Original post: #3: 13 Ways to Listen to On-Demand Audio and Podcasts – CPHQ Podcast 3

Audio is a great way to connect with your audience. By recording a simple file and posting it online, we can let our community use any method they want to listen to our message. Most of us probably don’t realize how many ways there are to listen to on-demand audio. Listed below are some of the means but there are many more.

Ways to listen to on-demand audio and podcasts

1. Directly from a website using computer. This is as simple as surfing the Internet on your desktop PC or laptop and clicking on a link to listen through your web browser.  For example, if you go to https://crimepreventionhq.com/3  you will see a media player embedded right in the post and you can stream the audio through the website.
2. Download the (MP3) file.  In most cases, you can right-click on a link to an audio file and select “save” to download the file to your hard drive. The audio will play using a media player and you won’t have to be connected to the internet when you listen. In some cases, the file may be downloaded from a shared cloud storage service such as Dropbox. Here is a link to a previous podcast. Right-click it and “save as” to see how to download the file.
3. Subscribe to RSS feed.  RSS stands for Rich Site Summary and is a method of subscribing to a feed that will automatically deliver content to your device. For example, the RSS feed for this podcast is https://crimepreventionhq.com/feed/podcast.
4. Receive an email with the audio file.  Although audio files attachments can be quite large, this is a possible option if you just want to send a short message to a few individuals such as your Neighborhood Watch Block Captains.
5. On Apple TV. This streaming device has a built-in app to play your favorite audio and video podcasts right on your TV.  You can also connect the audio output of the Apple TV to your home receiver and play the audio through your home theater speakers for better sound. The native Podcasts App allows access to the largest directory of podcasts available.
6. On Roku TV.  Same as Apple TV above but not tied in to the Apple brand. You will need to install a Podcast player from the Roku channel store but it is free. The Roku is a great device for streaming Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, Amazon Prime Video and most anything else you can think of to your TV.
7. On Internet enabled smart TVs. Internet-enabled TVs are ready for listeners to surf to your website and play your audio.
8. Using an iPod or MP3 player. The original portable device to listen to podcasts.
9. From a link embedded in Twitter. Twitter allows you to place a link to your audio file directly in your tweet and your listeners will be able to play the file on most devices. Here is an example:
   

   Did a Microsoft Technician Call Me? I Smell a RAT! A new podcast episode about this widespread scam is available at http://t.co/Zj7nSXvkIA

   — Crime Prevention HQ (@CrimePreventHQ) July 12, 2014

10. From a Facebook post using Soundcloud.  Soundcloud is currently the only service that Facebook allows to display a native audio player. You can still put a link to your audio file in Facebook but it will take your listener out of Facebook when they click on it. Although this example doesn’t include Soundcloud, it demonstrates how Facebook will display a regular link to your audio post:  Post by Crime Prevention HQ.
11. Using a tablet. Much more portable than a laptop.
12. Using a smart phone.  We are a mobile generation. Statistics show that the majority of our media consumption is now from a mobile device rather than a desk-bound computer.
13. In a car. Manufacturers are including more and more Internet streaming apps directly into the dashboards on new car models.

Apps that can be used to listen to audio

Computer

• iTunes
• Stitcher

Android Apps

• Pocket Casts
• Beyond Pod

iPhone Apps

• Podcasts
• Downcast
• Instacast
• Pocket Casts
• Stitcher

A question for you

These examples are just scratching the surface of what’s available. There are many additional ways to play on-demand audio. With all of these ways for your audience to hear your information, shouldn’t YOU be podcasting? In upcoming episodes, we will talk about how you can create your own audio and podcasts to share with others. Do you have a favorite way to listen to online audio that I didn’t mention? Maybe you prefer iHeart Radio or Spreaker or Audio Boo. Share them with your fellow crime prevention services providers by leaving your favorite way of listening and why in the comments below and we’ll add them to updates of this post!

Source: Crime Prevention HQ - Your Crime Prevention Headquarters for CPTED and Crime Prevention Training and Information Resources

Original post: #2: Did a Microsoft Technician Call Me? I Smell a “RAT” – CPHQ Podcast 2

This is your headquarters for resources, tips, training and content for the crime prevention services provider.

We do lots of things at Crime Prevention HQ, but we try to concentrate on two areas: using social media tools to spread your crime prevention message and providing some content that you can pass on to your community.

Voice Mail

Let’s start with a voice mail that I received this week at home. Later, we’ll talk about ways you can share this information with your community.

I received a voice mail this week that claimed to be from a Microsoft Certified Technician. The message claimed that my computer has been sending error messages to Microsoft and that the technician was going to help me fix my computer. I play the actual voice mail in the podcast.

The scam

The scam works by hoping that the person receiving the call doesn’t realize that Microsoft will never initiate a call to anyone that hasn’t called them for support first. If the scammer finds someone who answers their phone, they try to convince them to do one (or both!) of two things.

First, they may try to get the victim to give them their banking or credit card information to purchase software that will “fix” the problem.  This could result in the victim’s bank account being drained or their credit card being hit for hundreds or thousands of dollars in false charges.

Second, if the victim agrees to the software purchase, the victim’s computer is loaded with malware that does far more harm than the initial problem. Rather than repairing any problems, the program installs keyloggers, viruses, trojans and other information stealing software that grabs your banking information, passwords and other account details off your computer and provides them to the criminal to hack into your accounts at will.

The more common report, however, is that the criminal asks for your IP (Internet Protocol) address and gives you instructions to change the settings on your PC to allow a “RAT” inside your computer. This RAT (Remote Access Tool) allows the criminal access to your computer from anywhere in the world. Once inside, they have a free reign to steal your passwords, grab your identity information and install any manner of malware they like.  Remote Access Tools are actual programs used by real Information Technology (IT) departments and services for bona fide customer service reasons. They allow companies to fix problems remotely without having to physically be at the customer’s computer. The problem comes when these real tools are used for nefarious purposes by criminals like these scammers.

What can we do?

What can we do as Crime Prevention Officers to keep our people safe from this trick?

1. Remind everyone that Microsoft will never call them first to tell them about a problem with their computer.
2. Post the information on your web page.
3. Link to information such as Snopes.com.
4. Post on Facebook.
5. Tweet a link to your warning.
6. Do radio or TV Public Service Announcements (PSAs).
7. Tell people not to answer these calls in the first place. Use voice mail to screen out the scam artists.
8. Never call them back if you’re not sure about the validity of the call.
9. Don’t give anyone banking or credit card information if you did not initiate the call.

You don’t have to be a law enforcement officer to help

Whether you are a crime prevention officer, practitioner, or volunteer, community services officer, School Resource Officer, Citizen Observer Patrol coordinator, Volunteer in Policing member, Neighborhood Watch Coordinator or Block Captain, Home Owner’s Association member, or have a different title, if you provide crime prevention services to your community you can help keep people safe from fraud!

• If you are a member of a homeowner’s association, post the information on your HOA bulletin board or in your newsletter.
• Neighborhood Watch and Crime Watch groups can share the message with their members.
• School Resource Officers can include the warning in messages to their school staff and parents.
• Volunteers and civilians can share with their church, Rotary, Lions and other social groups.

For more information, you can see all of the links and resources mentioned during this show on our webpage at CrimePreventionHQ.com/2.

Links mentioned during the show

Snopes.com article on the Microsoft Impersonation Scam

Wikipedia article on Remote Access Tools

Source: Crime Prevention HQ - Your Crime Prevention Headquarters for CPTED and Crime Prevention Training and Information Resources

Original post: #1: Cyber Safety Radio Interview – CPHQ Podcast 1

I was a guest on the Marc Bernier Radio Show a few months ago. We discussed cyber safety, the challenges that parents face keeping their children safe on social media and the various types of computer crimes and scams that face us everyday.  We also discussed the live Facebook chat event we hosted for parents on cyber safety.

CrimePreventionHQ.com/1

 

Source: Crime Prevention HQ - Your Crime Prevention Headquarters for CPTED and Crime Prevention Training and Information Resources