Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Alert: #1 New Weight Loss Product & Which Weight Loss Product is Right for You?

Tonight I received a number of email for Weight Loss products. All these emails are faked with links .ru (Russian) domains.

You should delete these emails.

If you want to lose weight check out the site (www.WeightLossMaths.com.au) where I've shared my approach to losing weight. It costs nothing to lose weight. Requires no expensive membership fees. All you need is knowledge and determination. I shared my knowledge and all you need to bring along is your determination.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Monday, August 26, 2013

Should businesses and schools have to pick up the costs of medical certificates they require.

I remember a person going to a doctor to have a government document witnessed. The doctor then requested payment for a consultation. No medical service was provided and the government required the signature. Taxpayers then pick up the rebate.

When our children were in year 12 and weren't well they required a medical certificate. Not sure if this was in general or if it was assessment related. The bottom line however is again the taxpayer picks up the tab through the medical system.

You're not feeling well with a cold and work requires a medical certificate. There is no trust. Even though you are entitled to a number of sick days a years you still have to get a medical certificate. I remember having the flu, could hardly move (living by myself) and still had to get to the doctors because of the pressure people are put under to get a medical certificate.

Medical certificates that are really only needed because the government or companies have no trust in their students or workers. However the real cost is tens of millions of dollars (possibly hundreds of millions) being paid to doctors for services that aren't really necessary.

Perhaps it is time to review the need for medical certificates. I remember one boss who said if you weren't feeling well just take the time off. It was a good working environment and I don't recall the need to take time off.

When you're sick with a cold or fever and really don't need to go to the doctor, the last thing you need is to stress of getting to a doctor and waiting around for an extended period of time in a doctor's surgery. The lack of trust in our society is costing the society tens if not hundreds of millions of dollars a year in unnecessary taxes.

Is it time the companies and organisations who require medical certificates to pick up the tab rather than the taxpayer?

Companies would very quickly move to reduce their costs. Tens if not hundreds of millions could potentially be wiped off the cost to taxpayers almost overnight.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Friday, August 23, 2013

Supermarkets charge more to buy online

I noticed this article about supermarkets charging more to buy online.

Supermarkets charge more to buy online... Read More

A while ago I did a survey for a friend of Woolworths prices online and the cost for the same items in-store. For the products I reviewed I found the difference with the prices online were on average around 8% more. When you add 8% to the cost of your groceries plus the cost of delivery, for most people it would be more cost effective to save the money by visiting a local store.

Some people justify buying online because they can do so at work when the business is paying for their time, so they save time and get paid. However that is false economy, because the extra cost will be more out of their pay packet than if they purchased the items themselves in a store.

I do however see the service being invaluable for those who for some reason don’t have the time, or who aren’t able to visit the store. For those who simply choose to spend a little more for the convenience, then why not.

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problem.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Thursday, August 22, 2013

Energy cost calculator to help determine the electricity cost of your appliances.

I built the Energy Cost Calculator some time ago whilst I was reviewing the electricity cost of appliances and the payback period in terms of replacing an appliance with a lower running cost appliance. The Energy Cost Calculator proved to be very useful and assisted us in reducing our electricity usage to around half. We currently sit around 7 kWh per day. Pretty good for an household with three people.

I've now decided to set up the Energy Cost Calculator as a separate site which is www.energycostcalculator.com.au.

I hope you find the calculator as useful as I have.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Wipe Off 5 ad campaign by the TAC should go.

I just read about the Wipe Off 5 competition so I decided to check out the site. The problem is many people just don't know what the Wipe Off 5 campaign is about and it shows from the suggestions being put forward.

Suggestions like reduce the speedo so it reads 5 km/h less. Reward people who drive 5 km/h under.

All the TAC is doing is sending a confusing message to the general public. Speed limits are posted and people think the campaign is about reducing your speed to 5 km/h below the posted speed limit creating a situation where good people think they are supposed to travel 5 km/h below the speed limit causing frustration to other drivers. Add that speedometers can legally be out by up to 10 km/h below the actual speed and what is created is inconsistent behaviour.

The Wipe Off 5 is about speeding drivers. The Wipe Off 5 is a campaign promoted by the Transport Accident Commission. VicRoads I suspect looks after the speed limits on our roads and adjusts the speed limits to what is considered safe. This is just two government departments sending out mixed messages that conflict with each other and potentially causes more harm than good.

The government needs to get rid of the Wipe Off 5 campaign and replace it with a better message that reflects what they are actually trying to achieve.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

Alert: Qantas Departure Information - LIXAB3 KCA AK8 17Y

Today I've been receiving a number of malware infected emails designed to trick Qantas users. If you receive a message from Qantas with a zip attachment, there's a good chance the attachment is malware.

If you need to check departure information visit the Qantas site and check your departure information.

You should delete these emails.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Tuesday, August 20, 2013

MyAnswers blog and site merged into Online Connections.

MyAnswers enables me to provide solutions to clients' problems cost effectively, saving time and money for clients.

For some time when I've posted notifications for solutions to the MyAnswers blog and also to the Online Connections blog. Solutions provide clients with an idea of problems others are having that have already been solved. To me it no longer made sense keeping MyAnswers as a separate site. Now all notifications regarding solutions will only be posted on the Online Connections blog.
 
The MyAnswers site has also been merged into the Online Connections site. You can find MyAnswers at www.OnlineConnections.com.au/myanswers, or you can use the link from the Online Connections site.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Alert: NetBankNotification - You have received a secure message

I noticed new malware sent as an attachment (SecureMessage.zip) targeting NetBank users.

The body of the email is the following:
You have received a secure message
Read your secure message by opening the attachment, SecureMessage.zip. You will be prompted to open (view) the file or save (download) it to your computer. For best results, save the file first, then open it.
If you have concerns about the validity of this message, please contact the sender directly. For questions please contact the Commonwealth Bank of Australia NetBank.
First time users - will need to register after opening the attachment.
About Email Encryption

If you receive this email you should delete it.

Currently only three of less common antivirus programs detect the malware and non are antivirus programs typically used by Australians.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Monday, August 19, 2013

Alert: Cellarmasters $50 giftcard

We received a letter today from Everyday Rewards today with a shiny black Cellarmasters $50 giftcard. This reminded me that someone recently mentioned they'd received an offer and was totally confused, placing an order and spending more money than expected, only to later cancel the order.

To me this isn't a gift card. It is a discount. When you buy a gift card for someone and give the card to them, they can the money on whatever they want without any additional cost. That's a gift card.

By using the term giftcard Cellarmarsters is tempt you into spending at least $70 (plus delivery) for 12 bottles of wine. Whether the offer is a good offer or not is up to each person to decide for themselves.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

Alert: NAB Weekend Database Update

If you receive and email with the subject "NAB Weekend Database Update" you should delete it. It is a fake with a link that will take you to a site with the .eu domain and not an NAB site. The email I received was sent from Morocco in Africa which is a confirming indicator the email is a fake.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Friday, August 16, 2013

Message: The Age - Subscribe to The Age today for just $1.

I use a newsreader to read news items from all over the world. What surprised me recently was when I clicked on a link to read an article I was presented with a screen to subscribe to The Age. That makes sense. The Age wants people to subscribe.


However I wondered just how thorough The Age was in identify unique readers. The Age limits the number of articles you can read a month before they block you from reading additional articles and requesting that you subscribe. In theory it is possible they might be tracking you individually, and yes this can be done with some effort, but I suspected they'd take the easy path and probably use a cookie to record how many times you read an article. If you cleared the cookies I was pretty sure the subscribe message would disappear.
 
Sure enough, clearing all the historical data including cookies in the browser and the subscribe message disappeared. Alternately using a different browser also had the same effect.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Thursday, August 15, 2013

Australian Businessman to Pay $95,000 for spamming New Zealanders as a result of using Image Marketing Group's email list.

Previously I’ve written about Image Marketing Group (IMG) and alerted people to their spamming. I’ve also warned people to make sure they know how their business is being marketed. IMG constantly sends out spam so how anyone would use their service I don’t know. An Australian businesses is now paying the price for using their services.

Australian Businessman to Pay $95,000 for Sending Almost a Million Spam Emails to New Zealanders... Read More

Whilst offers you receive for marketing and SEO services via the internet may be tempting, given they are already spamming you already know the ethics of these businesses. If you decide to use a business that spams you, you really deserve what you get in the end.

I’ve also found smaller web developers in Australia using suspect services for their Australian clients. Make sure if you use a web developer, or in fact any business which may outsource services which have your business name on it, that you know who you are dealing with. It is your reputation on the line and no one cares about the web developer or the company spamming from India or another country. They’ve made their money and you end up with the consequences.

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problem.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Facebook Use Predicts Declines in Subjective Well-Being in Young Adults

I thought the following research was interesting. My initial feeling was the research may be simply measuring how people feel and then use Facebook more and thus the increased use of Facebook is simply an effect of how they felt. However the research does cover this to their credit.

Facebook Use Predicts Declines in Subjective Well-Being in Young Adults... Read More

If I’m correct in reading the research one interesting insight I think I read into the information is the more you socialise in person with other people the greater the effect when using Facebook. That may infer the less you are dependent on socialising with others for your own happiness the less effect using Facebook has on your happiness. To me it makes sense the more you rely on interaction with others for your happiness, when you’re using Facebook you are not really interacting person to person and thus you could expect to become less happy. I expect others will read what they wish to into the results as I do.

It is good to see services such a Facebook use being researched. I’m also sure that what people write on Facebook reveals a considerably more about them than people realise. Analysis of what people are writing over time may end up being an important tool to assist people and could lead to new areas of preventative health services.

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problem.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

MyAnswers: How to add a Start button to the taskbar in Windows 8.

The following MyAnswers solution 2378 is now available:
In this solution I provide instructions on how to add a Start button to the Windows 8 taskbar. This adds the button which takes you to the Start screen, but does not include the Start Menu. A common issue is the discomfort people have is not having a Start button on the taskbar.

Click here to obtain the solution.

Click here for related solutions.

Kelvin Eldridge
MyAnswers
(An Online Connections service.)

Google AdSense reduces default payment threshold to $100 in Australia.

A while ago I noticed Google announced the payment threshold was being adjusted and that the Australian payment threshold would be $100. When I checked Google AdSense previously the payment threshold was still $150. The latest payment from Google AdSense has been processed and now the payment threshold has been reduced to $100.

Hopefully this will assist those using Google AdSense to get a more frequent regular payment from Google.

If clients would like to generate an ongoing income stream from Google AdSense and receive advice based on a number of years of receiving revenue from Google AdSense I'm happy to provide advice and assistance.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Alert: Call from 02 8820 8777 possible scam.

A person I know received call recently asking for another person (a relation) who lived at the house over 25 years ago. The caller requested the person's contact information but this information was not provided. When asked what it was about they said it was a personal matter. They were asked if they wanted to leave a message. The number they left was 02 8820 8777 and their name was Paula. No message was provided.

I researched the number on the internet and found two other incidents where the same number was used in a similar manner.

The number was not called as it was felt it was too suspicious and calling would potentially create an exposure.

If you receive a call out of the blue requesting a person's details, it is best you don't provide a contact number. Take the callers details. If the person isn't prepared to provide their full contact details, which can be traced via the telephone book, you should treat the call as a potential scam. Scammers are incredibly manipulative and it is easy for them to get past the defences of the average person.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Windows 8.1 Australian release date 18th October

Microsoft have announced the release of Windows 8.1 will start on the 18th of October and start its global tour.

If I read this is correctly it sounds like come the stroke of midnight in each country Windows 8.1 will be available from the Windows App Store. I may have misinterpreted what I read but in any case, we should expect Windows 8.1 to be available around the 18th.


Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 if you require help with your computer.
No problem too small.

Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Electrical Pro - Peter Matthew Havas blog spamming to promote business

Australian businesses like Electrical Pro should be careful of who they use to promote their business. Today I received a comment on my blog promoting Electrical Pro. The post was written by someone in India so obviously wasn't done by Electrical Pro, but by a service provider on their behalf. I suspect Electrical Pro has retained the services of an SEO organisation, or perhaps their web designer, but Electrical Pro should check out their suppliers before they retain their services.

Often smaller businesses in Australia decide to promote their business but don't ask the questions they should. Simply asking how their business is going to be promoted is a good start.

Spam is spam and whilst it isn't illegal in Australia to spam others by writing comments on blog posts, it is still spam and shouldn't be used as a means to promote your business.

Don't turn a blind eye when promoting your business. You know what is right and what is wrong. There is no excuse for spamming. Poor decisions in business reflect on your business. The business in India has made their money, but the ramifications of being caught blog spamming shows poor business judgement and will cause people to question your business ethics. I know I'd rather use an ethical business rather than a suspect one.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Monday, August 12, 2013

Porcelain drilling - Porcelain Tile Drilling service now available from Master

Master Renovators have now launched their porcelain tile drilling service. More details can be found at www.porcelaintiledrilling.com.au.

If you have just tiled using porcelain tiles and now need to fit your bathroom accessories, you may not have realised that porcelain tiles require a greater level of skill and knowledge than ceramic tiles. If you need assistance call Charlie Brincat of Master Renovators.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

The Age changes the pictures in online article for house reported purchased by Julia Gillard

What I found particularly interesting when I read the following article wasn’t when the article first appeared.

$1.8m bungalow wins over Gillard... Read More

When the article appeared it showed the swimming pool at the rear of the home. When I later went back to the article the picture had changed to the one now shown.

The address of the property is exceptionally easy to find in a few seconds of Google searching.

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problem.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Fuel consumption rate stickers on new cars can be very misleading. Use the Petrol Cost Calculator instead.

When looking at fuel consumption stickers on cars keep in mind the tests are performed in a laboratory and may not match your real world fuel consumption and expectations.

Fuel miser on sticker, a guzzler in real life... Read More

As mentioned in the article, some manufacturers even remove the spare wheel to reduce weight and less weight means better fuel economy. I even wonder if there is weight added to the car to simulate a driver. If you add a driver and passenger (as well as the spare tyre) then all of a sudden you end up reducing your fuel economy.

If you look at the testing methodology there are a series of tests but these don’t reflect your real world driving experience. In the real world according to the article you can expect your fuel consumption to be 20%-40% greater than the stickers.

To use the stickers keep in mind you are comparing the laboratory tests for one car against another car. Not how one car performs in the real world against another.

To get a good idea of your fuel consumption and cost to drive a given distance, use the Petrol Cost Calculator and determine your own litres per 100 kilometres based on your own tests.

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problem.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Saturday, August 10, 2013

Alert: Postal Vote Application delivered to your mail box may not be from the Australian Electoral Commission. Beware of material from Kevin Andrews MP.

I must admit this one shocked me. A couple of days ago I had a Postal Vote Application Form, which I was going to pass on to friends of the family to use, since they could use them and I had no purpose for them. The forms had arrived in the mail. I was gutted when I read the following.

People who intend to vote this way have been urged by the Australian Electoral Commission to take extra care when filling in forms, as postal voting applications sent to the household may be a vehicle for political parties to collect the most personal details of the voting public.... Read More

These forms reportedly aren’t from the Australian Electoral Commission (AEC) and in fact are from the political parties. In my case I suspect the Liberal Party because it has on the back “With the compliments of Kevin Andrews MP”. When you fill out the forms according to the newspaper article they apparently go to the party where the information is collected and the form then passed on. It is illegal not to pass the form on.

This is all totally legal. I personally see this as a straight out scam. We expect it on the internet but when our own politicians do it what hope is there for this country. I’m both shocked and disappointed.

- Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for help with your computer problem.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Thursday, August 08, 2013

Weight Loss Maths is a site which uses a low cost approach

The Weight Loss Maths site is now live. The Weight Loss Maths site serves two purposes. The first is to share what I've learnt about the maths of dieting and to share that information with others. The second purpose is it provides a live site which can demonstrate how to build a presence on the internet for very low cost.

The total cost (excluding time) for the site, including the domain name www.weightlossmaths.com.au, which is registered for two years, is $19.98. Yes, effectively the price is under $10 a year.

My approach as an IT Consultant is to help people build a presence on the internet and enable the client to be part of the process as much or as little as they wish. Some people like to be fully involved and take over their site, whilst others just want it done. Ultimately the approach used is up to the client. By working with clients, clients remain in control of their site and their domain. Many businesses keep control over a client's site and domain which means customer loses control. The customer is then tied into the supplier's business. My approach is to assist clients when needed, and if a client for some reason wishes to go somewhere else (I hope that they don't), then it is their choice.

To build a site like Weight Loss Maths, including registering the domain, you should allow around two to three hours of time. Part of the time is training on how to post articles to the site. When something is required in the future which is beyond the skill of the client, I'm available to assist.
Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.

Alert: Westpac Banking Corporation - You have violated our Terms and Conditions

I'd to advise readers the email from Westpac Banking Corporation with the subject "You have violated our Terms and Conditions" is a fake.
 
The email I received was sent from British Columbia, Canada. The link in the email would send you to a German domain.
 
You should delete these emails.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Tuesday, August 06, 2013

How to calculate litres per 100 kilometres for your car.

The problem with using the stated litres per 100 kilometres for your car is it may not reflect the true cost of running your car. If what I've read is correct the measurements are very well specified and performed in a lab. Now if you drive your car in a lab then the figures will probably work for you. But the reality is how you drive, the environment in which you drive will affect your fuel consumption. In addition I've noticed that a car that is well maintained and just a couple of years old will have increase fuel consumption by up to 10%. That's a huge difference.

The best thing to do is to measure your own fuel consumption over a number of tanks. One series of tests for driving around the city and another for country driving. Then you'll have a better fuel consumption figure that measures your consumption for you and your car.

To help with the maths of working out litres per 100 kilometres I've written a calculator which can be found at http://www.petrolcostcalculator.com.au/litres-per-100-km/. This is part of my Petrol Cost Calculator.

To work out you litres per 100 kilometres you simply need to enter the distance travelled in kilometres for the petrol used in litres. To do this fill up your tank as far as possible (without overflowing) and then reset your trip meter to zero. Next time you fill up again fill up as far as possible and then record the litres and the distance on the trip meter. If you do this three times you'll have a pretty good average of your petrol usage. You can then use that figure to help determine the fuel cost of travelling distances (using the Petrol Cost Calculator) and that can be handy when deciding whether or not to take public transport, or for a holiday, whether it is better to drive, fly, or take some other form of transport.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Alert: St George - account e-statement

The aim of this email is to highlight the continuing problem of legitimate sites which have been compromised by a third party who have then installed malicious code on the site. This means any site can potentially be used for malicious purposes such as infecting computers, phishing attacks and identity theft.

The following is the body of the email.

Your St.George Internet Banking Profile Has Been Blocked.
Kindly activate your St.George OnLine e-statement please "LOGIN"

The word LOGIN is a link to a page on a UK site. The site which could be any site has a web page added in the folder "Scripts/stgeorge/stgeorge/stgeorge/stgeorge/stgeorge/stgeorge/". The owner of the site will initially not be aware their site is now delivering a malicious page. The email was sent from New Jersey in the United States.

If you receive such an email you should delete it. If you receive an email with a link to a site it is best to open your browser and type in the address. Every day with the internet someone is literally attacking all of us. Only you can protect yourself and your interests so please take appropriate care.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Monday, August 05, 2013

Alert: Your Apple ID has been Disabled for Security Reasons!

Tonight I received an faked email with the subject "Your Apple ID has been Disabled for Security Reasons!".

The link in the email is for an Australian domain where the site runs WordPress and has been compromised. The email was sent from Brazil.

You should delete these emails.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Alert: Westpac New and Improved Database

Today I've received three faked Westpac notifications and I felt I should warn others. The emails all have the subject "Westpac New and Improved Database".

Two of the emails came from Germany and one came from Canada. When I check where the links go to (using a secured computer – don't use your usual computer) it would appear they are sites using WordPress which have been compromised and infected with malicious content. Whilst I couldn't get to see the actual screen a user would be presented with, it could be designed to collect users' logon information or data for identity theft.

You should delete these emails.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Saturday, August 03, 2013

The Block 2014 location at Dux House 47 O'Grady Street, Albert Park

It would appear the location for the next series of The Block in 2014 may be Dux House which is at 47 O'Grady Street, Albert Park.

Dux House was sold for a reported $5.9 million.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

How much does it cost to make a will?

I've often thought about how much it costs to make a will. A while ago I decided to put my own will together using examples I found in "how to make your own will" kits. I was very happy with the result and other thought it looked very professional. Perhaps I'd missed my calling.
 
So yes you can make your own will and it can cost nothing. The problem however is you don't if what you have created is acceptable or not.
 
I can't help wondering why the government doesn't simply provide a simple to follow website for making a will. The laws are created by the government and when something goes wrong we end having to deal with legal professionals who often charge hundreds of dollars an hour. I suspect there are mistakes that people make with wills, although I've seen people make mistakes with contracts who have retained the services of legal professionals, so nothing in the end is really guaranteed, but we can minimise the risk.
 
JustLocal advertises the services of a couple of legal businesses that can make a will for you and I'm happy to pass on your details if you'd like to contact me.
 
I'm a pretty much do-it-yourself type person, but I do appreciate and call in professionally skilled people as and when required. My personal preference is to work with professionals where I do the work that doesn't require the professional skills and marry that with paying for professional advice when required. A professional crosschecking what you've done is a great way to have peace of mind.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.JustLocal.com.au

Alert: Amazon Gifts- Take full advantage of "Free Weekend" - Shopping Bonus

Just received a faked email from Amazon Gifts with the subject "Take full advantage of "Free Weekend" - Shopping Bonus". The body of the email contains the following 150 AUD bonus shopping offer which of course is not real.

Amazon.com Customer Notice

Take full advantage of "Free Weekend" with our 150 AUD shopping bonus. Amazon.com
is rewarding some of it's lucky customers. Given our successful colaboration, your account has been
declared eligible to receive a 150 AUD gift.

Please follow the link below and insert the required information in order to receive your gift.

The location the email was sent from was Germany.

You should delete these emails.


Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Alert: MoneyGram - Payment notification email

I received a faked MoneyGram email tonight  with the subject "Payment notification email" and the body of the message as follows.

Revenues notification email
This is an automated email - please do not reply!

Dear customer!

You are receiving this email because of you have been received the money.
It may take a some time for this transaction to appear in the Recent Activity list on your account page.

Payment details
Transaction sum: 430 USD
Transaction date: 2013/08/02

There is a link in the email which if clicked would take you to a page on a site ilpaindia(dot)org and not a site related to MoneyGram. The email had been sent from India.

Since this was a faked email with malicious intent I decided to check the site (using  a secured computer which couldn't get infected) and determine the nature of the scam. Unfortunately the site wasn't responding which probably indicates a large number of people visiting the site as a result of the mass mail out. Pity.

In this situation the site has usually been compromised and contains malicious code, often to infect a computer when visited or to collect user information for those who are tricked into submitting their information. Without accessing the site I can't tell.

You should delete these emails. Don't click on links in emails you receive but instead a safer approach is to open your browser and enter the site address.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Friday, August 02, 2013

Whirlpool knowledge base article links a to site infected with malware

The problem with surfing the internet is often you can end up at a site which has malware. This week I removed malware from one client's computer which resulted from them surfing the internet.

I was researching IPTV services using Google and one page which displayed in the search  results was a Whirlpool page (http://whirlpool.net.au/wiki/internet_television) . I went to the page and found the link to PC TV Software. I followed the link as most people would but then Windows Defender warned there was malware. It should be kept in mind this isn't a page when anyone can post but is a page which is part of Whirlpool's knowledge database.


The lesson here is make sure you are running antivirus software on your computer. You may wish to consider alternative techniques when researching and surfing the internet.

A client recently infected their computer when they visited a fellow recruitment agency's site who was a friend of theirs. The site remained infected for close to a week by the time I was called in to remove the malware from the client's machine.

The only time I've recently infected my computer was when I used software from the SourceForge site which I've visited for years. SourceForge wasn't infected, the program I downloaded wasn't infected, but the site the program took me to after it launched had become infected. I even scanned the program using multiple tools to ensure the program was clean of malware but I did not anticipate the program would open an infected page or in fact had expected it to open a page. The problem with open source software is developers need to make money and sometimes the techniques they use such as taking you to a page which isn't expected, can leave you open to exposure. I removed the malware (a couple of hours work) and then went to the Microsoft App Store and downloaded an app which provided the same functionality. An approach I now consider to be much safer than SourceForge.

Whirlpool is in the top 100 sites in Australia and is thus frequented by a huge number of Australians. A link on one of their knowledge base pages to an infected site is a real concern.

There are lessons that can be shared from these situations. Generally when I'm researching I reboot my computer using a secure disk (used by the American armed forces) which protects my computer from infection. (This disk is available to clients once I make sure it works on their equipment.)

Whilst it is extremely convenient to research using the computer you're currently on, perhaps it may now be prudent to use an older second computer that doesn't offer the same exposure, or to use the secure boot disk approach I use if appropriate.

The lesson I learnt from the recent infection was that some of the sites I've trusted in the past may not be as trustworthy as they could be. Microsoft's app store being more trustworthy than SourceForge was not expect. Finding a link on the Whirlpool site which took me to an infected site was unexpected, but now I will be more cautious when using Whirlpool.

Kelvin Eldridge
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Doncaster, Templestowe, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Alert: NAB Account Information

I received an email this morning with the subject "NAB Account Information" which I suspect is a malicious phishing attempt. The email has a faked Australian sender's email address but the email was actually sent from Georgia Asia. I'd never heard of Georgia Asia before so it was interesting to look up where Georgia Asia was.

You should not click on links to banking or financial sites in emails you receive. Emails are often faked and malicious. Instead visit the site by opening your browser and entering the web address for the site. Clients using my Search Australia search engine can simply enter the commonly used names of the bank and go direct to the bank site.

You should delete emails like these. If you do get tricked contact your bank immediately.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Alert: Bank Of America - statement of expenses

I received a faked email pretending to be from the Bank Of America for a statement of expenses. Attached to the email is a zip will which contains a malicious executable program. The body of the email contains the message:

Bank Of America
Hello.
There is your report (attached) by 07/30/2013.

You can unsubscribe from emailing at you account setttings.
Please contact us if you have any questions on the report.


If you receive a similar message you should delete the email as it is malicious and is currently not detected as malicious by most antivirus programs.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.

Thursday, August 01, 2013

Alert: Bendigo Bank Limited - You have: 1 new Secure Email

I received a faked Bendigo Bank Limited email today with the subject "You have: 1 new Secure Email" and the following text in the body.

An attempt to access Bendigo e-banking was
denied. Please "Logon" now.

If you do not remember trying to access Bendigo
account, Click here: "That was NOT me".

This email was sent from Canada which is another indicator it is malicious. The email does have an Australian email address but this has been faked.

You should delete these emails.

Kelvin Eldridge
Online Connections
www.OnlineConnections.com.au
Call 0415 910 703 for computer support.
Servicing Templestowe, Doncaster, Eltham and the surrounding area.