With the pending storm, this is a good opportunity to remind everyone of some standard IT procedures. Before leaving the office for the weekend, we advise you power off desktops. All WingSwept client servers have been given peace of mind with preconfigured with battery backup and automated software to gracefully shut down in the event of a power outage. This is a good opportunity to review your server setup with your IT service provider. Please feel free to contact us with any questions/concerns.
Archive for January, 2010
WingSwept would like to warn you about the a identity theft scheme that is being accompanied by tax season. The newest scheme developed by identity thieves is to send an e-mail posing as the IRS. According to the Trend Micro Consumer Newsletter, there are different versions of scamming e-mails being sent.
One version of the scam IRS messages has victims receiving an e-mail advising they did not report all of their income to the IRS. The recipient is then asked to download an attachment which the scammer claims is a portion of their most recent tax return. When the attachment is downloaded, the victim’s computer has acquired a virus.
Another similar scam plays on a victim’s fear of being audited by the IRS. A bogus information form is sent to the victim by e-mail who is told they must complete and return it. If the victim does not complete the form, the scammer will then threaten them with levy penalties and interest.
In order to avoid the newest scam this tax season, it is important to remember one thing: The IRS uses the US Postal Service to contact taxpayers—they never use e-mail.
In this article by Ray Barber of Kaseya, seven questions are outlined to help you choose a technology partner that will allow you to focus on your business. The article states that ”you need your IT to work – all the time – and using an outsourced IT service can give small to medium-sized businesses like yours the enterprise-level IT capabilities needed to help achieve business growth, reduce costs and maximize profitability.”
Are you satisfied with the answers to these questions about your tech support?
What level of customer service do they provide you? Can their staff offer expertise? Do they offer fixed monthly pricing? Do they take a proactive approach?
If you aren’t satisfied with the service you are getting, consider WingSwept, an IT consulting firm and managed services provider in Garner. Customer service and IT expertise are founding principles of the company.
In 2009, millions of innocent consumers were harassed, defrauded, and robbed of valuable personal information that may have done serious damage to their credit and privacy for years to come. Some of the most memorable scams of 2009 and possible threats for 2010 are:
1. Spoofing Attacks – Scammers ask you to visit a website by pretending to be an official source, and rob you of your personal information.
2. Economy Related Scams – Scammers use the economy and enticing terms like loans, debt relief, etc. to get you to fall for their scam.
3. Work at Home Scams – Do you want to earn fast money while working at home? These are the type of things scammers will say to get you to participate in their scam. They most always ask for an upfront fee.
4. Social Networking Scams – The continued popularity of social networking sites is a target to scammers and malware makers looking to spread viruses, hack into people’s personal accounts, or con people out of money.
5. Classified Ad and Auction Scams – Although Craigslist can ebay can be a good way to find things you are looking for, it is also a good place for scammers to plot.
This WingSwept article was inspired by one by Trend Micro. Read their article here.
WingSwept’s IT experts offer businesses the chance to better understand their technology. How efficient is your network? Is your server and technology equipment holding you back? Are you on the brink of a computer crash? These are all easy questions to answer after getting a Technology SWOT analysis by WingSwept. It is our goal to help you leverage your technology, but first you need to know where you stand. To find out more, contact our consultants. This affordable offer could save your business!
Recently, the Town of Garner launched their new website, created by the web developers at WingSwept. The local IT firm created a ”cleaner, sleeker version of the town’s previous homepage with a series of user-friendly navigation buttons and a new feature that will make it easier for residents to register for parks and recreation programs.”
http://www.garnercitizen.com/2010/01/blue-gold-and-read-all-over-garner-revamps-web-site/