Computer scams and hoaxes

The last several days I've been getting phone calls from people with accents and noise in the background telling me they want to help me with my "windows" problem, or my reported computer problem. Usually I just hang up, because callers sitting in booths reading from a script need to earn a living and move on to the next sucker. But I've played along for a few questions then I ask them why they are running this scam. I chastise and castigate them before hanging up. Feels good. The economy has been completely restored, we're told, so no one needs to be working jobs like this even in India.

What computers used to cost, Dec. 2007

Today I was cleaning out a drawer (something I need to do more often) and came across the receipt from Staples for the computer I’m using as I write.  A Dell Inspiron 530S loaded with VISTA. The total bill came to $895.50 with various price over rides amounting to $39, a flash drive of 4 GB (I still have it in the package and not sure I ever used it), something that looks like a 2 year warranty, taxes $53.59, a holiday cd for $6.  Can’t be sure from the codes but it looks like I also bought a monitor and paid for data transfer from the old computer (which I think is still in the basement storeroom, and occasionally has been called into service when this one failed). Photo below.

The new Inspiron seems to be about the same price ($50 less), but with Windows 10, wireless, 1TB hard drive, 8GB system memory (compared to 250 GB and 2 GB)

My 530S is clunky and slow, it’s been repaired twice, and really resisted when I updated to Windows 10 (had to use Firefox).

Computer virus problems

I'm really out of commission here. I'm using an old computer xp I had in the basement. I picked up a virus disguised as a microsoft scan, so don't ever say yes to an offer to scan for viruses, even if it says it's microsoft. Don't know that I could have stopped it, but after being "cleaned" by a computer repairman, it reappeared and now the whole thing is fried.

It's a God thing

That's what serendipity is called at our church. I was asked to help with a new member breakfast (they don't usually let me in the kitchen, so maybe everyone else was busy), and I thought it might be a good way to meet new people, so I agreed. I'd fogotten that UALC offers chef quality meals--it wasn't just your usual Lutheran coffee and donuts--it was home made biscuits, crisp bacon, egg casserole, coffee cake, mounds of fresh fruit, three kinds of juice, coffee and tea. So leftovers will be our supper tonight!

I joined one of the tables and met 3 people joining 2 services at Lytham, and 4 people joining 2 services at Mill Run. While I was asking David (whom I know from exercise class) about the memory problem with my almost new computer, Gary, one of the other church servers, over heard us and handed me his card. He owns a computer parts and repair service, CPRS, Inc.! How great is that! After chatting a bit while cleaning up, I found out he does the computer work for a lot of individuals and businesses I know--some of whom I thought would be doing their own. Also, he served in Haiti with my husband on the mission team.

I haven't even called him yet, but since I don't know anyone else to recommend, his e-mail is gbollinger@myvideopal.com. His card says he'll remove viruses, setup a custom arrangement or network, hardware and software upgrades, databack up and recovery, HDTV setup and calibration, and if you go to his web site, www.myvideopal.com, he has a free video for the technically challenged. And he's pretty darn good in the kitchen, too.