General Chat

I ALWAYS hover the mouse over any link or email address given when I don't regconise the sender, or the email is from a company that I don't normally do business with online ...........

99% of the time, that will show a very strange address.

Those emails go straight to Junk, and then I also delete them from there immediately ........... on my Microsoft programme that is the only way that I have discovered to delete spam and junk from my computer.


Just be VERY careful that you do not click the mouse by accident and thus open the shady email.

There are several malware programs which once installed will result in lots of spam plus alterations to search parameters and so on. Two such are "Superfish" and its variations and Lavasoft products. The latter are marketed as supporessing spam and malware which is a good joke.

Thanks for that advice Rollo :-)
You recommended a free malware program a while back, that could be used in conjunction with Avast Free Antivirus. Do you remember what it was, please?

Also, Avast downloaded (without asking me first, so I hope it is Avast) a browser called Avast Safezone. I've been too nervous to try it out!
Do you, as our resident techie know anything about it?

Would appreciate your input please :-)

Avast is ok, well pretty good actually.. Stay with the free version.

Do not run nore than one AV p;ogram at once.. If you do it will slow down yr machine and cause false positives.

malwarebytes basic is free
dl a new version and run it once a month it will weed out all sorts of junk

A common way in which people pick up spam generating browser busting malware is by installing free/trial software and not being reall careful with the install and rejecting optional junk. Freemake, the Flash downbloader, is a good example. It is sade, works well BUT the defalt install has a passel of adware which of course is what pays for the "free" program.

Now Microsoft have got into the act with their "Windows Store" you cannot be too careful!

It is impossble to fully secure a desktop or laptop computer in a SOHO environment. Businesses use border routers and other expensive stuff ( or should ) but home users are in much the same position as chickens in a hen coop with a hole and Mr Fox lurking outside. So run malwarebytes regularly and keep yr browser up to date. Never run Internet Explorer, any version. Edge is fine.

Some ISPs eg Virgin will allow you to install yr own router and this can greatly improve security but most people have no idea how to set one up for good security. The latest BT HomeHub is pretty good but all the others are not.

If yr router allows it change the DNS to that of Open DNS. This will give you a sig. speed up and markedly reduce tracking from cookies esp with Open DNS.

Always keep a backup of yr passwords and data offline or in the cloud. Then if disaster strikes it is no more than an inconvenience.

good luck

Thanks Rollo :-)

Thank You Everyone :-)

Avast safe zone is good. When I want to go onto a bank account or any sort of financial account, I open the safe zone and go to the site I want from inside the safe zone. The Bank mode inside the Safezone opens a virtual desktop inside your computer, so that the session is isolated from keyloggers, anyone looking for your passwords or data.

It is a safer way to connect to financial sites, if you have Avast, you should definitely use the Safezone

Thanks Linda :-)

I will now be brave enough to try it out :-D

14 today!

Two of these..

"eBay"
but really ... horace@ dewey.dpbp.sena.igottadowhatigottado.top :-D

"Primark"
but really .... kennedy @history.3b15.haiilemail.westillhavethat patchbythetop

:-| :-| :-|

I'm thinking seriously of deleting my gmail account now!