Yahoo Account Password Change

Yahoo Account Password Change

So Yahoo!, are you saying that you let my account get hacked yet again? This despite my increasingly complex passwords that I now have to write down because I can’t remember them?

Yahoo Account Password Change

This is the fourth time this year I’ve seen this message. If this is part of some policy to force a password change every 90 days, then say so. Saying there was “unusual” account activity simply leads me to believe that you allowed someone to hack my account. Or worse yet, you’re somehow mistaking my own usage as “unusual.”

On the other hand it’s not like I really care too much anymore. As a user of your service since 1997 I have seen repeated changes for the worse, mostly removal of popular and useful services. Yahoo Groups? Useless and full of spammers. Yahoo Personals? Closed years ago. Yahoo Mail? Changed so many times it’s effectively useless.

Let’s take Yahoo Mail. When going into Yahoo Mail I now get a message stating that I need to upgrade my browsers. But they’re all upgraded to the latest already! You don’t need to tell me this every single time I login. Then there is the fact that clicking on messages in my inbox to open them may or may not work. Half the time nothing happens, a quarter of the time there is a time out error message, the rest of the time it works. If you delete an email it is a 50/50 chance that it takes you back to the inbox view or the next unread message. SPAM Emails get through on a constant basis, and then you’ve added an advertisers link to the top of my inbox that looks like an unread email. Yes it gets eyeballs and clicks – by accident. Yes I know you’re providing a free service, but this is beyond silly.

Then lets add in Yahoo’s penchant for Rollover ads, these are ads that go from itty bitty icons to huge “take over your screen” ads without any warning. Usually while you’re in the middle of reading something. Oh, and they’re also right on Yahoo News’ front page. A resource I used to use daily. Guess when the last time I looked at Yahoo! News was? I’ll give you a hint, it now numbers times per a year for about five minutes instead of daily for a couple of hours.

This problem is rampant across the entire Yahoo! platform. Look at what they did to Flickr. At first glance it LOOKS nice, even though they are blatantly copying other successful sites. But try using it for about 30 seconds and it becomes an exercise in frustration. The only good news is that the traffic has died down so much that the discussion groups are quiet.

Oh wait, that isn’t good news! I spent nearly five minutes trying to find my local photography group to find out when and where the next Meet-up and photoshoot was. The last post in a formerly busy group was the July 2013 Meetup notice. And nothing since then. A spot check of a variety of other formerly busy groups shows the exact same problem. So where is the improvement to service if people are having a hard time using it?

For an idea of other services that Yahoo has screwed up, er, I mean “closed due to a lack of popularity,” see the Yahoo! Wikipedia Article. Many of these were incredibly useful and popular services that Yahoo! closed in their infinite wisdom. Were they loosing money on any of these services? Doesn’t it make sense that even if it was only breaking even that they keep these services alive to bring people into the Yahoo.com “platform.” What’s really weird is how they purchased so many companies, and then ended up killing the companies within a couple of years.

Yahoo!, here is a wakeup call. I’m going to move totally away from your email service. I’m going to delete my flickr account and all my photos, and stop using your services. I know that this is only one set of eyeballs, and I probably don’t amount to much profit for you. But I’m also sure that I’m not the only one doing this.

How to report Internet Fraud

How to report Internet Fraud

Internet Fraud is on a rise. As more and more people get online around the world, more viruses are created to steal information, and more people see the anonymity of the Internet as a good way to steal, fraud rates will continue to rise.

Common fraudulent acts range from using stolen Paypal accounts to pay for eBay or Craigslist products. Sending people fake checks for significant amounts of money over the selling price and asking for the extra back, or the common “Nigerian 419  Scam,” where you’re contacted (usually via email) for help moving large amounts of money from another country. But they quickly ask you to send a couple of thousand dollars as a “transfer fee” and none of the money is ever seen again.

The first step in reporting fraud is to gather your evidence. Good portions of such reports go unanswered and forgotten because of the lack of evidence. Providing ample and accurate proof will greatly increase the chances of action being taken by Law Enforcement. When reporting fraud and scams, use this template to provide your evidence. Keep in mind that some online forms may not have room for all this info, but it’s good to compile it before submitting.

Name: Address:

Phone Number:

Email:

Other Contact info: (IM ID, Forum Name)

Scammer’s Name:

Address:

Phone Number:

Email:

Other Contact info: AIM or Yahoo IM ID, Forum Names, AKA names. Also include any other email addresses, phone numbers or physical addresses known. Essentially any way used to contact you should be cataloged here.

Nature of Fraud/Scam:  Give a brief description, i.e. “Was contacted by person to…”

Estimated Value Lost: Use a range for actual goods, or the sell price of the goods. Otherwise use the actual cash value.

Timeline Description: This is the important section. Provide a day-by-day, hour-by-hour account of the transaction and what went wrong. Cut and Paste Chat Logs, Screenshots (if possible,) and all emails. Be sure to present everything in chronological order as it happened.

Links to evidence: Provide links to forum posts, screenshots of emails and IM logs, etc.

There are several places you can report fraud to depending on where in the world you are.

Online Fraud Complaint Forms:

In the United States:

The Internet Crime Complaint Center: <a href=”http://www.ic3.gov”>http://www.ic3.gov</a>

National Fraud Information Center <a href=”http://www.fraud.org/info/contactnfic.htm”>http://www.fraud.org/info/contactnfic.htm</a>

In Canada:

Royal Canadian Mounted Police:

<a href=”https://www.recol.ca/intro.aspx?lang=en”>https://www.recol.ca/intro.aspx?lang=en</a>

Other Countries: Please look in comments below, or post if you know your countries web page.

Once you’ve filled out the online forms, it’s a good idea to directly contact any of the below Law Enforcement Agencies. All of these agencies (except maybe City and County Police Departments) have an electronic crime agency who will take your information. In some cases you may be referred to another person, or group. Expect to get a bit of run around but do not take it personally. Remember to be polite and patient when explaining the nature of the fraud.

Local FBI Office: http://www.fbi.gov/contact/fo/fo.htm

Local Attorney General: http://www.naag.org/

Local U.S. Secret Service Electronics Crime Division: https://www.treasury.gov/services/report-fwa/Pages/ReportFWA.aspx

Local State Police: http://www.statetroopersdirectory.com/

Local County Police Department: Varies, search Google for your County Name, Police Department and Electronic Crimes Division

Local City Police Department: Use the same search term above

If someone scammed you out side of your country, the Federal Trade Commission has a special site for these complaints. https://www.econsumer.gov/pls/econsumer/wimsnery2$com.main?p_lang_seq=1

A lot of scams involve Paypal due to the ease of setting up accounts or stealing the information from others. Their claims page is located at: https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_comres_flow&trans_id=

Phone: 1-888-221-1161×8232 ; or 402-935-2050

If a company or business scammed you there are a couple of good places to report them to.

Better Business Bureau

FTC Complaint Center

Also be sure to report them to your and their Attorney General’s Office.

The United Postal Service is especially tough on scammers and fraud via Mail. If you sent a Money Order via mail, or goods and didn’t get anything in return they want to hear from you. Their online form is located at: http://postalinspectors.uspis.gov/forms/MailFraudComplaint.aspx

The Postal Service is very tough on fraud and scamming. To help them out it’s always a good idea to use Delivery Confirmation when sending large amounts of money, checks, or even expensive goods.

UPS has an online claim section too, https://www.ups.com/myups/login?returnto=https%3a//wwwapps.ups.com/webClaims/create%3floc%3den_US%26report_type%3d1&reasonCode=-1&appid=CLAIMS

Reporting fraud and scams is time consuming, but every bit helps. If you’re short on time at least submit reports to the first two links. Remember, the scammers aren’t going to stop if they get away with it. All it’s going to take is one or two to get caught as warnings to the rest.

Sigg BPA Scandal

Sigg BPA Scandal

I’m finding it disheartening that no matter what we try to do to eat, drink, and simply live healthy, corporations still lie to us. With Green and Local washing rampant and lax organic labeling, it almost seems that trying to eat and drink right with a minimum of contaminants is nearly impossible.

It seems to me Sigg specifically advertised their bottles as BPA free, although I am not able to find any examples of that right now. But they did hold off on letting people know the ingredients of the epoxy in their bottles for a long time which is a big red flag in the possible negligence department.

Original article posted at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090903/ap_on_re_us/us_fea_lifestyles_bottle_backlash

Sigg bottles are leaving Katy Farber with a bitter taste.
Like countless other eco-conscious consumers, the Middlesex, Vt., teacher and blogger switched to the aluminum bottles for her two young girls because of bisphenol-A, or BPA, a substance commonly used to harden plastic that has raised health concerns and bedeviled buyers of plastic bottles.
Now this shocker from Sigg Switzerland: Bottles made by the company before August 2008 had “trace amounts” of BPA in the epoxy liners. Sigg officials knew it since June 2006, but didn’t announce it until last month.
Indignant Sigg owners like Farber have been blogging and tweeting up a tsunami. After all, the colorful bottles — which can sell for more than $20 — have serious green cred among the stylish and health conscious. Bottle designs include not only funky graphic patterns, pictures of Hello Kitty or skulls, but also slogans like “SIMPLY ECO LOGICAL.”
“I did feel betrayed by a company that was putting itself out there as a green and safe company,” said Farber, whose girls are now 2 and 4. “Why wasn’t this disclosed earlier?”
Concerns about BPA stem from the fact that it can mimic estrogen, a powerful hormone. The Food and Drug Administration is reviewing its conclusion from last year that its use in baby bottles and food containers is safe for infants.
But while scientists disagree about whether the very low doses found in bottles can be harmful, consumers have become increasingly wary about BPA. The maker of plastic Nalgene water bottles last year pulled bottles with BPA from stores because of growing consumer concern.
In May, Minnesota became the first state to approve a ban of the sale of baby bottles and sippy cups made with BPA. Connecticut followed soon after.
Sigg has benefited from the brouhaha. Parents like Farber chose Sigg over sippy cups and water bottles specifically because of BPA.
That’s why many were shocked when Sigg Switzerland chief executive officer Steve Wasik posted his “Dear SIGG Customer” letter on the company’s Web site. He stressed that there was no danger of leaching and said all bottles made since August 2008 have an alternative “EcoCare” liner. Wasik was “proud to say” that Sigg began developing the BPA-free liner in 2006.
The letter landed with a clang. Damning articles posted on the Web were repeatedly re-tweeted, showing the danger of stirring up consumer discontent in the age of social networks.
“They made the decision not to share the information when they knew exactly what their target market wanted,” said Matt Sansbury, an Austin, Texas-area father of two girls. “I understand that they say that the BPA doesn’t leach, but that’s a decision I want to make on my own.”
Wasik, in a phone interview Thursday, said he was surprised by the consumer response. He said Sigg had an agreement with the vendor that made the old liner not to divulge the proprietary formulation, and that Sigg was careful not to make BPA-free claims. Still, after reading hundreds of e-mails, blog posts and tweets, Wasik on Tuesday posted a second letter to customers apologizing and saying that his first letter “may have missed the mark.”
The company is running a program through Oct. 31 allowing customers to mail in bottles with the old lining — which was a copper-bronze color — and pick new ones. There is no cost for the bottle, though customers must pay shipping.
The Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit research and advocacy organization, on Thursday said Sigg should provide full refunds to customers. The Washington-based group said the current exchange program puts customers in the “untenable position” of having to trust Sigg’s claim that replacement bottles are safe.
But Wasik said early consumer response to the return program has been positive.
“I think when you’re an environmental company, you’re held to a higher standard,” Wasik said, “and we aim to get back up to that standard in the minds of these consumers who feel disappointed.”
It’s too early to tell if Sigg can regain the trust of disillusioned customers. Some said they have yet decide on whether to mail in their old Siggs or just switch to a different brand, like Klean Kanteen.
But the Sigg incident illustrates the larger question for consumers trying to find green alternatives: Is nothing safe?
“Sometimes I wonder: how much do I need to research? I’m just a mom trying to do the right thing for my kids,” said Jenn Savedge, a mother, blogger and freelance writer in Luray, Va. “How deep do I have to dig to feel comfortable? Or do I just have to drive to school every hour and bring my kids a glass of water from my own tap?”

How to: Contact Amazon.com’s customer service

How to: Contact Amazon.com’s customer service

Just like in physical stores, people sometimes have problems with online stores. Usually the larger companies have pretty good Customer Service. But sometimes you just want to be able to actually talk to someone on the phone to get an issue resolved.

According to Amazoncustomerservice Blog the numbers you need are:

(206) 266-1000 for Local to Seattle US
1-866-216-1072 for US
1-206-266-2992 for International
(877)-586-3230 for Canada
+44.208.636.9200 for UK
0800 279 6620 for UK Free Phone
0011 1 206 266-2992 – Australian (same as international)

He’s also included numbers for Paypal, Ebay, Yahoo!, and Netflix here.