BlueScreen Computer

05/28/2026

An example of invoice fraud recently showed up at a local school, intended for the PTO. I'll blog about it partly because it is a bit tech-related, but also because it aggravates at me.

I'm rankled for a couple of reasons. One is that they are targeting a particular type of group that is usually made up of volunteer parents. These folks are often short on free time or unfamiliar with finances and related trickery. But another reason is that: This type of fraud has not been reined in. This particular company has been practicing invoice fraud for many years and I doubt my reports will have an effect.

All I can do is spread the word and hope that education protects a few more people from this trap.

Deceptive SEO Offers may come to you -- beware any unexpected invoices and research things carefully. Don't pay any mystery bills!

05/24/2026

BlueScreen Computer is officially 24 years old today! I am still grateful for the chance to help you all with your tech needs.

(cat photo just because!)

05/21/2026

I've been posting for a couple of years now about Facebook's Malvertising problem (links in comments), and I am happy to report that Meta is finally being sued over this. It's too soon to predict any outcome, but we can watch and we can hope:

https://www.aarp.org/money/scams-fraud/meta-scam-ads/
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/may/13/meta-scam-ads-california-lawsuit
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/meta-lawsuit-scams-facebook/

Almost everyday, I help someone who has fallen victim to the deceptive and malicious ads on this website. And this scourge continues to happen, right now, despite the lawsuits! The screencaps attached to this post? I took those TODAY.

Clicking on those ads leads to fake Microsoft alerts. Those alerts *seem* to lock up your computer, while yelling at you to call a support phone number. Anyone unlucky enough to call the number is at risk of being scammed out of hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Please be careful. Don't call any unexpected phone numbers. Don't click on ANYTHING on Facebook if it is labeled "Sponsored" or "Promoted" or "Suggested for You". It cannot be trusted. And if your computer is locked up with a scary message, press and hold the main power button on your computer for at least 15 seconds, until it shuts off. In most cases, this defeats the lock-up.

Zuckerberg, I think I am not alone in hoping you have the day (in court) that you deserve.

05/08/2026

Shentel Webmail users: some apps are warning that their webmail site is dangerous. But this is IN ERROR. Shentel Webmail is perfectly safe to access. Shentel is working with Microsoft and other vendors to correct this oversight.

In the meantime, if you are plagued with these warnings, look for any option on the pop-up message to "Not Block This Site" in the future.

05/07/2026

Just got this voicemail today -- please don't believe in this stuff if it comes your way.

05/03/2026

The latest Shentel email phish campaign is upon us. But this time, it's not only very convincing, but also bigger than just Shentel:

One phishing email led me down a rabbit hole to a Phishing Motherlode. If you're interested, check out the details:

04/30/2026

I have trust issues. But I'm working on them. Sigh.

Trust, but Verify -- scammers abound on the internet and social media. Be careful out there and try to discern between friend and foe.

04/17/2026

If you're an Adobe power-user, you may want to sock this tool away for use in the future. The Adobe Cloud Cleaner tool is needed when you can't uninstall or fix Adobe software problems through normal means: https://bluescreencomputer.com/2026/04/10/the-creative-cloud-cleaner-tool/

For everyone else, here's a pic of the office assistants, enjoying the latest Windows Update.

04/08/2026

A lot of people are receiving a bogus Apple email today. Don't call any phone number from a surprise email, OK, folks?

Apple Account Update Phishing is arriving in inboxes everywhere right now. If you get this message, please don't call the number in the email!

04/07/2026

The Samsung Messages app will be retired in July. Your Samsung Galaxy might be telling you to switch to the Google Messsages app. Here's more info, in case this applies to you:

Samsung Discontinues Its Messages App in July 2026. If you use a Samsung phone, you'll want to make sure you've switched to Google Messages.