Do you get irritated with internet security features?

hollydolly said:
so do I...I consistently refuse to be billed online..I always have my paper bills, and I keep them in file boxes... but I'm talking about Junk mail that used to come along with the regular mail
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What irks me is that they always frame it like, "We're saving you a stamp", when in fact computer billing saves them millions. If one of these corporations would ever offer a tiny discount for online billing and payment, I'd consider it. IOW they're saving millions but offer no rebate to the customer.

Even of the companies that allow you to send a check, now many want to send you the bill electronically-- so YOU have to print it out, type out an envelope and send it to them. There again, they're saving millions, but won't throw a bone to the customer.
 

I think each business should allow their customers choose their level of security measure,from none to advanced. Some sites need no security at all and others need tight safety.
If everyone requires verification, then one day we will need it everywhere, at home, in the car, whatever.
 
ChiroDoc said:
What irks me is that they always frame it like, "We're saving you a stamp", when in fact computer billing saves them millions. If one of these corporations would ever offer a tiny discount for online billing and payment, I'd consider it. IOW they're saving millions but offer no rebate to the customer.

Even of the companies that allow you to send a check, now many want to send you the bill electronically-- so YOU have to print it out, type out an envelope and send it to them. There again, they're saving millions, but won't throw a bone to the customer.
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Yes, they are doing me no favors. Environmental reasons are disguised saving money reasons. And don't even use the blank paper they send me.
 

Victor said:
Yes, they are doing me no favors. Environmental reasons are disguised saving money reasons. And don't even use the blank paper they send me.
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True. Another thing that bugs the hell out of me is when they'll send you a paper bill, but attach a $5 service charge for it! I pay thousands of dollars a year for auto and home insurance, but yet they still have the gall to charge $5 to send a paper bill. I never pay that charge, and never will.
 
@OneEyedDiva …my theory is that upgrades also allow improved tracking and AI features. My favorite computer is 24 years old with no upgrades. I get the best search results using it because the results are “pure” and not influenced by AI either dumbing down or anticipating shopping needs. My iphone is a 2016…also no upgrades. Never have issues with security as i do not open or click on things. I always google those to check if there is a scam. My computer i bought last year is difficult to research with and upgrades without my consent when i connect to the internet…I absolutely hate it. Do most things on my phone.
 
Muskrat said:
@OneEyedDiva …my theory is that upgrades also allow improved tracking and AI features. My favorite computer is 24 years old with no upgrades. I get the best search results using it because the results are “pure” and not influenced by AI either dumbing down or anticipating shopping needs. My iphone is a 2016…also no upgrades. Never have issues with security as i do not open or click on things. I always google those to check if there is a scam. My computer i bought last year is difficult to research with and upgrades without my consent when i connect to the internet…I absolutely hate it. Do most things on my phone.
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What's the make of this computer that has lasted you 24 years?! A friend of mine and I say the Mac upgrades are really downgrades. Boy did I find that out the hard way. Last upgrade it did slowed the computer down tremendously.. I kept getting that "spinning beachball of death" at each operation. I finally got a Dell computer a little more than a year ago. Each of my Macs had lasted me about 8 - 10 years. I kept the Mac, but use it for non internet operations. My computers, phone and tablet are protected using an antivirus program and VPN (which suffices for antivirus/malware protection in of itself). But AVG is free, so I use it as well.
 
I like the double identity thing, or whatever they call it, where they send a 6-figure number to your phone, which is a code that only lasts for 15 minutes or so. You enter that code as extra proof that you are really you. I think it's pretty unlikely that anyone would be able to crack that code.

Anyway, I think this whole fuss about avoiding anyone guessing what your password is, is a lot of bunk. Probably the computer criminals are mostly scam experts, or engineers who can get into your computer's insides and steal the passwords. Guessing what your password probably is sounds like it's for amateurs. So your pet's name is Frisky? How many bad guys are likely to know that, or care? They have more sophisticated methods.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
My computers, phone and tablet are protected using an antivirus program and VPN (which suffices for antivirus/malware protection in of itself). But AVG is free, so I use it as well.
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Do you use a VPN all the time, or just part of the time? I use one sometimes, but it increases my monthly data usage, even though my provider has not throttled me or sent notice of excess usage.
 
Nathan said:
Speaking of billing, I would put the water bill on "auto pay" but the water company wants to charge me an extra $5 a month for the 'privilege'. :p
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Now that kinda crap gets me letting them know what I think about that! I also hate being charged a convenience fee for using a card !
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I just spent one irritating day dealing with security codes, and missing passwords. Yeah, I'm no computer geek, but I ain't that stupid, either. How can X not be my password, when 3 apps and 3 devices say this is the password that worked?????
Do you get irritated with internet security features?
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Yes!

I remember the good old days, even before the net, when you didn't need passwords, just usernames. It's all changed. The trouble is security today, though very necessary, simply makes commerce on the net more difficult and slow. Heck, even virus software annoys me, since it slows your machine. Still, it is essential.

I've surprised a couple people by showing them how to find out their various passwords - as far as I know, all browsers for PC's (not a Mac person) store your passwords for you, and you can go read them.

Still, it might be worth investing in Password Management. I don't, but others might find it useful:

https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-password-managers
 
dilettante said:
If you wonder why we have so much advertising delivered in skanky ways, look right at those using ad blockers.
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I don't agree with this. In fact, I think the very opposite is true. Ads got too frequent, and too intrusive - so someone wrote an ad-blocker to remove them.
 
Yes it does. What annoys me the most is that they ask me to update my information, but it's only after I've entered the same password to access that page, then need to again give the same password to make the changes, and the changes they want aren't changes at all.
 
VaughanJB said:
Yes!

I remember the good old days, even before the net, when you didn't need passwords, just usernames. It's all changed. The trouble is security today, though very necessary, simply makes commerce on the net more difficult and slow. Heck, even virus software annoys me, since it slows your machine. Still, it is essential.

I've surprised a couple people by showing them how to find out their various passwords - as far as I know, all browsers for PC's (not a Mac person) store your passwords for you, and you can go read them.

Still, it might be worth investing in Password Management. I don't, but others might find it useful:

https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-password-managers
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I have 3 password managers on one device and two device have built in password managers, plus I have an old password manager I bought years ago.
All of them said my password was "X", and that password used to open the site, but, now, it wouldn't work. AAAAAAH!
 
MACKTEXAS said:
Do you use a VPN all the time, or just part of the time? I use one sometimes, but it increases my monthly data usage, even though my provider has not throttled me or sent notice of excess usage.
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MACK I used my VPN most of the time. There are sites, including my credit union, that will not load when it is active, so I disable it at those times. It's funny...sometimes Senor Forums will allow me to use the VPN, other times I have to disable it. I always use U.S. locations to connect, so I don't understand why that is. Right now, the VPN is enabled. I'm using Nord. Someone posted a while back that he uses another one that allows him to connect to all sites. Can't remember who or what thread it was in. I had just renewed Nord, so I didn't follow up on it.
 
Sunny said:
I like the double identity thing, or whatever they call it, where they send a 6-figure number to your phone, which is a code that only lasts for 15 minutes or so. You enter that code as extra proof that you are really you. I think it's pretty unlikely that anyone would be able to crack that code.

Anyway, I think this whole fuss about avoiding anyone guessing what your password is, is a lot of bunk. Probably the computer criminals are mostly scam experts, or engineers who can get into your computer's insides and steal the passwords. Guessing what your password probably is sounds like it's for amateurs. So your pet's name is Frisky? How many bad guys are likely to know that, or care? They have more sophisticated methods.
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It's called two factor identification. And yes, hackers have sophisticated methods, but I wonder if they have more success with people who have weak passwords. I have a cousin who is a doctor (MD). I couldn't believe it when she told me her password was "password"! Another mistake people make is to use the same password for all their accounts.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
MACK I used my VPN most of the time. There are sites, including my credit union, that will not load when it is active, so I disable it at those times. It's funny...sometimes Senor Forums will allow me to use the VPN, other times I have to disable it. I always use U.S. locations to connect, so I don't understand why that is. Right now, the VPN is enabled. I'm using Nord. Someone posted a while back that he uses another one that allows him to connect to all sites. Can't remember who or what thread it was in. I had just renewed Nord, so I didn't follow up on it.
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Thanks for the helpful feedback. Yes, I've heard that some sites will not load when using a VPN. I haven't encountered that yet, but it's probably because I use my VPN infrequently. My VPN offers 3 protocols; I always choose WireGuard, advised per below link.

FROM NORD
 
MACKTEXAS said:
Thanks for the helpful feedback. Yes, I've heard that some sites will not load when using a VPN. I haven't encountered that yet, but it's probably because I use my VPN infrequently. My VPN offers 3 protocols; I always choose WireGuard, advised per below link.

FROM NORD
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You're welcome, of course. And thank you for the refresher course. I went into my Nord on the computer and found that I hadn't enabled the advanced security features that are available. I didn't see WireGuard, but I should be good now though.
 
fuzzybuddy said:
I just spent one irritating day dealing with security codes, and missing passwords. Yeah, I'm no computer geek, but I ain't that stupid, either. How can X not be my password, when 3 apps and 3 devices say this is the password that worked?????
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I just saw this... and it reminded me of you and this thread. :giggle:

1746460774758.jpeg
 

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