Dec 15th 2021 Covid Update

As of this writing all RenoGeek technicians have had their 2 main vaccine shots and the new booster.

As we have done from the start of the pandemic we are more than willing to work with our clients who might need special accommodations, such as contactless service calls, to get us all through these tough times. Feel free to call today to see how we may help you.

Beware of fake website invoices

I have had a few customers call /email about getting an invoice for their website domain form “us-domainauthority “. com”” for $289.00. It’s 100% fake. Never pay invoices from companies you have never done business with before. Your web developer should be able to tell you when you’ll need to renew again. And for those that don’t get this via snail mail, the scam is also done over the phone with high pressure sales people telling you that you must pay ASAP. Domain renewal never works this way. Stay safe…


Regarding Updated CDC covid-19 Mask requirements

As most have heard by now, the CDC has dropped the masking requirements for most kinds of businesses.

While we are sending only fully vaccinated technicians (2x shots + 14 days) to our onsite clients we understand that many are still struggling with the changes that have occurred in all of our daily life over the past 14+ months of the pandemic.

And with that in mind we are more than willing to work with our clients needs and can wear masks onsite if requested. Or as we have already been doing throughout the course of the pandemic, offer free “contactless” pickup and return of your computer equipment.

Feel free to call us at 775-313-1951 with any question you may have or to tell us how we may accommodate your needs.

May 2021 Covid-19 update

RenoGeek Computer Repair covid-19 protection measures
Covid-19 protection measures provided by RenoGeek

All employees are now fully vaccinated. And we are still following all state and local masking and distancing requirements for the safety of our customers. Along with sanitizing our equipment before and after each visit. We are also still offering Contactless pickup and drop-off options.

RenoGeek Computer Repair Covid-19 Protection Measures

RenoGeek Computer Repair covid-19 protection measures
Covid-19 protection measures provided by RenoGeek

RenoGeek is taking the protection of its customers seriously. First by following all current government orders regarding business operation in Nevada. And by constantly sanitizing our repair equipment and using theses CDC recommendations…

Cleaning hands often, with hand sanitizer that contains at least 70% alcohol.
Avoiding contact with people that are sick.
(please only make an appointment if you, your family and employees are feeling well).

Keeping a distance (at least 6 feet) from our clients.
Using new, disposable (one time use) masks, when visiting clients.
Requesting our clients stay safe and also use masks when we are on-site making a service call. As currently mandated by the Government.

Cleaning and disinfecting frequently, clients computer equipment and work surfaces.

Disinfecting clients computers before transport to our shop and again once we return your computer to you (on-site).

Technicians clean with 70%+ alcohol sanitizers before and immediately after client visits. As well as changing into a new mask before seeing each client.

RenoGeek has always had free pickup and dropoff for our clients. Today we are expanding this service to include, “Contactless” appointments.

Where you can just leave your computer at the door and we will pick it up for you. And you can pay with a credit/debit card when it’s returned to you.

(Please call ahead for an appointment for pickup so that we can make sure we can accommodate you and your equipment is not left outside for an extended period of time).

Facebook hires people to snoop at your posts to train AI to snoop better

Reuters is reporting that over the past year, a team of 250+ contract workers in India, have been going through the posts of millions of Facebook users. Including photos, status updates and other content posted since 2014.

Include are the subjects of the post and trying to ascertain the author’s intention of said posts. The work, according to Facebook is aimed at understanding users posts to its services and help the company develop new features, with the final aim of increasing usage and ad revenue.

The work along with other “content labeling” projects that Facebook has at the moment, employ thousands of people. Many of these projects are aimed at “training” the underling software that determines what users see ion their news feeds and which ads are show at a particular time.

This program along with previous miss-steps add fuel to the fire, surrounding the rise of privacy issues at Facebook. The company is already facing worldwide investigations over other privacy abuses involving the sharing of user data with business partners. And an almost constant stream of news about the lack of overall security of the platform in general. Such as the recent news Facebook kept user passwords and other data in plain text. Making it much easier to steal users information.

A Facebook spokeswoman said: “We make it clear in our data policy that we use the information people provide to Facebook to improve their experience and that we might work with service providers to help in this process.”

Facebook launched the project in April of 2018. The Indian firm is being paid $4 million and employs 250+ “labelers” , according to the company. The contracted work consisted of analyzing posts from the past five years.

After completing this initial work the team was cut down to 30 workers who now concentrate on “labeling” posts from the previous month. Work is expected to continue through the end of 2019, at least.

Other Facebook’s “labeling” include looking for sensitive topics or offensive language in videos posted to the platform. The reason seems to be more training of automated Facebook tools that help advertisers avoid sponsoring videos that are adult or political in nature.

Other uses could also be to better target users using their marketplace feature, where AI automated recommendations for new listings will be targeted to users based on their past posts.

From the report there seems to be no way for Facebook users to stop this data collection even with their private posts between friends and family..

Reno computer Repair by RenoGeek talks about the fake IP renewal scam.

Reno computer repair by RenoGeek - Beware of IP Scams
Beware of IP Scams

As people start to become more aware of the old Microsoft tech support and virus scams, crooks have had to up their game and find a new way to scam uninformed computer users.

The new scam involves another cold calling technique to trick people into giving up their hard earned money. This new scam starts with somebody from “Tech support” or “Microsoft” calling, who says that you are soon going to loose your “IP address” unless you pay them to renew it.

And like the MS and virus support scams of the past this new scam plays yet again into the lack of knowledge most computer users have about their own systems and how the basics of the Internet work.

Your “IP” address is nothing more than a string of numbers that your ISP assigns to your router or computer to talk with it’s network and the Internet at large. This address is assigned automatically each time your router or computer reboots. And is included in the cost of your Internet bill. So there is no recurring bill you have to pay to keep this IP address. Your ISP gives you a new one each time you reconnect to them. Today, unlike in the past this is all handled automatically and you don’t have to do anything to get or keep your IP address.

So yet again my advice is the same as it has been for years. If somebody calls and says that ANYTHING is wrong with your computer or the Internet, hang up. Don’t talk with them at all. No legit company is ever going to call you about your computer unless you have bought a service contract ahead of time.

New wave of fake anti-virus company calls hit’s Reno

Reno computer repair - fake antivirus warning
Reno computer repair – fake antivirus warning

Over the last few days the number of client’s either infected by or cold called by fake antivirus companies has increased by about 300 percent. While I have talked about these fakes for years now. It seems that more people get fooled with each new wave of attacks.

If anybody ever cold calls you about ANYTHING having to do with your computer hang up right away. It’s not a legitimate company trying to help you out.

If you get a popup on your computer telling you to call a toll free phone number to clean your computer, turn off your computer, wait a few minutes and restart it. If the popup does not come back you came across a infected website and may be okay.

If it comes back after restarting your system then you probably have an infection and you should call a computer technician ASAP for help.

Evidence the repeal of net neutrality is already hurting consumers

reno computer repair verizon-calfire
reno computer repair verizon-calfire

When the FCC ignored millions of comments and decided to repeal net neutrality, many thought that a floodgate of abuse would start by the major telcos and other communications companies.

While it seems they were smart enough not to hit everybody at once with higher rates and less service, there is a slow trickle of events that seem to point out how right consumer advocates were for being alarmed in the first place.

One case in point is Verizon’s throttling of the Santa Clara County Fire department during this summer’s Mendocino Complex Fire. California’s largest wildfire ever.

The fire department found that while an emergency response vehicle was deployed at the Mendocino Complex Fire, data rates were being throttled by Verizon to speeds that made the service unusable.

While this throttling may be just a minor headache on a weekend at a home trying to watch Netflix. I think anybody with average intelligence would be able to understand that being throttled in the middle of fighting a wildfire could turn deadly or at the very least cause widespread damage to property.

So as stated during the FCC hearings, net neutrality is not just an issue of convenience. In the 21st century where almost everything has to be connected to the Internet, it can be a matter of life and death.

Google Tracks Your Location Even If You’ve Opted Out

Reno Computer Repair - Google Tracking
Reno Computer Repair – Google Tracking

The Associated Press is reporting that Google keeps tracking you even after you have turned off location history on your devices…

This report, confirmed by computer researchers at Princeton, have found privacy issues with Google’s Location History settings affecting most Android devices and even a large percentage of iOS devices (aka Apple) for consumers that use Google Maps or Google search. The investigation found that even when users “paused” Location History  on mobile devices, Google services will continued to save user data.