Scams and Click Bait!

I don't know if any of you have been watching your Facebook feed's lately, but there has been an increase in the amount of crap that comes across the feed.  Primarily because users seem to be just clicking away on Spam or a Scam which then re-shares the crap to the next user and so on and so forth.  Here is a little bit of security related information.

1.  If you see someone share or tag you in a "Free $250.00 Walmart Gift Card", guaranteed it is probably a scam.  You may be thinking that "Can't hurt to try this out and see what I get".  Well in fact, it can cause some irreversible damage.  When you actually follow these links, it's some sort of survey where you give up some of your personal information.  Then you must subscribe to something like Netflix or a Magazine or something of that nature.  But lets focus on the first few thing you give up.  You may think that you are providing the necessary information to receive your "Free Gift Card", but in fact, you are giving up your personal information such as Address, Phone Number, Full Name, Birth Date, etc to someone that is most likely not in the United States.  Surely you've seen this on Social Media:

Even Walmart has acknowledged the fact the this is a SCAM!! And yet there are still people that click on this crap.  All you are doing is populating someone database of user information so that it can be used against you later.  Come On PEOPLE!!  I actually researched the last URL I saw accompany this photo.  Don't try to go here please, I've also replace the "Http" part of this URL. hxxp://february2502015promotions[.]ml/?aa10 - This URL is a known Web and Email Spam URL.  After I researched a bit more, it also contains malware (the not so good stuff on the internet).  While the specific type of malware that was on the website is not known, I wasn't going to go there and actually download said malware and infect my computer.  But is could be anything from a trojan/virus to a simple script running in the background to possible gather more information than what you want to give up.  Something else to notice on this link.  The ".ml" is a top-level domain which identifies the country.  .ml is the top-level domain for Mali.  I'm pretty sure they aren't handing out Walmart Gift Cards to the United States.  Just a word of advice, DON'T CLICK ON THIS CRAP!!!!

2.  Click Bait.  Whoever thought of click bait should be shot!  Seriously, all of these news outlets are now enticing users to click on the link by giving part of the story (usually the juicy part) so that they will get to their website.  The problem here is that it's hard to tell the difference between a real "Click Bait Link" and a false one......because EVERYONE USES THEM NOW.  You always see the "Look what happens when this guy does this".  You won't know what happens unless you click on it.  Please only follow known good links.  The publisher of the story can typically be found at the bottom left of the story on social media links.  If it's published by Jumbo News Story Company, it's probably not something you need to be clicking on.  Just saying.  Use a bit of common sense here.  Verify the Link before clicking on it.  Look at the top-level domain.  If it's out of country in some obscure place reporting on things that are supposed to be happening in your backyard, probably not true.  Truthfully, if the news outlets reporting the "Truth" (I use that term lightly) would stop using click bait, then the amount of users getting duped into clicking on bad links will significantly drop....at least until they find a different avenue of delivering their garbage.

I'm done ranting about this for now.  Just pay attention to what you click on.  You may think it can't hurt, but in reality, everything can hurt you on the internet.

I'm OUT!

What Time Is IT?!?!.....And Smoking

GAMETIME!!!!

So...It's game week.  This is the week we've all been waiting for since January, the start of College Football.  We start off the week with an excellent matchup on ESPN, Thursday, Aug 29th @ 5:00pm CST, USC (The SEC Version, not the PAC 12 version) vs UNC.  Followed by Ole Miss vs Vanderbilt @ 8:15pm.  These are really the only games that matter on Thursday since they are the only SEC games on.  Then Saturday rolls around and we have a game filled day. Other than the best SEC team of all time playing, The Arkansas Razorbacks, we have a good matchup with Mississippi State vs Oklahoma State.  This should really be a good game.  We also have Alabama vs Virginia Tech, Georgia vs Clemson, and LSU vs TCU.  All in all, It's going to be a good week 1.

Staying on the topic of Razorbacks.  I was reading one of the ESPN SEC Bloggers' posts yesterday.  Edward Aschoff posted his SEC Preseason Power Rankings yesterday.  For the most part I agreed with the outcome other than he put my Razorbacks 2nd to last....just ahead of Kentucky.  I've never really liked Edward too much simply because he bashes the Hogs just about every season.  I may be a little biased here but I think the Hogs deserve a bit more credit.  Definitely should have been put above Auburn and Missouri.  He said something about Coach Bielema generating alot of excitement but the players needing to match it.  Sounds to me like he needs to take a look at more of the Arkansas Razorback film.  These guys are more excited about hitting someone in a game than I've seen in a long time.  Get your facts straight Mr. Aschoff.  I'll remind you of your ignorance come November.  Then maybe we can get your Football Facts Straight!

So, on a different note.  While I was driving into work this morning, I noticed this Blue Pontiac G6 had some writing on the rear window.  The writing said something like "Honk if Cancer Sucks" then underneath it all was something that read "In Memory of .......(too small for me to read while driving as fast as I was)."  So while I as contemplating Honking....because Cancer does suck.....I take a look at the lady driving the car....yup....She was smoking....SMOKING!!!!!  Isn't there this little label on a pack of cigarettes that say something like this may cause CANCER!!! The very thing you have written on you car you are inviting into your body.  Apparently, Cancer doesn't suck as much as not smoking.  You must just be completely oblivious to the fact that you are promoting cancer while also saying it sucks.  I now wonder if the "In Memory of " part was in reference to herself.

So....way off topic here....but just had to stick this in because I find it hilarious!  So my 2 year old daughter has been repeating things we are saying here lately.  After Madam Martinez took my daughter to the restroom, she looking in the toilet and said "That's a big turd".  So now, every time my daughter uses the restroom, it's "There's big turds" or "There's no big turds"  

Thanks for reading

The Martinez

What's Wrong in this Picture?

It has come to my attention that Reality TV has taken over the airways.  How do I know this you ask....my wife, aka Madam Martinez, watches over 50 of these shows (I stopped counting at 50) per year.  Now, I do like to watch things like Hell's Kitchen and Duck Dynasty mainly because they are funny.  However, I do not get why people watch these Housewives shows, Teen Mom, Dance Mom, Bachelor, and this list goes on and on....and on.....and...you get it.  It's just a bunch of people arguing and creating drama for no reason other than for the show.  It's dumb.  There is really nothing "Reality" about Reality TV.  It's all cut to be the Over-The-Top dramatic show with random camera shakes and stupid sounds.

I tend to watch on regular occasion the Rooster Teeth Podcast.  On this Podcast they talk about random things ( anything from their personal lives to gaming ((and I mean everything))).  One topic that Gavin brought up was American Reality TV.  This guy happens to be a British video/video editing guy.  He said on the show that he really doesn't get American TV.  It's cut to be overly dramatic and the music/sound effects behind it all is ridiculous.  I happen to agree.  So why is it that America's version of Reality TV is so popular?  I DON'T GET IT.  Go watch "24" or some other TV show that is actually worth watching.  I'm sure there is some drama filled, non-reality TV show that can fill your daily drama intake!

Now to a different topic (<--Blog Segue).

So how is that we have politicians that are born and bread to be politicians?  These folks have no idea how the little guy feels.  They are born with silver spoons and fed through private schools while given every opportunity to succeed as a politician.  Us normal people actually have to WORK to get what we want.  Some of us even served in the military in order to pay for our education.  Here's another question.  How can the President of the United States hold the title "Commander In Chief" if he has 0, Zero, no military experience what so ever!!!  I mean how can you lead a military if you yourself have never been in those shoes.  It's easy to give orders to someone and expect them to follow it.  It would be much more difficult to give those orders if you had been in their shoes before.  In my opinion, we should never have a president that hasn't served in our nations military.

Maybe next time we can dig into the topic of Guns....Lots of Guns!

But until then,  Thanks for Reading
The Martinez

What's Bug'n the Martinez

So, while driving to work this morning, I had a thought.  People have apparently gone stupid on the subject of DRIVING 101!!!  If it is raining outside, that does not give you an automatic free pass to go 30 on the Interstate.  Then I look over to the person in the drivers seat and they can't be more that 17 or 18...or they are closing in on 150 years old.  Either way, if you can't drive while there is a little bit of precipitation, STAY HOME or take the bus.  We, as a community, may need to educate these young folk on the concept of defensive driving vs stupid driving.

Next thing on my list of complaints.....common sense in regards to social media.  I can't tell you the amount of Spam I see come across my news feed.  All of this Spam is coming from people who repost/share/like some random page/post so that they can win some expensive item that only the first 100 people that share and like it will get.  Or my favorite...the "Facebook is going to cost you $9.99 per month unless you repost this" scam.  You people must realize there is some 12 - 30 year old in his/her moms basement laughing at you for reposting this mess.  I mean really people, use some common sense here.  For an IT person it's funny/frustrating to watch people do this.  Do your research.  There are sites out there that will tell you what is true/false. And I seriously doubt I would trust a Post from someone claiming to be Mark Zuckerberg that facebook is shutting down.  Try looking at a reputable news site. (Not People Magazine Madam Martinez!!!) 

Funny thing about these is that some people will repost it but say "It's probably a scam but it doesn't hurt just in case".  There is a quote from one of the greatest movies of all time, Star Wars..."Who's the more foolish, the fool or the fool who follows him?".  This can apply here...Who's the more foolish, the fool who posted this garbage, or the one that reposts it?  I'd say the latter.

Finally, My last soap box item of the day is MOST politicians(this could take all day)....nuff said!

My rant is complete.

Thanks for reading
The Martinez