Be on the lookout for a new nasty breed of Phishing scams

The new threat plays on the average citizens fear of the IRS.  We started seeing this scam in August 2009.  Everyone that saw it was convinced that it was real but was careful enough to ask about it before clicking.  Here are a couple of the more recent versions that plague you as tax season arrives.

The "underreported income" threat. This scam features an email accusing the recipient of having underreported their income. The sender attaches what they say is a copy of their relevant page of their tax return. The "attachment" is actually an executable file that downloads a malicious file to the user's machine.

The "Making Work Pay" scam. This phishing email uses the Making Work Pay provision of last year's stimulus package to entice people into giving up their personal information. The email asks the recipient to go to a website and fill out a form so that the IRS can deposit money into their bank account. In reality, the Making Work Pay provision does not directly provide funds to taxpayers; instead, it gives wage earners a tax credit in the form of reduced withholding. This is nothing but an attempt by identity thieves to get your personal information.

The "refund" scam. This oldie but goodie promises the recipient a quick and easy tax refund if they provide their personal information and details about their financial institution. Instead of getting a tax refund, the victim risks serious damage to their credit by identity thieves.

Many of these scams will direct the victim to an official looking web page or form that looks credible. Don't fall for it! The IRS never discusses official tax matters over the Internet - they use the good old-fashioned US Postal Service if they want to reach you. If you get an email that purports to be from the IRS, do not open any attachments or click on any links. Forward it to phishing@irs.gov, then delete the email from your inbox. And if you have any doubt about an email's legitimacy, you can always send it on to us at support@pcmedevac.com to get our expert opinion.

Matt

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Windows 7 is finally here, and it appears to be something worthwhile. 

On October 21 at 10:00 AM  we plan on holding an educational  seminar for our clients on Windows 7 to clarify
the confusion around it, and to answer some of the most important questions our clients have about
upgrading or migrating.

But since this is such a broad topic, I wanted to narrow the content down to a few key points for us tofocus on.

So if you are a home user looking to enhance your multimedia experience,
a home based business, a telecommuter or a CEO of a larger, I would like you to consider

1. What is the single most important question you would want us to cover about Windows 7?

And…

2. What is the single biggest problem, headache, or pain you have with your current XP or Vista Operating System(s).

This presentation will have ample Q and A time so Please take a minute to consider these questions and Call, e-mail, or Ask them Live on Wednesday.  With your help hope to have creating a very informative and enlightening session
for you and our other clients.

Please register Now.  We will answer all questions from REGISTERED attendees received by phone, E-mail or Live.

Everyone who registers will get the recorded call for FREE.

Register Here

http://www.nc-hassle-free-it.com/Windows7event.aspx

See you Wednesday,
 

Matt Carter
PC Medevac
919-369-7800
service@pcmedevac.com
www.pcmedevac.com

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

 There are very few business activities that don't heavily rely on your
computer network, e-mail and data - and if any of these components stop
working, business grinds to a screeching, frustrating halt. And with viruses
and hackers becoming more sophisticated (and smart) about accessing your
network, you simply cannot afford to NOT monitor the health and security of
your network daily.

 A network monitoring system is simply a way for a trained professional to
watch over your computer network for slow or failing components, security
breaches, and alarms that signify trouble is brewing. It can also detect
signs that your backup is not working, that you're running out of space on
the server, or that a firewall is not functioning properly. Think of it like
a security camera watching over your entire network 24/7/365.

 So if network monitoring is SO important, why aren't more small businesses
INSISTING that their IT person put a system in place? One of the biggest
reasons we see is lack of knowledge. The reality is that many businesses DO
have their systems monitored for problems; and the bigger and more
sophisticated the company, the more critical this becomes. But smaller
businesses are often outsourcing their IT support and, unless their computer
guy offers this service, they may not even know it exists.
The second reason is complacency; the belief is that, "If it isn't broke, why
fix it?" This is akin to saying, "We don't need locks on our doors because
we've never had our house burglarized." The reason you HAVE the locks is to
prevent your home or office from being robbed - and the reason you have
network monitoring is to make sure you DON'T have problems.

 Plus, simple monitoring is cheap. For as little as $12 per employee per
month, you can have a basic monitoring system in place.

 Matt Carter
PC Medevac

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

 Thanks Lee! Apparantly great minds do think alike. --

 5 Tips For Getting Paid

 I keep asking my clients and other IT pros in the area how things are going
right now. I keep getting the same answer - "we're busy." I've become
suspicious of this and now probe a little deeper when I get this answer. I
now add "are making any money?" That's when I get a more realistic answer.
More often than not, the response shows that they are busy working and are
working for free or doing work that will ultimately be written off or
collected at a huge discount.

 We have seen our work volume go up and our collection rate is down, WAY
DOWN. Clients are in difficult financial situations and aren't always
willing or able to pay their bills. Some businesses, especially startups,
can fall into the trap of 'being a good guy' or, helping out because they can
in times like these. The "hard put" client then becomes so needy and the
debt so large the service provider soon finds they are over extended, out of
credit and out of business. The worst part is, they don't get so much as a
thank you for the work they did. OUCH!

 This collection problem is always part of business and was there before the
recession. Now it's not a problem it's a Pandemic.
Small Business's, especially business that provide services; Dr's, lawyers,
mechanics, IT Pros are, in many instances, failing to collect a huge
percentage of their billable time.

 It does you no good to be "busy" if you can't collect for the work. You
can't provide those great services you are famous and sought after for if
you're not there to do them.

 So what are you to do?

 1. Get a written client agreement. This should have a clear explanation of
billing, late fees and penalties. We also recommend a Personal Guarantee.
This allows you legally to pursue a client personally for company debt. Your
vendors make you sign them. I know mine do.

 2. Collect a sufficient down payment, or retainer in advance to cover the
costs. Refresh the retainer each month. Keep up with balances weekly.
Don't put your business on the line if you are going to exceed the deposit.
Call the client and get another payment or put the project on hold. Stop
working until the client pays. Do not get in the hole. 3. Don't incur expenses for materials on behalf of a client without being
paid in advance. This may slow down a project but, it will not be your doing.
The lack of funds is not your fault.

 4. Have your clients preauthorize a credit card draft to automatically cover
expenses and billing. This is pretty much a business SOP but bears
repetition. If you bill monthly for services, get that Credit Card number.

 5. Consider a fixed fee arrangement and have the fee paid in advance. This
works well for projects and for monthly billing. The terms are moved from
paying for the past month to paying for the next month. You won't get behind
unless you choose to.

 6. Partner with a local bank to extend credit or leasing terms to your
client. This is great for materials and tangible things like computers but,
not much help for services. Look around however. Some leasing companies
will cover installation costs if they do not exceed a percentage of the
property being installed.

 Times are tough and you've got to be sure you're fairly compensated for the
work your doing. The time you spend working without being paid could have
been spent marketing, building business systems, training employees, doing
other paid work and projects, legitimate pro bono work or better yet taking a
vacation and being with your family..

 Bottom line - don't extend credit, you're not a bank. No one else is right
now. Why are you?
---

 Help Rob and I support Multiple Sclerosis. Visit
http://www.pcmedevac.com/msridenc

 Matt Carter
President PC MedEvac, Inc
P:(919)369-7800
F:(919)460-0770 matt@pcmedevac.com
www.pcmedevac.com

 For Remote Assistance please go to http://www.pcmedevac.com/help

 **  All posts should be read as if performed by William Shatner  **

 ** Failure is not an option.  It comes bundled with Windows! **

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

 Things to know.

 While your current backup system is good, there are a lot of problems with it
(yes, I know WE set it up, but at the time, we didn't have or even know about
the technology behind Data-Rx Pro) Problems such as:
- It doesn't back up ALL of your data off-site.
- If a problem were to disable your servers, it could cost thousands to
restore and would take a few days to get you back up and running.
- It doesn't do open file backups OR continuous backups; that means you
could lose an entire day's worth of work (and if Murphy's Law applies, that
would be the day you completed a 30-page report).
- You have to constantly swap out tapes or drives, which leaves room
for human error. Plus, tapes have an average failure rate of 100% -- drives
are fragile and subject to overheating, they all fail, it's just a matter of
when.

 Here are 6 BIG reasons why you think about Data-Rx Pro:

 1. ALL of your data is backed up CONTINUOUSLY throughout the day in 15 minute
increments -- even open documents. That means if your server crashes, we can
recover your work up to 15 minutes prior to the event.

 2. We AUTOMATICALLY back up all of your data to two(2) US based
highly-secure, off-site locations. This eliminates the unreliability of
tapes and external hard drives, and protects you if your office is destroyed
by an earthquake, flood, fire, and even theft and human error. 3. No more swapping Drives and tapes! Everything is done automagically.

 4. Should your server crash - or even get destroyed - we'll have a mirror
copy of your server, with all the software and settings EXACTLY as you had
them, that can QUICKLY take over. That means you won't be down for days while
we rebuild your server!

 5. We can monitor this system 24-7 to make sure it's working. No 'unpleasant
surprises' that your backups weren't working.

 6. This will save you a TON of money on offsite backup. This is what amazed
me the most -- the price! To get this level of backup and security would
normally cost thousands of dollars more, but this new system delivers it at a
fraction of the price.

 Sounds great, looks great, works great. 3 separate versions to fit your needs. Data-Rx personal. Single computer version. Homes and Micro business
Data-Rx Essential. Designed for small networks. 10 computers or less
Data-Rx Pro. Designed for mission critical/high availability

 Matt Carter
PC MedEvac

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

 - Encouragement and kind words are more than welcome. - If you have the time and like to ride, more team members are welcome. - Spare change is especially welcome

 See you on the road.

 Matt Carter
President
PC MedEvac

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

 On Sunday I met with Nicolas Simon from Cowbell Systems
(www.cowbellsystems.com) in Apex. He is training for a 192 mile Cancer
Charity ride in a few weeks. He planned a 65 mile ride and I was very
nervous. Since I have dome very poorly on the long previous long rides I was
so nervous and stressed I had to invoke my ancient racing Maintenance ritual.

 The ride: I was surprised -as usual- by the difficulty and speed but managed
to do fairly well. I did not regret the pace after the first ten miles and
did not become increasingly horrified as we got further out into the country.
After a brisk scoot down old US 1 we turned onto a very hilly road into
Pittsboro. My ancient 12 18 Straight block did well and I was able to stay
on the Big ring for all but 2 hills. The hills were long but none of the
steep walls like the last few rides. Nicolas has only been riding for a little more than a year. He pulled no
punches and gave a me a ride for my money. Other than the chronic issues
with my bottom bracket the ride went without a hitch. 2 short water stops
and 15 minute break at the turnaround were the only respites on this trip.

 Initially I felt great after the ride. By late afternoon I was quit fatigued
and only then remembered I had nothing to eat all day. A few cycles through
the fridge and a some longing glances at the dog bowl and I felt fine.

 This week I want a few short and fast spins and will try to talk Rob into a
Group ride on Tuesday. My habit of not looking at the routes before the
rides may be my undoing on this one. My Road Bike is in for BB maintenance
and I only have my 50x17 Track bike for this ride.

 Until next time

 Matt Carter
President
PC MedEvac

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

 1. Free Up Disk Space. If you are running Windows 98 or ME, use the “Scan
Disk” utility. If you are running Windows XP, the tool is called “Disk
Cleanup”. These utilities find files taking up space on your hard drive that
you can safely delete to free up space and improve performance. Some of the files it will search for are:
 Temporary Internet files
 Files in the recycle bin
 Microsoft Active X controls and Java applets that were downloaded
 Windows temporary files
 Optional Windows components that you don’t use
 Programs you no longer use
In most cases, temporary Internet files are the biggest disk space bandits
because your browser caches (stores) each page you visit for faster access
the next time you go to that site. These files are not necessary and can
safely be deleted.
How to use Disk Clean Up:
1. Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Cleanup. 2. Scroll through the dialog box that pops up and select the files you want
to delete or compress.
3. When prompted to confirm that you want to perform those actions chose
“yes”.

 2. Defragment your drive. When Windows stores a document, it starts to save
the document in the first area of free space on your hard drive. When it runs
out of room in this initial space, it fragments the file and stores the rest
of it on the next space available, and so on, until the entire document is
stored. When you try to open that file again, your computer has to find all
of the fragments and piece them together before it will display the document.
This takes longer and results in slower performance.
The Disk Defragmenter utility consolidates fragmented files and folders on
your computer's hard disk so that each file is stored on a single, adjacent
space on the hard drive. This enables your system to find and access to files
and folders much faster. Disk Defragmenter also consolidates your hard
drive’s free space making it less likely that new files will be fragmented. How to defragment your hard drive:
Click Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > Disk Defragmenter. 3. Clean up the spyware on your machine. Spyware is Internet jargon for
hidden programs advertisers install on your PC without your permission to
“spy” on you, gather information, and report this information about you and
your online activities to some outside person.

 Spyware works in the background sucking up system resources and considerably
slowing down your PC’s performance. But that’s not the worst of it. In
addition to slowing down your computer, it can be responsible for delivering
a boatload of spam, altering your web browser, and serving up a bounty of pop
up ads. In some of the more extreme cases, spyware can also steal your
identify, passwords, e-mail address book, and even use your PC for illegal
activities.

 There are a number of programs available to keep your computer spyware free.
These include Ad-aware, (http://www.lavasoftusa.com), Spybot-Search & Destroy
(http://www.safer-networking.org), Microsoft AntiSpyware
(http://www.microsoft.com/downloads), and Spy Sweeper
(http://www.webroot.com). All but Ad-aware can be used to block further
infections, and they are all free except for Spy Sweeper, which is $30.

  
4. Super-charge your Internet Connection. If you are still using dial-up
access, you would be blown away at the speed of broadband.

 Broadband simply means that the “pipe” delivering the data to and from the
Internet is bigger, which translates to a much faster experience. People are
often amazed at the difference and wonder how they ever got along without it.

 The primary broadband methods are DSL, which is delivered over telephone
lines, and cable, which is delivered via television signals. DSL is 8 to 30
times faster than dial-up and cable can be as much as 100 times faster. If
you use the Internet and e-mail frequently, this is money well-spent.

  
5. Add memory. This is a relatively cheap way to speed things up. If you have
128 megabytes of memory in a Windows 98 or ME machine, you can raise that to
256 MB or even 512 MB for a real boost.

 You could also upgrade the motherboard, hard drive, chip, and video card, but
then you are getting into more money. If your machine is that old, you would
be better off purchasing a new computer. But before you do that, try these 5
tips and see if that won’t get you a little more life out of your computer.

 Matt Carter
President
PC MedEvac

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

Summer 2009 Specials.pdf Download this file

I decided it would be useful to have the Specials for the summer in a written
form.
 
Take look and take advantage.
 
Matt Carter
President
PC MedEvac
 

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

You've heard the joke before; people calling their Blackberry a "crack-berry"
to indicate their addictive relationship with the electronic device. While
the 24/7 connectivity offered by this and similar devices might seem like an
employer's productivity dream come true, it could be time to think again.
 
  Studies are showing that this type of addiction is every bit as hard to
break as a drug or alcohol addiction. One T-Mobile poll found that 1 in 10
BlackBerry users said they would be "devastated" if their device was taken
away, and many said they feel far more stressed when they do not have their
device with them than when they are without. Some Blackberry addicts feel the
urge to check their e-mail every few minutes and cannot set it down even in
social situations, such as in the movies or when having dinner with friends.
 
  While the effects of this addiction are not quite as damaging as drugs or
alcohol, they are there. Workaholism has been a widespread phenomenon for
some time, and it has now been suggested that employers may soon be held
legally liable for addictions to such devices-especially if they encourage or
demand such behavior from their employees.
 
  Psychiatrist Dr. Edward Hallowell, the founder of The Hallowell Center for
Cognitive and Emotional Health, says that today's high-adrenaline, 'always
on' work environment is causing people to feel 'crazy busy' and it's
affecting their health, their effectiveness, and their personal lives. "I'm
not a Luddite. If you use it right, (technology) is an incredible aid. If
your daughter has a cell phone for an emergency on the highway, that's
wonderful. But I made up a word in my book CrazyBusy called, ''pizzled." It's
how you feel when you're eating with someone and their phone rings and they
answer it. It's a combination of [expletive] off and puzzled. We have to be a
lot more in charge of technology instead of just being so enchanted by it."
 
  So when should an employer be held accountable? There are no current
court cases examining that argument-but employers are responsible for
providing a safe and healthy work environment. If they pressure their
employees to use technology to stay connected 24/7, that demand may carry
employer responsibility for detrimental outcomes to the employees.
 
  Obviously if employees work longer hours for personal enrichment or for
self-satisfaction, they assume the risk. But if an employer manipulates an
individual's propensity toward workaholism or technology addiction for the
employer's benefit, the legal perspective shifts.

Naturally this is a very gray area. When an employee works longer hours to achieve
professional advancement or to catch up for taking time off or to make up for slow performance, it becomes increasingly difficult to distinguish betweenemployee choice and employer manipulation. The best thing you can do as an employer is encourage your staff to take breaks from e-mail, cell phones, and BlackBerry devices especially after hours or on vacation.

Matt Carter
President
PC MedEvac

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

 Matt Carter
President
PC MedEvac
7/17/2009

Permalink | Leave a comment  »

 This month, we have more than a little to talk about. We have a new website,
A few new videos, We have a new series of money saving specials for Small
Business and Home users. We are training for a 150 to 200 mile Charity ride
in September. We have started working on the Ask Megan, Patrick, Sandy and
Cali web Q and A sessions and, Best of all, Much Much More.

 I did want to take time and go over a "Why we do this" explanation. One
obvious reason is that this makes us money. The answer, however, is a bit
bigger than that and deserves more than a flip answer. As great as all the
modern tools and technology are, they come with a steep learning curve and
few if any teachers. The Tech space is ruled by highly trained and focused
individuals who have no clue as to why you can't figure out all the tools
they wrote. My team and I have extensive Engineering and code writing
backgrounds. We, however came to it relatively late in life and had to learn
the hard way that we, and I venture that you, do not read minds and don't
find it obvious that #f2 is a shortcut for some random feature we want to
use.

 My world is full of arrogance, poor hygiene, and abysmal interpersonal
skills. The people here can breathe life into silicone with 0's and 1's but,
that is it. It takes the rest of us (Companies like PC MedEvac) acting as
intermediates, and arbitrators, to make it all work together and predictably,
if at all.. We do this because it matters. Everything has a computer or a drive of some
sort in it today.

 We do this because it is complex and difficult and the thin veneer of
simplicity falls off quickly when right about the time you want to use it for
business or a project.

 We do this because Small Business, the life blood of our economy, is viewed
as high maintenance and low ROI by larger companies. We do this because we know what it is like to be treated like a fool,
stressed, lost, embarrassed, under a deadline, low on cash, and out of
patience. You want it to work plain and simple.

 We do this so you don't waste days and weeks trying to get real answers from
hardware and software vendors.

 We do this because we like it, Go figure.

 We do this so you don't have to!

 Matt Carter
President
PC MedEvac, Inc

Permalink | Leave a comment  »