless. At least you know that the bastard who stole it, can't use/sell it either. And mind you normally have 24 hours to report it to the police to be able to claim it on your insurance.


Transaction Charges
I have been being a bit blasé recently when it came to using my credit card / switch (Royal Bank of Scotland) for transactions abroad… until now. Was to start using travellers cheques etc. but not even they are free of extraordinarily shite rates (especially if they are in GBP and not Euros) when I can instead of taking lump sums out of the ATM. Esp. when you’re charged £9 for taking out EU250! Marks and Spencers have the best High Street exchange rates for cash and cheques

SWITCH
ATM withdrawal:
2.25% of transaction amount (no minimum – max £4) + 2.65% ERTF (Exchange Rate Transaction Fee)

Point of Sale (POS): Maestro only:
75p transaction charge + 2.65% ERTF (Exchange Rate Transaction Fee)


Real or Fake?! (Websites that is! Spot them straight away...)


Good advice from PayPal:
https://www.paypal.com/uk/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=xpt/general/SecuritySpoof-outside

You learn something new every day. I never looked for this before - but just might from now on:

The term "https" should always precede any website address where you enter personal information. The "s" stands for secure. If you don't see "https," you're not in a secure web session, and you should not enter data.

PS And the picture...
Go to
http://www.net-resort.com/entertaimentportal/quiz-land/funny-quizzes/boobs-quiz.htm
to see what your skills are like in that department!