This time of year, we have frigid weather for a few days and then it warms up.
And then the frigid weather returns.
My collies aren't used to the freezing weather; I watched Shane run outside, bark at squirrels and go to the water bowl to drink.
Oops — it was frozen solid.
He was so cute; he scratched his paw against it and looked at me. I invited him into the house for a drink of liquid water.
Aside from bundling up — or not — for 2015's fickle weather, the beginning of this year is a good time to take stock of safety and security.
Specifically, Internet security.
Take it from me — we had a laptop so infected with malicious adware that it basically shut itself down. Apparently, a pop-up ad that looked legitimate was clicked on and it was malware.
I looked at the laptop, was checking for a solution, and the first ad that popped up said, "We are a Microsoft partner, click here and we will fix the computer."
Feeling suspicious, I texted a friend who told me not to trust them. I then called my brother, who works in IT; he walked me through the process of getting the malware off the computer and getting the system up and running again.
But it took two days.
Although I am no computer "geek," I've had some experience in this area. So here are some friendly tips to keep you safe on the net:
• Never click on an ad or offer that just pops up. It could be malware or a virus.
• Make sure your anti-virus program is up to date. There are many free anti-virus programs available; Avast, AVG and Microsoft Security Essentials are a few of the trustworthy ones.
• Never give your passwords to anyone, make sure your passwords are strong — not easy to guess — and don't use your birth date, anniversary or a child's name.
•Never give information about your credit cards or banking information to anyone who calls. Politely tell them you don't share that information, hang up and call your bank or credit card company from the information listed on your statement. Make sure the phone is answered by the right business.
•Provide no personal information by email unless you have already verified this is a legitimate request and that the information requested is necessary for refinancing your home or some other purpose. You can always call the bank or mortgage company if you have any questions.
•Don't give out your Social Security number over the phone, guard it closely, and even in person ask the person why they need it. Make sure it is legitimate need.
•Don't get too friendly with strangers on social media and don't post that you are leaving town, or give out personal information.
•There are no princes in other countries trying to get their money out of the country and needing you to send them money so they can transfer it to your checking or savings account.
•The Internal Revenue Service does not call and request payment over the phone; they send letters.
•If someone calls and says that they notice you are having trouble with your computer and they can help you, hang up. This is a scam!
I hope that you are having a great new year and remember, stay safe! If you see me around town, please say "hi."
STAY SAFE
See the Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office's webpage, www.sheriff-okaloosa.org, or the Crestview Police Department, http://www.crestviewpd.org/?page_id=36, for more crime prevention tips.
Janice Lynn Crose lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her brother, Robb; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HAPPENINGS Tips to protect your ID