Cell Phone Alert: You Could Get ‘Smished’
It came in the form of a text message confirming that I had signed up for gym membership and would be charged unless I visited the provided URL to cancel. If I hadn’t shown the message to my security savvy husband before responding, I would have been “smished.”
How It Works
It’s a new twist on an old online scam. Now, instead of “phishing” for your personal information on your computer, scammers are targeting or “smishing” your cell phones and other mobile devices.
Phishers send fake emails designed to solicit personal and financial information that can be used to steal your identity and empty your bank accounts. Smishing is done the same way and for the same purpose, but is accomplished via text messaging, and takes its name from the short message service (SMS) technology used to send text messages.
It starts with a text message trying to “bait” you into responding with personal information. Most common are messages that appear to come from your bank, and would look something like this one: “Important Notification. You have a new (your bank) message alert. Call (800) xxx-xxxx to hear it.”
Another smishing message might say “(Your bank) is confirming you have purchased a $ 1,200 computer from (computer company). Visit (www. xxxx.com ) if you did not make this online purchase.” Clicking the URL will take you to a legitimate looking website that has no ties to your bank.
Under the pretense of verifying your account, scammers will ask for personal information that will give them full access to your identity, including your credit card number and expiration date, your verification code, your PIN number, your date of birth and your Social Security number. In a matter of minutes, scammers will have accumulated enough knowledge about you to empty your bank accounts and rack up thousands of dollars on your credit cards.
Why It Works
What all smishing messages have in common is the sense of urgency they convey. In a USA Today article, FBI spokesperson Tim Ryan, supervisor of cyberinvestigations for the FBI’s Newark, N.J. division, said “They play on a person’s flight-or-fight reaction. They want you to click on or answer something without thinking. They get a person to instantly react.”
Ryan also points out that a message popping up on your cell phone has more urgency than an e-mail on your computer. He adds that smishing messages sent on smartphones to bogus websites are not easy to spot because of the small size of the screen.
“The telltale signs that tell you you’re on a fake web site aren’t present on a cellphone,” he said.
Making Sure It Doesn’t Work on You
To help you avoid becoming a victim of smishing, savingsaccounts.com offers these tips:
- Be suspicious of out-of-the-ordinary texts, particularly any that want you to divulge important information.
- Never text back. Responding to a text, even just to berate the sender or to ask them to stop texting you, confirms to the scammers that they’ve reached an active cell phone and that sets you up to be targeted further.
- Never respond to any of these types of texts regardless of how urgent they sound. Scammers rely on your shock and urgency to get you to react instantly. Know that financial institutions — banks, credit unions or credit card companies — won’t contact you this way to obtain personal information.
- If you want to verify whether or not your bank is trying to reach you, look up its number and call them, but do not use the number provided in the text.
- Never click on any links in the message. Doing so could release a virus on your phone or download mobile spyware that enables the sender to eavesdrop on your conversations.
- Never share personal information in a text message, including your mother’s maiden name or other clues that can be used to access your personal information.
Clearly, scammers are becoming more sophisticated in their approaches to obtaining our personal information. A dose of healthy skepticism when it comes to the messages we receive on our computers and cell phones will go a long way in thwarting their efforts.
If you suspect you are a victim of smishing, you can file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission at 877-382-4357.
Sources:
abcactionnews.com
scambusters.org
More from This Contributor:
Identity Theft: Making Sure It Doesn’t Happen to You
Carnival ship to use Puerto Rico as home base
The Associated Press
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Puerto Rico officials say a Carnival cruise ship will become the largest ever to use the island as its home base.
Economic Development Secretary Jose Perez-Riera says the Carnival Valor will move from its current home base in Miami next year to replace the Carnival Victory. He said Friday that the Valor will generate more than $ 630,000 in revenue for Puerto Rico every time it departs the island due to spending by tourists.
He said the ship has capacity for 2,974 passengers and 1,180 crew members. The ship is scheduled to embark on its first trip from Puerto Rico in February 2013.
More than 735,000 cruise ship passengers visited Puerto Rico from January through July last year, a nearly 5 percent drop compared with the previous year.
___
February 17, 2012 04:56 PM EST
Copyright 2012, The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Storing Laptops in Bulk
If you’re looking to store your laptops but simply have to many of them for any other solution (like a desk, box or somethign else) then you really should be looking into the laptop carts solution for storage and transportation. Without this, you would be stuck lugging around your expensive and heavy hardware all by yourself and not really having a say in what happens to you, whether it be that some of them get stolen or you simply get tired.
This is laptop storage at its finest. The highest quality laptop cart that you can buy will improve your life in so many ways that you simply won’t be able to comprehend the pure magic that it can bring. In fact, I got one that I really enjoyed and it has definitely increased the quality of my life by at least double. Jobs that used to take me a couple hours to finish now take a couple minutes because I don’t have to make multiple trips over and over to get all of my stuff done. It’s not the most ideal situation, but if you’re someone who has a lot of laptops then you are not really worried about having to buy some extra storage.
Delicious Treats
If there is one thing in life that I just simply can’t do without, it is quality chocolates. I love the creamy, rich texture and the sweetness that is a great piece of chocolate. There are a lot of different places out there that claim to be selling so called gourmet chocolate, but the truth of the matter is that few people, if any, really know how to make a quiality candy. One of these people is the classic chocolatier, Sees Candy. Mary See way back in the day decided to brighten the spirits of basically everyone on Earth by making her signature chocolate.
Since then, it has spread around the world and everyone that you meet has had a piece of her chocolate. From the bon bons to the toffee filled cream puffs, there is nothing out there that can match the taste, quality and price of a Sees piece of candy. They even offer free samples! How can you beat that – the answer is that you simply can’t. There is no way to make candy on the same level because they have refined their method to the point of no return. It’s simply too late for other chocolate makers to catch up!
Bird Symbolism and their Meanings
Most of us see birds as a symbol of freedom, or even as symbols of the future. Their ability to soar high into the sky and their proximity with the sky makes them desirable for humans who cannot fly without substitute wings. From time immemorial,
mankind has considered birds to be signs of eternal life. Many folklores and stories suggest that birds were taken as signs of renewed life, often as a transition between life and death. Many even consider them to be an idea or proposal for the future.
“Do you ne’er think what wondrous beings these?
Do you ne’er think who made them, and who taught
The dialect they speak, where melodies
Alone are the interpreters of thought?
Whose household words are songs in many keys,
Sweeter than instrument of man e’er caught!”
~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s ‘Tales of a Wayside Inn’
Often, we see magpies as signs of good or bad omens. Do any of these symbolism have any meaning or are they simply hyped folklores? Now that we are thinking on such lines, and you have dreamed of, or seen a particular bird, then a quick glance at the following table will help you know just what it means. Help yourselves . . .
*Click on the images for a better view.
Connotes
★ Good omen
★ Paradise
★ Mysticism and Magic
Seeing a blackbird for most is a sign of a good omen. Apart from being a good omen, it could also refer to a heightened awareness either spiritually or in your personal life. It could also imply shyness and insecurity, which directly implies lack of self-confidence. It could infer to being vulnerable to the decisions made by others. The color black, as we know, is associated with supernatural prowess, hence lending the individual who sees a blackbird frequently in his dreams a mystical and magical feel.
Connotes
★ Arrival of spring
★ Hard work
★ Spiritual joy
Bluebirds are associated with spiritual joy and contentedness, it most often predicts the occurrence of a happy condition or good tidings coming your way. It is symbolic of a transition or spiritual awakening. It may also refer to the craving of an individual for the inner child which would obviously mean innocence.
Connotes
★ Fearless
★ Truthful
★ Talkative
A blue jay could mean anything from being faithful to your spouse or purity of the soul, which definitely implies a gentle human being. To an extent, it means clarity in thoughts and actions of the individual. Blue jays are symbolic of adaptability; besides, seeing a blue jay either in its natural habitat or in your dreams could also send across a message to develop an innate talent.
Connotes
★ Joy
★ Freedom
★ Intellectual development
Canaries are happy birds that spread joy and a sense of well-being. For some, a flying canary could be a sign of freedom, while for some others it could be a sign of spread of unwanted information that we know as gossip. It could also mean that you as an individual, is the cause behind the gossip. A canary is also a symbol of selflessness, sexual ecstasy (flying canary); in the extreme, it could mean entrapment (caged canary).
Connotes
★ Beauty
★ Vibrancy
★ Nobility
Red is the color of love, and it is but natural to associate a red cardinal with love and warmth. It could be a reference to a possible passionate encounter or a sign of you settling down in life with the person you love. Besides, it could mean delight by way of accomplishment of a good deed.
Connotes
★ Clarity
★ Purity of soul
Chickadee is symbolic of higher thinking capabilities, which implies a better understanding of the self as well as that of the world. It also refers to fearlessness with regards to expressing oneself, and being happy in the self, the individual tends to be truthful and faithful to others around.
Connotes
★ Hysterical futility
★ Feeling of fear
You must be familiar with idioms like ‘chicken out’ or ‘chicken-hearted’ – what it essentially hints at is – the individual is not brave enough to face difficult situations and is timid. If you happen to see a hen sitting on her eggs, take it as a sign of fertility and protectiveness. Seeing a chicken with its head cut off would symbolize hysterical futility as the individual is apparently not thinking logically.
Connotes
★ Renewal
★ Christ’s resurrection
★ Social elevation
★ Immortality
Cranes provide myriad symbols for interpretation, basically it is associated with renewal and rejuvenation of the body and the spirit. It is symbolic of peacefulness and the ability to resist trauma and generally as a healing measure. It could also mean that the individual who sees it is curious to take up matters in his/her hand.
Connotes
★ Sacred law
★ Clear messages
★ Straight talk
Crows are a symbol of mysticism and the ‘other world’. Most cultures believe that the crow is symbolic of ancestral souls. Seeing a crow could be interpreted as a straight talker or an arrogant speaker. Seeing a crow could also hint at the individual being a master of illusions.
Connotes
★ Peace
★ Inner initiation
★ Holy Spirit
Purity and innocence best define the dove. For a Christian, it is a sign of hope and the descent of the Holy Spirit. It is also a sign of pure love and compassion, many sayings also insist, be gentle like a dove. It could be a hint to a compassionate and gentle individual.
Connotes
★ Weak inner strength
★ Simplicity
Don’t fall in for the name, even though they are tame ducks, they tend to be relatively aggressive especially when you confront them. Seeing it would symbolize your own aggressive nature when confronted by an unknown force. It is also a sign of marital bliss and simplicity. At times, it could be seen as a spiritual vulnerability. Besides, it could also be a sign of honesty.
Connotes
★ Adventure
★ Grace
Quite an irony if you go by what its name suggests, a wild duck is relatively peaceful and sensitive. It refers to the individual self who, when confronted is aggressive, but if left by himself is actually sensitive and peaceful. People who happen to dream of wild ducks in particular love their individuality and are a contented lot, and most importantly have a heightened awareness of themselves and others around them.
Connotes
★ Triumph of light over darkness
★ Self-confidence
★ Royal bearing
★ Intellectual freedom
★ Positive energy
★ Renewal
★ Symbolic of Christ
Seeing an eagle could mean anything from prosperity and success to a contemplative individual. It is not a rare sight seeing eagles and its meaning would definitely be different in the situation in which you see it. It could mean an act of generosity or kindness of the individual. It could also be symbolic of inner healing and enlightenment. Some cultures see eagles as an act of faith soaring high. It could also refer to a person with a forbearing personality.
Connotes
★ Protector
★ Spiritual aspects of life
★ Spiritual achievements
Falcons like eagles are taken as signs of hope and positivity. Seeing a falcon could imply some sort of help coming through to you. It also signifies heightened spirituality and freedom. For some of you, it could also mean a spiritual message or help coming to your aid.
Connotes
★ Beauty
★ Grace
★ Balance
Flamingos refer to an outgoing personality. It also denotes responsibility and vibrancy. Seeing a flamingo could be interpreted as being family oriented and having a well-balanced personality. Flamingos encourage you to be social and vibrant in life. Besides, it is also a sign of responsibility and leadership.
Connotes
★ Swift
★ Desire to escape problems
★ Watchful
★ Providence
Old quacks, that’s what old people are called, ain’t it? Well, geese are symbolic of an individual who can babble nonstop for hours on end. It could also mean a happy-go-lucky attitude towards life. At times, it could symbolize apparent foolish behavior. Besides, they could also mean quarrelsome individuals (tame goose), fidelity and loyalty towards spouse and family (snow goose), and a devout Christian (gray goose).
Connotes
★ Nobility
★ Acute perception
★ Quick discernment
★ Messenger of the sky
Hawks, eagles and falcons are known to be messengers of the sky, and are symbolic of spiritual awareness and spiritual rejuvenation. Reach for the sky applies not just for eagles but for hawks too, seeing a falcon should be taken as a message of inspiration and logical thinker. A falcon is a reminder to lead an honest and truthful life.
Connotes
★ Intellectually impoverished
★ Panicky
★ Protective
She is a ‘Mother hen’. You must have cribbed of so many people in this way, if they have fussed over you! Hens are a sign of fertility and being a mother figure to someone. If you happen to see a hen sitting on her eggs, it could mean that you as an individual can be guarding some secret or are very secretive, not allowing anyone to know what goes on in your life. Seeing a hen could also mean you are highly susceptible to danger, are intellectually impoverished and panicky as an individual.
Connotes
★ Good omen
★ Symbolic of the souls of the world
★ Contended
★ Symbol of Christ on the mount of olives
A heron refers to a self-reliant, independent individual free to make decisions. It basically points out to an individual who strives for reasoning and is aware of the happenings with himself/herself and the world around at large. Seeing a heron could be interpreted as longevity in life. People who constantly see herons in their dreams are considerably good at dealing with other people and make good leaders.
Connotes
★ Beauty
★ Joy
★ Messenger
★ Stopper of time
★ Permanence
Who doesn’t like eternal life? Seeing a hummingbird won’t mean giving you eternal life, but it is considered as a sign of permanence. The hummingbird symbolizes an optimistic approach to life, it reflects on the gentleness of the individual. Besides, it also stands for devotion and spiritual awareness of the individual.
Connotes
★ Harbinger of Lunar functions
★ Devouring deadly deeds
All I can say about ibis is that, it is considered to be a scavenger, and seeing an ibis refers to a spiritual esoteric or rare and unusual interest. The ibis probe the mud for food, hence symbolizing a person dwelling in evil, and feeding it to others around as well. The possibility of a transformation or change is inherent when you see an ibis.
Connotes
★ Beauty
★ Dignity
★ Speed
Kingfishers denote beauty, agility and refer to serenity and a peaceful approach to life. If you happen to come across a kingfisher, it could be symbolic of success and prosperity coming your way. Seeing a kingfisher could also be symbolic of your faithfulness towards your spouse.
Connotes
★ Masculine energy
★ Resourceful
★ Psychic
★ Vibrancy
Macaws are highly intelligent and hence, symbolize an ability for higher thinking and intellectual individuals. It also is a pointer to the awakening of psychic abilities. An individual is made up of male and female energies and seeing a macaw is indicative of a balance between the two energies. It is also symbolic of resourcefulness of the individual and represents a well-adapted and adjusted individual.
Connotes
★ Chatterbox
★ Flashy
★ Happiness
★ Good fortune
Magpies are symbolic of happiness and jovial approach to life, yet it can denote a shaky personality. It can also be a reference to unpredictable behavior or situations occurring around you. It denotes lack of discipline in life and an individual with a highly deceptive nature. In the extreme, it could also symbolize marital bliss.
Connotes
★ Imitation
★ Mockery
The name says it all, mockingbirds are but that, and they symbolize a person who lacks individual expression. It could be taken as a sign of rebuke and the innate ability to imitate people and situations around you, thus making a mockery of yourself. It could also mean that you or someone close to you is committing adultery.
Connotes
★ Good omen
★ Cry for help from a poor soul from purgatory
Everyone is aware that a nightingale’s song refers to love and longing, what it could also mean is a sign or warning of an impending death. It could also refer to praise for acts of charity. With its natural ability to sing, it symbolizes a creative individual who is unearthing his/her potential. It could also refer to someone who has taken up the responsibility to bring about a transformation or reformation.
Connotes
★ Faith
★ Virginity of Mary (egg)
Ostriches are believed to be shy and evasive, yet seeing an ostrich could be representative of a contemplative personality. Like the peacock, it is also symbolic of pride, seeing it could also mean you are a religious hypocrite faking your faith. In some cultures, it is taken as a sign of fertility.
Connotes
★ Wisdom
★ Knowledge
★ Harbinger of death
★ Prince of darkness
Wise as the owl or not, owls are symbolic of an inquisitive individual. It also refers to a contemplative and virtuous individual. You can take it as a sign of enlightenment, and of course, wisdom. Beware though, seeing an owl could either mean you are being judged or are making a false judgment about another. It could also mean a warning of danger lurking around.
Connotes
★ Lacks analytical thinking
★ Unconscious messages
Parakeets are good to look at but unfortunately the symbolism is just the opposite. Seeing parakeets flying could bring a sense of freedom yet seeing one that is caged could refer to your relationship that is caged and stuffy. It is also symbolic of lack of freedom. If you happen to see them in your dreams, it could be hinting at a message being conveyed to you.
Connotes
★ Bringer of rain and seed
★ Babbler
★ Status symbol
Parrots are symbolic of an individual who lacks a personality of his/her own, it simply means it is dependent on another for views, opinions and ideas. Parrots are known to be imitators and seeing parrots could mean you or someone is making fun of someone.
Connotes
★ Universal consciousness
★ Prestige
★ Birth
★ Pride
★ Spring
Pride goes before a fall, and peacocks with their magnificent beauty are associated with pride. It refers to conceit or falseness of a person. It could be symbolic of success and goodwill and to an extent, is associated with immortality.
Connotes
★ Sacrificial death of Christ
★ Abundance
If you have watched Finding Nemo, then you will know, that pelicans are symbolic of abundance, besides, they are also symbolic of acts of charity and generosity. Seeing a pelican could mean that you believe in selfless service to others. It could also refer to a sacrifice or sacrificing attitude.
Connotes
★ Harmony
★ Supernatural calamity
Pheasant symbolizes a spiritual seeker. It could also be a sign of wickedness, and secrecy. For someone who is going astray, seeing a pheasant could mean giving in to seduction. Take it as a sign of warning and supernatural calamity.
Connotes
★ Resurrection
★ Utmost spirituality
★ Recreation of earth
Phoenix, as you know, is a mythical bird, seeing it in your dreams could be a sign of bouncing back from adversity. It is a symbol of immortality and of spiritual rebirth or transformation. It could also be taken as a sign of aggressive behavior.
Connotes
★ Gossip
★ Blame for the action of others
★ Youthful generation
Pigeons represent the lost culture of the young generation, it also refers to ignorance and gossiping nature of people. It is taken as a sign of courage to take the blame on to oneself.
Connotes
★ Family oriented
★ Protectiveness
Quails live in groups, hence symbolizing group harmony. It is a symbol of lust and love. For some, it is a symbol of victory and even more, an ability to overcome obstacles.
Connotes
★ Recognition of spiritual lies
★ Reminder of God’s love
★ Teacher
★ Mystery
Ravens are considered to be sign of good omen, yet they are harbingers of misfortune and deception. It is a sign of alertness and watchfulness, it could also refer to an adjusting personality.
Connotes
★ Speed
★ Agility
★ Reflexes
Spotting a roadrunner could mean that you are a quick thinker and have leadership qualities. It could also refer to a well-adjusted and adapted individual.
Connotes
★ Rebirth of ideas and spirit
★ New beginning
Robins are symbolic of a rebirth or the beginning of a new idea. It is a gateway to new opportunities, and refers to patient outlook towards life. It is also symbolic of growth in personal and spiritual life. It also symbolizes selfless and sacrificing nature of the individual.
Connotes
★ Awakening of ideas
★ Spirituality
Roosters are symbolic of aggressiveness and a warning of impending danger, it is also reflective of the shimmering aspects of personality.
Connotes
★ Speed
★ Foraging
Sandpipers are symbolic of heightened paternal instincts and a quick wit. It refers to an adventurous spirit and an explorer of the wild. It also refers to a focused approach to life.
Connotes
★ Freedom
★ Sea God ‘Lir’
★ Messenger
Seagulls are highly intelligent and refer to intellectual abilities. However, they lack concern for life/things. You can take it as references to skillful approach to life.
Connotes
★ Gentle
★ Intellectual
★ Ancestral knowledge
Sparrows are sweet little birds that symbolize companionship, and a symbol of hope. It is also a sign of fertility and renewal as well as rejuvenation of the spirit.
Connotes
★ Resurrection
★ Fertility
The stork came visiting! Seeing a stork symbolizes a creative and speculative individual. It also refers to birth and rejuvenation; besides it points to a philosophical approach to life.
Connotes
★ Harbinger of spring
★ Attribute of love Goddess, Aphrodite
Seeing a swallow could refer to having a disciplinary approach to life. It could also connote rejuvenation of the spirit and is symbolic of the relationship between two brothers.
Connotes
★ Personal grace
★ Inherent spirituality
★ Foresees impending death
★ Hypocrite (because of black flesh)
Swans with their beautiful white features, refer to the purity of soul, innocence. It also refers to faithfulness towards family and spouse. It is also a sign of honesty and integrity, elegance and grace. It also points towards a spiritual awakening.
Connotes
★ War and bloodshed
★ Noisy
Tanagers refer to an individualistic and egocentric individual. It could also refer to restlessness due to an impending warning. It also refers to spiritual awakening of the individual.
Connotes
★ Paradise
★ Peace
Toucans can symbolize blooming partnership/companionship. It could also refer to relaxation and peace. It lends importance to teamwork and family and is a warning of impending death.
Connotes
★ Acquisition
★ Restlessness
★ Sacrifice
Turkey is symbolic of sacrifice and it lays stress on family togetherness. It implies healing of the body after critical surgery and spiritual rejuvenation. It refers to a selfless individual and symbolizes a rapid rise from a sticky situation.
Connotes
★ Aggressive
★ Watching over you
★ Virgin Mary (because it doesn’t sit on its eggs)
Vulture refers to a greedy individual. It also refers to a prophetic or demonic approach to life. It could also mean a visionary and harbinger of impending death and gloom.
Connotes
★ Prophecy
★ Magic
★ Heralds rain and storm
★ Guardian of trees
Woodpeckers are protectors of the trees and refer to people who are protective of nature and their surroundings. It refers to an apparent surge of power and an industrious outlook towards life. They are also symbolic of prophetic and mystic powers.
You are sure to find lots of similarities between the symbolism of birds, not only birds but also with animals too. The symbolism varies again in different regions. Where in one culture a certain bird may be considered as a good omen, in some other culture, it stands for a bad omen. Ultimately, interpreting birds is up to you and your beliefs. Keeping symbolism apart, if you ever find yourself bored and have nothing else to do, try bird watching. Don’t waste your time trying to identify them and hunt for their significance, simply lose yourself to their chirping and rejuvenate yourself therein.
JC Penney Scores Word-Of-Mouth Marketing On Facebook
Coupon Codes for HP Laptops
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