Nayu's Craft Time #312 PSA: Text Phishing is real.

I really was going to have a short light post explaining what I've been up, which shiny new toy I have (Pikachu themed Nintendo 2DS XL (large size)), how my current craft project is going, until a phone call I had just now with PayPal making this a PSA must read post. 

I bought my new Nintendo console on Thursday. Friday morning I had a text allegedly from PayPal saying: 

There was an issue processing your last bill payment. To avoid charges to your account, please update your billing information at blahblahblah. 

They gave what seemed like a legitimate web address, but I am super suspicious of anything, so obviously didn't click on the link. I went to the PayPal website using the address I usually use, I filled in a form, explained the situation and waited for a response. 

Question everything

I can't remember when I got my first reply, but the message gave me common info to what my problem could have been. I had to reply to that message to get some info from an advisor. I just checked my email today and got asked to call PayPal because of the sensitive nature of the call. I double checked online that the number I was given in that official PayPal email was genuine and it was.

I phoned PayPal (thankfully a free phone number), spoke to the advisor who said there was absolutely nothing wrong with my account, there was no issue with payment or anything like that. He explained that unfortunately these things happen, it doesn't mean that someone has my account details, they get my text details from wherever phone numbers are found for unscrupulous individuals, and they just send text messages in the hope someone will click on the link. 

It was just pure coincidence that this happened shortly after buying my console, which had arrived safely which is why I felt there probably wasn't an issue. I have bought other things online using PayPal in the last month and not had a problem. The advisor was amazing as I instantly panicking the moment he said it wasn't a text from them (he looked through all the communication they had sent me in the last month), but he reassured me the people who have my number do not have my details, they want them, which is why they sent the text.

I am glad and fortunate that I am so suspicious of anything saying there's a problem, even from a company I trust I always find a different way to contact them to check what's going on. While I was told I don't have to change my password, I am changing it to make myself feel that bit more secure with PayPal. PayPal is so convenient and secure that I'm not going to stop using it. The advisor didn't ask me much info, and only after he gave the info they had on their system which is how I knew he was genuine because fraudsters don't necessarily give info, they want you to give it.

I was going to block the number, but when trying to do so my phone told me their number was invalid. Of course it is!! Deleting it is very satisfying.

I'm so thankful I had the idea to check the situation out for myself

Fraud/phishing isn't restricted to just emails guys, it can apparently happen in a text too. Please don't believe that an email from a company is true - most companies say how you can identify if it's a genuine communication (some use your postcode or other details).  

I feel blessed by God that I have such a suspicious nature, because that text really did look realistic. That suspicion and the fact I don't go online to websites on my phone that I didn't click on it, otherwise I would have. 

So please, be mindful that you can be scammed by text as well as by email, and it's important to know what genuine contact looks like/contains from the companies you deal with. If you have any concerns find out how to contact the company separately from whatever communication you have been sent that seems odd, and they will quickly be able to confirm if it is them or not. Even if you know what to look for in an email, be mindful there are other ways to lure you into revealing account details. If a company phones me and says they are a company I use, I make up an excuse to hang up then I immediately ring the company on a number I know. 

I think I've repeated the same info in this post a few times but if it helps just one more person stay safe then it's worth it. I don't want anyone to be scammed. 

Life is good too!

Nayu's Craft Time #311 Unexpected break

Not my room, but look at the fairytale bed!!!! Was denied access to the website this is from, but it looks incredible.

Feels like I'm always saying this, but sorry for the break between blog posts. I was unwell at the weekend, nothing major but it meant I wasn't up for blogging and needed lots of extra rest. It meant more gaming (always a good thing) with lots of time spent on My Time At Portia, a newly released game now on all consoles including PC. Mine is the Switch version, making it perfect for playing in bed. I managed a tiny bit of craft that I'll show soon. I didn't read as much as I hoped because my brain wasn't in the reading mode, instead I became a farmer and a builder which definitely was a good distraction. 

My cat is slightly unpopular in that she didn't come keep me company while I was unwell, something she usually does. But hey, cats are fickle, and mine is no exception to that. I've literally got a pile of stuff in my room that needs sorting, which I'll get through over the next few days Between that I'll be gaming lots, reading, and whatever else I feel like! Regardless of whether you celebrate easter (I don't) I hope you had a good weekend.

If only!

Over on Nayu's Reading Corner #19 Plans for the weekend ahead

No idea where I got this from but it's ery appropriate!

Find out why the weather is influencing my week a bit, as well as what I'm up to with Pokemon Go over on Nayu's Reading Corner.

Nayu's Craft Time #310 Muting on Twitter

These guys can do the actions for keeping quiet, but will they actually do it?

This a prescheduled post so I'm not sure how the weekend has gone for me, but I hope it is going well for you. I've wanted to post about this for a while in case you are a Twitter user and, like me, had no idea you could mute various words (possibly phrases, but can't remember) so subjects remain out of your feed. You can choose the time frame for this, so if you just want to avoid seeing sport results or people's thoughts on a certain game (first isn't what I do, but the second can be) you pick 24 hours. There's a permanent exclusion, and I can't remember the other one. 

The fact this feaure exists is blissful. I've used the permanent feature by banning Brexit (although I see headlines on BBC news app only when I want to see them), which can still be found if I do a search, and I think there are a few other exclusions where I will still see it, but overall it's a wonderful way to keep politics out of my Twitter feed. I've used the 24 hour mute feature too, when the terror attacks happened in Christchurch, I'd had enough info and didn't want to accidentally see any more as I'd reached my limit. It gave me time to take it all in, yet kept me updated if there was any urgent news. 

I'm certain Twitter will have help topics to show you how to use the magical mute feature, so suggest checking out it now while you think about it so you can easily use it in the future. I'd love to hear what kind of topics you'll mute about. 

Nayu's Project Progress #39 The blanket grows!

Tada!

As promised a few posts ago, it's time to show you what I'm working on at the moment! Making a cute blanket for myself with white and cream separating the colours. I tend to work on it a bit in the mornings as I wake up while watching something, as a gentle start to the day.

Zooming in...

Apart from the larger area of cream which I can't be bothered to undo, I am doing 2 rows of white/cream between every colour. So far my favourite colour in it is the pink yarn. What's yours? 

Nayu's Craft Time #309 International family visit & a minor medicine mishap

One of the cactus on my windowsill - will take another photo soon because the flowers have come out some more!

The last however many days since my last blog post have been spent either being busy or resting. This week in particular was crazy because I had family from Australia staying over until their flight home. It was super fun because I hadn't seen them for a few years, although sadly not all could come on this visit. It meant that I stayed up late chatting (ok, I was mostly listening while gaming on my Switch), and I spent over half a day being social too, which I find tiring at the best of times. Add in the fact I was tired enough to accidentally take half my night time meds including some that make me sleepy at dinner time, my body had quite a lot to recover from. 

Sadly Australia isn't a country where Hello Kitty planes fly to/from.

As usual I have been gaming lots, I managed to finish a 3D puzzle (full post on it sometime this month), I did quite a bit of crochet (that will be another post update later this month), and read quite a lot too. 

I am having my mega meds this weekend, probably Sunday, so won't blog much here until next week, but I do have some reviews scheduled over on Nayu's Reading Corner so check there regularly. I am of course on Twitter and try to say hi daily, along with many game tweets.