Parasitical Blights of the Internet

When I woke this morning, I had no idea what I would blog about today. Everyone seems to come up with such great and interesting topics. Then I checked my email from my iPod Touch. I've learned a time-consuming but valuable lesson. Never check an email link unless I'm on my computer.

I got this email saying I had a direct message through Twitter from one of the Romance Divas with a link asking if this was me. So I clicked it. Big mistake.

When I got to my computer, I clicked it again because I couldn't see why I had gotten the message in the first place and thought a bigger screen would help. Boy, did it. Lucky for me, hubby is one of those computer guru types that take computer security to the extreme. Secretly, I'd always thought it was a little overkill, but it made him happy so I followed along. Anyway, this message popped up on the screen telling me that this site was a reported web forgery designed to trick people into revealing personal information. This warning popped up because of the security preferences I had on my computer.

I believe this is called phishing. Lucky for me, I don't have any sensitive data on my iPod, other than my email password (which I changed) and my iTunes password (which I changed). I think. I spent an hour or more changing passwords. An hour I could have been working on Blood Diamond. I'm fortunate that this happened to me on a day I didn't have to work the part time job. I'm hoping that the small window of time between when I first clicked that link and when I realized what I'd done, coupled with the time difference (hoping they are in the US) will be enough that they didn't get any of my information.

I'm now afraid to plug my iPod into my computer. I'll have to, eventually, because that's how to recharge it but I think I'll talk to hubby before I do that.

These people make me so angry I could spit. Phishers, spoofers, spammers, virus launchers. If they spent the energy in pursuing a legitimate career as they do trying to screw over the little people that work hard to make a living, they'd be wildly successful. Why do they think the world owes them something? That they don't have to go out and earn it like everyone else? They think that because they sit behind a computer screen and rob people instead of holding a gun to their head while they growl, "Give me all your money" that it isn't real. It's like a computer game or something. I'm here to say, there are people on the other end of these scams. People that work hard to pay their bills and have a life. It's not a victimless crime.

Okay, time for me to get off my soapbox. Have you all clicked something you shouldn't have? What happened?

Welcome to the Social Network Revolution

I've finally succumbed. Last year, I joined Facebook when I moved overseas to Germany. I told myself it would be the best way to keep up with family and friends. And I did. For about three months, I went to Facebook everyday. I even played with some of their applications. I found out that was a big time suck.

Now my visits to Facebook are infrequent, though I'm trying to remedy that. I started a fan page there. That was pretty cool. If you want to fan me, you can find me at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Riley-Quinn/221823930058. I would love to see you there. I'll be posting updates about my writing there.

This year, I've added a Twitter account (RileyQuinn) and now this blog. I'm learning how to tweet effectively, thanks to my friend, Flicka. I'm making it one of my goals to follow through with my ventures. I hope you'll join me; it will keep me honest. ;)

Here I'll be talking about writing, life in Europe as an American, and just about anything else that piques my interest.

So what about you? Are you part of the Social Network Revolution? Which programs do you use? What do you like about them?