December 13 - 19, 2012
Top Ten Tips for Staying Safe Shopping Online Every year, more people head online—rather than to the mall—to get their holiday shopping done. “The convenience and ease of shopping online has replaced the hassle of going to the store for many people—but online shopping has its own set of risks,” said Fred T. Elsberry Jr., President and CEO of the Better Business Bureau (BBB) serving Metro Atlanta, Athens & Northeast Georgia. Taking steps to avoid fraud online will result in a much happier holiday for everyone—except, of course, for scammers and hackers. Following are the “Top 10 Online Shopping Tips” for holiday shoppers to help fight unscrupulous online retailers, scammers and hackers: 1. Protect your computer – A computer should always have the most recent updates installed for spam filters, anti-virus and anti-spyware software and a secure firewall. 2. Shop on trustworthy websites –Always look for the BBB seal and other widely-recognized “trustmarks” on retailer websites and click on the seals to confirm that they are valid. 3. Protect your personal information –Take the time to read the site’s privacy policy and understand what personal information is being requested and how it will be used. If there isn’t one posted, it could be a red flag that personal information may be sold to others. 4. Beware of deals that sound too good to be true – Consumers should always go with their instincts and not be afraid to pass up a “deal” that might cost them dearly in the end. 5. Beware of phishing – Beware of e-mails claiming problems with an order or an account to lure the “buyer” into revealing financial information. If a consumer receives such an e-mail, call the contact number on the website where the purchase was made to confirm. 6. Confirm your online purchase is secure – Shoppers should always look in the address box for the “s” in https:// and in the lower-right corner for the “lock” symbol before paying. 7. Pay with a credit card – It’s best to use a credit card, because under federal law, the shopper can dispute the charges if he or she doesn’t receive the item. Never wire money and only shop locally on sites like Craigslist. 8. Keep documentation of your order – After completing the online order process, there may be a final confirmation page or the shopper might receive confirmation by e-mail – save a copy of the Web page and any e-mails for future reference and as a record of the purchase. 9. Check your credit card statements often – Don’t wait for paper statements; check credit card statements for suspicious activity by either calling credit card companies or by checking statements online regularly. 10. Know your rights – Federal law requires that orders made by mail, phone or online be shipped by the date promised or, if no delivery time was stated, within 30 days. If the goods aren’t shipped on time, the shopper can cancel and demand a refund. There is no general three-day cancellation right, but consumers do have the right to reject merchandise if it’s defective or was misrepresented. Otherwise, it’s the company’s policies that determine if the shopper can cancel the purchase and receive a refund or credit.
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‘Technology JumpStart Your Nonprofit’ Contest Announced Special to the Daily World
Milner, a full-service provider of business-to-business solutions in the document imaging and technology industry, is offering nonprofit organizations in the 20-county greater Atlanta area, a chance to win the “Technology JumpStart your Nonprofit” contest. Two winning organizations, will receive an office equipment makeover, with a combined total value of $35,000. The makeover may include, but is not limited to: a black & white and/or color multifunction device, telephone equipment, IT Consulting Services, ongoing networking support, and other technologies to make the office run more efficiently. “This is our way of thanking nonprofit organizations in metro Atlanta for the work they do in providing charitable services in our communities.” said Charlie Gibson, vice president of Milner Inc. “This contest enables us to give back to the communities in which we do business – an endeavor for which we are very proud.” Milner invites all nonprofit groups with physical office locations in the 20-county greater Atlanta metro area to enter the “Technology JumpStart your Nonprofit” contest online at www.milner.com/jumpstart. Registration for the contest will close on Dec. 31, at which time all entries will be displayed on the website for the public to vote.
Voting for the Qualification Round will take place between Jan. 9 and Jan. 31, 2013. Milner will then narrow the entries down to a group of 10. This “top 10” Finalist Round, will consist of a combination of the highest number of votes received per organization and a Milner review committee that will select organizations based on the 200-word essay submission of “Why your nonprofit needs an Office Technology Makeover.” Milner will then invite the public to vote once again, online at www.milner.com, for their favorite nonprofit out of the 10 finalists. The nonprofit, in each category, with the most votes in the final round will win an office technology upgrade. For more information or to enter the contest, visit www.milner.com/jumpstart or contact Martin Froescher at 770-734-5433 or email to jumpstart@milner.com.
Beware of Drivers Who Won’t Put Down the Internet Special to the Daily World Just in time for the busiest travel season of the year, State Farm has released its annual research report on distracted driving, with troubling results. Though texting while driving remains a concern on the nation’s highways, people are also webbing while driving with increasing frequency. These behaviors may pose equal or greater concerns in the effort to reduce distracted driving. The survey of nearly 1,000 motorists shines a light on a growing safety concern: people accessing the Internet while driving. Four years of data show a significant increase in the use of mobile Web services while driving. The growing popularity of smart phones is contributing to these escalating numbers. The survey revealed an increase in the percentage of drivers who own mobile Web devices, as well as an increase in the number of people who report accessing the Internet while driving. “The mobile Internet is generating another set of distractions for drivers to avoid,” said Justin Tomczak of State Farm. “While the safety community is appropriately working to reduce texting while driving, we must also be concerned about the growing use of multiple mobile Web services while driving.” While the distracted driving focus has traditionally been on young people, the data indicate that motorists of all ages are using the mobile Web while driving. • Smart phone ownership is on the rise, and people who report webbing while driving goes down with age. • Accessing the Internet while on a cell phone increased from 13 percent in 2009 to 21 percent in 2012.
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Reading social media networks while driving increased from 9 percent in 2009 to 15 percent in 2012. • Updating social networks while driving increased from 9 percent in 2009 to 13 percent in 2012. • Checking email while driving rose from 32 percent in 2009 to 43 percent in 2012. When asked for their opinion on ways to reduce distracted driving, 72 percent of drivers surveyed strongly agree with laws or regulations prohibiting texting or emailing behind the wheel. However, almost two-thirds believe that laws governing cell phone use while driving are enforced too little or to no extent. To a lesser degree, 45 percent were extremely likely to support technology that would prevent texting or talking on a cell phone while driving.
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