Posted on by Cam

Vishing (Phone Phishing)

Vishing is the fraudulent practice of making phone calls or leaving voice messages purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as bank details and credit card numbers.

Example of Vishing

This week I had got a call from AT&T regarding a new deal that sounded to good to be true. The person left a voicemail about the deal saying that I would get %50 off my bill for 24 months.

So I decided to call the number and it seemed to me that this is an inside job because they knew how much I was paying on my bill. I asked the person who answered the phone “How does this deal work”. The response was that I would have to pay $600 upfront to not have to pay my bill for 6 months and will be granted all of the premium channels.

I logged into my account and did not see no deal. I checked my email as well and did not see no deal. The guy on the phone kept asking me for my card information and I asked him again what his name was and he hung up the phone ☎️ . Next I called AT&T from my phone to confirm if this deal was true and the Customer Service Rep. She confirmed that there was no promotion going on currently at the morning. I went on and reported the numbers to the CS Rep and she was super happy that I was able to give them the information to help other customers from being scammed for the holiday.

Tips

  • If you know you are being scammed or feel like it not right please say no.
  • Do not give up your credit card information, routing number or social security (Personal Information)
  • Call the police and report it
  • Report the scam to real representation of that company.
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Posted on by Cam

Phishing

Technology is getting better everyday and people do tend to test people on the daily basis.

Phishing is a cybercrime in which a target or targets are contacted by email, telephone or text message by someone posing as a legitimate institution to lure individuals into providing sensitive data such as personally identifiable information, banking and credit card details, and passwords.

The information is then used to access important accounts and can result in identity theft and financial loss.

Examples of Phishing

Here are some examples of Phishing Attacks

  • Phishing Email
  • Spear Phishing
  • Link Manipulation
  • Fake Websites
  • CEO Fraud
  • Content Injection
  • Malware
  • “Evil Twin” Wi-Fi
  • Mobile Phishing (Smishing)
  • Voice Phishing (Vishing)
  • Man In the Middle
  • Malvertising

(Stay tune for more examples and how to protect your identity).

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Posted on by Cam

Like A Boy

“Wish we could switch up the roles and I could be that”.

I joined a different company than what I was used to this time around. Trust me the shit stanked since day one. I was the only female and black on my team with a whole lot of men. I was excited to be working with another female in IT but that did not happen because she decided to go to another team because she was wearing the same shoes as me but a different color.

As I begin this unfair journey with being the only one like me and not having anyone who could relate to me in my role. They would go to lunch all together and leave me behind (take extended lunches over 2 hours). Yes there was always cliques with them all. I worked harder than they ever would have in their lives. I was never promoted in my area or given a raise. The guys on my team have gotten multiple pay raises and promotions in the same role. I got plenty of praise from the people who had appreciated me for the work I was doing and how good I was at my job. The term I was use is the Good Ole Boys club.

One thing I learned about this situation is that I wish I would have been a little be wiser in the situation and left the company after I saw that I have been here for a year and was not awarded any raise or promotion at. Yes, I learned a lot new skills at this place but my redundancy and not growing in my career. I have asked the manager and my directors several times in my 1:1s “Why am I still in an entry level role? I was not fresh out of college or did not have any skills at all. But another guy on my team who was hired a month later after me was hired on as a level III”. I never understood how he amounted to getting that title. I went on questioning this the whole time and still no answers were given to me. I figured it out because I was not a male and women are not being accepted in this field and not given their flowers. I wish I was a boy or they could switch roles to see how much you have to deal with and how they would feel being underestimated as a woman in Information Technology.

Being a women in the Information Technology field is not easy. Yes please speak up and let your voice be heard. Never let yourself slip into the background when you know you are worth it. Women have fought in the past to have rights. I am not going to keep fighting and I am going to continue to fight the good fight.

“Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Women belong in all places where decisions are being made. It shouldn’t be that women are the exception.

Ruth Bader Ginsburg

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Posted on by Cam

From a Different Planet

As humans we all have that need to want to be the best at what we do. Discovering your talents can a challenge when you do not have a clue what you want to do in your life.

At the young age of 15, I found out what my special talent and gift to the world was. Yes, I was in love with fixing computers, being on the computer, and curious about the World Wide Web. All of this was new to me but I loved it. I started fixing my own computer and upgrading it. Being with my computer was so therapeutic at times when you have such as rough life that you are going through. As a teenager I was dealing with so much and it could range from ( trying to accepted into, not being the prettiest , and dealing with rejection). Yes being a teenager is hard and it was stressful time in my life. When you find out you must be from a different planet and not like your peers.

As a teenager, I was so curious in learning how to help others with there technical needs such as computer, printers, etc. Which I did learn that I could make some extra money on the side beside working at the job I had as a teenager.

Learning to accept myself has been so hard and knowing that I was blessed with a good talent. Looking at myself as such a young person and know what I know now. I wish I could have told me younger self that everything you have went through as that age would make you stronger for talent you have before you.

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Posted on by Cam

Mary Poppins (Yes She Pops Off)

“A Spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
The medicine go down
The medicine go down
Just a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down
In a most delightful way”

Anybody that knows me know I love the movie “Mary Poppins” and how this magical nanny takes on the role of putting a smile on children’s faces. This lady came off as being sweet and kind as Mary Poppins but she was not.

Let’s get to scenario of the whole scene. I am sitting at the desk and the phone is ringing. I answered the phone and asked “How can I help you”. Mary starts talking ” I just started working here and my desk has not been setup.” Next she starts poppin’ off on the phone with me and I have been nothing but nice to her. “I can not see and need my big monitor”. I have $600 glasses that support my eye sight and my vision”. Plus she starts cursing me out. 30 minutes later she comes up to desk and I greeted her and the lady was a totally different person when she rolled up. She starts talking about “How much her glasses cost again”. I said “I totally understand and my glasses cost about the same as well. We are waiting on an order of monitors to come in”.

Two weeks have rolled by and we finally get monitors that afternoon. I loaded a monitor up on the cart to go put it on Mary Poppin’s desk. Yes she is not there today and I do not have to deal with her mouth and hearing about these “$600 glasses”. She comes back to the office on Monday and wants to apologize to me and buy me some food.

All the people on my team asked me what I did to her and I said “killed her with kindness. Plus she know not to roll up on me like that after she came to desk to see me. Trust me she does not want to get that smoke. ”

“She’s, supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”

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