(NC)—Whether you’re a novice or an accomplished online shopper, remembering these simple prevention tips will keep you – and your money – safe when shopping online, on the phone, or by mail.

• Keep user names and passwords secret.

• Use only secure Internet browsers – look for the lock symbol on the website, usually located in the top right corner; that is how you know it is secure.

• Only give your card details when you initiate a purchase.

• Keep a record of transactions, either through e–mail confirmations or by writing down confirmation numbers provided by the merchant.

• Review monthly statements thoroughly.

• Check web sites for the merchant’s delivery and return policy before making a purchase to ensure items can be returned if they are not in satisfactory condition.

• Never respond to an unsolicited e–mail request for personal or account information, even if it appears to be from a trusted source.

• Never send payment information via e–mail.

More information on how you can protect yourself when shopping online is available at www.visa.ca/securewithvisa.

www.newscanada.com

Tags: card–not–present purchases, online shopping, prevention tips

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Redecorating used to be most fun for those who had the time to spend poring through interior design magazines, waiting for samples to arrive in the mail, and driving to specialty stores looking for exactly the right item for their redesign.

Today, remodeling ideas and items that would once have taken hours – or even weeks – to obtain are now easily available, thanks to the magic of the Internet. Where once you would have had to locate and drive to a specialty store for items like custom blinds, slipcovers or lighting, you can now browse and purchase a staggering variety of options all from the comfort of your home PC.

Do-it-yourselfers will find plenty of inspiration and inventory online. Here are three interior decorating ideas that you can easily bring to life with the help of some Internet shopping:

1. Buying blinds

Perhaps you remember your mother or grandmother driving from store to store in search of the perfect window treatment. While most department stores have always offered window treatments, in the past the selection has been limited and often pricey. Online resources solve the inventory and pricing problem and spare you a trip to the home improvement store. Websites like Blinds.com offer thousands of cost-effective options, from wood, aluminum and vertical blinds to cell shades, shutters and draperies. Plus, shipping is free.

Changing window treatments is a great way to update the look of a room for a modest investment of cash. And replacing window treatments is one of the easiest DIY projects you can tackle. Online shopping also makes it easy to update your window treatments according to the season. As summer approaches, replace tired old blinds with cellular shades that block heat and ultraviolet rays but still allow light to filter through. When colder months arrive, add a layer of insulation at your windows with lined draperies.

2. Lovely linens

Sure you can find a big selection in terms of style at big box linen stores, but the variety of brands – not to mention lower-priced options – might be lacking. Need especially deep-pocketed sheets for your plush pillow-top mattress? You’ll probably find them in stores, but at a cost that may make you wish you’d bought an air mattress instead. Online, you can find options in every style, color and thread count imaginable – and often at prices that retailers can’t match.

A Google search for “linens” yields nearly 40 million results. Your biggest challenge will be deciding which online merchant to check out first. Some websites specialize in luxury linens, while others offer more basic and practically priced options. You may also find good deals by going directly to the website of a designer you like.

3. Simplifying slipcovers

Long gone are the days when “slipcover” mostly referred to that awful clear plastic covering your grandmother put on the couch to keep the kids and pets from staining it. Slipcovers aren’t just for sofas anymore, according to HGTV.com. You can find slipcovers for ottomans, armchairs, recliners, dining chairs and more – all online.

Modern slipcovers are a great way to change the look of a piece of furniture and the room in which it sits. Cheaper than reupholstering or buying new furniture, adding a slipcover can resurrect a treasured piece that may have worn upholstery but is still in good shape otherwise.

Whether you’re looking to update one room or a whole house, online resources have made redecorating easier than ever. A few clicks of a mouse button can help you quickly create a new look, so you can spend more time enjoying your new decor than you did shopping for it.

Tags: decorating

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The Internet is a great equalizer, giving all who use it virtually the same access to a vast vault of information, from the relevant and vital to silly minutia. Yet how we use the Web and behave in the digital world varies greatly, depending on our age, familiarity with digital media and other demographic factors, a new survey reveals.

“Real people populate the digital landscape and many companies are looking for ways to connect with consumers by incorporating the digital world into their marketing strategy,” says Bill Tancer, global research director of Experian Marketing Services, the company that produced the “2010 Digital Marketer” report. “Understand how different groups use digital media not only helps marketers make offers that are relevant to you, it helps us better understand ourselves.’

Many of the differences in how people use the Internet are age based, yet other aspects of our use are universal. For example, the Internet is the most important digital media channel and e-mail the most preferred messaging channel across all age groups, according to the report. And online shopping is mainstream for a large portion of the population – adults ages 25 to 49.

Yet we vary on other types of digital communication. Adults 18 to 34 prefer instant messaging or text message to converse in the digital world, and mobile phones and social sites are their main sources of information and entertainment. Consumers 50 and older, however, prefer the Internet to their mobile phones, and engage in online activities such as researching financial and medical information.

We respond differently to digital advertising as well, based on the generation gap, the study shows. This is important information for marketers, as industry experts anticipate spending on online advertising will continue to increase in 2010.

There are, however, areas where the generations are like-minded. Fifty-three percent of online adults of all ages say they are very likely or likely to open an e-mail that contains promotions or coupons. And 30 percent say they are likely to forward such e-mails to others. And nine or more of the top 25 keywords used in subject lines in 2009 referred to a sale or an offer, with words such as free, sale or percent off drawing consumer attention.

Our interest in social media is high among all age groups, with younger adults more likely to frequent social media sites such as Facebook, MySpace and Twitter. More than half of all visits to social networks are from users younger than 39. Yet visits by users 55 and older rose 7 percent from 2008 to 2009. In fact, the Experian study reports that more than 5,500 social networks exist, making social networking one of the most popular activities online. And a growing number of older Americans are using social networks, according to the study.

“Consumers want to be – and are – constantly connected,” Tancer says. “Knowing where to reach them in the digital landscape helps marketers better connect with their customers.”

To learn more about digital marketing or to download a copy of the Experian report, visit Experian.com/digitalmarketer.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tags: digital communication, digital landscape, digital marketing, digital media, internet facts

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(ARA) – Scam artists are always changing their schemes in an effort to trick consumers into handing over money or personal information. One of the latest scams involves hacking into social networking sites and then targeting specific friends in the victim’s account.

For example, a scam artist will gain access to “Susan’s” Facebook account. The scammer will send an e-mail message to all of her friends pretending to be Susan and claiming to have been mugged, injured or arrested in a foreign country, and in need of some cash immediately. But in reality, Susan is completely unaware that this message was sent out because she did not send it.

Believing that this message is from Susan, her friends want to help and immediately follow her instructions to wire money through a money transfer service like Western Union. Later they discover that they sent money to a scam artist.

The following are some tips from Western Union to help you avoid becoming a victim of these “emergency” scams through which fraudsters prey on people’s emotions:

* If you receive an e-mail or phone call claiming a friend or family member needs cash, take a step back and attempt to independently verify the need. Call the person on their phone, or call a mutual friend and find out if they are aware of the situation.

* Let your friend or family member know that you have received a call or e-mail from them claiming they need help. If it turns out there isn’t an emergency situation happening, they will need to report the case to local police and the administrators of their social networking site. Also advise them to change their passwords and install or update an anti-virus and anti-spyware program to help protect their computer from hackers.

* If you did send a money transfer through Western Union, and realize that it was a scam, immediately contact the company at (800) 448-1492. If the transaction has not been picked up, it will be refunded to you. Contact the police if the money has been picked up and file a report about the scam.

* Be aware of questionable situations. Scam scenarios can evolve quickly and the way scammers contact victims changes daily. Another scam similar to the social networking scheme that targets victims’ emotional reactions involves phone calls from people pretending to be family members or authority figures who claim to be in need of money for medical assistance or even bail.

Regardless of whether you are contacted online or through some other means, be suspicious of requests to send money to “help a friend or family member out” unless you can absolutely verify the information you’ve been given.

For more information on other scams or for more tips on how to protect yourself from scams, visit www.WesternUnion.com/fraud.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tags: Facebook scams, scams, social networking sites

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MSI's X-Slim X340 Notebook

A new ultra-light laptop, weighing a mere 1.3 kilograms, has made its debut in Canada, and will likely be crowned as the “one to have” as students head back to the classroom this September.

MSI’s light X-Slim X340 Notebook, according to its exclusive Canadian retailer, Staples Canada, is touted as “the world’s first slender, sleek laptop, weighing a mere 1.3 kilograms and featuring Intel’s CULV platform and a 13.4” screen. Students don’t have to sacrifice technology for convenience, as this computer is slender and light, with lots of battery power and memory,” says Pete Gibel, vice president of merchandising for Staples Canada.

The X-Slim is available exclusively at Staples with models starting at $799.96. The X340 features a super-long-life battery, MSI exclusive ECO engine, HDMI and Blu-Ray playback, and wireless Internet connection.

- News Canada

Tags: MSI, MSI X-Slim X340 Notebook, MSI's X-Slim X340 Notebook, Notebooks, X-Slim, X-Slim X340, X-Slim X340 Notebook

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Tags: Facebook marketing, Internet marketing, social networking

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(ARA) – Warm weather signals the time to get clutter under control. A time traditionally spent cleaning out nooks and crannies in the home, this season the trend is to organize your digital world, which as most of us know, can be a huge mess.

According to a recent survey conducted by Microsoft, 60 percent of those polled say their online lives sometimes feel more disorganized than their physical lives.

Crystal Hornsby, a construction project engineer from Vancouver, Wash., is feeling the need to get digitally organized this year. “I have two mobile phones, two e-mail accounts, hundreds of digital pictures, separate online calendars for work and home, and I’m an active Twitter, MySpace and Facebook user,” she says.

Hornsby’s experience is far from unique. According to a Pew Internet & American Life Project study from Dec. 2008, the share of adult Internet users who have a profile on at least one social networking site has more than quadrupled in the past four years from 8 percent to 35 percent.

Lorie Marrero, certified professional organizer, author and founder of ClutterDiet.com, thinks there’s still hope for people like Crystal who feel overwhelmed by their online lives and the idea of organizing it all.

“Our kids, jobs and shrinking budgets give us plenty to juggle in our offline lives. Now, with so many people using various online services, it’s no wonder that many are overwhelmed at the prospect of getting digitally organized too,” she says. “Although it can be daunting, it’s a necessary step toward gaining the extra free time we crave, and finally feeling in control of our lives — both on and offline.”

To get even the most scattered computer user started on the road to freedom from digital clutter, Marrero recommends five easy tips that can help make your digital life seem more manageable:

1. Organize Your Online Activities
Have too many social networking and online accounts to keep track of? Consolidate online activities in one place with Windows Live. Partnerships with popular sites — including Facebook, Twitter and Flickr — allow you to aggregate activities from these third-party sites — such as digital photos, tweets and status updates — into your Windows Live ‘What’s New’ feed, so you can easily share content with the people in your network from one site.

2. Unclutter Your Desktop
Treat your desktop as you would the top of your actual desk and keep only active files and shortcuts there for convenience. Use your My Documents folders for more lasting storage. Clean off unnecessary shortcuts that clutter the screen.

3. Get Your Files in Order
After you get your desktop sparkling clean, take a look through your folders. Can you consolidate? Are there old files you can remove, or drafts that are no longer relevant? Remember, your time is valuable and storage space is plentiful, so archiving to a folder or external storage space is usually a better use of time than wading through lots of old documents.

4. Time for Your Inbox to Drop a Few Pounds
Do you really need those attachments in an e-mail? Save your large files to an online storage drive like Windows Live SkyDrive, which offers 25 GB of free storage. Easily upload videos, photos and files, and share them with whomever you’d like — without overloading their inboxes.

5. Optimize Your Computer’s Performance
For greater efficiency and to avoid the heartache of technical problems, remember to update and run important utilities like spyware and virus scans and defragment your hard drive periodically.

“After a week or two of following these five simple tips, you may find that you have a bit more time to finally go for that run, or play outside with the kids,” says Marrero. “I tell my clients that the key is to ensure that your computer and online services work for you as productivity tools, instead of creating more clutter and hassle in your life.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tags: clean up computer files, computer performance, digital clean up, email, email clean up, files

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(ARA) – In this day and age, we all have to be careful about how we share information online. Browsing the Web is the single most popular activity on the PC — with both the time people spend on the Web and the range of things they can do continuing to grow. With social networking sites, online shopping, and online banking becoming more common and convenient, the risk of fraud or identity theft continues to grow. This kind of activity is on the rise every year.

This doesn’t mean that you can’t surf safely online. Quite the contrary, you just need to follow a few simple guidelines to protect yourself and your family and create a safe and enjoyable experience. And given that June marks Internet Safety Month, it’s a good time to think about how best to educate yourself and your loved ones on both the risks out there, and the simple ways to prevent them.

“Consumers really need to be proactive in the fight against cyber crime. Staying safe online is a combination of using the latest and greatest security software tools and exercising good judgment and common sense,” says Michael Kaiser, executive director of the National Cyber Security Alliance.

In honor of Internet Safety Month, here are eight tips to help keep you, your family and your personal information safe online:

1. Manage your e-mail inbox. Delete unwanted and unsolicited email and don’t open e-mails from people you don’t know. Be cautious about unusual e-mail from people you do know. Some cyber criminals use software to make an e-mail look like it comes from an official organization (like your bank) or someone you know.

2. Always think before you click and treat links and attachments in e-mail and instant messaging with caution. Download files only from sites you know and trust and never open an attachment from someone you don’t know. These can contain viruses and malware that can cause your computer to break down or is an attempt to steal personal information. If in doubt, delete it.

3. Use extreme caution when working on a public computer; Do not save your log in information, always log out of Web sites by clicking “log out” on the site (even if you are just stepping away for a few minutes), and never enter sensitive or personal information on a public computer.

4. Be sure your firewall is turned on. A firewall is an electronic fence that helps protect your PC from hackers that may try to steal sensitive information. To turn on your firewall, simply click the start button and open the control panel. Follow the security link and then click ‘Turn Windows Firewall on or off.’

5. Protect personal information by using strong passwords. Make sure they are lengthy and incorporate letters, numbers and symbols.

6. When shopping online, be a savvy consumer. Conduct online research to find out what others have to say about their customer satisfaction. Be wary of companies that don’t provide any contact information, including a physical mailing address and telephone number.

7. The best way to protect yourself is to keep your security software, operating system and browser up-to-date with automatic updates and practice safe online behavior.

8. New security, privacy and reliability features tools in Internet Explorer 8 can provide you with a more secure Internet experience. It’s worth considering downloading it for free. Internet Explorer 8 puts you in control of your safety and privacy online and helps protect you from new threats online.

For more information, please visit www.microsoft.com/ie8 or the National Cyber Security Alliance at www.StaySafeOnline.org.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tags: email safety, firewalls, Internet Safety Month, online shopping

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Get Your Computer Back in the Fast Lane

Does your computer take forever to load programs or change pages when you’re surfing the Internet? Have you ever been in the middle of writing an e-mail only to have the screen freeze and force you to reboot and lose all your work? There are few things more frustrating than a slow computer, but it doesn’t need to be that way.

Having a professional look at your system can be costly and buying a new computer is often unnecessary. There are some steps that you can follow to keep your system running at its best.

1) Limit open programs and windows.
If you have too many Internet windows open or are working with a variety of computer programs at once, your computer might run slowly. Limit open programs and windows to maximize your computer speed.

2) When in doubt, reboot.
Sometimes there are things we just can’t explain with computers. If yours is running slow, try rebooting. Often this is all the system needs to begin functioning at a normal pace again. Although many programs have automatic retrieval of work, it’s a smart idea to always save what you are working on before shutting down.

3) Use a registry cleaner.
Even if you’re extremely careful about how you use your computer and never download questionable material, over time it is inevitable that your system will accumulate unwanted registry entries, errors, clutter and debris.

The most common causes of problems are the installation and removal of software, online games, application crashes and upgrades of software programs. While many errors will go unnoticed, the more errors your computer has, the greater the chance that you’ll experience trouble. But there is something proactive you can do to protect your system: install a one-click tool called Advanced Registry Optimizer 5 (ARO 5) that will safely and efficiently scan, identify and repair errors.

Advanced Registry Optimizer 5 was awarded four stars in May 2007 from CNET’s Download.com editorial staff which said, “Advanced Registry Optimizer will clean your computer’s clock and keep it ticking.” To take advantage of a free trial offer, log on to www.sammsoft.com and click on the link that says “Show Me the Product Now.”

Once you have downloaded ARO 5, just click the “Run” button to install the software to your PC. The program will then do a complete scan and diagnosis of your computer’s registry and tell you how many errors are present. It will then fix the first 20 problems completely FREE of charge.

There’s no catch. The company is confident you’ll love the personal version of ARO 5 so much you’ll consider purchasing the unlimited commercial system which retails for $29.95. To purchase ARO 5, go to www.sammsoft.com and click on the “Products” tab. You’ll find ARO 5 in the Product Gallery. Simply click on the “Buy Now” button to continue with your purchase.

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tags: Advanced Registry Optimizer 5, ARO 5, computer maintenance, computer speed, slow computer

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Long-distance caregivers should plan time for listening to problems and use resources to handle some of them.

John is 82 and lives in Manhattan. Since the death of his brother, he regularly checks on his 87-year-old sister-in-law who lives about 90 minutes away. She has dementia and needs help with daily needs. An aide lives with her, but John is concerned the help is getting burned out. The last time John visited he noticed his sister-in-law’s condition was worsening, and he wonders what he can do to help.

John is a long-distance caregiver, one of an estimated 6.9 million Americans who care for someone living at least an hour away, according to a study by MetLife and AARP. Americans age 85 and older numbered 4.2 million in 2000, the fastest growing segment of the population according to the National Institute on Aging. By mid-century, as baby boomers transition from being the caregiver to needing care, that segment is estimated to swell to 21 million.

“This is a national problem with local solutions,” says Nora Jean Levin, executive director of Caring From a Distance (CFAD), a non-profit organization for distance caregivers. CFAD’s Web site, www.cfad.org, extends resources and advice to caregivers like John who e-mail their questions and concerns or search the site’s many resources and links. Help from CFAD is also available by telephone at (202) 895-9465. CFAD helped John consider other solutions such as assisted living, finding adult day care facilities and calling a home care agency to arrange to give the live-in help a break.

Levin understands that despite the obstacles of time and miles, distance caregivers are in a unique position to help.

“Long distance caregivers can offer perspective because they aren’t on the scene every day to really observe small changes, and that perspective is very valuable,” she says. “Sometimes if you’re in a care situation day after day, you feel overwhelmed and hopeless and you can’t see out of that box. But a person who comes in from the outside can help pinpoint a problem and recommend ways to help improve the situation.”

Levin offers these tips to buoy long-distance caregivers:

1. Offer help.
Lend a hand solving problems that daily caregivers may not have time to think about. Shop for gadgets that help with daily needs, like telephones with large buttons or “grabber” devices that help seniors reach items they need. Make arrangements for a handicapped permit. If appropriate, help manage finances and pay bills.

2. Don’t be a “swooper.”
It’s really hard when you’re the daily caregiver and the long distance caregiver swoops in and tries to change everything. Instead, plan time for listening to problems and perhaps for handling a few, and spend quality time with your loved one.

3. Make observations, but be careful how you share them.
“Retain respect for the individual who needs care, and be mindful of preserving personal dignity when every step towards dependence may be viewed as loss of control,” Levin suggests.

4. Visit and look for changes that indicate a need for more care.
Is your loved one eating regularly? Is personal hygiene slipping? Are prescriptions unfilled or forgotten? A helpful checklist, “Ten Warning Signs: Your Older Family Member May Need Help” can be found at http://www.cfad.org/library/HolidayFactSheetFinal.pdf.

5. Use the Internet to ease a transition.
“Transitions can be rough or smooth, depending on the nature of the situation, whether it’s a crisis or something that’s been coming gradually, and the nature of the person being cared for,” Levin says. Transitions to senior housing are smoothest when approached proactively, before a crisis arises.

For example, long-distance caregivers can screen more than 60,000 housing options online by visiting www.snapforseniors.com. The SNAPforSeniors online search tool is like the Multiple Listing Service for senior housing. Long-distance caregivers can narrow the search by geographic location, care needs, type of facility and personal amenities.

A new tool from SNAPforSeniors and the Alzheimer’s Association, the Caregiver Conversation Checklist, helps families discussing housing options. The checklist, which can be found on alz.org, offers tips for determining if long-term care is appropriate and explains how to broach the conversation.

“The possibilities offered by the Internet to help long distance caregivers are fabulous, and we’ve made our Web site a portal for people looking for solutions,” Levin says. “SNAPforSeniors is a site designed to help families deal with the housing part of the picture. Long-distance caregivers can also get help from CFAD when investigating other local personal and community-based resources like home care, daily money managers, eldercare lawyers, or geriatric care managers to coordinate activities or even where you can donate a wheelchair.”

Courtesy of ARAcontent

Tags: Alzheimer’s Association, Caregiver Conversation Checklist, caregivers, CFAD, internet, internet resources, SNAPforSeniors

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