Shredders and Spam

11/11/12

Shredders and Spam

Remember the time when you took your unwanted mail, which was mostly everything, and casually tossed it into the trash?  Well those days are long gone.  With the growing blitz of junk mail, particularly credit card offers, with our name printed all over the place we felt it was imperative that we have a shredder.  Because of our family businesses we get a LOT of mail that needs to be shredded and likewise we have a larger than normal household shredder.  The "beast" gets fed every day and sometimes multiple times.  I once worked for a particularly paranoid guy who wanted everything shredded and since he was kind of a scary guy that I was afraid of I was particularly hesitant to shred documents.  We worked out a system that we sometimes use in the house today.  The particular piece of mail or paper is marked with an "X".  Both Jeff and I know that means - okay to destroy.   Think of it as shredder shorthand.

If you recall the movie "Catch Me If You Can" you know it was based on a true story.  It was about the life and cons of Frank Abagnale.  After doing his time, Frank went straight and has written a book called "The Art of the Steal" and I recommend it.  In this book he outlines many ways that the bad guys get your identity.  They take outgoing mail from your mailbox, they watch you key in account and pin numbers into cash machines.  The guys he's talking about are pros and in a matter of seconds they can really damage your life.  While the book may end up making you paranoid for a while (it did me) it was a real eyeopener and helped us see the importance of trying to protect ourselves.

Spam.  When I was growing up spam was something we had to endure when Dad's paycheck didn't stretch far enough.  Just getting the can open was so difficult with that little curly tab around the tab.  I have no idea who thought that was a good idea.  I haven't had spam in like a hundred years so maybe they have redesigned the can.  Here's hoping.

Spam today, for most people, means junk and sometimes damaging emails and it's everywhere.  Some of those spam emails are clearly sending up red flags.  Western Union is holding money for you.  Sure they are and I've got a bridge in my backyard to sell you too.  I'm sure that somewhere somebody falls for this but most of us know a scam when we see one.  But not always.  I have lately received some emails that seem so legitimate that I do the safe thing - pass it on to Jeff.  As I mentioned in an earlier blog, Jeff has several required chores around the house (mouse catcher being one) and being my ultimate gatekeeper is another. The spam software we have here in the house is pretty good and the zillion emails for Viagra and the like don't get through. Earlier this year whatever keeps really obvious spam emails at bay in the house was broken, our down, and our in boxes were choked with hundreds of "health benefit" ads!

One of the newest wrinkles is an "email" from somebody you know but it's not.  "Jeff" sends me emails regularly with links attached.  They are clearly not from my Jeff so I never open the links because visions of computer bugs scurrying through the wires comes to mind.  Obviously you are supposed to open the link - but don't.  Pandora's box is hard to get shut once it opens.

Have a peaceful Sunday and I'm hoping that the football games don't go into overtime which means last minute adjustments to my Sunday night television recordings!

P