Apple iTunes Support Termination Alert, The Most Common Phone Scams, and Windows 10 “Print to PDF”

Published on: May 24th, 2018

APPLE iTunes users will want to read the article below to see how Apple’s termination of iTunes Support for Apple TV 1st Gen, Windows XP and Vista will affect the use of your various devices.

Some of our loyal customers have lately fallen prey to various well-known phone scams that have ultimately resulted in damage to their computers. This is very concerning to us because we care about your safety and well being. Below is a list of the most common phone scams, how they work, and some easy steps you can take to protect yourself from becoming a victim. As always, if you get a phone call, or a screen pop-up that you are unsure about, please call us before giving out computer access or personal information to a total stranger. Your friends here at Computer Troubleshooters are here to help you.

Last week we brought you a feature unique to Windows 10, “Near Share,” and this week we show you how to use “Print to PDF.” This is a great feature everyone should get familiar with!

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Apple Users Alert:
iTunes Support for Apple TV 1st Gen, Windows XP and Vista
is being terminated on May 25, 2018

“According to Apple this is because of security changes that will prevent Windows XP, Vista, and Apple TV 1st from using certain features of the iTunes store.”   Read the full article to see what limitations will affect your device and what you can do to maintain access to iTunes.

Read the full article here

Source:
Lawrence Abrams, bleepingcomputer.com

 

Tip Sheet : Most Common Phone Scams

LET ME INTO YOUR COMPUTER!
Tech Support:
The caller claims to be from Microsoft or Apple Tech Support and requests remote access to your computer in order to fix viruses or other malware they allegedly detected on your computer. Please trust us: no one from Microsoft or Apple is monitoring your computer, nor will they ever call you to ask to remote in to your computer. Hang up, it’s a scam!

 

GIVE ME YOUR INFORMATION!
Credit Card & Bill Collection companies:
Beware calls from the infamous “Credit Card Services.” The company doesn’t exist, and their sole purpose for calling you is to convince you to give up your financial information so that they can raid your accounts. Hang up, it’s a scam!

Medicare/Medicaid & Banks: The caller claims to be from one of these agencies, or from a bank and they ask you to “confirm” your personal or financial information. There is no legitimate reason for a stranger to call you out of the blue and ask for your information. It doesn’t work that way. Hang up, it’s a scam!

 

PAY ME NOW OR ELSE!
IRS:
The caller claims to be from the IRS and threatens you with arrest unless you make a payment immediately. The IRS does not operate that way, nor does any other legitimate government agency. Hang up, it’s a scam!

Jury Duty:
Yes, failing to show up for jury duty is a serious offense, and the judge may swear out a bench warrant for your arrest. And in CT, you may be held liable for a “$100 per day fine and/or a three-night stay in jail.” However, in the phone scam, the caller claims that you missed jury duty and you’ll be arrested if you don’t immediately pay a fine. It doesn’t work that way. Any penalty or legal action the Court takes against you will be carried out by bona fide law enforcement officers in conjunction with the Court. You will KNOW that it is legitimate.

And then, think about this: if you have not received written notice of jury duty, you cannot have missed it either. Hang up, it’s a scam!

Sweepstakes:
The caller claims to be with Publisher’s Clearinghouse and tells you that you’ve won a car, or some other pricey prize, and attempts to collect the tax allegedly due. Think about this: if you haven’t entered a contest, you cannot have won it….. and if you HAVE entered a contest, you will be notified in writing of any winnings and the terms related to collection of your winnings as well as paying any taxes due. Hang up, it’s a scam!

Your relative had an accident:
The caller claims a relative of yours had an accident or is in jail, or some other difficulty and they need money immediately. First, locate the family member. If he/she truly is in trouble, how to help will become clear, and it probably won’t include wiring money to Nigeria…. Hang up, it’s a scam!

 

STORM SCAMS!
Eversource CT: The caller claims to be from “Eversource CT” and offers discounts. Do not give out your account number (when would a legitimate Eversource employee NOT already have your account number?), and do not give out any financial account/payment information.

Tree Services: Someone shows up at your door offering tree services, pest control, etc. often at very over-inflated prices. Be smart – call a legitimate tree company for any help you need.

What can you do to protect yourself?
1.  Register your home and mobile phone numbers on the National Do Not Call List:

Do Not Call

2.  Report unwanted phone calls to the FTC:

FTC

3.  If you have Caller ID, screen your calls. If you don’t recognize the number coming in (and a great majority of the unwanted and/or robo-calls will be out of state), let the call go to voicemail. If the call is legitimate, the caller will leave a message.

4.  Do not give access to your computer to a total stranger. Ever.

5.  Do not give out your personal identifying information or financial information to a total stranger. Ever.

6.  If you get repeated scammer calls from the same number, ask your phone service provider to block the number.

7.  Don’t give up / don’t engage – given enough time, many of the attempts will eventually stop when the scammers get no (as in zero, zilch, nada!) response from you. Make calling you a waste of their time and eventually they will stop.

 

“Print to PDF” : Another Great Windows 10 Feature

Gone are the days of emailing a document to someone only to have the recipient’s computer settings destroy your document’s formatting and turn all your hard work into a cubist disaster. If you have Windows 10, you have the ability to “Print to PDF!”

With your (Word, Excel, etc.) document on screen, choose “File” from the upper menu bar.
Choose “Print”
Click on “Printer”
Click on “Print to PDF”

Follow the prompts as the program allows you to name your file and designate a location.

Lastly, when you’re ready to send your email, attach the .pdf version and then hit “send,” with confidence that your document will be received with the formatting exactly as you set it up, and as a bonus, it can’t be changed by the recipient. Well, if they have the right software they may be able to make changes, but it is a difficult and time-consuming process few people will bother to try.

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