Link to Randolph Telephone Membership Corporation
 

Inside This Issue

Warning!
Frequent Phishing Attacks On Facebook

Back To School And Wireless Specials Heating Things Up In August

Ask The Help Desk
What Are Web Bugs And How Do They Differ From Cookies?

Sites Of The Month
Great Sites To Check Out In August

Short Tutorial
Creating A New E-mail Folder



   

Greetings Randolph Telephone Internet Subscribers

We hope you're enjoying these last weeks of summer and that this August issue is helpful to you. It begins with a look at the recent phishing attacks on Facebook and what to watch for on this popular social networking site. Then you'll find a discussion of bugs (but not the ants or mosquitoes that bother you at barbeques). Our topic is actually Web bugs and we explain what they are and why they're used. You'll also learn how to create folders to store your e-mails more efficiently. Finally, wander through Great Sites for printable coupons to use at the grocery store, inspiration from Julia Child to use in the kitchen, and family travel tips to use on the road.

The goal of each of our monthly eNewsletters is to keep our subscribers informed regarding their Internet connection and to improve their Internet experience. We think you'll find this information interesting. If, however, you'd prefer not to receive these bulletins on a monthly basis, click here.

To see what's inside this issue, simply scroll down the eNewsletter or click on the links within the index to the left. Thanks for reading!

- The Atomic Techs
 
  
 

 

Warning! - Frequent Phishing Attacks On Facebook

Facebook is the fastest growing social networking website in the world with a million new users weekly and more than 200 million in all. It's also a popular target for phishing attacks that are popping up with regular frequency. Why Facebook? Because as a social networking site, click-through rates on messages from friends are always going to be high, even if the contents of the message are somewhat out of the ordinary. Spammers know this and are taking advantage of the trusting environment. For example, Facebook users have been getting messages that appear to come from friends with "hello" in the subject line and links inviting them to check out sites with unusual URLs like "areps.at," "kirgo.at" and "bests.at.'' If you log into one of the sites, scammers take your e-mail address and password, and then send the same URL to all your friends. Take a look at one of the "areps.at" messages here:

Facebook Scam

Since many Facebook users use the same passwords across a variety of sites, a successful phishing scammer could potentially gain illegal access to their accounts on other sites such as Web-based e-mail. That paves the way for still more attacks, as phishers can then use victims' hijacked e-mail accounts to compromise other websites and spread more messages containing malicious links.

To combat these threats, Facebook recommends the following:
  • Use an up-to-date browser that features an anti-phishing black list, such as Internet Explorer 8 or Firefox 3.0.10.

  • Use unique logins and passwords for each of the websites you use.

  • Check to see that you're logging in from a legitimate Facebook page with the facebook.com domain.

  • Be cautious of any message, post, or link you find on Facebook that looks suspicious or requires an additional login.

  • Become a fan of the Facebook Security Page for more updates on new threats as well as helpful information on how to protect yourself online.

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Back To School And Wireless Specials Heating Things Up In August

Back to School Ad


Back to School - Do they have everything they need to succeed?

Get DSL with free installation in August and we'll give you 6 Months of SecureIT Computer Protection FREE! Today's classroom requires a lot more than pencils and paper to get your student ahead of the class. Help your child get the most out of their education by giving them the tools they need to research at home.

SecureIT not only serves as an anti-virus software, but can also be set up with parental controls to help protect your prize student from sites or content you choose to block. It also automatically downloads Microsoft patch updates to keep your computer running at its best and to protect it from hackers. Order DSL today, and we'll also give you a Free Flash Drive Bracelet to backup homework or transport files easily from school to your home computer! Call 879-5684 to take advantage of this special offer.

*Offer only applies to new DSL Regular plans or higher with a 2-year agreement. DSL Lite is excluded. Free self-installation available for SecureIT. SecureIT is regularly $4.95 per month. Flash Drive Bracelets only available while supplies last. Offers expires 8/31/09. Other restrictions may apply.

Wireless Special Ad


Sizzling Summer Savings at Randolph Wireless

Get free activation on all cell phones in stock and a $50 Visa Gift Card when you purchase a Blackberry from Randolph Wireless! Offer expires August 31st, so hurry in so you don't miss the hottest deals of the summer! Randolph Wireless is located at all three Randolph Telephone locations at The Specialty Shops ~ Hwy 42 in Asheboro, Old Cox Rd. in Asheboro, and West Swannanoa Ave. in Liberty.

*Offer requires a 2-year agreement with any phone purchase. Other restrictions may apply.

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Ask The Help Desk - What Are Web Bugs And How Do They Differ From Cookies?

Question: Should I be concerned about Web bugs? What are they exactly, and how do they differ from cookies?

Answer: A Web bug (also known as a Web beacon, tracking bug, and 1 x 1 GIF) is a small image file, generally one pixel by one pixel in size. They are a widely used technique by website operators and online advertisers to track how many people are reading each page on a website or opening a particular e-mail. Like cookies, Web bugs are electronic tags. But Web bugs are invisible on the page and are much smaller than cookies—about the size of the period at the end of this sentence.

Web Bug Generally speaking, Web bugs pose little risk to users and are simply used to collect statistics that help companies gauge interest in their online content so they can more successfully deliver what visitors want. Anti-cookie filters won't catch Web bugs. And keep in mind that while most modern browsers allow users to decide whether to accept cookies, rejecting cookies makes some websites unusable. For example, shopping carts or login systems implemented using cookies do not work if cookies are disabled.

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Sites Of The Month - Great Sites To Check Out In August

Cooking With Julia Child
http://pbs.org/juliachild/video.html - The movie Julie & Julia hits theaters this month, featuring the true story of popular TV chef and author, Julia Child. It's a great time to enjoy Julia Child's one-of-a-kind cooking style and easy kitchen spirit again, which you can do at this PBS site. It features a fully searchable database of Julia Child programming including videos of "Baking With Julia," "Cooking In Concert," "Cooking With Master Chefs," and "In Julia's Kitchen With Master Chefs." Bon appétit!

Answers To Burning Questions
http://smokeybear.com - Smokey Bear celebrates his 65th birthday (and a long career in spreading the word about wildfire prevention) in August. Visit this site to learn how to safely build a campfire; understand the fire triangle of heat, fuel, and oxygen; and see a map of current U.S. wildfires. You can also take a trip down memory lane and view Smokey Bear campaigns from past decades.

Body Of Knowledge
http://medtropolis.com/vbody.aspx - Sure, you know the basics. But there's probably much you could still learn about the brain, skeleton, heart, and digestive track. Here you'll find a virtual body map with narrated tours. Test your knowledge with games like building a skeleton or organizing your organs. It won't lead to a medical degree—just a better understanding of human anatomy.

Are We There Yet?
http://wejustgotback.com - This site describes itself as "travel advice you can trust from families who have been there." There are in-depth reviews of kid-friendly hotels and resorts, expert travel advice, readers' tips about traveling with kids, and a blog of family travel news and deals. Don't miss the photos posted by users to give you a good look at hotel rooms and travel attractions.

Cut Costs With Coupons
http://coupons.com - Before you go grocery shopping, make a quick stop at this money-saving site. It's filled with printable coupons for popular food and other household items from hundreds of the world's best-known brands. You simply click on the offers you'd like to print and take the coupons to the store to redeem. Save a dollar here and a dollar there, and it quickly adds up—almost like printing free money with your home computer.

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Short Tutorial - Creating A New E-mail Folder

It's easy for your inbox to get out of control unless you consistently prioritize, process, and file the e-mails you receive. In order to do this, you'll need a filing system of folders for the people, projects, topics, or organizations that are important in your life. Folders give you a place to store e-mails other than your inbox, and enable you to find them quickly when you need them later. Follow the steps below to create folders and manually move e-mails into them:

Creating a New E-mail Folder Using ...
- E-mail Program: Outlook Express 6
- Computer Operating System: Windows XP
  1. With Outlook Express open, click your cursor arrow on your "Inbox."

  2. Click on "File" from the menu bar. Select "Folder" from the resulting drop-down menu and then "New" from the resulting submenu.

  3. The Create Folder window will open. Type in the name of the new folder in the "Folder name:" field. Then choose the folder in which to create the new subfolder. Click on the "OK" button.

  4. You will now see your new folder under Local Folders.

  5. To move an e-mail into this folder, click on and hold down your mouse button on the message you would like to move and drag it to the new folder. The folder will highlight as you hover over it. Drop the message in the folder by releasing your mouse button. Click on the folder and you will see your message inside.
Creating a New E-mail Folder Using ...
- E-mail Program: Windows Mail
- Computer Operating System: Windows Vista
  1. With Windows Mail open, click your cursor arrow on your "Inbox."

  2. Click on "File" from the menu bar. Select "Folder" from the resulting drop-down menu and then "New" from the resulting submenu.

  3. The Create Folder window will open. Type in the name of the new folder in the "Folder name:" field. Then choose the folder in which to create the new subfolder. Click on the "OK" button.

  4. You will now see your new folder under Local Folders.

  5. To move an e-mail into this folder, click on and hold down your mouse button on the message you would like to move and drag it to the new folder. The folder will highlight as you hover over it. Drop the message in the folder by releasing your mouse button. Click on the folder and you will see your message inside.
Creating a New E-mail Folder Using ...
- E-mail Program: Mozilla Thunderbird
- Computer Operating System: Windows XP or Vista
  1. With Thunderbird open, click your cursor arrow on your "Inbox."

  2. Click on "File" from the menu bar. Select "New" from the resulting drop-down menu and then "Folder" from the resulting submenu.

  3. The New Folder window will open. Type in the name of the new folder in the "Name:" field. Then choose the folder in which to create the new subfolder. Click on the "OK" button.

  4. You will now see your new folder under Local Folders.

  5. To move an e-mail into this folder, click on and hold down your mouse button on the message you would like to move and drag it to the new folder. The folder will highlight as you hover over it. Drop the message in the folder by releasing your mouse button. Click on the folder and you will see your message inside.
Creating a New E-mail Folder Using ...
- E-mail Program: Mail.app 3.1
- Computer Operating System: Mac OS X 10.5

Note: In Apple's Mail.app, folders are called mailboxes and there are two types—regular and smart. Regular mailboxes allow you to drop e-mails into them manually, and smart mailboxes automatically file e-mails according to rules you specify. The steps below are for regular mailboxes.
  1. With Mail.app open, click your cursor arrow on your "Inbox."

  2. Click on "Mailbox" from the menu bar. Select "New Mailbox..." from the resulting drop-down menu.

  3. The New Mailbox window will open. Type the name of the new mailbox in the "Name" field. Click on the "OK" button.

  4. Your new mailbox will appear under Inbox.

  5. To move an e-mail into this mailbox, click on and hold down your mouse button on the message you would like to move and drag it to the new mailbox. The mailbox will highlight as you hover over it. Drop the message in the mailbox by releasing your mouse button. Click on the new mailbox and you will see your message inside.

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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 on a monthly basis, click here.

Thanks for your business!

Best regards,

Aaryn M. Slafky
Director of Marketing & Communications



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Email us at: e-newsletter@rtmc.net

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