Fend Off Phishing: Tips to Avoid Phishing Scams

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Cybersecurity isn’t a concern reserved for big-name corporations or social networks. Clever criminals are always working to stay a step ahead of the game, whether they’re targeting personal or business information. Phishing is an email tactic used to trick the recipient into disclosing private information such as passwords and account numbers, and it isn’t always caught by email spam filters. Read on to learn how to avoid phishing scams.

Recognize Phishing
• The email. Phishing emails are designed to look genuine. They use real company names—banks, lenders, service providers, etc.—precisely copied branding, and “spoofed” email addresses that look legitimate but have slight variations (companyname1.com for example, or companyname.othersite.com).
• The call to action. Often featuring an urgent or threatening tone, phishing emails usually request “confirmation” or “verification” of your account or billing information. You may be told that your account is at risk of being suspended, or that suspicious activity has been detected. It’s a clever ploy to get you to act without thinking.

Protect Yourself
• Don’t click on “phishy” emails. Use bookmarks or type URLs directly into your browser’s address box.
• Don’t email confidential information. Whether business or personal, don’t send financial or account information via unsecured email.
• Don’t enter private information in pop-up windows. This is rarely a secure way to transmit your sensitive data.
• Install security software. A multi-purpose suite will include your firewall, spam filter, anti-virus, and anti-spyware tools.
• Keep ALL software up to date. Always download the latest patches for and versions of your software.
• Monitor your accounts regularly. Keep an eye on your account dashboards and review your monthly statements.

What if you come across a suspected phishing message?
Avoid opening the email, and whatever you do, don’t respond or click on any links within it. Report the email to your company’s security contact, followed by the FBI’s Fraud Complaint Center. If you think your information has been stolen, the Federal Trade Commission has advice on what to do next.

To protect your team and your business from phishing, always be smart, skeptical, and security-minded. Visit the Anti-Phishing Working Group for a list of current attacks and the latest phishing news.

Ink Colors Explained

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Ink colors can seem complicated—a set of cryptic codes that determine your final color result. The color consistency these codes support is important to reinforce your brand and coordinate matching collateral. Let’s take a look at how ink works in the “black box” that is a modern commercial printer.

CMYK / Full-Color Printing / 4-Color Printing
CMYK is easily the most popular color printing model, providing a wide range of color in a small machine footprint. In CMYK, four ink colors are combined to create a final color. Cyan (C), magenta (M), yellow (Y), and black (K) are each housed in their own cartridge. Using a process called halftoning or screening, tiny dot patterns of each component color are mixed on a printing plate and then transferred to paper. The tiny dot patterns, made from the four inks, determine the color we perceive at regular magnification.

Spot Color / Solid Ink
For short runs and promotional products, spot color can be the best tool. A combination of 14 base colors are mixed according to Pantone’s formula (Pantone Matching System, or PMS) to achieve the final color. Pure spot colors are crisper than CMYK’s dots, and some very bright colors aren’t possible in CMYK.

Choosing and Converting Colors
The Pantone Process Color Guide has Pantone Color Charts that provide the “recipes” for PMS ink colors. Keep in mind that different media and coating/finishing options affect the final appearance of printed color, so different recipes are needed for each in order to get the same side-by-side printed result. The Pantone Bridge Guide also provides recipes; it is a dual ink chart used to match PMS color with CMYK color. The Bridge Guide provides side-by-side comparison of PMS formulas and their CMYK equivalents.

Color is power: it commands attention, provides emotion, and reinforces your brand. With the right combination of ink colors and media, your final result will truly shine. Contact Infomax Office Systems to maximize the impact of color for your company.

Delete Duplicates with Forms Solutions Software

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When digitizing and automating business practices, it’s smart to start with cumbersome processes and major functions. You’ll get the best bang for your buck by optimizing these areas. Increase your operational efficiency by utilizing forms solutions software, a digital tool that will give you a great return on your investment.

Understanding Forms Solutions Software
Forms provide an easy way to capture consistent information, and their standardized format helps ensure that records are complete. Forms Solutions Software generates forms in digital format only, but with the look and general experience of paper forms.

Forms Solutions Software vs. Electronic Document Management
Both Forms Solutions Software and Electronic Document Managment (EDM) support electronic capture of data to maximize efficiency. Both rely on the automation of standard processes to improve productivity. However, EDM typically starts with physical paper, and digitizing documents usually involves manual data entry or scanning. With Forms Solutions, meanwhile, you skip the paper entirely, capturing data directly as it is entered into a computer-based form.

Deleting Duplication
● Data capture — With direct input into the computer or device, Forms Solutions require no extra data entry and no Optical Character Recognition (OCR)—making it faster and less error-prone. Autofill functions save you time by completing standard fields, and mobile integration provides access anytime, anywhere. Employees can enter data while they’re on the go, from wherever they are.
● Workflow — You’re tired of emailing documents back and forth. Filing multiple cross-referenced copies of customer financial records is redundant and time-consuming. Forms Solutions automate and digitize your workflows, providing tagging, account association, routing, and notifications.
● Away from paper — In addition to data accuracy and workflow hassles, the financial and environmental costs of relying on paper forms is substantial. Shipping, handling, printing, storage, raw materials… they all cost you and your business. Forms Solutions, meanwhile, make your data easier to store and integrate into your Enterprise Resource Planning software.

If you’re tired of duplicating data entry and filing, stop juggling multiple copies and get started with Forms Solutions Software. This powerful tool still possesses the functionality of paper forms but includes all the benefits of instant digitization. Contact Infomax Office Systems to learn more.