Tag: online safety

Have you Googled yourself lately?

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Dear WAHFAQ, How can I make sure that my private info isn’t online? Thanks! You would be amazed at the amount of information that is available online. In just a few simple clicks you can find out so much information about a person including their family, where they live, and even their purchase history on Amazon or eBay. It’s creepy, so I recommend a few steps to make sure your personal information STAYS personal! First and foremost: Check all three major search engines: Google, Yahoo, and Bing. Not only the main web results, but also look through their image and Read More…

How do spammers get my email address?

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Dear WAHFAQ, I had to finally close an old email account because I was getting too much Spam. How can I prevent this from happening with my new account? I’ve already gotten a few pieces of Spam and I just don’t want it to override my account like last time! Ah yes, the everlasting quest to stay one step ahead of the spammers! Feels like a game of whack-a-mole, no? I’m not really quite sure how “Spam” got its name. Sure there’s the meat, which we’ve all (ahem) enjoyed over the years…some more than others. But Spam in the online Read More…

Why does someone from Belgium want to buy my TV?

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Dear WAHFAQ, I have started cleaning out my attic and basement and garage and selling things online through Craigslist, eBay local, and OfferUp. Recently, I’ve gotten a ton of contacts from people overseas who want to buy my things. This seems a bit odd. I’m tempted to reply, just because I want to sell my stuff, but it just seems fishy to me. Do you have any thoughts on this? Ohhh, boy. Do I have thoughts! Congrats…you are being targeted for what is commonly called an “over-payment scam.” Several years ago, I was in a similar situation to you. My Read More…