Avoid tech support scams

031 Rich on Tech Radio Show - August 5, 2023

Rich talked about a tech support scam that takes over your computer. When in doubt, press Control + Alt + Delete at the same time on your keyboard, then select your web browser and hit End Task. You can also turn off your computer or restart it. Whatever you do, don’t give access to your computer, or download any software.

Jennifer in Laguna Hills wants to know what to do with old cell phones. Rich recommends checking out this list of places that take them as a donation. Rich also likes Gizmogo, Best Buy Mail in Recycling Boxes, EcoATM.

Marta in Laguna Nigel wants to know if there’s an Android app that lets you set audio reminders by voice and have it announce the reminder at a certain time. Rich recommended Talking Recordable Voice Alarm, Talking Alarm Clock Beyond and Voice Memo Reminder but all of them require some level of manual time setting for the alarm. Listeners recommend using Alexa for this functionality!

Rich used Lugg to get his new furniture delivered and it mostly worked out great. He then sold his old couches on OfferUp and the process was excellent.

Sharon in Williamsburg, Ohio wants to know how to improve her Wi-Fi signal. Rich recommends moving the router to a more central location in the room.

David in Orange wants to know why his phone number is out there.

Google is making it easier to remove search results about you that contain your personal information.

Nick in Anaheim wants to know if his computer was hijacked by ransomware.

Kimber Streams of Wirecutter shares top affordable laptop and Chromebook picks under $1000.

Patricia is in Southern California wants to know why her Wi-Fi is still showing even though she cut the cable to her box and cancelled service.

David in Cerritos wants to know how to find the phone number of an old friend. Rich recommends Sunshine Contacts, Google Contacts, Siri Search on iPhone and WhitePages.com to do a reverse search of someone’s address or name to find their phone number.

Here’s how to set up vertical app drawer scrolling on a Samsung phone.

Liz in Riverside wants to know how to get rid of old hard drives from her deceased husband’s computers. Rich recommends an e-waste recycling facility that offers hard drive shredding, or an application called DBAN or similar. Listener Tom recommends freeware called CBL Data Shredder.

Verizon now has a $25 unlimited plan through Visible.

Scam alert: Watch out for bogus QR codes to pay for parking lots and meters.

Nina in San Bernardino wants to know why she can’t access her Outlook email through Chrome. An extension might be interfering, check them here.

Ron asks if there is a free QR Code generator that will take an iPhone contact entry and turn it into a QR code that the recipient can scan and add to their contacts? Rich likes HiHello. See his card here.

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