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DataVision Community Class: 5 Ways to Protect Personal Information Online 

Posted on by DataVision

Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at 7:00PM

Scammers are getting smarter and it’s becoming more difficult to spot legitimate messages and emails from fake ones. New computer technology and software make it easier to crack weaker passwords. Scamming people out of their hard-earned money has become a billion-dollar industry. It’s more important than ever to make sure you’re taking the necessary precautions to safeguard your personal information online. In this FREE upcoming Community Class, the DataVision team will discuss some of the best ways to do so, including:

  • How to spot scam emails and texts
  • Creating longer, more complex passwords
  • Using a password manager to store login credentials
  • Enabling multi-factor authentication for increased account security
  • Being aware of social media scams

What: DataVision Community Class: 5 Ways to Protect Personal Information Online

When: Wednesday, October 4, 2023 at 7:00PM

Where: Remote on Zoom

Click here to register for the class with your name and email address.

After registering for the class, you will receive a confirmation email along with reminders leading up to the class. You can join the class meeting room up to 30 minutes early from a reminder email. If you register and are unable to attend, we will email you a recording of the class within a week. You do not need a camera or microphone to join the Zoom class, but you will need a screen and speakers to see and hear the presentation along with access to a keyboard to type questions into the chat. You may also email questions you have beforehand to CustomerCare@DataVision.coop and we will attempt to address them during the session.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Customer Care Team at 503.792.3611 or email us at CustomerCare@DataVision.coop. We hope you will join us for this informational class!

Watch Out for Automatic Account Renewal Scams Like This One

Posted on by DataVision

Have you received an email or text message that looks like the image above? In this scam email that was sent to a DataVision team member, the sender is posing as Norton, a company that offers anti-virus software. An invoice has been included in the email that details a subscription to “Norton 360 premium.” There are a number of red flags that indicate this email is a scam – let’s go through 4 of them.

  1. The bill is addressed to “Dear Customer.” When was the last time you received an invoice that was addressed to “Dear Customer” and not your name?
  2. There is a typo here – the zeroes in 699.00 are actually the letter O.
  3. This note says that the supposed subscription has been auto-renewed. If that were the case, why does the invoice say that there is a balance due?
  4. This section says that the invoice has been paid successfully, but then goes on to say that the recipient should make the payment if they haven’t yet. Real companies tend to know what bills have been paid and what haven’t.

And finally, the biggest telltale sign that this was a scam is that the DataVision employee did not have a Norton anti-virus subscription in the first place. The most important step you can take when you receive a suspicious message like this is to stop and think about what it’s saying. This email is trying to scare the recipient into thinking that $699 has been taken out of their account so that they’ll try and contact the scammer, who will then attempt to swindle further personal or payment information. Don’t fall for it!

Protect Your Smartphone in the Heat this Summer

Posted on by DataVision

Summer is officially here, and that means ample opportunities for great photos out in the sun. Unfortunately, smartphones don’t enjoy the sunshine as much as we do. Follow these tips to protect your cell phone from overheating. 

Keep your phone out of direct sunlight and hot cars

• Leaving a phone in the heat for too long can cause damage to the battery and the phone itself. It can also potentially burn your skin if you attempt to pick it up without letting it first cool down. Find a shaded or covered area to keep your phone when out in the summer heat.

Wait to use your cell phone 

• Phones naturally heat up even when used in a normal, cool environment. Attempting to use a phone in hot conditions places additional stress on the device and can cause it to overheat or shut down. Minimize your usage to avoid damaging the phone.

Turn off unused and battery-draining apps

• Apps that run in the background drain the phone’s battery and can cause the phone’s cooling system to run overtime. In addition, apps that use more battery life than others can cause the phone to overheat. Make sure to close all unused apps still open and turn on the phone’s “power saver” mode.

Six Tips for Using Social Media Safely

Posted on by DataVision

Social media has made it easier than ever to keep in touch and stay connected with loved ones around the globe. It’s also made users increasingly vulnerable to cybercrimes such as:

  • Data breaches
  • Hacking
  • Fake accounts and impersonation scams
  • Phishing
  • Sending malware via malicious links

But that doesn’t mean you need to swear off social media or delete your accounts forever. By following a few guidelines for safer social media use, you can post, like, and share to your heart’s content.

Here are six simple ways to decrease your risk on social media:

  1. Adjust your privacy settings. Every social media platform allows you to customize the amount of information you share. We recommend selecting the strongest security settings possible to maximize your privacy.
  2. Choose a strong, unique password. With data breaches on the rise, reusing passwords across multiple accounts is the easiest way to fall victim to hacking and identity theft. Use a different password every time, or try a password manager to help you generate and store strong passwords securely.
  3. Control what you share. Remember, nothing is really private online: everything you share can be shared with others. And once it’s online, it’s there forever. Think before you post and be careful not to share sensitive information like your address or your vacation plans.
  4. Watch who you add. Catfishing isn’t just a show on MTV, and fake accounts are growing increasingly sophisticated. Even people you think you know may not be who they say they are, so be selective with who you add. And remember: if anyone harasses you online, report and block them as soon as possible.
  5. Think before you click. Malicious links can expose you to malware or give criminals access to sensitive information. And with the rise of fake and hacked accounts, these links could easily come from people you know. Be wary of clicking links you’re not expecting, or ones accompanied by suspicious messages.
  6. Protect your computer. Install antivirus software and keep your browser, operating system, and software up-to-date. They’re your first line of defense if anything goes awry, so it’s well worth ensuring you’ve downloaded the latest security patch before you scroll through Facebook.

At DataVision, we care about keeping you and your family safe when using the internet. And if you have questions about your service, contact us—we are here and happy to help!

Internet vs. Wi-Fi: What’s the Difference?

Posted on by DataVision

“What’s the Wi-Fi here?”  

“This Wi-Fi is too slow”  

“We need better Wi-Fi”  

Sometimes we hear that internet and Wi-Fi are the same thing, or that someone doesn’t need internet service, they just want Wi-Fi. While the two terms are often used interchangeably, they serve different purposes and have different functions. Folks just want their service to work, but it’s important to distinguish between the two to accurately diagnose any issues that may come up.  

The internet is a global communications system made up of thousands of inter-connected networks that allows users to access a wide range of online resources, like websites, email, games, video content, and more. While the global internet is not owned or operated by one organization, broadband service providers (BSPs) like DataVision typically own their own network. They buy and install the equipment and infrastructure that make it possible for folks to connect online.  

Think of internet service as the signal that is sent from a BSP’s central office to your home, either through traditional copper or cable lines or with faster, more reliable fiber optic strands like the ones DataVision uses. Wi-Fi, on the other hand, is the wireless distribution of some of that internet signal through the air by a device known as a router. A router is physically plugged into your home network, usually through an Ethernet port in the wall, and then broadcasts the Wi-Fi signal throughout the location. Devices can then connect to that signal without needing any cords to get online to stream, video chat, play games, send emails, and more.  

Fun fact: The term “Wi-Fi” is actually not an abbreviation for a longer, more techy term. Around the time the technology was created, the term “Hi-Fi,” short for High Fidelity, was commonly used to describe the high-quality reproduction of sound or images. In the late 1990s, a group of major companies in the electronics industry formed the nonprofit Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Alliance, which is now known as the Wi-Fi Alliance, and they decided to call this new wireless technology Wi-Fi because it was a catchy name and sounded similar to Hi-Fi, which many people were already familiar with. So the name stuck, and we still use it today. 

Devices can also connect to the internet using an Ethernet cord, which provides a direct line right into your home network. Devices that tend to stay in one spot would be best fit for a wired connection if available, like home computers, gaming consoles, and smart TVs. While Wi-Fi technology and equipment continues to advance, a wired connection will always provide the best online experience as there is no possibility of interference that can occur on a Wi-Fi connection.  

If you ever experience any issues with your connection, remember that there are a variety of reasons why. There could be a disconnect between your router and the internet signal coming into your home, a problem with the internet infrastructure, or perhaps an adjustment needs to be made with the device itself.  

Tired of tinkering with your Wi-Fi network or trying to troubleshoot connectivity issues? DataVision offers a Managed Wi-Fi service that takes care of everything for you. A DataVision technician will install and set up new, advanced Wi-Fi equipment powerful enough to broadcast a strong signal throughout your home. And if any issues come up, our local team can troubleshoot and make adjustments remotely.

Learn more at www.DataVision-internet.com/residential/internet or give us a call at 503.792.3611.  

Community Class: WiFi 101 – Thursday, June 21

Posted on by DataVision

FREE for DataVision customers, this first-ever Community Class will demystify the ins and outs of your home WiFi network. WiFi is an amazing tool that allows devices to connect to the internet wirelessly, but how exactly does it work? We’ll go over the basics of WiFi technology, how some older connected devices could be slowing down your network, the differences between a 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz band and why you might want to use one over the other, and solutions DataVision offers to improve your WiFi experience.

What: DataVision Community Class: WiFi 101
When: Wednesday, June 21 at 7:00PM
Where: Remote on Zoom

Click here to register for the class with your name and email address.

After registering for the class, you will receive a confirmation email from Zoom along with reminders leading up to the class. You can join the class meeting room up to 30 minutes early using the link provided in the confirmation email or reminder email you’ll receive. If you register and are unable to attend, we will email you a recording of the class to watch on-demand. You do not need a camera or microphone to join the Zoom class, but you will need a screen and speakers to see and hear the presentation along with access to a keyboard to type questions into the chat. You may also email questions you have beforehand to Marketing@cbsoregon.com and we will attempt to address them during the session.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call the Customer Care Team at 503.792.3611 or email Marketing@cbsoregon.com. We hope you will join us for this informational class!