Throw Me a Life Line

It's only been a week, but I couldn't help myself...a bonus edition of Cybersecurity for People.

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There's certainty for us approaching or older than 50.

We're a demographic that receives a whole lot of aging-related marketing. Big, big target.

Our combined buying power is fierce...until what The Wall Street Journal Lifetime Guide to Money calls "when retirement ends."

Some of the marketing material is funny - "I've fallen and I can't get up!" but also potentially real. (Funnier to younger generations...which once we were)

Some, both politically active and also service providing organizations and their marketing (AARP - magazines, discounts).

Others, shady or well packaged but nebulous as to the scam factor.

This weekend I received this and thought I'd share. It's poking at the "act now" button on a potential worry. QR code. BBB Accredited Business.

Another page in the packet that arrived via mail offers details on an event. It's at the city hall of my municipality, lending it some clout if you don't think deeper.

It comes with a Priority Code (!!!), the purpose of which is likely only to focus you, the potential reader, on the word "Priority"

4 tests for $159.

On the back of that sheet, a "Scan this code to buy now." QR code again. Nope.

The marketing material never points to the website. There is a phone number - toll free! Because that matters in 2024! 1-888-808-9016.

So let's assume I want to look into these scans (for I am a curious sort) - what do I do?

Investigate the trust:

1. Could call the City Hall and ask about these events. How frequent are they with this organization? How well received? But likely this is just a rental of sorts of the community space. Your local frog hat knitters group may be able to get the same space on a weeknight.

2. Google for the website. Here it is - https://www.lifelinescreening.com/

3. Hey, look, a BBB (Better Business Bureau) logo for accreditation on the text (as seen in the image). Let me go look that up! I visited the Better Business Bureau main website, and I didn't find the company.

4. Back to the website - there's the BBB logo in the footer. Scroll through the website, it's got a trust panel of "As seen in - [major periodicals]" - which could be ads.

5. But back to that footer - ah, a logo. Clicked. BBB in Austin, Texas. Customer Reviews - 3.22 rating out of 5. (Not so good, Mildred). The people might feel duped by the marketing promise compared with the actual services. 205 complaints closed in the last 3 years, 67 of which were in the last year.

6. Still curious or considering the services, call the phone number.

Daniel Pink wrote a book called "To Sell is Human" in which he mentions the ability for consumers to research, research, research on their own and how this has changed the sales process.

If you're tempted to buy something, do your research. Are you interested in paying for a service that is, yes, BBB accredited (kinda?) but with an awful score and leads its marketing material with fear, uncertainty, and doubt and then proudly displays the BBB accreditation and hopes you won't dig into that?

I'm not. Remember to apply all of this to emails and other online content. The human part of cybersecurity.

Me, Myself, and I

Know the tricks on me, myself, I, she, and her?

Quick reminders. Going to keep everything singular for instruction purposes.

🗒️If it has "to" in front of it, its usage is me or her (or him).

Bring that kitten menace to [me, him, her].

🗒️About that self...if it has "by" in front of it, it'll be myself, himself, herself.

The kitten can climb the fancy sheer we hung to stop the birds from smacking into the big window [herself, himself].

It's so big I couldn't hang it by myself.

Myself is an object - considered a "special object." Special.

Interested in learning more? I give you the site of the dictionary, Merriam-Webster (not sure it's clearer after reading this, but I challenge you to follow in my footsteps and read in the tone of an affronted British accent.)

https://www.merriam-webster.com/grammar/putting-myself-where-me-or-i-usually-goes

🗒️I did it! I, when used, is the subject of a sentence. It's active.

All Reputable Attorneys Email Prospective Clients from Gmail

Hello, Ivar - I bet when your bot sent this it didn't know it'd be featured in a newsletter. Everyone, say hello to Ivar.

I'm not falling for your Rutberging scheme, even if you did know Jeffery and his antics. [sigh]

Email acknowledged.

The New Job

In late April I began (officially) working part time with the Missouri Cybersecurity Center of Excellence. For the last year I've been a part of the Steering Committee, and now is the time to build the rest of our services and their interoperation to grow the program.

The Missouri Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is a non-profit organization that amplifies 3 key areas:

1. Training and hands-on experience for students in cybersecurity, meeting them where they are in their journey.

2. Cybersecurity services for organizations of all sizes in our community (and beyond) provided by staff, students, and key partnerships.

3. Community outreach and education with the goal of increasing cybersecurity awareness and bolstering secure behaviors in our community. We speak, write, and advocate.

We serve.

If you see me in person in the near future, ask me more about this. In this early stage, we are seeking donations to help build what will be in time a self-sustaining organization.

National organizations can be a part of something great and do so early - something we plan to build as a repeatable program, almost like a franchise. Your donation dollars make a huge difference in how quickly we build the programs.

Wall Street Journal Article (and me, myself, and I)

If you've got Wall Street Journal access, check it out. One of my goofy antics (there's that word again) I use to poke a little joy into life is listed in Rachel Feintzeig's article yesterday.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/the-wall-street-journal_you-bought-the-house-but-still-get-zillow-activity-7193245448030048256-gcDR

A Couple of Good Posts

In case you didn't see them...

⚡Remember to drink water when reading AI posts. Warning: drowning risk. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/heathernoggle_cybersecurity-saturday-ai-activity-7192500943710511106-NLcT

⚡Have a badge - https://www.linkedin.com/posts/heathernoggle_cybersecurity-infosec-cyberhygiene-activity-7190706369660870656-oX3-

This Newsletter Sponsored By

Thanks for reading - I appreciate you and thoroughly enjoy writing.

This newsletter is sponsored by...

🩺Cicadas. Every 200th stinking one.

🩺Everyone not attending the RSA conference

🩺The Water Drinking Game

🩺All of the Internet's Cats

🩺LinkedIn Top Voice Badges

🩺Rice-a-Roni (The San Francisco Treat)

🩺Life Line Screening's Marketing Team...or its competitor.

Please send encouragement to me and money to the Missouri Cybersecurity Center of Excellence. DM me about either. Or both!