Friday April 2 2010
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Our thanks to consumer advocate Clark Howard
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New router promises wireless Internet connection for dummies
Wireless routing for dummies is becoming a reality courtesy of the same minds that brought you the elegant Flip digital video recorder.
No one in the industry knew quite what to think when Cisco purchased Pure Digital Technologies — Flip’s parent company — for nearly $600 million. But now their intent was clear; they want to apply Flip’s user-friendly design values to a range of consumer products. The Cisco Valet Wireless HotSpot is the first roll-out.
Amazon is currently selling the Valet for around $100.
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Hospitals can be ripe for identity thieves
RIP-OFF ALERT: If you’re planning a hospital stay in the near future, don’t take your wallet or purse with you.
That’s the latest word after he learning about a fresh spike in criminal activity involving theft — it could be of credit cards, checkbooks or cash — from hospital rooms. Low-life crooks will apparently walk around hospitals looking for patients who are either sedated, sleeping or out of their rooms for a test. Then they’ll quickly locate their wallet or purse and empty it out.
While you’re flat on your back, the crooks are out having a field day with your money. The easy solution, of course, is to have a loved one take your wallet or purse home with them if you require a hospital stay.
There is also companion scam where crooks call hospital rooms at random and impersonate an admissions agent while talking to sedated, groggy patients.
The crooks will typically say there is a problem with admission and they need your Social Security number or home address. Or perhaps they’ll say they need a credit card to process your deductible. Basically, they’ll push for any sensitive info they can get out of a sedated person who won’t remember the conversation.
BeFree is not pointing this out for you to be cynical about all the bad people in the world. Most people are, in fact, good. But you still have to take the best precautions you can.
While the first scenario is easy to guard against, there is not yet a good precaution for the second one.