MARCH IS SEVERE WEATHER PREPAREDNESS MONTH

As the calendar flips from winter to spring, it’s important to be prepared for tornadoes, damaging winds, lightning, flooding, and hail. The National Severe Weather Services urges everyone to make a severe weather preparedness plan, build an emergency preparedness kit, identify your safe place to go during a storm, and familiarize yourself with the difference between weather watches, warnings, and …

HOW TO TELL IF YOUR IDENTITY WAS STOLEN

To spot identity theft, do the following: 1) Get your free credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com and review it for accounts you didn’t open or inquiries you don’t recognize. 2) Regularly check your credit card and bank statements for purchases or withdrawals you didn’t make. 3) Review your medical bills and Explanation of Benefits statements for services you didn’t get.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT REELS ON FACEBOOK

Have you noticed Reels in your Facebook News Feed and wondered what they’re all about? Reels is a short-form video feature very much like TikTok that offers more ways for people to express themselves, grow their communities, and reach new audiences. Creators can include music, audio, and augmented-reality effects in Reels, with lengths limited to 30 seconds.

BEWARE OF FACEBOOK MARKETPLACE SCAMS

Some of the most common scams on Facebook Marketplace include: 1) Fake and Broken Items – Inspect the item thoroughly before you buy it. 2) Sellers Requesting Payment in Advance – If you pay in advance, the seller may never show up with the item. 3)  Unusual Payment Methods  – Only use Facebook Checkout, PayPal (but not the “Friends and Family” option), …

APPS CAN OFFER ADVANTAGES OVER WEBSITES

If you do business with a company often, download their mobile app to get tasks done more quickly. Apps respond to your preferences to provide personalized recommendations. They also use smartphone features, so you can do cool things like choose an item on the app and be directed to the nearest store location to pick it up. Plus, some companies …

HOW AND WHY TO GOOGLE YOURSELF

What information will a potential employer, new friend or coworker, or first date find when they Google you? Are the search results showing you in a positive light? Is the content true and relevant? People are Googling you, so it’s important to know what they see. Check out our Website Compass article to learn what steps to take.

GO GREEN WITH PAPERLESS BILLING

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the average American uses the equivalent of about one 100-foot-tall Douglas fir tree in paper each year. An easy way to save paper and help the environment is to stop getting your monthly bill from us in the mail and switch to paperless billing. Visit our website to sign up.

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT STALKERWARE APPS

Stalkerware is snooping software secretly installed on your phone. Depending on the type, it may record every keystroke — including web searches, text messages, and emails — and also record calls, track location, and more. Look for unfamiliar or suspicious apps as well as unusual behavior such as a rapidly draining battery. You can also scan your phone with apps …

AVOID BUYING FAKE COVID-19 TESTS

The FTC offers this advice if you’re shopping online for COVID-19 test kits: 1) Make sure the test kit you’re buying is authorized by the FDA. 2) Research the seller before you buy, especially if you’re on a site you don’t know. 3) Pay by credit card, so if you never receive the test kit or it’s not as advertised, …

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO BEFORE SCANNING QR CODES?

While many QR codes are trustworthy, fraudulent ones are used for malware and phishing. To be safe, use a QR scanner that displays the URL before it opens the website — such as the built-in one that came with your phone — so you can stop the process if the URL looks suspicious. Most third-party QR scanners instantly display the …