Recent Comments
Comment by Wild Bill on Who is Winning the Robocall Wars? (November 20, 2024 01:35 AM)
I suspect (based on the number of calls to our landline and the near impossibility of tracking and apprehending the miscreants) that some of the 50% d...
Comment by Erik S on [SCAM ALERT] Smishing is Getting Worse (what you need to know and do) (November 19, 2024 11:38 PM)
"WHAT IS MY NAME?" Whenever I have doubts, this is the question that I send back (in capital or regular letters). Not a single time so far h...
Comment by Ernest N. Wilcox Jr. (Oldster) on Who is Winning the Robocall Wars? (November 19, 2024 11:00 PM)
I have MagicJack for y home phone. The service includes call screening, where a caller must enter a random number to complete the call. This feature h...
Comment by BobZ on Who is Winning the Robocall Wars? (November 19, 2024 09:09 PM)
On my iPhone I have turned on “Silence unknown callers,” which automatically sends calls from numbers not in my contacts to voicemail. I can’t r...
Comment by Radische on Who is Winning the Robocall Wars? (November 19, 2024 09:02 PM)
I voted early this year. Two days after leaving my ballot in the City Hall of the City I live in, I got a "Probable Scam Call" from an unknown number....
Comment by S G on Which People Finder Sites are Legit? (November 15, 2024 01:03 AM)
I searched my name and address on fastpeoplesearch.com and found that the information was mostly wrong (including the address that I have supposedly l...
Comment by Mike H on Which People Finder Sites are Legit? (November 14, 2024 11:49 PM)
After checking out fastpeoplesearch.com I got a very suspicious series of emails that I will block. I use https://www.usphonebook.com/people-search ...
Comment by jerry on Which People Finder Sites are Legit? (November 14, 2024 10:32 PM)
Even if I don't mind paying, how do I know the information is for the correct person before paying? It is truly amazing how many people with unusual n...
Comment by BDD on Which People Finder Sites are Legit? (November 14, 2024 10:22 PM)
I would use one of the pay sites if they charged a one time fee. My issue is paying for a monthly service which I will never do....
Comment by Patti Dowie on Which People Finder Sites are Legit? (November 14, 2024 10:11 PM)
I have great luck with truepeoplesearch.com, and it’s free. Works 99% of the time for me!...
Facebook Articles
[ALERT] Fake Facebook Profile - What to do?
Today I got a message from an AskBob reader, alerting me that someone had made a fake Facebook profile in my name. The malefactor pretending to be me stole my profile picture, reposted some of my updates, and was already running a scam. Fortunately, that reader wasn’t fooled, and was kind enough to let me know about the bogus account. Sadly, this happens all the time. Here’s what I did, and what you need to know about fake Facebook profiles...
...How to Control Facebook Ads (sort of)
For years, Facebook has faced criticism from users for plastering ads in their news feeds, groups, sidebars, and any place there might be a scrap of white space. The ads are supposedly targeted to one’s interests, but the volume, invasiveness, and what many believe is dirty, underhanded trickery makes the average person skeptical. Read on to learn what you can (and cannot) control when it comes to Facebook ads and privacy...
...[FAKE] When Your Friend is Not Your Friend
Are you getting Facebook friend requests from people who are already your Facebook friends? Are friends complaining they are getting new friend requests from you that you didn’t send? Here's what is going on, and what you can do about it…
...[FAKE] When Your Friend is Not Your Friend
Are you getting Facebook friend requests from people who are already your Facebook friends? Are friends complaining they are getting new friend requests from you that you didn’t send? Here's what is going on, and what you can do about it…
...What is The Root of All (Facebook) Evil?
Facebook is here to stay, for better and worse. But its majority owner and hapless, callow leader has got to go. Mark Zuckerberg is the source of all that is wrong with Facebook, and the world cannot afford to wait indefinitely for him to change for the better. What would it take to move Facebook from autocracy to democracy? Read on for my analysis of why this MUST happen...
...Can You Control Ads On Facebook?
Facebook has long faced withering criticism for bombarding users with ads in their news feeds, groups, sidebars, and anyplace there might be as scrap of white space. The ads are supposedly targeted to one’s interests, but the volume, invasiveness, and what many believe is dirty, underhanded trickery makes the average person lose interest in all ads pretty quickly. Read on to learn what you can (and cannot) control when it comes to Facebook ads and privacy...
...Just Say NO to Facebook Messenger Malware
Fly fishermen are always tying new flies, refining the tricks they play on trout and other piscean species. Likewise, phisher-men in the digital waters constantly try new ways to get you to bite on their hook, which is baited with malware. Recently, researchers at Kaspersky Lab reported a fancy new “fly” involving Facebook’s Messenger, the bigger, better messaging app that Facebook is pushing to replace that awful, tiny, temperamental chat box. Read on to see how Messenger has been used to deceive users into clicking links that lead to loss...
...Facebook Messenger for Kids?
Facebook’s long-standing policy is “no one under age 13.” But that leaves a lot of potential consumers (or, at least, powerful influencers of consumers) beyond the reach of their data collection machine. So the company is launching “Messenger Kids,” a version of its video chat app designed for minors as young as six and the parents who worry about them. This is...
...Facebook Messenger for Kids?
Facebook’s long-standing policy is “no one under age 13.” But that leaves a lot of potential consumers (or, at least, powerful influencers of consumers) beyond the reach of their data collection machine. So the company is launching “Messenger Kids,” a version of its video chat app designed for minors as young as six and the parents who worry about them. This is...
...Facebook Messenger for Kids?
Facebook’s long-standing policy is “no one under age 13.” But that leaves a lot of potential consumers (or, at least, powerful influencers of consumers) beyond the reach of their data collection machine. So the company is launching “Messenger Kids,” a version of its video chat app designed for minors as young as six and the parents who worry about them. This is...
...[10 TIPS] To Tame Facebook
Many people give up on Facebook because they are overwhelmed by its firehose of information. Constant torrents of status updates, check-ins, memes, and of course those “sponsored stories” can easily become a huge waste of time. Facebook burnout ensues, and accounts languish for years without an update. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Here are some tips to filter and manage your Facebook experience…
...[SCAM] How to Avoid Scams on Facebook
With 1.5 billion users, Facebook is the world’s largest social network - and also the biggest target for scammers. It’s impossible to count all the fake friend requests, promotions, heart-rending appeals for donations, and other shenanigans that are circulating on Facebook at any given time. But here are some of the most common ones, and some tips on spotting scams before you get taken...
...Facebook Embraces Privacy and Simplicity (Not)
Yet another Facebook policy update is coming on January 1. This one, according to the company, is all about reassuring Facebook members that they are in control of their personal data. Reactions to this claim fall into three camps: the skeptics, the paranoid, and the co-conspirators in Facebook’s plot to pull the wool over members’ eyes. Here's what you need to know...
...The Truth About Community Standards on Facebook
Two waves of outrage have rippled across Facebook in recent days. They serve to highlight the true intentions that Mark Zuckerberg and company have for their hapless members. If you understand what they’re up to, you will be able to meet it with equanimity and immunity. Read on..
...How to Keep Facebook Out Of Your Face
Facebook recently announced that it will start using all the data it collects about your browsing habits to deliver more targeted ads to you. That does not mean “better targeted” ads, necessarily. It means that Facebook will sell more ads, more ads will appear on your Facebook pages, and more advertisers will know more about you. If you don’t want that to happen, here's what you need to do...
...Facebook Tightens Privacy Protections
Privacy activists have long pilloried Facebook for foisting excessively confusing and, some say, deceptive “privacy” settings upon users. Facebook blew them off for a long time, disingenuously claiming that it just gives users “options.” But market forces have caught up with the social media giant at last. Here's what Facebook is doing to improve privacy within their service...
...Facebook and Your Digital Shadow
A PR campaign launched to promote a new game from Ubisoft has highlighted the holes that many people leave in their Facebook privacy settings. You can take this inadvertent security test to get an idea of what stalkers and identity thieves might be able to learn about you from your Facebook profile and activity. If the results are unsettling, I have some tips for you on tightening up your privacy settings. Read on!
...Big Brother Needs Your Help!
Every time you tag a person in a photo on Facebook you are helping Big Brother solve one of his toughest and most pressing problems: How to identify anyone from any picture of him or her. Here's why you might want to stop tagging, and steps to keep others from tagging you...
...Forgot Facebook Password
Did you forget your Facebook password? Having trouble logging in? Or did you forget the email address for your Facebook login? Maybe your email account is not working, so you can't change your password. Or maybe it's something with a simple fix. Here's the scoop on Facebook and password issues...
...Is Facebook Tracking Your Online Activity?
Sometimes I see ads on Facebook that are very closely related to websites I have recently visited. Even scarier, my sister said she saw my face on the CNN website, in a list of people who 'liked' an article. I do enjoy using Facebook, but are they really able to track every move I make on the Web? If so, what can I do to protect my privacy online?
...Facebook Malware: Are You Protected?
Almost since its inception, Facebook has been fertile ground for hackers and phishers. Today, with 600 million members, Facebook is experiencing a torrent of malware attacks. Learn some of the methods most commonly used by hackers and how to safeguard your Facebook account...
...Facebook Privacy Problems
Facebook, the most successful social media site ever with over 500 million members, is in a constant battle over members' privacy. It seems the company's business model is based upon invasion of members' privacy. In fact, that's exactly how Facebook got started! Here's what you need to know about Facebook and your personal privacy...
...Facebook Applications
On Facebook, I always get invitations to add 'applications' to my profile. Some sound interesting, but I'm not even sure what an application is. Are they part of Facebook, or something from the outside? Do I need to worry about viruses?
...Facebook Privacy
I've switched from Myspace to Facebook because I was unhappy with the privacy controls there, and I've been told that Facebook lets you control this much better. Would you please go over the Facebook privacy settings and recommend which ones I should focus on?
...Facebook - Getting Started
Looking for an alternative to an oversaturated MySpace? Facebook is a great alternative for the college and professional set. A little more serious than MySpace, Facebook is more than just competing to see who can have the most friends. Facebook boasts over 25 million members, and is the number one photo sharing site on the Web. Here's the scoop on getting started with Facebook...
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