Shelley Scott, executive director, Flamborough Information and Community Services
An online love letter could be a heart breaker. You may think you are opening a Valentine from a loved one but in reality it’s a virus. Here are some hints and tips to stay virus-free on Valentine’s Day:
• E-card companies don’t send cards as attachments. If you receive an e-card notification with an attachment, delete the message and attachment immediately;
• If you don’t recognize the sender’s name, delete the message immediately;
• If the subject line is generic and impersonal (“You’ve received a postcard from a family member!”) chances are the message is not safe to open;
• If the notification contains a clickable link that includes “.exe” or an unfamiliar website name – especially if an IP address appears when you hover your cursor over the link – it’s not a legitimate card link.
You may be thinking, “If I delete the message and it’s real, there goes that relationship.” To be safe, try the following:
• E-mail the sender and ask if you should have received an e-card from them;
• Make sure the sender’s name and the name or URL of a legitimate e-card website are included in the subject line;
• Check the “From” address to make sure you recognize it. Some e-card companies will include the sender’s name and address in the body of the notification;
• Legitimate e-card notifications should include a clickable link to the card on the card company’s website as well as a URL you can copy and paste into a browser.
Drivers’ Ed–55 Alive
The six-hour 55 Alive Driver’s Ed course will be offered by FICS in two sessions at Sealey Park Scout Hall in Waterdown. Thursday, March 8 and Thursday, March 15, 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The cost is $25 plus $13 for the workbook. For more information and to reserve space, call FICS at 905-689-7880.
Flamborough Information & Community Services is offering free income tax clinics to individuals who have an income below $20,000 with no dependents or $30,000 with dependents. Individuals with rental income and/or business income do not qualify for the clinics, nor do we prepare returns for clients who have passed away. Call 905-689-7880 to make an appointment.
Submitted by Shelley Scott, Flamborough Information and Community Services
